QAD .NET UI – Configured Screens

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Stacy Elwood Green, BravePointMWUG September 2011

Agenda

IntroductionWhat are they?One-time setupHow to Configure a ScreenAdvantagesLimitationsExtensionsQuestions and AnswersNext Steps

Configured Screens - What are they?

Also referred to as ‘Simplified Screens’ in .NET UI 1.1 through .NET UI 2.7

Create templates for data entry to –Set defaults–Disable/Hide fields–Require data –Change field labels–Add new fields–Control access by Security Group–Speed up Data Entry

Configured Screens – One-time Setup

Need to be in the .NET UI Admin group (qadadmin, by default)

Configured Screens–Set up the User Group that will be allowed to design/configure screens. (UIDesign, by default)–Add users to the UIDesign group

Note: If you are not able to set this, verify that you have write permissions to the {QAD}/{ui}/com/mfgpro/configxml/qaddb directory.

(eg: /apps/qad/2011se/produi/com/mfgpro)

Configured Screens – One-time Setup

How to Configure a Screen

Find the program to configure

Right-click program, Choose Design

Set a name & description for the template

Choose Security Groups for the template. Either All Users or by specific security group(s).

Checked means that security group will use this template.

Click OK when all desired groups are selected

Click Configure

Enter data to walk through the screen

Choose options for a field - Default

Click Apply (Default value turns red)

Defaults are only active for NEW data entry. Default values can be changed as required. Defaults will not applied when editing existing data.

Choose options for a field - Required

Click Apply (Required field turns blue)

Choose options for a field - Disable

Click Apply (Disabled value turns gray)

Choose options for a field - Hide

The field will be removed from the frame

Continue setting field properties as required

Change field label – Choose field, Click Edit

Note: Field must be in Available Fields. To change an existing label, hide the field first.

Change the label

Add a new field

The new field displays on the screen

Change Tab Order of fields

Change Tab Order

Continue changing Properties, Hiding, etc.

Hide/Skip an entire frame

Add a new frame

The Frame Designer pops up a new frame

Set the Title of the Frame

Add the desired fields and arrange in frame

Continue configuring as needed

Click Close

Right-click program, Choose Design

Click Preview to test your changes

Changes/Updates made to data during Design or Preview mode are NOT saved to the database

Note: In some of the earlier releases, this may not be the case! Test to verify in your version!

Advantages

Set defaultsDisable fields that should not be editedHide fields that should not be seenRequire data entryChange field labelsAdd new fields (including custom fields!)Hide/Skip frames not required for data entryAdd new frames for custom/user fieldsChange tab orderControl access by Security Group for separation of duties Speed up Data Entry

Limitations

Can not change screen logic (which fields are in which frames)Can not change field formatCan not require validation, etc. only require data entry (in some versions, “ “ is considered a valid entry)Requiring data entry on a field does NOT require you to update existing data, only required when someone edits that recordScrolling up/down through records may update fields that were added to the screenCan not run different templates on different menusOnly works in .NET UI – not CHUI or GUI

Extensions – Configure any program

Allow configured screens for ANY program, including custom programs

–In the <QADInstall>/<UI>/com/mfgpro/queries directory, there are templates for configurable screens that control whether or not you can set defaults for programs. For example, if you have a custom program, xxppptmt.p, copy the template for ppptmt.xml to xxppptmt.xml, change the internal program name to xxppptmt.p.

Once this is done you may need to 'build' the environment to be able to see the changes.

Configure Any Screen – Sample .xml file

ppptmt.xml

Extensions – Add additional tables

Allow configured screens to access additional tables, including custom tablesIn the <QADInstall>/<UI>/com/mfgpro/queries directory, there are .xml files that show how to link to a table.

This is the file that will define how it finds the key for the custom table. You'll see how it works if you look at the sosomt.xml definition.

You'll need to create a .xml file here for each of the programs that will access the custom table.

Configure Any Screen – Sample .xml file

xxppptmt.xml

Extensions – Add additional fields

Allow configured screens to access additional fields

Update <QADInstall>/<UI>/com/mfgpro/configscreens.xml–To be able to update the custom table using configured screens, add the custom table in the configscreens.xml file under the appropriate program name in the upper section of the file

–Add all of the fields that you want to be visible for Configured Screens in the bottom ‘Fields’ section of the file

Add custom programs, tables, & fields

configscreens.xml

Configured Screens

Questions?

Next Steps – Warp Speed, please, Mr. Sulu…

Configured screens can simplify and speed up data entry for your usersHiding and disabling fields and/or frames can help enforce S-Ox separation of duties or other regulations.Configured screens are stored as XML files, so they easily can be backed up and transferred to other environments. (Design in Test, promote to Production) Once a screen has been configured, it is possible to lock the ‘telnet’ mode out, so that users must use the template when they are using .NET UI.Get a listing of configured screens in 36.20.10.17 Configurable Screens Report

Thank You!Stacy Elwood Greensgreen@bravepoint.com

QAD .NET UI – Configured Screens

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