Hi Zev,
Is there any documentation around the automation approach? I was familiar with earlier versions, but have not figured out the condition filters and other fields to automate. Thanks,
Davis
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Automation Overview
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ZevToledano
- Posts: 722
- Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:29 pm
Re: Automation Overview
Greetings,
I'm planning to write a technical overview in the Wiki in a few weeks and you have some practical examples in the training videos (http://www.digital-clay.com/community/v ... D=Training) but in the meantime just ask specific questions...
Regarding automation filters for Item Events/Autofill/Validation events:
Filters define whether the event should run or not. Filters are basically Business Rules/Logic that define WHEN to run automated actions. There are three types of filters so far:
1. Filters on New Values: This means it checks the latest copy of the record for the values you specify. With autofill/validation this means the values in the unsaved record that the user is working on. You can use NOT, OR (optional filters) and any advanced filter tools that you can use in the Browser.
2. Filters on Old Values: This is only relevant with item change events, or validation/autofill events when a record is being changed. This checks for values in the previous saved record before the changes, or in the case of validation/autofill, the currently saved record in the db before any changes made by the user. So, for example, you can run an event only if the user changed a Stage from 3 to 4 (and not from 2 to 4) using a combination of Old/New Filters.
3. Changed Field Requirements: This defines which fields have to change for the event to run. Again, this is only relevant for change events. Use this if you don't care what the previous value was, only that the field was changed. Also use this to ensure that the field was changed. For example if you set a Filter on New Values 'Stage=2', you may want the event to run ONLY if the stage was only just set to 2 (in which case you would also use Changed Field Requirement), otherwise it will run on ANY change as long as the current Stage is still 2.
I'm planning to write a technical overview in the Wiki in a few weeks and you have some practical examples in the training videos (http://www.digital-clay.com/community/v ... D=Training) but in the meantime just ask specific questions...
Regarding automation filters for Item Events/Autofill/Validation events:
Filters define whether the event should run or not. Filters are basically Business Rules/Logic that define WHEN to run automated actions. There are three types of filters so far:
1. Filters on New Values: This means it checks the latest copy of the record for the values you specify. With autofill/validation this means the values in the unsaved record that the user is working on. You can use NOT, OR (optional filters) and any advanced filter tools that you can use in the Browser.
2. Filters on Old Values: This is only relevant with item change events, or validation/autofill events when a record is being changed. This checks for values in the previous saved record before the changes, or in the case of validation/autofill, the currently saved record in the db before any changes made by the user. So, for example, you can run an event only if the user changed a Stage from 3 to 4 (and not from 2 to 4) using a combination of Old/New Filters.
3. Changed Field Requirements: This defines which fields have to change for the event to run. Again, this is only relevant for change events. Use this if you don't care what the previous value was, only that the field was changed. Also use this to ensure that the field was changed. For example if you set a Filter on New Values 'Stage=2', you may want the event to run ONLY if the stage was only just set to 2 (in which case you would also use Changed Field Requirement), otherwise it will run on ANY change as long as the current Stage is still 2.
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davisblair
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:09 pm
Re: Automation Overview
Thanks Zev, that clears up on the filters. A specific Automation question: I have a bunch of contacts in the contact table and want to change some of the to customers based on the customer category drop down, which is a custom field I added. They are already flagged in the contact table as customers, what is the best way to convert them over to the customer table from contacts - to create new customer records from existing contacts? Thanks a lot. Davis
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ZevToledano
- Posts: 722
- Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 2:29 pm
Re: Automation Overview
Well it depends what the rules are.
For example, if you only want to convert a contact to a customer when a specific category is selected, then you should use the Filters on New Values to ensure the category value is correct, and the Changed Field Requirements to ensure that it only happens when the category is changed, and you can check that this isn't done twice by making sure the Customer linked field is set to 'None' in Filters on New Values.
Or, for example, you can simply add a Yes/No field to Contacts called "Convert to Customer" and then run the automation whenever this is checked.
To convert one record to another with automation:
1. Create an Add/Change event on Contacts with appropriate filters.
2. Add a Create Item action and set the linked field in the Create Item action window. This linked field is important so that you can copy fields from the linked contact to the customer.
3. In the Create Item sub-event, add one action per field that you wish to copy from the contact to the customer. E.g. You can copy fields using custom functions, with 'set linked field' actions, or by mapping values in contact fields to appropriate values in customer fields.
For example, if you only want to convert a contact to a customer when a specific category is selected, then you should use the Filters on New Values to ensure the category value is correct, and the Changed Field Requirements to ensure that it only happens when the category is changed, and you can check that this isn't done twice by making sure the Customer linked field is set to 'None' in Filters on New Values.
Or, for example, you can simply add a Yes/No field to Contacts called "Convert to Customer" and then run the automation whenever this is checked.
To convert one record to another with automation:
1. Create an Add/Change event on Contacts with appropriate filters.
2. Add a Create Item action and set the linked field in the Create Item action window. This linked field is important so that you can copy fields from the linked contact to the customer.
3. In the Create Item sub-event, add one action per field that you wish to copy from the contact to the customer. E.g. You can copy fields using custom functions, with 'set linked field' actions, or by mapping values in contact fields to appropriate values in customer fields.