Creating a New Category
To create a category, click 'Settings >Issue (or Change Control) Categories'. Next, click 'create'. Add a unique name, description, key, and a starting number for the key, which must be greater than or equal to one. Once you have entered this information, click 'create' to proceed. Please note that all category names and keys must be distinct; the application does not allow duplicate names or keys for different categories. Upon clicking the create button, you will be taken to the general settings section of the category. The information you previously entered will be displayed at the top of the page.
Below this, you will find a display format option and also a toggle option to indicate whether this category will contain PI or PHI information. Additionally, there are three options listed: PDF export options, permissions, and stages & transitions.
PDF Export Options for all Versions: In this section, you can customize the appearance and content of the PDF exports for the category. The settings are divided into two sections: the top section pertains to PDFs generated within the account, while the bottom section relates to any attachments that may be exported with the issue or change control record.
Roles/Permissions for all Versions: In this section, you will select the roles to which you want to assign permissions for this category. These permissions will enable users assigned to these roles to perform specific actions and gain visibility within the category.
Can Edit All Settings in This Category: Users with this permission will be able to click into the category from 'Settings >Change Control Categories'. Only users assigned to the 'Administration: Account Super User' role can create new categories.
Can See All Change Controls (Read Only Access): To view records from this category on the full table, users must have this permission. Additionally, this permission is required for users who need to be assigned as project or task assignees in any records. If they do not have this permission, they will not be in the dropdown for assignment.
Can Edit Active Stage of Any Change Control: Users can edit any active stage of a record, including adding tasks, stage assignees, links, attachments, etc.
Can Edit Completed Stages of Any Change Control (Super Editor): Users with this permission can access the 'Super Editor' mode feature and reopen any closed or completed stages in a record.
Can Create New Change Controls: Users with need this permission to create new records in the category. If they do not have this permission, this category will not be available for selection when opening a new change control record.
Can Delete Change Controls: Users with this permission can delete records in the category.
Can Cancel all Signatures and Revert to Prior Stage: Users with this permission can cancel any active stage workflow and reopen the stage for edits.
Can Delegate Signatures for Any Active Workflows: Users granted this permission can delegate a workflow signature. It is important to understand that workflow signatures can only be delegated if this function is enabled at the workflow step level. This permission solely allows the user to complete the delegation action; it does not make the step itself delegatable.
Can Approve Stage/Task Due Date Extensions: Users with this permission can approve stage and task due date extensions if a user is requesting one.
Receives Escalation Notices for Past Due Stages/Tasks: Users with this permission will receive email notifications for tasks and stages that are overdue in this category, even if the user is not associated with the record.
Can Access Audit Trail Data for Items in This Category: Users with this permission will be able to see all information in the audit trail for records in this category.
Stages & Transitions
To effectively establish the process or flow of a record, it is essential to first outline the skeletal framework for this category, which starts with the stages and transitions. A stage represents a specific state or phase of a record; consider stages as sections of the form that need to be completed. When an Issue or Change Control changes hands or requires approval, it is an appropriate time to create a new stage. In contrast, a transition refers to the movement or action from one stage to the next. You can visualize transitions as the road you are driving on, with stages acting as the stops along the way. It is crucial to note that transitions can only move in one direction; looping transitions are not permitted. All stages and transitions can be edited while the category is in a draft state. If the category is already active, you will need to create a new version to modify the stages and transitions.
Stages
Begin by selecting the 'Stages & Transitions' option in your draft category. A slider will appear; to create your initial stage, simply click the blue plus button. Assign a name to the stage and specify the 'target days', indicating the number of calendar days allocated for the user to complete that stage before it becomes overdue. Click 'save' to finish the stage. 🔄 Continue this process until all stages have been successfully created. After all of your stages have been created, create two final stages, which will be titled 'Completed' and 'Cancelled' at the bottom of your stage list. Click the checkbox for 'final stage' for both stages.
🚨 It is important to make these final stages in every category that you create as these stages are required to cancel or complete a record in the account. You must click the 'final stage' option before saving; a final stage is like a stop sign indicating that the record is complete once this stage is reached.
Transitions
Now that the stages are done, transitions need to be created to connect the stages together. Again, these transitions are the road ways that you can drive on to each stage. Start from the first stage. Add a transition to the next stage below and also add a transition to the 'Cancelled' final stage. The text that you enter for the transition will be the name of the button at the bottom of the stage in the records.
Transitions must always move in a single direction, like a one-way street. You can skip stages as you go along, but you cannot go back to previous stages. You will need to keep moving forward in the record until you reach the end. For instance, you can create a transition from Stage B directly to Stage D, bypassing Stage C, as the example is shown on the right. However, once you are in Stage D, you cannot loop back to Stage C. Continue this process until all of your stages have transitions connecting the flow together.
As you work on adding transitions for each stage, make sure to include the 'Cancelled' transition for every stage. This allows you to cancel the record at any point during its lifecycle. The last stage needs to have a transition to the 'Cancelled' stage, just like the other stages, but it also needs to include a transition to the 'Completed' final stage, which indicates that the record is complete.
Stage Fields
There are three different field types that you can add to a stage. They are plain text/instructions, account custom fields, and stage custom fields. The plain/text instructions field will be a text box that you can add instructions on what needs to be done within the stage or any other applicable information. You can add account custom fields to the stage, if needed. Please note that if you use an account custom field once in a category, you can not use it again in the same category. Lastly, you can add stage fields which are fields just for that stage.
Conditional Fields
We offer Conditional Custom Fields which are designed to enhance your experience within the Issues and Change Controls modules. This feature aims to reduce clutter by displaying questions only when they are relevant to your task.
With conditional fields, specific fields remain hidden until you select a corresponding option, ensuring that you only see information pertinent to your needs. In simple terms, the rule is: If you select a particular option in Field A, then Field B will either appear or become mandatory. For more information on conditional fields, click the link here.