Configuring Timeline Zones

A timeline zone contains one or more "lines" where each line shows when significant events have occurred. For example, you can set up a timeline zone that has two lines: one that shows when payments have been received from a taxpayer, and another that shows when bills have been sent to the taxpayer.

The following points describe how to set up a timeline zone:

• Set up an algorithm for each line in the zone. These algorithms will reference an algorithm type that is plugged into the Zone - Timeline Line plug-in spot. Click here to see the algorithm types available for this plug-in spot. Please note the following about the parameter values defined on these algorithms:

• You can set up a timeline algorithm to show an object's "info string" when a user clicks on an event on a timeline. The object's info string appears in the zone's info area. When a user clicks on an "info string", they are transferred to a page (typically the one used to maintain the object). For example, if a user clicks on a "bill info" line, they will be transferred to the bill maintenance page.

You control the format of the info string and the destination transaction by defining the appropriate foreign key reference in each timeline algorithm's parameters. For example, if you were setting up the algorithm for a bill line, you'd reference the foreign key reference used to show bill foreign keys throughout the system.

• You can set up a timeline algorithm to show BPA scripts when a user clicks on an event on a timeline. For example, if you click on a bill event, BPA script descriptions can appear in the info area. When a user clicks on one of these descriptions, the script will execute and guide them through a respective business process (e.g., initiate a bill dispute, request a bill reprint, etc.). You define the scripts in each timeline algorithm's parameters.

When a script is initiated from a timeline, the system puts the prime key of the event into a field in the page data model. The name of the field is the column name(s) of the event's prime key. For example, when a script associated with a bill event is kicked off, the system populates a field called BILL_ID with the prime-key of the selected bill.

The script can use these page data model field to navigate to the pertinent pages. For example, if you were setting up a script to reprint a bill, the first line of the script would reference a navigation option to transfer the user to the Bill - Routing page where they can initiate the reprint. This navigation option will contain context fields that matched the names of the fields in the page data model (this is how field values are passed to pages).

• You can control every color and icon shown on a timeline by specifying the appropriate color codes on the zone's parameters.

• Set up a zone that references these algorithms. The zone will reference the F1-TIMELINE zone type.

• Link the zone to the appropriate portal(s) (e.g., Control Central - Account Information or Control Central - Taxpayer Information).

• Update your users' portal preferences and security rights so they can see the zone in the desired location on the portal(s).

You can set up many timeline zones. For example,

• You might want different zones to appear on a portal depending on the type of user. For example, you might want one timeline for collection clerks, and a different one for customer service representatives.

• For aesthetic reasons, you might want multiple simple timeline zones to appear on a given portal rather than one complex timeline zone.

• You might want to set up context specific timeline zones. For example, you might want to have one timeline zone that is location-oriented and another that is person-oriented.