Customizing

You can adapt your solution to your requirements by means of model-based customizing.

Here you will find a brief overview of the customization options available to you. All options are described in detail in the following chapters.

• Templates
  Nearly all objects and especially documents can be defined as templates. In this way new objects or documents based on a template can be created.
• Text Modules
  You can use text modules to insert predefined standard texts into Microsoft Word documents.
• Insight Apps
  Insight apps provide aggregated access to information in your cloud organization, customized to your needs.
• Forms
  User-defined forms can be used to add fields to objects for storing application-specific data. To apply logic or specific behaviors to the fields, Fabasoft app.ducx expressions can be used.
• Categories
  Categories can be assigned to objects and thus influence the behavior of the objects.
• Processes
  Processes can be individually defined reflecting your business and organizational structure. BPMN process diagrams are used to design executable business processes. Beside predefined BPMN processes, ad hoc processes can be started as needed.
• Display Settings
  Display settings can be provided to users who need special views on lists.
• Search Forms
  Search forms can be provided to users who need an overview of currently existing objects based on defined search criteria.
• Time Intervals
  Time intervals can be selected for a follow-up, for example.

General Information

In order to use customizing objects, on the one hand the users must be authorized in the corresponding room and on the other hand the customizing objects must be released for usage depending on the context.

Customizing Levels

Customizations are managed at different levels:

• Organization
  Organization-wide customization is done by defining customization collections in the “Templates and Presettings” dashboard. See the following chapters for more information.
  Note: Organization-wide BPMN process diagrams, forms and categories are not available in an app context by default. If these customizing objects have to be available in an app context, they must be explicitly referenced in the app configuration or in the app room.
• App
  In apps, such as contact management, you can make customizations in the app configuration that are only valid within the app configuration context.
• Room
  In rooms (e.g. app rooms or Teamrooms), customizations can be made that are only valid within the room context.
• Personal
  Personal customizations can only be used by the users themselves. The following customizing objects can be managed at the personal level: templates, ad hoc process templates, display settings, search forms and time intervals.

Release for Usage

In order to use customizing objects, they must be released for usage depending on the context.

Rules

• Customizing objects must be released if they are assigned to a customizing collection or an app configuration.
• Forms and BPMN process diagrams must also be released if they are assigned to a room.
• Personal customizing objects do not have to be released.

Actions and Context Menu Commands

The actions are available to administrators and processors of a customizing collection (organization level) or app administrators (app level).

• Release for Usage
  You can create a release version using the “Release for Usage” action.
• Re-Release
  Changes can be released using the “Re-Release” action.
  Note: A corresponding status symbol is displayed for changed customizing objects. In the case of compound customizing objects, a status symbol is only displayed if the root object has changed.
• Navigate to Release Version/Navigate to draft Version
  You can view the draft or release version.
• Compare With Release Version/Compare With Draft Version
  You can compare the metadata of the draft version with the release version (except forms). For Microsoft Word documents, content comparison is also possible.
• Withdraw Release
  You can use the “Withdraw Release” action to withdraw the release.

Release Process

In app configurations or customizing collections, you can define a release process in the settings, on the “Default Values” tab, in the Release Process for Templates and Presettings field. Release processes must contain the “Release for Usage” activity.

If a release process is defined, the following actions or context menu commands are offered:

• Start Release Process
  Starts the defined release process.
• Open Current Release Process
  Opens the release process that is not yet completed.
• Start Release Process Again
  Restarts the release process (is only displayed when the current release process is completed).

Structuring Folders

In order to structure customizing objects logically or hierarchically, corresponding folders (e.g. template folders or text module folders) are available, which can be created via the respective action.

Dashboard

The “Templates and Presettings” dashboard provides your access point to the customizing.

When you are added to a customizing configuration as an app user, a dashboard is automatically created and placed on “Home”. When you are removed as an app user, the dashboard is also removed.

The “Templates and Presettings” dashboard is divided into the following areas:

• Collections for Templates and Presettings
  Shows the collections you are allowed to read or edit.
• Personal Templates
  Shows the templates you created for yourself.
• Personal Processes
  Shows the ad hoc process templates you created for yourself.
• Personal Presettings
  Shows the presettings you created for yourself.

You can perform the following actions:

• Create Collection
  With the “Create Collection” action you can create a new collection for templates and presettings as app administrator.
• Switch to Configuration
  With the “Switch to Configuration” action you can view the configuration.
• Settings
  With the “Settings” action you can define common properties of the dashboard like the logo or notification setting. Notifications are disabled by default.

Configuration

In the customizing configuration, you can manage the collections, artifacts and general settings as an app administrator.

Areas

The configuration is divided into the following areas:

• Collections for Templates and Presettings
  Shows the available collections.
• Template Categories
  Shows the available template categories. Template categories are used to group the templates in the create dialog.
• Text Module Categories
  Shows the available text module categories. Text module categories are used to display text modules hierarchically when inserting them into a Word document.
• Insight Apps
  Shows the available insight apps.
• Forms and Categories
  Shows the available forms and categories.
• Processes
  Shows the available custom processes.
• Thesauri
  Shows the available thesauri that allow indexing.
• Failed Background Tasks
  Shows failed background tasks (only visible if at least one failed background task is available). You can perform following manual actions: “Define Next Execution”, “Send Link” and “Delete”.

Note:

• To be able to store objects from a different context, you must adjust the Restrict Shortcuts Within Teamroom field in the configuration settings accordingly.
• In the default use case, you only need the “Collections for Templates and presettings”, “Template Categories” and “Text Module Categories” areas.

Actions

You can perform the following actions:

• Create Collection
  With the “Create Template Collection” action you can create a new collection for templates and presettings.
• Create Template Category
  With the “Create Template Category” action you can define a new template category.
• Create Text Module Category
  With the “Create Text Module Category” action you can define a new text module category.
• Translations
  The “Translations” action can be used to export or import a CSV file containing the multilingual names of the customizing objects of the configuration. This enables an external translation.
• Settings
  With the “Settings” action you can make advanced configuration settings.

Settings

The general settings can be found in chapter “General Configuration Settings”.

Collections for Templates and Presettings

Collections are used to manage templates, text modules, insight apps, forms, categories, processes, presettings and to define access rights (“Permissions“ action). Collections can be created by app administrators.

Areas

The collection for templates and presettings is divided into the following areas:

• Templates
  Shows the available templates.
• Text Modules
  Shows the available text modules.
• Insight Apps
  Shows the available insight apps.
• Forms and Categories
  Shows the available forms and categories.
• Processes
  Shows the available processes.
• Presettings
  Shows the available presettings.

Actions

You can perform the following actions:

• Create Template
  With the “Create Template” action you can define any object as a new template.
• Create Text Module
  With the “Create Text Module” action you can define a new text module.
• Create Insight App
  With the “Create Insight App” action you can define a new insight app.
• Create Category
  With the “Create Category” action you can create categories.
• Create Form
  With the “Create Form” action you can create user-defined forms.
• Create Process
  With the “Create Process” action you can define an ad hoc process template or a BPMN process diagram.
• Create Presettings
  With the “Create Presettings” action you can define a search form or time interval.
• Upload
  With the “Upload” action you can create a template, text module, BPMN process or form from a file.
• Create Escalation Definition
  With the “Create Escalation Definition” action you can create escalation definitions.

Note: Alternatively, you can use the “Tools” > “Add to Templates” context menu command on an existing object to define a copy of the object as a template in “Customizing”.

Settings

“Template Collection” tab

• Template Categories
  In the create dialog the templates with the template categories as additional text are displayed in the “Templates” area.
• Text Module Categories
  Defines in which categories the text modules can be found when they are inserted into a document.

Additional tabs

• The additional settings can be found in chapter “General Shelf Settings”.

Note

Collections for templates and presettings can be made available across organizations in a generally readable manner (“General Settings” tab > Access Protection field). The templates and presettings must be referenced in the desired context (e.g., in an app configuration) so that they can be used.

The following restrictions apply:

• Template categories and text module categories cannot be considered. Templates and text modules are not offered categorized.
• Forms, categories and BPMN processes cannot be provided cross-organizational.

Access Rights

• Full Control
  Users with full control can create, edit and delete templates and presettings.
• Change Access
  Users with change access can create and edit templates and presettings.
• Read Access
  Users with read access can only use templates and presettings if they are explicitly referenced, for example, in the context of an app room. Thus, templates can be defined in the collection that are not generally offered.
• User
  Users can use templates and presettings in general.
  Note:
  • Only users are offered the templates and presettings. If you are a user with change access and want to use the templates, you must also be defined as a user.
  • BPMN process diagrams, forms and categories are not available in an app context by default. If these customizing objects have to be available in an app context, they must be explicitly referenced in the app configuration or in the app room.

Defining Templates

Almost every object type can be used as template. Adjust the metadata or content of the objects accordingly.

Note: When you define a Teamroom as a template, the objects defined in the Teamroom's templates and presettings are copied to the Teamroom instance as shortcuts.

In addition, you can make additional settings on the “Template” tab of the object, which are particularly relevant when using fields in Word templates.

• Template Categories
  In the create dialog the template with the template categories as additional text is displayed in the “Templates” area (in addition to the template categories defined in the template collection).
• Template Language
  The language of the template can be used to determine text modules in the corresponding language.
• Security Settings and Permissions Must Be Taken From the Template
  Defines whether the user can select whether to apply the security settings and permissions (team members) when instantiating the template. This setting is only available for rooms.
• Category
  The category is copied to the object created from the template.
  Note: If applicable, lists can programmatically allow objects only with certain categories. In this way, the category can also restrict where the template can be used.
• Contained in
  Defines the folder types in which the template can be used. This can either be done using the object class or the category of the folder. If object classes and categories are specified together, the folder must have a defined object class and a defined category.
• Files
  Defines the type of files in which the template can be used. You can do this using either the object class or the category of the file. If object classes and categories are specified together, the file must have a defined object class and a defined category.
• Available Fields (Category)
  Shows the fields that are available in the Word document based on the category.
• Available Fields (Contained in)
  Shows the fields that are available in the Word document based on the definition in the Contained in field. This creates an intersection of all available fields of the object classes and an intersection of all available fields of the categories. This ensures that the properties actually exist in each object class category combination.
• Available Fields (Files)
  Shows the fields that are available based on the definition in the Files field in the Word document. This creates an intersection of all available fields of the object classes and an intersection of all available fields of the categories. This ensures that the properties actually exist in each object class category combination.
• Additional Restrictions
  The template is only offered for selection in the create dialog if the defined expression returns true.

When you edit the Word document, you will find the “Insert Field” button on the “Fabasoft Cloud” tab. In the submenu you will find the available fields according to your definitions.

Note: The formatting of fields in Microsoft Word can usually be considered when instantiating templates and in the PDF preview if a style is set for the field including the surrounding text after the field has been inserted.

Text Module Placeholders

Text module placeholders can also be inserted into Word templates and will be replaced by the content of the text module when the template is instantiated. The command “Insert Text” > “Text Module Placeholder” is available in Microsoft Word on the “Fabasoft Cloud” tab.

The placeholder is displayed as a hyperlink to the text module itself. Thus, the module text can be easily viewed via the template.

Make sure to insert the placeholder as a separate paragraph (the placeholder must not be part of another paragraph). This forms a single template paragraph which acts as a surrogate for the paragraphs of the text module. Those text module paragraphs will replace the single placeholder paragraph as part of the template instantiation procedure.

For a text module, all templates in which the text module is used are displayed on the “Templates” tab.

If a template (for example, a file) contains several Word documents, the text module placeholders in all Word documents are considered during instantiation.

Using Templates

In the create dialog (e.g. “New” context menu command in a Teamroom) the templates with the template category as additional text are displayed in the “Templates” area. For templates without a template category, “Miscellaneous” is used as additional text. During creation, a copy of the template is created, which you can edit independently of the template.

Defining Text Modules

There are two types of text modules:

• Static Text Module (Text)
  Allows you to enter unformatted text.
• Static Text Module (Word)
  Allows you to enter formatted text in a Word document.

Note: Text module placeholders can also be inserted in text modules. Thus, a multi-level dynamic text module hierarchy can be defined.

Metadata

The following metadata can also be defined:

“Static Text Module” tab

• Name
  The name of the text module.
• Text Module Categories
  The text module is offered within the specified categories when you insert it into a Word document.
• Text Module Language
  Defines the language of the text module. When inserting text modules into Word templates, only text modules are displayed that correspond to the language of the template or have no language defined.
• Keep Text Module Placeholders in Document
  Defines whether text module placeholders inserted in a Word template are replaced when a document based on the template is created. Text module placeholders that have not been replaced can be replaced afterwards in Microsoft Word using the “Replace Text Module Placeholder” button.

“Usage” tab

• Current Document
  Defines the categories and object classes of documents in which the text module can be used.
  Note: If a base form category is entered, the text module is also available for documents that have been assigned a derived form category.
• Contained in
  Defines the folder types in which the document can be stored in which the text module can be used. This can either be done using the object class or the category of the folder. If object classes and categories are specified together, the folder must have a defined object class and a defined category.
• Files
  Defines the type of files in which the document can be stored in which the text module can be used. You can do this using either the object class or the category of the file. If object classes and categories are specified together, the file must have a defined object class and a defined category.
  Note: If a base form category is entered, the text module is also available for files that have been assigned a derived form category.
• Additional Restrictions
  The text module can only be used if the defined expression returns true. This allows you, for example, to realize that text module placeholders are removed in certain instances instead of the corresponding text being inserted.
• Changeability
  The changeability of a linked text module in Microsoft Word can be restricted. A linked text module is editable by any user in Microsoft Word by default.
• Available Fields (Current Document)
  Shows the fields that are available in the Word document based on the definition in the Current Document field.
• Available Fields (Contained in)
  Shows the fields that are available in the Word document based on the definition in the Contained in field. This creates an intersection of all available fields of the object classes and an intersection of all available fields of the categories. This ensures that the properties actually exist in each object class category combination.
• Available Fields (File)
  Shows the fields that are available based on the definition in the Files field in the Word document. This creates an intersection of all available fields of the object classes and an intersection of all available fields of the categories. This ensures that the properties actually exist in each object class category combination.

“Translations” tab

Defines the translated text modules assigned to the text module.

Translations

Further text modules can be assigned to a text module as translations. To create a translation for a text module, the “Create Translation” action is available. If translations already exist, the "Translations" action can be used to navigate to the corresponding text modules or to create a new translation.

Translations receive, among other things, the text module category and settings for usage from the text module of the main language.

Each translation must be released before it can be used. When you release a text module with translations, a dialog will inform you about unreleased translations. You can release all translations at the same time. The status “Check Translations” indicates that there is at least one translation that has not been released.

When you re-release a change, you will be informed in a dialog about translations that have not yet been edited. You can decide whether no revision is required (e.g. when correcting a spelling mistake). When you click the “Translation Required” button, the text module is not yet released and all translations receive the “Revision Required” status. After a change, the status is removed from the corresponding text module.

Existing text modules can serve as translations of another text module via the “Merge as Translation” context menu command.

Using Text Modules

When you edit the Word document, you will find the “Insert Text” button on the “Fabasoft Cloud” tab. In the submenu click either “Plain Text Module”, “Formatted Text Module”, “Linked Text Module” or “Text Module Placeholder”. In the following dialog, you can select one of the text modules that you have access to and insert it into the Word document.

Text Module Placeholders

Text module placeholders inserted in a Word template are replaced automatically when creating a document based on that template – if the corresponding text module is not configured otherwise: a text module has a setting which defines that the corresponding placeholder should not be replaced automatically. In this case you can replace it subsequently using the “Replace Text Module Placeholder” button.

Placeholders have to be inserted as a separate paragraph (not as part of another paragraph). This forms a single template paragraph which acts as a surrogate for the paragraphs of the text module. Those text module paragraphs will replace (automatically or subsequently) the single placeholder paragraph as part of the template instantiation procedure.

Linked Text Modules

In Microsoft Word, linked text modules can be inserted that update automatically each time the document is opened. Depending on the user's permissions, linked text modules can be modified in the context of the currently opened document. Modified text modules are no longer updated automatically.

Following buttons are available:

• Remove Text Module
  Removes the selected text module.
• Modify Text Module
  Allows the text module to be changed in the context of the current document (if the user is authorized to do so). Text modules that are marked for modification are no longer updated automatically.
• Reset Text Modules
  Allows to reset changes of the focused text module or all text modules. The current, released content of the text modules is taken over and the text modules are automatically updated again in the future.
• Dissolve Text Modules
  Allows you to recursively dissolve the focused text module or all text modules (change rights required). The current content of the text modules, which may have been changed in the context of the document, is taken over as continuous text and the links are removed.

The status of a text module is displayed textually and in color in Microsoft Word when you focus the text module:

• Modifiable
  Modifiable text modules are highlighted in blue.
• Read-only
  Text modules that cannot be changed are highlighted in gray and “Read-only” is displayed in the title.
• With Condition
  The text module defines an expression for further restrictions of usability. “With Condition” is displayed in the title.
• Modified
  The text module was marked as changed by the user. “Modified” is displayed in the title.
• Hidden
  The text module is hidden (generally due to the expression for further restrictions of usability). The text module is grayed out and a placeholder text is displayed.
• Broken
  The text module returns an error (e.g. if it is in the wastebasket). The text module is highlighted in red and “Broken” is displayed in the title.

Note:

• Linked text modules will replace text module placeholders in the future. The two functionalities cannot be used together in one document.
• In templates, the linked text modules are always displayed with content, regardless of the condition. In documents, the linked text modules remain available, but the content is displayed depending on the condition.
• Linked text modules are also considered on the server side (e.g. PDF overview). Make sure that the Update PDF Content on Metadata Change option is enabled on the Microsoft Word document.
• Text modules or linked text modules may only be inserted in normal continuous text (e.g. not in tables, headers and footers).
• Text modules or linked text modules may only contain continuous text with bulleted lists or numbered lists and tables (e.g. no cross-references, footers, comments and shapes). The style sheets of the linked text module must match those of the Word document containing the text module or linked text module.
• Text modules must not start with a table.
• Linked text modules must not contain tables that reference the properties of a form category and that are updated using the “Update Tables” context menu command.
• Linked text modules that contain a table must not contain any other linked text modules with tables.
• Deleted linked text modules are automatically removed from the document.
• Linked text modules (Word) can contain other linked text modules.

Defining and Using Insight Apps

Insight apps provide aggregated access to information in your cloud organization, customized to your needs. You can use insight apps to display and highlight important information without users having to explicitly search for it.

More information can be found in chapter “Insight Apps”.

Defining and Using Forms and Categories

User-defined forms can be used to add fields to objects for storing application-specific data. Categories can be assigned to objects and thus influence the behavior of the objects.

More information can be found in the chapters “Forms” and “Categories”.

Defining Processes

There are two types of process templates:

• Ad Hoc Process Template
• BPMN Process Diagram

Ad Hoc Process Template

To create an ad hoc process template, proceed as follows:

1. Navigate in the desired collection.
2. Click the “Create Process” action and select the “Ad Hoc Process Template” entry.
3. Enter a name and click “Next”.
4. Click “Open” on the context menu of the ad hoc process template.
5. Enter the activity and the participant for the first task in the process. For more information on the options, see chapter “Activities and Participants”.
6. Click “Next” if you do not want to add another activity.
   Otherwise, click “Apply”. You can add further activities by selecting an activity and participants and clicking “Apply” again. The last activity with a defined participant will be considered even if you do not click “Apply”.
7. Click “Next” to complete the editing.
8. Click “Release for Usage” on the context menu of the ad hoc process template.

BPMN Process Diagram

To create a BPMN process diagram, proceed as follows:

1. Navigate in the desired collection.
2. Click the “Create Process” action and select the “BPMN Process Diagram” entry.
3. Enter a name and click “Next”.
4. Click “Open” on the context menu of the BPMN process diagram.
5. Model the desired process. For more information on working with the BPMN editor, see chapter “Working With the BPMN Editor”.
6. Click “Next” to complete the editing.
7. Click “Release for Usage” on the context menu of the BPMN process diagram.

Using Processes

The defined processes are offered for selection when using processes (e.g. “Tools” > “Start New Process”).

Defining Presettings

There are three types of presettings:

• Display Settings
• Search Form
• Time Interval

Display Settings

Display settings can be defined directly in a list via the “View” > “Display Settings” > “Save” menu command (thereby the storing location can be selected).

Search Form

To create a search form, proceed as follows:

1. Navigate in the desired collection.
2. Click the “Create Presettings” action and select the “Search Form” entry.
3. Enter a name and click “Next”.
4. Specify what you want to search for and click “Next”.
5. Specify the search criteria.
6. Click “Save Query”.
7. Click “Release for Usage” on the context menu of the search form.

Time Interval

1. Navigate in the desired collection.
2. Click the “Create Presettings” action and select the “Time Interval” entry.
3. Enter a multilingual name, time interval, and unit and click “Next”.
4. Click “Release for Usage” on the context menu of the time interval.

Using Presettings

You can use the presettings as follows:

• You can apply the display settings in lists via the “View” > “Display Settings” > “Load” menu command. You can also save display settings (thereby the storing location can be selected).
• Search forms can be selected during a search (e.g. in a search folder).
• Time intervals can be selected for a follow-up, for example.

Personal Templates, Processes and Presettings

Each user can define his own templates, processes and presettings in the “Personal Templates", “Personal Processes” and “Personal Presettings” areas of the dashboard.