🚧Template definition
Templates are used to define the structure and workflow behaviour of objects that are created based on that template.
Every product in our system revolves around two fundamental pillars: the definition of objects and the management of the workflow surrounding these objects. Objects are created based on templates. In this chapter you can read more about template configuration.
Concept of templates
Objects typically have a data set that describe an object. So for example, when your template is a "Book", the objects that you create are books. As each book is different, you want to describe it to a certain detail level. Describing your object is done with parts (or often called fields). A template "Book" could contain parts like Title, Writer, Category, Number of pages, First publication date. It depends on your needs how many parts you add. If the weight of the book is of interest to you, simply add that part as well. You can set visibilty rules on parts or checks on the content. All of that is configured in a template.
Second thing to configure is the workflow around your objects. Again, our "Book" example: when a new book is received, you want to label it, put it in a closet, lent it out and finally retire it. In each of these lifecycle stages, you can let workflows assist you with actions to be taken. For example: if your book is lent out, you want to register who the book has, and when it will return. If the book has not returned on that date, you want a reminder to be sent. This is an example of a workflow, triggered by a phase (lent out).
Create a new Template
Go to the Service Catalog Admin page
Click on "Catalog Maintenance" in the menu (please note that this is the default name, that may have been updated in your organization)
Choose Templates
Click the button "Add new template"
Now you can create a new template. The Name field is mandatory, all other fields are optional.
Below is an explanation of the options while creating a new template
This tab contains the general settings of the template
Name
Specify a name for this template
Live
When this option is set to ‘Yes’, the template is enabled for creating a new object.
Type
Choose between Service, Group or Variant. Service is the default option and allows linking an object based on this template to any other object. A variant can only be linked as a child. A group can only be linked as a parent.
Always hide in public
When enabled, objects based on this template will not be visble in the public pages. When this option is set to “Yes”, records created from this template will not be visible on public pages.
Object name
Free text makes it possible to give a object a free-text name
With Dynamic Value, you can use template fields to dynamically construct the name of the object. This is useful if you have a naming convention and all objects must have a similar name.
Object name format type
Choose between Plain text, NCALC or JavaScript for the way you want to set the object name.
Object name format
Use this field to set the dynamic value. It depends on the previous field if you type here plain text, NCALC or javascript.
Object summary contains html
When this option is set to “Yes”, the contents of the summary field are displayed on public pages without being encoded. This allows you to include formatted text in your summary.
Object summary type
Plain text NCalc JavaScript
Object default type
Select the object type that should be set by default when a object is created from this template.
Available Phases
Here you can define which phases should be available in the lifecycle of a object.
Confirm message on publish request
This field is used to provide information to the person publishing a object based on this template. The message entered here is displayed immediately after the publication is completed. It can be used, for example, to inform the person about what will happen after the publication.
Confirm message on unpublish request
Specify a custom message that will be shown when a object created from this template is unpublished.
Confirm message on delete request
Specify a custom message that will be shown when an object created from this template is deleted.
On duplicate copy documents
Choose here if you want to include documents when copying an object based on this template.
On duplicate copy relations
Choose here if you want to include relations when copying an object based on this template.
UI styling css class name
Use this option to show objects based on this template in a specific style within overviews. The predefined classes success, info, warning, danger typically provide the colors Green, Blue, Yellow and Red. If you define additional classes in your customer.css file, other colors are possible.
Compare versions default left
When comparing version of published objects, choose here which version is shown on the left hand side.
Current working copy - This is the "live" version of an object
Current published version - This is the last published version
Latest version - This is the last created version. Every publication automatically creates a new version
Second to last version
Compare versions default right
When comparing version of published objects, choose here which version is shown on the right hand side.
Current working copy - This is the "live" version of an object
Current published version - This is the last published version
Latest version - This is the last created version. Every publication automatically creates a new version
Second to last version
Admin translations prefix
With this option you can have specific translation labels for objects based on this template. In case no prefix is set, the default labels are used. With prefix, the system will try to lookup the labels. When they can't be found, an empty record is created.
Add new service via modal help text
With this option you can provide a help text when creating a new object based on this template. Please note that this message is only visible if you choose to show a popup after clicking on the New button. This setting can be done in admin service overviews.
Tags
Hidden: Optional: Mandatory:
Phase readonly
Configure if the phase is read only for objects based on this template.
Type readonly when published
Configure if the type is read only after the obejct has been published.
Type
Configure if the field Type should be hidden, optional or mandatory. The field is mandatory when it get published.
Label size in service data (admin) can be set to Small, Medium and Large. This is the way the fields are being displayed when editing an object.
Show contract tab
Contracts are used to configure who is the provider and who is the receiver of the object. If disabled, the contract tab is hidden for objects.
Provider
Choose if you want to have a provider and if the field is mandatory when publishing.
Customers
Hidden: Optional: Mandatory:
Customers / customer person
Hidden: Optional: Mandatory:
Customers / customer deputy person
Hidden: Optional: Mandatory:
TODO
Show targets tab
YesNo
Record targets
Hidden: Optional: Mandatory:
Attended Operation hours
Hidden: Optional: Mandatory:
Time zone
Hidden: Optional: Mandatory:
Here you determine whether or not you want to display the Support Groups tab.
TODO
Help text
Parents help text
Children help text
Parts for relations where this template is parent and child template is
Add the child template(s)
Parts for relations where this template is child and parent template is
Add the parent template(s)
Show documents tab
YesNo
Editable when locked
YesNo
Show 'Used In' column
YesNo
Show 'Ext.' column
YesNo
Show 'Date' column
YesNo
Show 'Added by' column
YesNo
Help text
Parts
Add button
Validation script
View filters
Add button
Here you determine whether or not you want to display the Requests tab.
Here you determine whether or not you want to display the Notes tab. Next to that you can define a Help text.
Here you determine whether or not you want to display the Publication history tab
This tab has two main functions:
Define the fields that are part of this template.
Define how the objects are structured and displayed in the public user interface.
NOTE: The fields can be displayed in Tree mode or Table mode
Define Fields
Fields represent the data that will be collected for objects based on this template. They can be of various types, and you can configure at which phase of the lifecycle a field becomes mandatory. Learn how to add a new field.
Define Structure
Once the fields have been defined, you can organize them so that the object is easy to read and navigate in the public UI. Use the edit icon to adjust the number of columns. Fields can be dragged across multiple rows and columns. You can also add additional tabs to logically group related fields together.
MOET HERSCHREVEN WORDEN IS NU ANDERS
Triggers are used to start workflows after something has happened with a service based on this template. Please find below the available triggers and when they get fired:
Trigger name
When it triggers
Service Creation
When a service gets created, based on this tempalte
Phase Change
When the phase of the service changes
Publication request
When a service gets published
Field change
When a field of a service gets a new value
Service expired
When the service expiration date is reached
New parent
When a new upstream relationship is created
New child
When a new downstream relationship is created
Lost parent
When an upstream relationship is removed
Lost child
When a downstream relationship is removed
Quality note change
When the status of a quality note changes
Delete request
When a service is requested to be deleted
Unpublish request
When a service is requested to be unpublished
Custom request
Actions are used to add extra functionality to an object, depending on the access rights of the logged-in user.
To add a new action, click the Add Action button.
Name
Provide an action name
Icon
Insert an icon in text with the help of the available icon list.
Display location
On detail page in dropdown On detail page as button On overview page in dropdown
Phase(s)
Specifies lifecycle phases available to the object.
Type
Open form in modal Redirect to studio application Open studio application in modal
Form
Link the action to a form. When the logged-in user has access to the selected form, the action will appear next to the object name while editing the object.
The form linked to the action will automatically receive the object ID and object GUID as parameters.
Support groups are used to define which support groups are involved in supporting the service. Within the template, you can define if a service based on this template will have the option to define support groups and if so, what the naming convention of these groups will be.
Default support group
This is the primary group support the service based on this template. Provide a naming convention here by using (part of) fields defined on the Fields tab. You can use calculations to further format the field contents.
When the field is set read-only, it won't be possible for the person creating the service to change the name of the group. This allows you to have a strict naming convention.
The max length can be used when the name of a service should be sent to an external system with a limit in the number of characters.
Support group with identifier
When additional groups are needed besides the default group, you can chose to base these additional groups on an identifier. You can define additional fields that the creator of a service needs to fill out in order to create the new group. These fields can be used to format the name of the support group.
Location based support group
When support groups are linked to a location you can use this option to define a group per location. The person creating the service is asked to select a location and is then asked to provide values for the additional field parts. The selected location can be refered to by the Identifier field (#REPLACE-IDENTIFIER#).
The source table for locations can be set within the general settings menu of SSP.
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