Product Update 243: Ability to Rename and Customize Request Types Actions and Status to Suit Your Business Needs

Introduction

Requests are part of a business process that is initiated for various sequences of events in order to achieve an end result. There are various types of requests predefined in Exact Synergy Enterprise. Depending on the request type, requests can be used for various purposes such as workflows, apply for leave of absence, share information, communicate electronically, track projects and opportunities, or create appointments in the calendar. Requests that are used in a process flow template can be used to initiate process flows. Specially defined request types can also be used to automatically elevate a customer’s status.

In this update, we have given the freedom to system administrators to rename/edit and customize various types of request. For example, if your business is in construction, then you can rename and customize the request type actions and status based on your business needs. You can also decide which actions should be visible to whom. With this beneficial feature, you can work at ease with familiar terminology used in your business.

Menu path        

To create a request, go to one of these menu paths:         

• Workflow/Entry/Requests/Requests: New
• Click New in the left menu or toolbar and select Request in the Entities section.
• Click Workflow in the left menu and then click New in the Workflow page.
• Click Requests in the left menu and then click New in the Requests page.
• Open an existing request and click Copy.
• Open an existing document or project card and click Request.
• Open an existing contact card and click New: Request.
• Open an existing resource, item, serial number, or account card and click Workflow in the Monitor section. Then, click New in the Workflow page.

To rename/edit a request action and status:

• Go to Workflow/Setup/Requests/Request types, and then click New or open an existing request type. Click the Flow tab. Next click  to edit the respective action and status.

What has been changed

• The Workflow: Request type screen has been enhanced and an  icon has been introduced at the relevant sections to allow you to rename and customize request type actions and status. The following section headers have also been renamed. See the following sample screen:

• When you place your mouse pointer on the  icon next to the Step action term field under the respective section headers, a message “Edit label for this step action and translate it into other languages” is displayed. 
• When you click  icon at the Step action term or Step status term field under the relevant section headers, a new Terming of existing request step action or Terming of existing request step status screen is introduced. At the Rename the term to field, you can type a new action or status term.
• The Term ID description is available only when you have saved the Terming of existing request step action and Terming of existing request step status information. Created terms can be customized at System/Setup/Terms/Search. For more information, see Customizing Terms. 
• You can also type the renamed action or status term under the Translation column based on other language.

See the following sample screen:

Note: By default, the language shown will be based on the language defined at Preferences or System/Setup/Settings - General/Preferences.

• The newly created request type must be saved before you rename/edit the terms for request types actions and status. Otherwise, the following screen is displayed. Click OK to proceed or Cancel to abort the process.

• Once you have renamed/edited the request term actions and status, and when you create a new request using the specific request type, the request will include the newly added terms. 
• The Status and the Buttons are determined by the configurations of the relevant sections in the Flow tab of the request type definition. Once the request is completed, at the Status field, it will show Completed.

 See the following sample screen:

• You need to define the specific request type at the Type field under the Request section at Workflow: Search - Requests screen in order to search for the renamed/edited request term actions and status. With the specific request type defined at the Type field, you will notice that the renamed action and status is displayed at the relevant fields, the Status and Action column under the Workflow section and the section headers. See the following sample screen:

Note: When you click  on the Workflow: Search - Request screen, you will also notice that the renamed action and status is displayed at the the section headers at the Workflow: Search - Customize screen. 

• Once you have defined your criteria and clicked the Show button, all renamed status will be reflected under the Status column at the Workflow: Search – Request screen.
• When you open the specific request with the renamed actions and status, and when you click the  ALT W – Workflow icon at the request screen, all renamed actions and status will be reflected at the request log screen. See the following sample screen:

• Also when generating statistical overview, the renamed actions and status will be reflected at the Workflow: Pivot analysis screen. See the following sample screen:

Related document

• Creating and Modifying Request
• Creating and Modifying Request Types – Flow Tab
• Customizing Terms