Siebel Field Service Guide > Barcodes > The Barcode Interface >

The Barcode Toolbar


Siebel Field Service provides a barcode toolbar that sets Siebel Field Service to use incoming data from a barcode reader. The barcode toolbar appears immediately below the application-level menu in the Siebel Service application.

The barcode toolbar is shown in Figure 30. It contains the following controls, from left to right: a New button, an Update button, a Find button, a Use drop-down list, and an Activate button.

Figure 30.  The Barcode Toolbar
Click for full size image

The barcode toolbar is shown or hidden according to the following factors:

  • For a mobile client, the sfs.cfg file's ShowBarcodeToolbar parameter must be set. A value of TRUE shows the barcode toolbar, while a value of FALSE hides it. If your Siebel application is licensed to include barcode automation functionality, the parameter is set to TRUE by default.
  • For a server configuration, a barcode toolbar parameter must exist in the SFSObjMgr. The name of this parameter is Barcode Toolbar Enable Flag. A value of TRUE enables the barcode toolbar, while a value of FALSE disables it.

CAUTION:  A Siebel client running on an individual workstation cannot have both the Barcode toolbar and the CTI toolbar displayed at the same time.

Table 139 summarizes the functionality of the barcode toolbar buttons.

Table 139.  Barcode Toolbar Buttons, from Left to Right
Button
Action

New

Enters a value of the specified type (Use) into a new record in the selected view.

Update

Enters a value of the specified type (Use) into an existing record and field in a selected record, replacing the number that was there.

Find

Locates the appropriate view and field, and enters a value of the specified type. When an end user scans the barcode, the application brings up the applicable view with the query already executed. The displays only those records that match the value scanned from the barcode.

Activate

Turns the barcode functionality on or off.

Of the first three buttons (New, Update, or Find), only one at a time can be active. Once clicked, a button remains active until another button is selected.

The Use drop-down list contains entry modes that define the type of information coming from the next barcode to your Siebel application. The contents of the Use drop-down list changes according to the following factors:

  • Whether the New, Update, or Find button is selected
  • The active screen and view

It is necessary to select a value in the drop-down list only if more than one value appears in it.

Keyboard Shortcuts for the Barcode Toolbar

Shortcut keys for barcode operation are shown in Table 140.

Table 140.  Additional Keyboard Shortcuts for the Barcode Toolbar 
Shortcut
Action

Ctrl - \

Ctrl - /

The first shortcut precedes the barcode data input and the second one follows it. When your Siebel application receives such input, it carries out a series of steps to copy the data from the barcode into the correct field in a view:

  1. Determines the current view, tab, and active button on the Barcode toolbar.
  2. Examines the records in the Barcode Mapping list to determine if there is a record for this combination of view, tab, and button selection. For more information, see Setting Up a Barcode Interface.
  3. From the Barcode mapping record, determines the field in the corresponding record to receive the data.
  4. Enters the barcode data in the target field defined in the Barcode Mapping list.

Normally, these commands are programmed into the barcode reader and delivered as a prefix and suffix to the barcode data; they are not entered from the keyboard. For more information, see Barcode Reader Input.

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