In this article, we look at how to extend the platform to capture the data you want to capture from processes and process steps.
Within the Modeler, many fields exist for capturing specific information within processes/process steps. In addition, you can also add your own fields (= table types) to the platform. This is entered in the Admin Centre, but creates a field to be added in the Modeler.
How do I create a new field?
To create a new field, perform the steps below:
- Go to the Admin Center and click on the ‘Tables’ section on the left.
Please note! If you do not see this section, then you are not (yet) authorised to use this section. Contact your application administrator and ask if you can be assigned the role ‘Tables manager’ as a user. This should now be visible.
- In the ‘Table types’ frame, press ‘New table type’ in the top left. The window below appears:
- Name: Give the field a name. This name will be visible in the Modeler.
- Based on: If the field should behave just like the default ‘Documents’ field, select ‘Documents’ under ‘Based on’.
- Scope: Here you specify where you want the field to appear in the Modeler. You can choose from:
- Steps:
- All step types: the field appears at each process step within the process.
- Activities: the field appears for activities to which a role can be attached and those of type ‘Automatic’.
- Processes: the field appears at process level. To do this, click once on the name of the process in the ‘Project’ window and in the ‘Properties’ window you will then find all the information at process level.
- Item properties: the field can be included as a column in another central table.
- Input/Output: the contents of the created tables of this field can be selected at the ‘Input’ and ‘Output’ fields in e.g. the ‘Properties’ window.
- Steps:
- Properties:
- Add cost: here you specify whether a table value has a rate (cost). This can be a rate per hour or per unit. An extra column then appears where the rate can be entered. This cost is then used during an analysis of a process in the Engage Process Modeler.
- You can add columns to your custom-made table. To do so, use the three columns at the very bottom of the window.
- Column ‘Name’: here you fill in the name of the column.
- Column ‘Type’: here you enter the type of field, i.e. text field, number field, URL field or other value.
- Column ‘Value’: here you indicate whether it is a fixed or contextual value:
- Fixed: the value entered in the table cannot be modified by the Modeler user. It is therefore a given.
- Contextual: the entered value in the table can be modified by the Modeler user. If a value is already entered in the table, it is shown as the default value. The value can always be modified by the Modeler user.
- Press <OK> to create the field.
How do I create a table?
To actually use the field (see above), at least one table must be created. This is done as follows:
- Go to the Admin Center and click on the ‘Tables’ section on the left.
Note! If you do not see this section, then you are not (yet) authorised to use this section. Contact your application administrator and ask if you can be assigned the role ‘Tables Administrator’ as a user.
- In the ‘Tables’ frame, press ‘New table’ at the top right.
- Give the table a name and press <OK>.
- At the bottom of the screen, the first empty line of the table will appear. After entering the column name, a new line will automatically appear.
How do I make sure I see this new field and the associated table(s) in the Modeler?
To be able to use the field and associated table(s) in the Modeler, the following steps must be completed once:
- Go to the Engage Process Modeler and open the project in which you want to use the field and associated table(s).
- On the ‘Tables’ tab, click the ‘Retrieve tables' button and select the table(s) you want to link.
- In the ‘Project’ window, the field including the selected tables appears in the ‘Tables’ folder. In addition, the field naturally appears where you want it to appear, as indicated under ‘Scope’.