ALB
Designer Studio Version 2.4.1
A powerful and comprehensive solution for designing, publishing and accessing the
modules that automate your business processes.
REV1091115JS
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document is correct at the time of production. Advanced Legal does not accept responsibility for any loss of profit, loss of data or any indirect, special or consequential damages resulting from its use. As the software changes continuously, it is important that you always check the current position with Advanced Legal.
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Advanced Legal is a trading name of Advanced Legal Solutions Limited which is part of Advanced Computer Software Group Limited. Registered in England under number 01738381 at Munro House, Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 1TF.
© Advanced Legal Solutions Limited, Nov 2015. All rights reserved.
Contents
Introduction ... 8
What's in this document ... 9
Documentation conventions ... 9
Getting help and support ... 10
PART 1: Getting started ... 12
Introducing Designer Studio ... 13
Installing Designer Studio ... 14
Exploring the workspace ... 14
Exploring the ribbon ... 16
Ribbon behaviours ... 21
Workspace modes ... 21
Understand the process ... 23
Basic tasks in Designer Studio ... 24
PART 2: Modules ... 28
Component Explorer ... 29
Create a module ... 29
Open a module ... 32
Edit a module ... 33
Manage firm options ... 34
Manage templates and forms ... 35
Export and import a module ... 36
Export and import behaviours ... 42
Add a module to a matter ... 48
Remove a module from a matter ... 49
PART 3: Entities ... 50
Entity Designer ... 51
PART 4: Formulas ... 60
Formula Designer ... 61
Parts of a formula ... 62
Create a formula ... 63
Add fields to a formula ... 64
Add constants to a formula ... 65
Add operators to a formula ... 66
Add functions to a formula ... 67
Formula properties ... 74
Round a number ... 75
Test a formula ... 76
Open and edit a formula ... 77
Operators ... 78
Mathematical operators ... 78
Comparison operators ... 78
Logical operators ... 79
Concatenation operator ... 79
Order of precedence ... 80
The BODMAS rule ... 81
Add ... 81
AND ... 83
Brackets ... 84
Divide ... 85
Equal to ... 86
Greater than ... 87
Greater than or equal to ... 88
Less than ... 89
Less than or equal to ... 90
Multiply ... 92
NOT ... 93
Not equal to ... 94
OR ... 95
Subtract ... 96
XOR ... 97
Add values to a lookup table ... 101
Lookup table properties ... 101
Open and edit a lookup table ... 102
PART 5: Pick lists ... 104
Pick List Designer ... 105
Create a pick list ... 106
Add values to a pick list ... 106
Pick list properties ... 107
Open and edit a pick list ... 108
PART 6: Screens ... 110
Screen Designer ... 111
Create a screen ... 112
Add a field to a screen ... 113
Add a control to a screen ... 114
Field and control properties ... 115
Open and edit a screen ... 118
Delete a field or control ... 119
Amend a label or ToolTip ... 119
Change the tab order ... 120
Create a multi-column screen ... 121
Attach workflow to a button ... 122
Display a screen in a module ... 122
Extensions tab ... 122
Enquiries tab ... 123
Controls ... 124
Button ... 124
Container ... 125
Label ... 126
Line ... 127
PART 7: Documents ... 128
Open and edit a workflow ... 136
Adjust the designer display ... 137
Save workflow as an image ... 138
Copy workflow as an image ... 139
Run workflow on client/matter create ... 140
Tools ... 140
Sequence ... 141
Flowchart ... 141
IF condition ... 142
Activities ... 144
Activate Process ... 145
Add diary appointment ... 146
Add diary task ... 147
Add note ... 148
Assign value ... 149
Attach contact ... 150
Call website ... 151
Conflict check ... 151
Display screen ... 152
Generate document ... 152
Generate email ... 154
Generate form ... 156
Load matter/contact ... 157
Post time ... 158
Save matter/contact ... 159
Select contact ... 160
Reset process state ... 161
Show message ... 162
Upgrade contact to client ... 163
PART 9: Processes ... 164
Process Designer ... 166
Process states ... 166
Conditions ... 169
Add pre-conditions to a process ... 173
Add operators to a process ... 174
Process override conditions ... 176
Due date override ... 176
Change the process hierarchy ... 177
Delete a process or condition ... 178
Run and manage processes ... 179
Updating Active Processes ... 180
process Update Notification ... 183
PART 10: Appendix ... 184
Appendix 1: Case error logging ... 184
Index ... 186
Introduction
Welcome to the documentation for ALB Designer Studio. In it you'll find everything you need to streamline your business processes.
In this section:
• What's in this document
• Documentation conventions
• Getting help and support
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
What's in this document
This document contains the information you need to become familiar with Designer Studio (DS) and to get you started with basic tasks and the creative possibilities. It is designed to accompany the main online Help, which is available from within DS, as well as other learning resources, such as training and tutorials. For more information about additional learning resources visit the online Help or contact Support during office hours on 03300 602102.
In this document, you'll learn about:
• Creating modules for your business processes
• Creating fields to store your data
• Creating formulas and lookup tables for calculations
• Creating pick lists
• Creating data entry screens
• Creating document templates
• Creating workflow
• Creating processes
The aim of this document is to provide you with an understanding of the different aspects of DS, so by the end of it you should be comfortable with its operation and better understand its capabilities.
Documentation conventions
This document is intended to be used as a reference guide, so you can dip in and out of it as and when required. However, it can also be read from start to finish to give you a working understanding of the entire Designer Studio.
The following table describes important conventions used throughout this document when talking about Designer Studio and its components.
Conventions
always refers to the current version, unless stated otherwise
Common terms
Module. A box for holding items; entities, formulas, lookup tables, pick lists, screens, documents, workflow, and processes
Entity. A real-world thing, like a client or a matter Screen. A screen for data entry
Document. A template for producing client-ready documents
Workflow. An automated process run by users Process. Something that needs to be done, where conditions must be met along the way
Fields and button names
Field and button names are shown in bold, so that it is easier to identify them. Example:
In Name, type a name and click OK Menus and
commands
Menus and commands are shown in bold, so that it is easier to identify them. Example:
Click File > Open
Notes Notes (including general notes, cautions, tips, and warnings) are used to call your attention to important advisory. Example:
NOTE It is good practice to save your work as you go Click and
press
Click refers to choosing a command or option. Press refers to pressing a key on the keyboard to initiate an action. Example:
Click OK Press Ctrl Select and
clear
Select refers to clicking a check box to place a tick in it.
Clear refers to clicking a check box to clear a tick from it.
Example:
Select the Primary key check box Clear the Encrypt check box
Getting help and support
CHAPTER INTRODUCTION
Help appropriate to the version you are running. It has a user-friendly interface that supports advanced navigation features.
IMPORTANT Please be aware that Advanced Legal supports the use of Designer Studio to extend Starter Packs. However, it does not support the use of your own custom applications or any unexpected behaviour which may arise as a result.
To access online Help:
1. On the File tab, click Help.
2. Under Support, click Designer Studio Help.
• You can also press F1 on your keyboard or click the question mark icon on the right-hand side of the ribbon.
3. When the Help window opens, you can:
• Browse topics page-by-page using the table of contents.
• Perform a full text search across the entire online Help.
• Use the index to find a topic by typing a keyword.
• Print out a topic for reading offline.
NOTES
• Online Help opens in your default browser.
• If you need additional help and support, beyond the information provided in this document or the associated online Help, you can:
• Access a wealth of resources by visiting the support portal
• Email the helpdesk at [email protected]
• Speak to a Support representative on 03300 602102
• Contact the author at [email protected]
PART 1: Getting started
This chapter provides you with a product overview, a guide to installation and setup, a look at the working environment, and a short introduction to modules.
In this section:
• Introducing Designer Studio
• Installing Designer Studio
• Exploring the workspace
• Exploring the ribbon
• Workspace modes
• Understand the process
• Basic tasks in Designer Studio
CHAPTER PART 1: GETTING STARTED
Introducing Designer Studio
Designer Studio is a powerful and comprehensive solution for designing, publishing and accessing the modules that automate your business processes. It simplifies the development of complex processes by using a desktop-based tool which allows you to create the required components in a single user interface. Using Designer Studio you can create, manage, and maintain the modules for all your business processes. It comprises the following elements for building modules:
• Component Explorer
• Entity Designer
• Formula Designer
• Pick List Designer
• Screen Designer
• Document Designer*
• Workflow Designer
• Process Designer
Using these tools anyone can develop an effective module with just a few clicks and without writing a line of code. You don't have to be a technical wizard! The intuitive design allows modules to be delivered rapidly, without any programming knowledge. Single actions can be performed in multiple ways to accommodate different working practices and a click-and- drag approach to designing workflow help provide a user-friendly working environment.
Components
Every module will contain various components. These are the building blocks of your business processes. For example, in order for the person who interacts with your module to capture information you would need to create fields against entities and place them on a screen. You would then need to display the screen using a piece of workflow. Almost any activity can be orchestrated using the components available.
• Entities
Run-time
As you know, Designer Studio allows you to design automated solutions for your business processes. However, it cannot be used on its own. It takes care of the design aspects, but the run-time experience is initiated through the ALB desktop. This is where your users run and interact with your modules. In order to expose your modules in ALB there are a number of steps to follow. For more information, please refer to Add a module to a matter.
*NOTE Document design has not been integrated into Designer Studio therefore documents and Laserform mappings must be designed via the Document Template library in ALB Utilities. However, to provide easy access, a link has been provided at the bottom of Component Explorer to open this functionality directly from within Designer Studio.
Installing Designer Studio
Designer Studio is installed and configured by Advanced Legal. This involves running a series of installers, which also includes the installation of Workflow Solution Server. This stores all the modules created and deployed using Designer Studio and is then used to provide access to the modules in Practice Management System (PMS).
The integration between Designer Studio and PMS is controlled by specific system parameters in ALB. These allow the software to talk to each other.
It is also possible to configure ALB so that its client and matter create functions use workflow built in Designer Studio to create clients and matters via PMS.
You can enhance ALB by integrating these add-ins. However, Designer Studio is a licensed module, available as a chargeable option—it is not shipped as standard. If you would like to take advantage of either or would like more information, please contact your account manager or call 0844 815 5575 to speak to a Sales representative.
Exploring the workspace
CHAPTER PART 1: GETTING STARTED
open module you can easily switch between its components and edit them concurrently.
The user interface has therefore been designed to display a large number of components in an organised way. This is achieved with thoughtful positioning of commonly used information and actions. This includes panes, tabs, toolbars, and menus to provide easy access to the options for the task in hand. Collectively, these elements are called the workspace.
Fig. Designer Studio workspace
A. Ribbon B. Menu C. Component Explorer D. Tabbed pane E.
Workspace modes F. Workspace G. Shortcuts
• The ribbon contains the commands for everything you need to do in a
• Each Tabbed pane is specific to a particular designer, e.g. opening a formula opens the Formula Designer.
• The Properties and Design buttons on the ribbon let you switch between the different workspace modes.
• When multiple components are open, click the cross in the top right- hand corner to close that component.
• The ribbon is greyed out until a module has been opened to work on.
• Shortcuts provide quick access to areas not currently hosted in Designer Studio.
Exploring the ribbon
The ribbon replaces traditional menus and toolbars with groups of related commands, making them easier to find and use. It provides convenient access to common operations such as creating new components, saving components, and switching between workspace modes. The ribbon is also contextual—tabs appear only when you are working on a specific task.
This eliminates the need for many different toolbars and allows you to find commands efficiently with fewer clicks. The tabs you can expect to see are:
File tab
The File tab is coloured blue and is always located in the upper-left corner of Designer Studio. After you click the File tab, you see the Designer Studio Backstage view. This view is where you manage your modules—
opening, saving, inspecting information about the available modules, and other options. In short, it is everything that you do to a module that you don't do in the workspace.
CHAPTER PART 1: GETTING STARTED
Fig. File tab
A. File options B. Module actions C. Available modules D. Module details E. Open button
Home tab
The Home tab provides access to commands that are common across all components such as, opening, creating, refreshing data, and switching between the workspace modes, etc. It is always located next to the File tab.
Fig. Home tab
• Paste. Paste the contents of the Clipboard (Ctrl+V)
• Cut. Cut the selection and put it on the Clipboard (Ctrl+X)
• Create. Create a new component.
• Open. Open a component.
• Refresh. Refresh the list of components or current display.
• Save. Save the current component.
• Save As. Save the current component with a different name.
Entity commands
When editing an entity, the ribbon provides access to everything on the Home tab, plus commands specifically relating to entities.
Fig. Entity commands
• New. Create a new user-defined field.
• Edit. Change the details of the current user-defined field.
• Cancel. Discard changes to the current user-defined field.
• Save. Save changes to the current user-defined field.
• Refresh. Refresh field, formula, and lookup data.
Formula commands
When editing a formula, the ribbon provides access to everything on the Home tab, plus commands specifically relating to formulas.
Fig. Formula commands
CHAPTER PART 1: GETTING STARTED
Lookup table commands
When editing a lookup table, the ribbon provides access to everything on the Home tab, plus commands specifically relating to lookup tables.
Fig. Lookup table commands
• Properties. Display the properties of the current lookup table.
• Design. Display the designer for the current lookup table.
Pick list commands
When editing a pick list, the ribbon provides access to everything on the Home tab, plus commands specifically relating to pick lists.
Fig. Pick list commands
• Properties. Display the properties of the current pick list.
• Design. Display the designer for the current pick list.
Workflow commands
When editing workflow, the ribbon provides access to everything on the
Fig. Workflow commands
• Properties. Display the properties of the current workflow.
• Design. Display the designer for the current workflow.
Master process commands
When editing master processes, the ribbon provides access to everything on the Home tab, plus commands specifically relating to master processes.
Fig. Master Process commands
• Properties. Display the properties of the current master process.
• Design. Display the designer for the current master process.
• Add Process. Add a sub-process to the selected process.
• Delete Process. Delete the selected process.
• Move Process Up. Move the selected process up.
• Move Process Down. Move the selected process down.
• Outdent Process. Decrease the indent level of the selected process.
• Indent Process. Increase the indent level of the selected process.
• Add Condition. Add a condition to the selected process.
• Add Operator. Add an operator to the selected process.
• Delete Condition. Delete the selected condition.
• Move Condition Up. Move the selected condition up.
• Move Condition Down. Move the selected condition down.
• Outdent Condition. Decrease the indent level of the selected condition.
CHAPTER PART 1: GETTING STARTED
Screen commands
When editing a screen, the ribbon provides access to everything on the Home tab, plus commands specifically relating to screens.
Fig. Screens commands
• Properties. Display the properties of the current screen.
• Design. Display the designer for the current screen.
Ribbon behaviours
The Designer Studio ribbon is a standard control that functions in the same way as any Microsoft ribbon that you may already be familiar with.
This includes common behaviours such as:
• Minimising the ribbon. You can minimise the ribbon to make more space available on your screen. When minimised you see only the tabs. To minimise or restore the ribbon, press Ctrl+F1.
• Customising the Quick Access Toolbar. The Quick Access Toolbar is a customisable toolbar that can contain a set of commands that are independent of the tab on the ribbon that is currently displayed. You can move the Quick Access Toolbar from one of the two possible locations and you can add buttons that represent commands. To add a command, right-click the desired command, and then click Add to Quick Access Toolbar on the shortcut menu.
For more information about using these features please refer to the Microsoft product documentation.
With the exception of Entity Designer, these modes apply to all designers.
Entity Designer is slightly different because it's not the entities themselves that can be edited, it's user-defined fields within them. Therefore, when you open an instance of Entity Designer you simply see a list of the fields in that entity, which you can then add to by creating your own fields.
The workspace modes are accessed via dedicated buttons on the ribbon's Home tab. However, when creating formulas, lookup tables, and screens it is also possible to switch to the Design view via the Designer button in the Properties view.
Properties view
The Properties view displays the properties associated with the selected component. This includes basic information such as a component's name and description, but also other settings or options that are specific to the type of component. Each component has properties that you can set or change. For example, a formula offers options for the format you want to use to display the data.
Fig. Properties view
A. Properties button B. Properties
• The Properties button always displays the associated properties.
CHAPTER PART 1: GETTING STARTED
• Not all properties can be edited after creating a component. Some are locked down, like a component's entity type. Properties that are locked down are shown as read-only, i.e. greyed out.
Design view
The Design view displays an editor for the selected component. This screen allows you to build and develop your components. For example, when building a formula you can extract data from the database, perform mathematical calculations, etc.
Fig. Design view
A. Design button B. Editor
• The Design button always displays the associated editor, e.g. Formula Designer.
• Editors are specific to each component.
• When changes are made in Design view and there are no errors (i.e.
missing mandatory data), the Save button automatically becomes available.
understand the steps required to build a module, take a look at the lists below. They show an example of what you might do to produce a simple module and the steps you might need in a basic case management workflow.
Example process
1. Create a user-defined module.
2. Add fields to the database.
3. Create a screen with the fields on.
4. Create workflow to automate the process.
5. Create a document template with the fields in.
6. Create a process and attach the workflow.
7. Open the module in ALB.
8. Run the workflow and interact.
Example workflow
1. Assign default values, e.g. credit limit, open date, user-defined fields, etc.
2. Display a screen to capture information entered by the run-time user.
3. Attach a contact (such as a referrer, etc.).
4. Save the matter details back to the database.
5. Create a diary task as a reminder to review the file in the future.
6. Generate a document to produce, e.g. a client care letter or terms of business.
7. Post time against the matter to record that some work has been done.
Basic tasks in Designer Studio
To help you get started quickly, here are some of the basic tasks that you can perform in Designer Studio.
Create a module:
1. On the File tab, click Modules.
CHAPTER PART 1: GETTING STARTED
3. When the Add New UD-Module dialog box opens, complete the required details.
4. Set the Status to Active so that the module can be attached to a matter.
5. Click Save & Exit.
Create a component:
1. First, open the desired module in Designer Studio.
2. On the Home tab, under Components, click Create and from the drop-down menu, click any component.
3. When the Properties view opens, complete the appropriate fields.
4. Click Save.
Open an existing component:
1. In Component Explorer, double-click the desired component. A new tab is introduced in the workspace.
• You can also select a component and click Open.
• Only one instance of a component can be opened.
Save a component:
1. On the Home tab, under Components, click Save.
Save a component as a copy:
Currently, this only applies to formulas and formula lookups.
1. In Component Explorer, open the component you want to copy.
Close a component:
1. On the Tabbed pane, click the cross in the top right-hand corner.
• If the component has not been saved, then you will be prompted to save the changes before closing.
Close a module:
1. On the File tab, click Close.
Contact support:
1. On the File tab, click Help.
2. Click Contact Us. An email is automatically generated ready for you to type your message.
Visit the ALB website:
1. On the File tab, click Help.
2. Click ALB Home Page. The ALB page of the Advanced Legal website opens in your default browser.
Visit the support portal:
1. On the File tab, click Help.
2. Click ALB Customer Portal. The ALB customer support portal opens in your default browser, ready for you for log in.
Exit Designer Studio:
1. On the File tab, click Exit.
• You can also press Alt+F4 on your keyboard or the X in the top right-hand corner.
CHAPTER PART 1: GETTING STARTED
NOTE
• If you close Designer Studio using Alt+F4 or the X button and you have any unsaved components, then you will not be prompted to save them and your changes will be discarded.
PART 2: Modules
A module acts as a container or box for all the components that facilitate the legal process you want to automate. For example, you might create a module to perform common daily tasks or complex routines in order to improve productivity. Component Explorer allows you to create new modules, add the desired components and compliance, and maintain all your existing modules.
The components you create can only be managed in Component Explorer and this is the only place in Designer Studio where they are grouped into a logical structure.
In this section:
• Component Explorer
• Create a module
• Open a module
• Edit a module
• Manage firm options
• Manage templates and forms
• Add a module to a matter
• Remove a module from a matter
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
Component Explorer
Component Explorer is a pane that lists all the components in the current module, organised in a logical tree view structure. Components are displayed under categories for each type of component. This is a
launchpad for quickly selecting, editing, or creating items belonging to the open module, for example, quickly open a formula, create a pick list, etc.
Fig. Component Explorer
A. Create button B. Component Explorer C. Category D Component
• Component Explorer is only displayed when you open a module.
• Expand and collapse the categories in Component Explorer to see the components in the module.
• Each type of component uses a related icon.
• Components can be opened by double-clicking or using the Open button on the ribbon.
Create a module
IMPORTANT You do not have to create a module if you want to use PMS.
You can use PMS if you want to add screens to the matter, client and contact extensions screens, create client or matter inception
workflows, or create fields to be available to all other modules.
To create a new module:
1. On the File tab, click Modules. This is the default selection.
2. Under Module Actions, click Add a New Module.
3. When the Add New UD-Module dialog box opens, complete these details:
• Status. Specifies whether the module is active, retired, or in development.
• Name. Specifies a name for the new module.
• Description. Specifies a description of the module.
• Icon. Specifies an icon for the module.
4. Add the desired tabs, groups, and buttons (see below) to organise the module's layout and navigation elements.
NOTE You must add at least one tab to activate a module and make it available in PMS.
5. Click Save & Exit. The module will now be available for selection as the "working module" in Designer Studio. See Open a module.
To add a tab:
If you have created a screen to display user-defined fields (and a module, see above), then you can use this procedure to add a tab to display it. A tab can be configured to display a screen directly or to display a group (i.e. a navigation pane). A group contains buttons for accessing screens.
1. In the Add New UD-Module dialog box, under Tabs, click Add.
2. When the Add New Tab dialog box opens, complete these details:
• Name. Specifies a name for the new tab.
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
• This Tab generates Group Box Control(s). Specifies that the tab will display a group. If you select this option, then you must add a group.
• This Tab generates a Screen Control. Specifies that the tab will display a screen. If you select this option, then a drop-down
appears prompting you to choose the screen to display, e.g.
Process Overview. This includes all the user-defined screens you create in this module and also some existing ALB screens.
3. Click Save. A tab will now appear when the module is opened for a matter. See Add a module to a matter.
Tab behaviours
If you add a tab for a... Then...
Screen The screen will appear inside the
tab
Group but do not add a group An empty tab will be displayed Group and add a group The group will appear inside the
tab Group and add a group without a
button
An empty group will be displayed Group and add a group with a
button
The button will appear inside the group
To add a group:
Use this procedure to add a group (i.e. a navigation pane) inside a tab.
This allows you to display a group of buttons, for accessing multiple screens, down the left-hand side of a tab. In order to add a group, a tab must be set to generate a group box.
1. In the Add New UD-Module dialog box, under Tabs, select the tab to which you want to add a group.
2. Under Groups, click Add.
3. When the Add New Group dialog box opens, complete these details:
To add a button:
Use this procedure to add a button inside a group. This lets you display any number of buttons for accessing specific screens. In order to add a button, a tab and group must have been created first.
1. In the Add New UD-Module dialog box, under Groups, select the group to which you want to add a button.
2. Under Buttons, click Add.
3. When the Add New Button dialog box opens, complete these details:
• Name. Specifies a name for the new button.
• Description. Specifies a description of the button.
• Screen. Specifies the screen to be displayed.
• Icon. Specifies an icon for the button.
4. Click Save. A button will now appear inside the selected group and clicking that button will display the specified screen.
NOTES
• Any number of tabs, groups, and buttons can be created.
• Names must be unique.
• When modules are set to Active they cannot be saved unless a tab is added.
• User-defined modules can only be added to matters when they are set to Active.
• User-defined screens can be added to native PMS modules.
• If you create a new role type in Utilities for use in your user-defined module it is not automatically made available for PMS. If you want your new role type to be visible in PMS then you must tick the PMS setting as well.
Open a module
You can open an existing module to continue working on it, view it, or edit any of its components. The open process also allows you to locate a module by name, in a list of all currently available modules. When you open a module, its associated components are automatically opened in
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
IMPORTANT Modules are opened for viewing or editing from within Designer Studio, not ALB.
To open a module:
1. On the File tab, click Modules in the left-hand pane. The list of all modules is displayed in the right-hand pane.
2. Under Modules in the right-hand pane, highlight the desired module.
The following details of the module are displayed to the right:
• Description
• Created by
• Created on
• Last modified by
• Last modified on
• Status
3. Click Select as Working Module. The module opens and its
associated components are displayed in Module Explorer. The ribbon becomes active too.
• You can also double-click a module to open it.
Edit a module
You can open an existing user-defined module and edit its properties from directly within Designer Studio, such as name, description, icon, working status, etc. You may also want to modify how the screens contained in your module are displayed in ALB, by changing the tabs, groups, and buttons.
To edit a module:
3. When the Edit UD-Module dialog box opens, amend the settings of the module.
4. Click Save & Exit when you have finished.
Manage firm options
The maintenance of firm options used by modules such as association roles and address types is performed in ALB, not Designer Studio. To provide quick access to the Firm Options screen from within Designer Studio, a shortcut is available at the bottom of Component Explorer.
NOTE To access Firm Options from Designer Studio, users need to have Administrator or Power User permissions.
To manage firm options:
1. Open the desired module.
2. In Component Explorer, under Manage, click the Firm Options button.
3. When the Firm Options dialog box opens, amend as required.
4. Click the Close button in the top right-hand corner when you have finished.
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
Manage templates and forms
The creation of document templates and the mapping of custom form data for use in modules is currently performed in ALB, not Designer Studio. To provide quick access to these screens from within Designer Studio, shortcuts are available at the bottom of Component Explorer.
To manage templates :
1. Open the desired module.
2. In Component Explorer, under Manage, click the Templates button.
3. When the Document Template Management dialog box opens, amend as required.
4. Click the Close button in the top right-hand corner when you have finished.
To manage forms:
1. Open the desired module.
2. In Component Explorer, under Manage, click the Forms button.
NOTE
• For more about document templates and form mappings, please refer to Document Production (PDF).
Export and import a module
You may want to export and import a module from one system to another.
For example, from a training or test system into a live system. This avoids any duplication in recreating components on multiple systems and allows you to develop in a safe environment before going live or to import an Advanced Legal Case application into a new system.
IMPORTANT We recommend that you do not make changes in a live system, as this could result in inconsistencies between systems and prevent successful imports. If this is unavoidable, then you must create a new test/development system by taking a copy of the live system.
Fig. Expected strategy diagram
The export process creates a copy of all the components in the selected module and saves it to a file, which you can later import into another database. No data is removed from your module by the export. All the components that you have created in Designer Studio for this module and the related settings (i.e. association roles, note types, address types, etc.)
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
rules applied to exporting and importing user-defined components and how they affect your database, see Export and import behaviours.
In this section:
• To export a module
• To import a module
• To map time types on import
• To configure document templates on import
• To update running processes on import
To export a module:
1. On the File tab, click Modules (if not already selected). The list of current modules is displayed.
2. Under Modules, highlight the module you want to export and click Export the Selected Module.
3. When the Save As dialog box opens, specify a location for the export file and change the file name as required. By default, the file name takes the name of the module.
4. Click Save to start the export. A progress bar is displayed.
5. When the export has completed successfully, click Close.
• If errors occurred during the export, then you will be notified with a message that contains the details of the problem(s).
3. When the Open dialog box opens, select the export file you want to import and click Open. Information about the module is displayed under Module Import and you are asked if you want to import the selected module.
4. Click Import Selected Module to start the import.
5. Next, you are presented with a series of screens so you can choose how to handle the import of time types, document templates, and running processes. For more details, please refer to the procedures below.
6. A progress bar is displayed while the import proceeds. When the import has completed successfully, click Done.
• If errors occurred during the import, then you will be notified with a message that contains the details of the problem(s).
To map time types on import:
1. When the Map Time Types dialog box opens, map the time types in the export file to the existing time types in the destination system 2. Under Firm Time Types, use the drop-downs to map your time types
to those listed under Time Types to be Imported from the export file.
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
3. Click Continue. On import the time type codes from the destination system replace the ones in the Post Time activities in workflow.
To configure document templates on import:
1. When the Import Document Templates dialog box opens, choose how to handle document templates. You can import new and updated templates only or import all templates and you can also decide
whether to overwrite or preserve the templates you have changed.
2. Under Choose how to import document templates, choose from the options below:
• Import Advanced Legal's new and updated document templates only. (Default setting) Specifies that you only want to import new and updated templates.
• Import all document templates. Specifies that you want a full import of new and old templates.
3. Under Choose how to manage your updated document templates, choose from the options below:
• Overwrite document templates I have modified. Specifies that you are happy to overwrite any templates that you have changed.
• Preserve document templates I have modified. (Default setting) Specifies that you want to retain any templates that you have changed.
4. Based on the options described above, the valid combinations are:
• Import Advanced Legal's new and updated document templates only and Preserve document templates I have modified. (Default setting) This combination can be used when
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
of some templates that have not been updated is displayed on completion.
• Import Advanced Legal's new and updated document templates only and Overwrite document templates I have modified. This combination can be used when Advanced Legal have updated the document templates and you are happy to overwrite any templates you have modified.
• Import all document templates and Preserve document templates I have modified. This combination can be used when a clean install is required or you want to import document
templates which have been created in a different system, but you want to keep any templates you have modified. A list of the templates that have not been updated is displayed on completion.
• Import all document templates and Overwrite document templates I have modified. This combination can be used on a first install or when you are importing a module from a test system to a live system.
5. Click Continue.
• If you choose to preserve document templates that you have modified, you will receive a message showing the document templates that have not been imported.
To update running processes on import:
1. When the Import Updated Processes dialog box opens, review the list of updated processes and choose whether you want to modify or preserve the processes currently running.
2. Under Changed Items, work down the list clicking Apply or Preserve for each entry.
• Apply. Changes all processes, including those currently in progress.
Preserve. Retains processes currently in progress and only applies
• Type. Indicates the type of amendment, e.g. Edit, New, or Delete.
• In Progress. Indicates the number of matters for which the process is running.
• For more information about processes, please refer to the Processes section.
3. Click Apply Changes. Once all the updates are complete, an email will be sent to the Case developer to detail the matters where the running processes were modified or preserved.
• NOTE An email will only be sent if the developer has an email assigned to them within ALB.
NOTES
• Only entire modules can be exported and imported.
• Modules cannot be exported with or imported over unsaved changes.
• Open modules (with saved changes) are automatically closed when a module is imported.
Export and import behaviours
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
however, certain elements are taken from the entire ALB database, e.g.
address types.
For most components the import routine automatically overwrites any duplicate records in the destination system, but there are some
exceptions. For example, when time types are imported you are prompted to map them to existing entries.
Export and import behaviours
Component Export behaviour Import behaviour Address
types
All custom address types with member or
organisation (or both) usages are exported from the entire ALB database.
System address types and custom address types with the usage set to matter or conveyancing are not exported.
New address types are created (based on their description), otherwise they are merged with existing address types and their usage selection is retained.
The archive setting is overwritten in the destination system.
Association roles
All roles are exported from the entire ALB database.
New role types are created (based on their name), otherwise they are merged with existing role types.
Where the role name already exists, then the association role from the export file is merged with the existing entry.
However, where the role name does not already exist, then a new
association role is created.
Document templates
All document templates (.docx) are exported.
By default all document templates in the export file
since they were last imported, are imported.
However, the following options are available on import so that you can decide on the appropriate course of action:
1. Import new and updated templates 2. Import all templates 3. Overwrite all
templates
4. Preserve modified templates
These options are not mutually exclusive, but the acceptable combinations are:
• 1 + 3
• 2 + 3
• 1 + 4
• 2 + 4
NOTE If you add a template to an Advanced Legal Case application and then Advanced Legal also add the same template, it is possible for templates with the same code and
description to exist after an import. We therefore recommend editing document codes and names to differentiate these.
If any document templates exist, which were not in the export file, then they are retained.
For more information,
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
Fields All fields are exported. All pre-existing fields are updated.
If you have created your own fields in the
destination system, then they are prefixed with your Firm ID and are retained.
Formulas All formulas are exported. All pre-existing formulas are overwritten.
If any formulas exist, which were not in the export file, then they are retained.
NOTE It is possible for formulas with the same name to exist after an import. However, we recommend using the Description field to differentiate these.
Laserforms All Laserform mappings (v2) are exported.
All pre-existing Laserform mappings (v2) are
overwritten.
If any mappings exist, which were not in the export file, then they are retained.
NOTE It is possible for forms with the same reference and description to exist after an import.
However, we recommend using the Description field to differentiate these.
system, they are then removed by the import.
If any lookup tables exist, which were not in the export file, then they are retained.
Master processes
All master processes are exported.
All pre-existing master processes and their sub- processes are overwritten.
If any master processes exist, which were not in the export file, then they are retained. If any sub- processes which were not in the export file exist in master processes which are being imported, they are removed.
Where processes that have been imported have
changed and are in progress, you can choose to modify or preserve them.
For more information, please refer to Export and import a module and Update processes.
Module layout
The module layout is exported.
The module layout is overwritten.
Note types All custom note types are exported from the entire ALB database. System note types are not visible in Firm Options and are not exported, as they cannot be edited.
New note types are created (based on their description), otherwise they are merged with existing note types and their usage selection is retained and updated.
Pick lists All pick lists are exported. All pre-existing pick lists
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
added to the destination system, then they are retained.
If any pick lists exist, which were not in the export file, then they are retained.
Screens All screens are exported. All pre-existing screens are overwritten.
If any screens exist, which were not in the export file, then they are retained.
However, if they had been added to the module layout, then they will need to be re-added.
Time types All time types are exported from the entire ALB
database.
The time type activity codes used by workflows in the exported system are presented for mapping to those in the destination system. Workflows are then remapped to the destination system time type activity codes.
For more information, please refer to Export and import a module.
Workflows All workflows are exported.
All workflows are overwritten.
If any workflows exist, which were not in the export file, then they are retained.
Add a module to a matter
Once you have created a module, it must be attached to a matter in ALB before you can access it. This allows your users to open it and interact with the components you have built. For example, if you have designed a new screen for capturing specific details, then users will be able to open and complete the screen.
IMPORTANT User-defined modules can only be added to matters when they are set to Active. To do this, use the Module link at the bottom of Component Explorer to open the Edit UD-Module dialog box.
To add a module to a matter:
1. In ALB, locate the matter to which you want to add a module and open the Matter Details screen.
2. On the Actions menu, click Add Module.
3. When the Add Module dialog box opens, select the desired module.
• All available and active modules (that are not already attached) are displayed by default. You can see all modules by ticking Show all modules. However, all other modules are greyed out and cannot be added.
4. Click OK to add the module. A button appears in the top right-hand corner of the Matter Details screen using the icon you specified when the module was created. Clicking the button launches the module in a new window.
• You can also launch a module by right-clicking a matter in the search results or in the Dashboard (if set for recently viewed files and my favourites) and selecting View [module name].
NOTES
• Some modules may be greyed out if they are not licenced.
• Some modules, such as the civil and criminal modules may be active, but are only available for selection if the work type, fee earner, and other matter details are appropriate.
CHAPTER PART 2: MODULES
Remove a module from a matter
Use this procedure to detach a module from a matter.
To remove a module from a matter:
1. In ALB, locate the matter from which you want to remove a module.
2. Open the Matter Details screen and then open the module you want to remove.
3. On the Actions menu, click Remove from Module. The module closes and you are returned to the Matter Details screen. The icon for the module no longer appears in the top right-hand corner.
NOTE
• Any information entered in the module for a matter is retained.
PART 3: Entities
Entities represent the different database tables in ALB that you can work with, such as Client and Matter. They are the repositories for all the information entered into the software and provide the tables of
information that can be used to build your business processes. Entities also contain fields, which are used to store the information relating to each entity. For example, to store a client's date of birth the Client entity needs a field called Date of Birth.
Client, Contact, and Matter entities are shipped as standard and using Designer Studio you can orchestrate processes by using the data already stored in these tables. However, you can also create new fields in any of these entities so that you can build your own data models and capture extra information. In Designer Studio you can create user-defined fields in Entity Designer.
In this section:
• Entity Designer
• Open an entity
• Search for a field
• Create a user-defined field
• Edit a user-defined field
• Field properties
CHAPTER PART 3: ENTITIES
Entity Designer
Entity Designer is a tabbed pane that allows you to manage the entities contained in your module. When you open an entity you are opening an instance of the Entity Designer and you will automatically see a contextual tab in the ribbon that shows options specifically related to entities.
The standard entities are listed in Module Explorer under Entities. When you open any of these you are presented with a data grid in Entity Designer, showing the user-defined fields that are stored in the database table for that entity.
As well as the data grid, Entity Designer contains two collapsible panes—
Filters and Additional Information. These provide access to the various filters that can be applied to the list and to the properties that are
associated with each field. These have been made collapsible so that when they are not required they can be hidden from view, allowing the
maximum amount of space to be allocated to the list of fields.
NOTE By default, Entity Designer shows system and user-defined fields. However, it can be filtered.
Fig. Entity Designer
A. Search filters B. Field properties C. Data grid
• Entity Designer is only displayed when you open an entity.
• The columns in the data grid can be sorted by clicking the column headers.
• The columns in the data grid can be moved by dragging the column headers.
• Changes to the column sort order are only retained for the current session.
• Changes to the column positions are only retained for the current session.
• System fields can be displayed by setting Is User Defined? to No.
• The Filters and Additional Information panes can be toggled using the arrow buttons.
Open an entity
CHAPTER PART 3: ENTITIES
existing user-defined fields. From here you can create a new field or edit an existing one. You can also filter the list to, for example, include system fields or to show specific user-defined fields.
To open an entity:
1. In Component Explorer, under Entities, double-click the desired entity, e.g. Matter. A tab opens in the workspace for the selected entity and commands relating to entities appear on the ribbon.
• You can also select an entity and click Open.
• To resize the data grid columns, drag the divider to the desired width.
• To sort the data grid columns, click the desired column header.
2. Once you have opened an entity, you can use Entity Designer to do any of the following:
• Search for a field
• Create a user-defined field
• Edit a user-defined field
Search for a field
You can quickly find a field by searching for every occurrence of a specific word or narrowing your search by entering other field criteria. For
example, you could find all fields containing the word "credit" or all user- defined number fields containing the word "balance".
As you type and select your criteria, the Entity Designer data grid automatically adjusts to display the matching fields.
To search for a field:
1. In Entity Designer, click Filter.
3. Next, narrow your search further by selecting the following:
• Data type. Specifies the data type you want to find, e.g. Number
• Field type. Specifies the type of field you want to find, e.g.
Formula.
4. In Is User Defined?, select Yes if you want to look in the fields that you have created or No to look in system fields (i.e. those that are natively associated with the selected entity).
Create a user-defined field
In order to capture information that does not already have a field for it in the database, you can create custom or user-defined fields. This allows you to extend the standard entities to include fields that you require for your own data models.
To create a field:
1. Open the entity in which you want to create the new field.
2. On the ribbon, click New.
3. When the Additional Information pane opens, complete the following details. Not all fields are required. Some are conditional based on your selections. For example, if you pick a field type of Formula, then the Formula box appears so that you can select a formula. Otherwise, this box is hidden.
• Name. Specifies a user-friendly name for the field.
• Description. Specifies a brief description of the field.
• ToolTip. Specifies a ToolTip for the field.
• Field name. Auto-populated from the name you enter, but without spaces.
• FQN. (Read-only) Specifies the Fully Qualified Name (FQN).
• Data Type. Specifies the output type.
• Length. Specifies the length of the field.
• Decimal places. (Number only) Specifies the number of decimal places.
• Allow negative. (Number only) Specifies if negative values are
CHAPTER PART 3: ENTITIES
• Control type. Specifies the control type for the selected data type, e.g. Single Line Textbox.
• Formula. (Formula only) Specifies a formula to populate the field.
• Pick List. (Pick List only) Specifies a pick list to populate the field.
4. Click Save.
NOTES
• Names and descriptions must be unique, but can include special characters (\ / ? : * " > < | @ ! # $ % ^ & * [ ]).
• Mandatory fields are indicated with a red outline.
• Invalid fields cannot be saved. The Save button is unavailable.
• Fields created for the PMS module are available in all modules.
• For more about setting the above properties, see Field properties.
Edit a user-defined field
Some of the information relating to user-defined fields can be changed after they have been created. For example, you may wish to amend the user-friendly name given to a field or increase the number of characters that can be input. However, not every aspect can be changed. Certain details such as field name are fixed once a field has been created. Also, the information that can be changed is dependent on the type of field you have selected.
To edit a field:
1. Open the entity that contains the field you want to edit.
2. Locate the field you want to edit and on the Entity Tools tab, click Edit.
• To help find a field you can filter the list of fields.
3. When the Additional Information pane opens, the details that can be changed are active.
Data Fiel
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● Editable o Not Editable
• To discard your changes, click Cancel.
CHAPTER PART 3: ENTITIES
NOTES
• Amendment of the Length and Decimals properties is limited to making them larger.
• In order to retain database integrity Field name, FQN, Data type, and Field type cannot be changed. These properties are therefore
unavailable when editing (i.e. greyed out).
Field properties
When you create a custom field you are prompted to enter a number of properties to identify it in Designer Studio and to set certain behaviours.
This information is stored in the Additional Information pane for each field.
Field Properties
Property Description Options
Name Specifies a user-friendly name for the field, e.g. A New Field.
Description Specifies a brief description of the field.
ToolTip Specifies a ToolTip for the field.
Field name Specifies a system name for the field. This is for internal use only and is constructed automatically, without spaces, based on the user-friendly name entered, e.g.
ANewField. It can be changed manually before saving, but cannot be amended after.
FQN (Fully Qualified Field Name)
(Read only) This is a unique name that identifies the field. This is for internal use only and is
constructed automatically using
Data type Specifies the data type that the field will evaluate to.
Text Date Number Logical Length Specifies the number of characters
accepted by the field. Only applies to fields of data type Text and Number.
1 to 255
Decimal places Specifies the number of decimal places. Only applies to fields of data type Number.
Allow negative Specifies that the field can accept a negative value. Only applies to fields of data type Number.
Field type Specifies the type of field. When Pick List and Formula are selected a further setting is required (See below).
Address Field Formula Pick List Control type Specifies the type of control used
to display the field at run-time.
The options displayed are
dependant on the data type. For example, if a data type of Text is selected, then the control types offered will be Single Line Textbox and Multi Line Textbox.
Address Picker Checkbox Date Picker Drop Down Box Multi Line Textbox Numeric Textbox Single Line Textbox Formula (Formula only) Specifies a formula
to populate the field, which must provide the appropriate value. For example, a field with a data type of Text must use a formula that provides a text value.
Pick list (Pick List only) Specifies a pick list to populate the field, which must
CHAPTER PART 3: ENTITIES
NOTE
• Not all properties can be changed once a field has been created. See Edit a user-defined field.
Not set values
All user-defined pick lists (i.e. drop-down lists) have a Not Set value by default. Not Set values allow you to differentiate between when a field has had a value assigned to it and when not. For example, knowing whether a client has any dependants and knowing that they have zero dependants.
These are 2 different values.
It is possible to build checks around Not Set values in workflow and documents. For example, you could make the workflow step backwards if a field has not been captured or in documents when information is
missing. For example, if salutation is specified then use it, but if not then use something generic like Sir or Madam.
You check for Not Set values via a formula by using the IsEmpty function like this IsEmpty(<Field Name>) and in a document template like this
<Field Name> Is Empty.
PART 4: Formulas
Formulas are equations that can be used to perform calculations, manipulate characters and dates, return information, or test data. A formula can contain any or all of the following: fields, constants (numbers, text, dates), operators, and functions. In Designer Studio you can create formulas in the Formula Designer.
In this section:
• Formula Designer
• Parts of a formula
• Create a formula
• Add fields to a formula
• Add constants to a formula
• Add operators to a formula
• Add functions to a formula
• Using operators
• Formula properties
• Round a number
• Test a formula
• Open and edit a formula
