User portal basics - Using work object forms

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Standard work object forms offer important capabilities and power to application users. You can customize the standard forms to meet design or usage requirements for your application.

This topic presents general information about using work object forms, and assumes use of the standard forms. Details may differ based on the portal rules, harness rules, and other features of your applications.

Definition

Work object forms support application users as they enter and process work. Standard work object forms have a white or silver background, depending on CSS styles in the skin rule (Rule-PortalSkin rule type) associated with the portal:

for work object forms created in Version 5.3 or later with the User skin rule.
for work object forms created in Version 5.1 + with the Metal skin rule

Developers may tailor the appearance and function of these forms for each application.

Parts of a work object form

The header usually identifies the work type, the urgency, and the work object ID. Use the buttons at the right of the header to work with the form, access history, or add attachments.

The action section appears only in Perform mode. This shows the actions available to you now. After you select an action from the Take Action list, a form appears. The appearance and inputs of the form change dynamically depending on your selection from the Take Action list and your input values.

For example, in the following typical action section, a manager selects the Approve action, enters data into the fields to complete the action form, and clicks Submit .

A work object form can contain other sections that display cumulative facts about the work object, including the work parties.

Perform harness

Buttons, icons, and other controls

Inside a work object form, click a tab (), a right triangle control ( Expand ), or a plus sign control () to expand an area of the form to make it visible.

Click another tab, a down triangle control (), or a minus sign control () to hide or collapse an area of the form.

Click Create or Submit to send your input for processing. An animated busy icon ( ) appears if you must wait for the work object form to appear. GRP-294 5.5

Top right buttons

These buttons typically appear at the upper right in work object forms.

Button	How to use
Expand all	Expands all the sections in the form.
Hide all	Collapses (hides) all the sections of the form.
Save	Submits your input and saves the work object. Typically, does not complete the assignment or advance the work object through the flow.
Reopen	Presents the Reopen form, which allows you to reopen a resolved work object.
Contents	Indicates that the current work object is a cover. Click to access the contents (associated work objects) of the cover. See Understanding covers.
Paper clip	Lists attachments to this work object, and allows you to add, edit, or delete attachments. Standard access roles do not include the privileges needed to delete attachments. See User portal basics — About work object history and attachments and Understanding work object attachments.
Update	Opens the work object in update mode so you can change the values of fields that are not in the Action section.
Where am I?	Presents the current flow rule diagram, highlighting with a larger gold arrow the location of the current assignment. See Using the Where-am-I? display. `C-1067`
Close	Closes the current form without applying your changes.
Folder	Indicates that the current work object is a folder. Click to list and access the work objects associated with the folder.
Spellcheck	Spellchecks in turn the words in each text area of the current form, or in other fields also depending on configuration. Click the button again to exit spellchecking mode. `R-18597` Dictionaries available to you depend on your current locale setting. `C-555`
History	Displays the history of this work object, also called the audit trail. See User portal basics — About work object history and attachments.
Copy	Create a new work object by copying some values from this work object. `C-2076` See Harness forms — How to support work object copying.
Print	Prints the entire work object (and optionally history and attachments) using a special form. See Harness forms — How to support work object printing.

Field controls

These controls or images typically appear near input fields on work object forms.

Control	How to use
	Identifies a text area that allows input. Click to disallow input.
	Prevents input to a textarea. Click to allow input.
	(Not a control) By convention, marks a text field required to contain a value; cannot be blank. See required field.
	Prompt text ending in "..." indicates either that: A selection is required. The current form may change after you make a selection. The word ERROR as an element of a drop-down list indicates that your connection to the server has failed. `B-16641 SR-516`
Magnifying glass	Click to open a pop-up list you can browse to select a value.
Calendar	Presents a pop-up calendar aid so you can select a date and time.
Radio button	Selects one of a group of option buttons (radio buttons).
checkbox	Sets the value of a property to `True` or a similar value.
	(Not a control) Marks a field in error. Review the error text that appears at the bottom of the form, or next to the field in error. Sometimes the input in this field is correct but other fields are incorrect. Correct input values and submit the form again.

Bottom text buttons

These buttons and other text buttons may appear at the bottom of work object forms.

Control	How to use
Create	Submits your input to create a work object.
Submit	Sends your input to update a work object.
Get Most Urgent	Searches for and retrieves an assignment for you to work on next using a GetNextWork algorithm. See Maximizing user productivity with GetNextWork.

Using the breadcrumbs control

Some work object forms include a sequence of steps known as "breadcrumbs" linked by arrows. Typically these appear across the bottom or on the left side of the form. C-2633 5.2

Names in blue rectangles identify those tasks in the business process for the work object that are completed (by you or others). The pink rectangle identifies the current assignment. You can click a blue rectangle to back up processing to a previous point in the business process. (This may require you or others to re-enter data.)

Editing correspondence

Some correspondence is produced automatically based on your input. Other correspondence requires to you review or edit a document in Microsoft Word.

While using Microsoft Word, do not select Save As.. from the File menu.

After you complete changes to the correspondence document, close Microsoft Word.

	correspondence, cover, folder
	About Flow Action rules About Harness rules About Section rules Completing the new rule dialog

Portals in applications

User portal basics — Using work object forms

Top right buttons

Button

How to use

Field controls

Control

How to use

Bottom text buttons

Control

How to use