PeopleSoft Enterprise CRM 9.1 Automation and Configuration Tools PeopleBook

Using Business Projects

This chapter provides an overview of business project tracking and discusses how to:

Manage business projects.
Manage tasks.
Monitor business projects.

Understanding Business Project Tracking

Business projects are structured, workflow-enabled task lists that you can use for cases, defects, quotes and orders (for PeopleSoft Order Capture and Services Management).

You can invoke business projects manually, or the system can instantiate them automatically through the Active Analytics Framework (AAF) if you set up business rules (policies) for that purpose.

Business project definitions include complex decision trees based on transition rules, looping logic, and sub-business projects. The system applies transition rules and looping logic at runtime. Therefore, a business project definition usually does not include an exact sequence of tasks. However, business project trace logs can provide detailed information about the exact flow of a business project instance. The logs provide a record of the actions that occur and the conditions that cause them. For example, if a transition can be triggered by either a user or a background process, the trace log shows which one actually triggered the transaction.

Managing Business Projects

This section discusses how to:

Track business project status.
View business project details.

Pages Used to Manage Business Projects

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Business Project Status - Status	RC_BP_STATUS	Accessed from an instantiated business project's parent object (for example, from the Related Objects page of a case or the Related Actions page of an order).	Assign tasks, update task status, initiate a transition from one phase to the next, and record the completion of the entire business project.
Business Project Status - Definition	RC_BP_RUNTIME_DEFN	Accessed from an instantiated business project's parent object (for example, from a case or order).	Review a business project's design.

Tracking Business Project Status

Access the Business Project Status - Status page (accessed from an instantiated business project's parent object).

Description

Displays the text from the field specified on the Parent Object page of the business project definition. If the information is not descriptive enough, access the parent object to modify it.

The description is the only information provided about the parent object from which the business project is invoked.

Status

Enter the overall status of the business project. When you first invoke a business project, the status is In Process. You can manually change the status to Cancel at any time before the business project is finished. When the project is finished, the system updates the status to Complete.

You cannot manually set the business project status to Complete. The only way to complete a business project is to initiate a transition from the last activity (either manually or automatically).

Outcome

Select the outcome of the sub-business project after it is complete. Options are Success and Failed. The sub-business project outcome is the equivalent of a task outcome when the parent business project applies automatic transition criteria.

Note. This field appears only for a sub-business project whose outcome is set manually.

Business Project

The business project tree represents the progress of the business project. The first phase appears at the top of the tree. Each time a transition to a different phase occurs, the system adds the new phase to the tree. Because business project definitions permit a phase to have a transition to any other phase, a single phase can occur more than once. Consequently, the same phase can appear multiple times in the tree.

Only phases that have been instantiated appear in the tree. The system does not display future phases, because they are determined later.

Tree Type	Select a business project tree view. Options are: Task Tree: Select to view a hierarchy of phases and tasks (including sub-business projects, which function as tasks). Tasks are indented under phases. This is the only view that enables you to click a task to view task details. Phase Tree: Select to view a list of phases and their targets, including target phases that did not occur because a different target was chosen. Instantiated phases are underlined. Click a phase to display the phase details. The phases below an underlined phase are its possible targets. After the transition is complete, the tree continues to show all possible targets.
Tree Node	Click a node name to show the node details. If you select a phase or a task, the right side of the page displays either the Phase Detail group box or the Task Detail group box. Click a sub-business project to display the Business Project Status page for the sub-business project.
or	Click to expand or collapse the tree. These icons appear at the top level of the tree hierarchy, and they indicate phases that have been instantiated.
	Indicates the second level of the tree hierarchy. In a task tree, this icon appears next to tasks and sub-business projects. In a phase tree or a linear task tree, this icon appears next to target phases.
	Indicates a task or phase that is in progress.
	Indicates a task or phase that is canceled.
	Indicates a task that was successfully completed or a phase that is complete. (The system does not differentiate between successful and unsuccessful phases.)
	Indicates a task that failed.

Phase Detail

This group box appears when you select a phase in the Business Project group box.

Phase	Displays the name of the phase selected in the business project tree.
Status	Displays the status of the phase. Values are In Process, Complete, and Canceled. If you cancel a business project, the current phase is also canceled. The system does not differentiate between successful and unsuccessful phases.
Transition Rule	Displays the rule for the transition from the selected phase or indicates that transition was performed manually. If the phase is not complete, this field is blank.
Target Phase	To initiate a manual transition, select the next phase and save the page. You can do this only if the transition definition specifies a manual transition. Manual transitions from a phase change the status of the source phase to Complete, but they do not change the status of incomplete tasks in the source phase.

Task Detail

This group box appears when you select a task in the Business Project group box.

Task	Displays the name of the task selected in the business project tree.
Status	Enter the status of the task. Use this field to record changes to the status. Not Started indicates that the task has not yet begun. When the task begins, the system changes the status to In Process. Once a task is in progress, you can manually change the status to Complete - Success, Complete - Failed, or Canceled. If you have automatic transition rules for transitions between phases, the system does not use canceled tasks when applying the automatic transition criteria. Manual transitions from a phase do not change the status of the phase's tasks. Consequently, a phase can have the status Complete even though some of its tasks are in progress or not started. If you manually cancel the business project, the system changes the status of all tasks that are in progress to Canceled.
Assignment Type	Select the type of assignment. Options are Person, Provider (provider group), and Role.
Assigned To	Select a person, provider group, or role to which the task is assigned. If you assign the task to a role and notifications are associated with the assignment, then every person in the assigned role receives the notification.

Additional Element

Save and Update

Click to save changes to the page and update the business project tree. For example, click to complete a manual transition after you select a phase in the Target Phase drop-down list box.

Important! If you have a sub-business project in a main business project, you need to click the Save and Update button after the sub-business project completes (regardless of phase transition mode, manual or automatic) to move onto the next phase in the main business project.

Viewing Business Project Details

Access the Business Project Status - Definition page (accessed from an instantiated business project's parent object, for example, from a case or order).

The left side of the page shows all phases and their possible targets. Click a phase to display the details (such as the phase's task list and the transition rules for each target) on the right side of the page.

Managing Tasks

This section discusses how to track task status.

Page Used to Manage Tasks

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Task Status	RC_TASK_STATUS	Click a task link in a notification email or worklist.	Update the status for a task.

Tracking Task Status

Access the Task Status page (click a task link in a notification email or worklist).

Description

Displays data from the business project's parent object. For example, if the parent object is a case, the Description field typically displays the case summary. Use the Business Project - Parent Object page to define the data that appears.

Status

Select the status of the task. Options are Complete - Success and Complete - Failure.

Depending on how the business project is defined, the success or failure of a task may trigger workflow or control automatic phase transitions.

Assignment Type and Assigned To

Indicates whether the task is assigned to a person, a provider group, or a role, and displays the assignee. These fields are display-only. The business project owner must reassign tasks on the Business Project Status page.

Monitoring Business Projects

To monitor business projects, use the Business Projects Monitor (RC_BP_MONITOR) component.

To view and purge business project trace logs, use the Business Project Trace Setting (RC_BP_TRACE) and Purge Business Project Logs (RC_BP_LOGS_DEL) components.

This section discusses how to:

Start and end business project tracing.
View summary information about business projects.
View business project trace logs.
Purge business project trace logs.

Pages Used to Monitor Business Projects

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Business Projects Trace	RC_BP_TRACE	Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Business Projects, Business Project Trace Setting, Business Projects Trace	Start and end business project tracing.
Business Project Monitor	RC_BP_MONITOR	Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Business Projects, Business Projects Monitor, Business Project Monitor	View summary information about business projects that meet specified search criteria.
Business Project Details	RC_BP_MTR_DETAILS	Click the Details button on the Business Project Monitor page.	Review the log that the system creates when you trace a business project.
Purge Business Project Logs	RC_BP_LOGS_DEL	Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Business Projects, Purge Business Project Logs, Purge Business Project Logs	Purge business project logs.

Starting and Ending Business Project Tracing

Access the Business Projects Trace page (Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Business Projects, Business Project Trace Setting, Business Projects Trace).

Select Trace for each business project to be traced. You can trace a single business project, selected business projects, or all business projects. Normally, you trace all business projects only in a development and testing environment.

If you trace a main business project, the system logs data that pertains to the main business project and all of its sub-business projects, including sub-business projects that the system adds dynamically at runtime. Tracing a sub-business project logs activity only for that sub-business project.

When you save the page, the selected business projects are traced. The system stores trace information in database tables rather than external files. This ensures that the information is available to all users.

Viewing Summary Information About Business Projects

Access the Business Project Monitor page (Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Business Projects, Business Projects Monitor, Business Project Monitor).

User ID

Select to view business projects that were instantiated by the specified user.

Type

Select to view the specified type of business project. Options are Main BP (main business project) and Sub BP (sub-business project).

From BP Instance # (from business project instance number) and To BP Instance # (to business project instance number)

Enter business project instance IDs to view business projects in the specified range.

Status

Select to view business projects with the specified status. Options are Canceled, Complete, and In Process.

Related Object

Select to view business objects with a specific parent object, for example, an order or case.

Last

Enter a number in the text box and select a unit of time in the drop-down list box to view business projects that were instantiated during the specified time period.

Business Project Like

Enter text to view business projects that have business project IDs that are similar to the text.

Outcome

Select to view business projects that have the specified outcome. Options are Failure and Success.

Refresh

Click to display the business projects that meet the specified criteria.

Viewing Business Project Trace Logs

Access the Business Project Details page (click the Details button on the Business Project Monitor page).

If tracing is enabled for the business project, the page displays the content of the trace log. The log records data related to the business project, beginning at the time the business project is instantiated. The initial entries in the log provide the business project instance ID and the start phase. Additional entries show information such as transition details. Click the link on top of the Description field to return to the Business Project Status page.

Purging Business Project Trace Logs

Access the Purge Business Project Logs page (Set Up CRM, Common Definitions, Business Projects, Purge Business Project Logs, Purge Business Project Logs).

Business Project

Enter the business project whose log is to be purged. Leave this field blank to purge all business project logs for the specified date range, or the period of time specified in the Filter Value and Filter Unit fields.

Filter Value

To specify the time period for the purge, enter a number in the text box and select the unit of time in the drop-down list box. Options are Days, Hours, and Minutes. For example, if you enter 5 and select Days, then all log entries for the preceding five days are purged.

From Date and To Date

Enter a specific date range for entries to be purged from the log. These fields are not available for entry if you select a time period in the Filter Value field.

Purge Logs

Click to purge the business project's log for the specified time period. If no time period is specified, the entire log is purged.

You can purge logs to improve performance and eliminate unwanted business project history.

User ID	Select to view business projects that were instantiated by the specified user.
Type	Select to view the specified type of business project. Options are Main BP (main business project) and Sub BP (sub-business project).
From BP Instance # (from business project instance number) and To BP Instance # (to business project instance number)	Enter business project instance IDs to view business projects in the specified range.
Status	Select to view business projects with the specified status. Options are Canceled, Complete, and In Process.
Related Object	Select to view business objects with a specific parent object, for example, an order or case.
Last	Enter a number in the text box and select a unit of time in the drop-down list box to view business projects that were instantiated during the specified time period.
Business Project Like	Enter text to view business projects that have business project IDs that are similar to the text.
Outcome	Select to view business projects that have the specified outcome. Options are Failure and Success.
Refresh	Click to display the business projects that meet the specified criteria.

Business Project	Enter the business project whose log is to be purged. Leave this field blank to purge all business project logs for the specified date range, or the period of time specified in the Filter Value and Filter Unit fields.
Filter Value	To specify the time period for the purge, enter a number in the text box and select the unit of time in the drop-down list box. Options are Days, Hours, and Minutes. For example, if you enter 5 and select Days, then all log entries for the preceding five days are purged.
From Date and To Date	Enter a specific date range for entries to be purged from the log. These fields are not available for entry if you select a time period in the Filter Value field.
Purge Logs	Click to purge the business project's log for the specified time period. If no time period is specified, the entire log is purged. You can purge logs to improve performance and eliminate unwanted business project history.