This feature allows users to Auto-Create Tasks once a Brief is created. This can save users time, being able to automate Task creation instead of having to manually do so and is especially useful when the same Tasks need to be completed for each Brief.
When Databases have been linked together - for example, when a Projects database (parent database) has a Lookup Grid that looks down to a Tasks database (child database), then it can be configured for records in the Task database to be Auto-Created when a new Project/Parent record is published.
IMPORTANT: This feature is only supported for newly published Project/Parent Records (ie, not on Edit of these records) and only when users have Create permissions to both the Project/Parent Database as well as the Task Database.
This article includes instructions on how to configure and use Record File Approvals. Click below to jump to a specific section:
- Configuring Auto-Created Records
- User Options during Brief creation
- Auto-Create Task Process
- Auto-Create Records Restrictions & Limitations
Configuring Auto-Created Records
In the 'Lookup Grid' field in the Form Builder, a new field called 'Auto-Created Records' will appear when a supported 'Lookup Grid Source Field' has been selected.
- Note that based on the custom name in the linked database, this may appear as, for example, 'Auto-Created Tasks'.
If this field does not appear when a 'Lookup Grid Source Field' has been selected, it is due to one of the below reasons:
- It has been enabled on another Lookup Grid field within the same Database
- The Database selected in the 'Lookup Grid Source Field' does not have a Text field as its Title field. (This is a prerequisite for this feature to be enabled.)
Enabling the 'Auto-Created Records' setting will display a Configure button, which will open the below configurable options for this feature.
NOTE: If no further configuration is made, the default behaviour will be for the users to have to add one Task with a customisable name.
Configure Custom Prompt
This allows you to configure a customised Info Banner (as pictured below) for your users with instructions on what is expected of them when Auto-Creating records.
To note:
- The Text limit for this field is 1000 characters.
- If no custom text is added here a default message will display instead.
Add default Task Record Titles
Under the Title of Task to be Created field, one field will appear by default. Here you can add a Name for the Task that will be created, even if it is just a placeholder users can update.
Click 'Add Another' to add up to 30 Tasks that can be auto-created.
Allow users to change titles of Tasks
If you want users to be able to change the default Names, or to allow them to add their own, select the 'Allow User updates to Record Names (Titles)' option. When this option is selected, Title fields above can be left empty.
Allow users to skip creation of some/all Tasks
It can be configured to allow users to skip some, or all, of the Task records. Simply select the checkboxes to the left of any Title field. Or select the 'Allow User to skip the auto-creation of Records' setting to enable this for all. Users will then be able to remove any of the Records selected.
If any Tasks need to be created every time a Project/Parent record is created (ie, are 'mandatory'), then leave these checkboxes unselected. This will ensure Users will not be able to remove those Records.
Allow users to Add More Tasks
If you want users to be able to add more Tasks as they need, then enable the 'Allow User to Add More Tasks' setting. They will be able to add to up 30 total Tasks to be auto-created, including any default ones and Tasks that are mandatory to be created.
Mandatory Creation of all Records when Project/Parent is published
If none of the above options have been enabled (ie, user is not allowed to skip any records, or update Titles, or add more) then no customise pop-up will appear to users. Instead, Task records will be Auto-Created based entirely on what has been configured in the Form Builder > Lookup Grid settings.
User Options during Brief Creation
When some, or all, of the previously listed user customisation settings have been configured, the below outlines what users will be able to change, or not change, before Tasks are auto-created. This will occur when a User is submitted a Record in the Parent Database, ie the Brief that all Tasks are linked to.
Update Task Titles
When the 'Allow User updates to Record Names (Titles)' option is enabled, users can make changes to the default Title fields (or add their own if they were left empty).
Remove non-mandatory Tasks
If 'Allow User to skip the auto-creation of Records' has been enabled for some Task records, users can opt to remove them from being created when they decide they are not needed.
Any Task that has not been enabled to be skipped cannot be removed and will be created upon publish of Project/Parent record.
Add More Tasks
If the 'Allow User to Add More Tasks' setting is enabled, users can click on 'Add Another' to add up to a maximum of 30 total Tasks. They will have to add the Titles in for all newly added Tasks to be auto-created before the can proceed to save.
Auto-Create Task Process & Corner cases
Below are some of the more common scenarios that may occur during the Task creation process.
- If there is no Approval Request on the Project/Parent record, then the Task records will be auto-created immediately after the Project/Parent is successfully published. (Tasks may take a minute to be created.)
- If there is an Approval Request enforced, or selected for the Project/Parent record, then the Tasks will only be created once that request has been approved.
- For Staged Databases, this only applies to Approvals on Stage 1 (Auto-Create is only supported on publish of first stage of stage databases).
- If the Project/Parent record was sent for Approval, but was either Declined or Cancelled, it may be edited and re-submitted. If this occurs, if/when it is eventfully Approved then the Task records will be auto-created at that time.
-
Once Tasks are successfully Auto-Created, they will be listed in the Lookup Grid within the Project/Parent record that triggered their creation.
- If this Grid field is on a future stage for a staged database, it will display when record is up to that stage.
- If the Task Database has either its own Approval set-up, and/or mandatory fields that will not get-populated (as only the Title field and Lookup field to the Project/Parent will be) will be ignored, ie:
- The Task Approval will not apply, and Tasks will be created without any Approval
- Mandatory fields in the Tasks will be ignored, but will have to be completed next time the Task is edited/updated
Auto-Create Records Restrictions & Limitations
- Task/Child Database must have a Text Title field to be supported for this feature
- Only one Lookup Grid per Project/Parent database can be enabled for this feature
- A Task/Child database however can have multiple 'Parents', so potentially new Tasks can be created based off multiple linked databases
- If a Task/Child database has its own Lookup Grid field enabled for this feature, then Auto-Created Tasks will not trigger further auto-created records on that other linked database.
- Once enabled, feature will only apply when users creating Project/Parent record also has permission to create Task/Child records
- Only the Task Title field and the Lookup field in the Task/Child will be auto-populated in the Task. Other Task fields (such as Date fields, and 'Assignee' fields will need to be updated on further edits of those Tasks).
-----
Please note that the 'Records', 'Databases' and 'Approval' terminology referenced above may appear differently in your platform as these are customisable terms. You can view related terminology here.
If you have any further questions about Auto-Create Records, please contact your Customer Success Manager.
RELATED:
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.