Project/Shell Creation

This type of business process creates new projects/shells from the upper form of the BP or from line items. The data necessary to create projects/shells is provided by this BP. In addition to creating a new shell, this type of business process can also be designed so that users can choose the managers and employees who should be automatically assigned to the shell when it is created.

Notes:

This BP is not available for configurable managers.
You cannot create multiple tabs for this type of business process.

For example, you could use this type of BP at the company level to request a new site for a project and send the request through a review and approval workflow. After the record reaches an approved status, Unifier would create a new shell at the proper place within a hierarchy (or a new project if a shell hierarchy is not being used). Information from the BP could be passed on to the new project/shell so that users do not need to enter it.

For another example, you could use this type of BP at the company or shell level to request that multiple shells be created. Each record for this BP would collect information for the shells as line items. When the record reaches a terminal status, and each line item reaches a status (which you specify), Unifier would create a new shell at the proper place within a hierarchy. Information from each line item could be passed on to the new shell so that users do not need to enter it.

Works with Planning Items

If you include a Planning Item Picker on this business process, users can link new projects/shells with planning items. Instead of linking a planning item to a project in the Planning Manager, this BP will automatically create the link when the project/shell is created, and data will begin to roll up to the Planning Sheet from the business processes in this project.

This BP creates projects/shells using templates. For shell creation, it also uses an integration interface.

Integration Interface

If you use the project/shell creator business process to create shells, you must first create an integration interface for the shell. The interface should contain all the fields (data elements) necessary to create the shell in your environment. In operation, the BP fills in these field values in the interface. The interface then uses the template the user specifies to create the project/shell.

Integration of the project/shell via CSV import is available only for the simple-type business process (upper form).

Currency override is available for CSV import if the project currency picker field is included on the Integration form.

The CSV import file must use a valid currency code.
The override currency must exist in Exchange Rates.

For instructions on designing the interface, see Integration.

Templates

This BP creates projects/shells using the templates that have been designed in Unifier. When you design this business process, you must include a template picker, and in the application, users will specify the template that should be used to create the project/shell. Be aware of the following:

The entire template will be used, including any modules.
The Project/Shell Creation BP will use the auto-numbering set up in the template, if any, to override any number manually entered by the Unifier user.
Note: You cannot create an anchor shell (single-instance shell) using a template with this BP.
The Project/Shell Creation BP will provide the project/shell name, number, location, and status for the new project/shell, and also any image and phase data elements, if they have been included in the BP.
- If the image and phase elements have not been included in the business process, those values from the template will be used (if any).
- If designed and configured to do so, the BP will also automatically assign a manager and employees to the project/shell.
Currency designation:
- For a project/shell, the currency designation can come from the template; or if the business process design includes the project currency picker (uuu_proj_currency), the user can override the template currency by using the project currency picker to select a valid currency from Exchange Rates.
- In addition to the defined project/shell currency, users can add multiple "candidate" currencies to the project/shell template.
- If the desired currency is not included in the list of candidate currencies, Unifier will add the override currency from Exchange Rates to the template, set the rate as Float, and create the project/shell using that currency.
If the template includes links, these will be placed on the new project/shell.

The following pertains to auto-population in shells:

If the attribute form of the shell is designed with data elements that should be auto-populated, the elements will be populated in the following order:

From the project/shell template
From single-record business processes
From the shell attribute form of the parent shell
From matching elements in the Project/Shell Creation BP
Note: For shell creation, be sure you include the elements to be auto-populated on the integration interface you create!

Where to Use This BP

You can use this BP at the company, project, or shell level.

At this level:	This BP can create:
Company	Shells in or across a shell hierarchy from the upper form or a line item
Shell	Shells in or across a shell hierarchy from the upper form or a line item
Project	Projects from the upper form or a line item

Sub-Types

There are two sub-types of this BP type:

Simple	This sub-type creates a single project/shell from an upper form when the record reaches a terminal status.
Line Item	This sub-type creates multiple projects/shells using an upper form and line items. The projects/shells are created when the record reaches a terminal status, and each line item reaches a specific status that the user specifies. Projects/shells will be created using the values from the fields on the line item detail form; however, if the new projects/shells will contain common information, such as the location or phase, you can include the fields that are common on the upper form so they need to be filled in only once. There are two classifications for this sub-type: Project or Shell will create projects/shells from line items using the location the user specifies. Shell and sub-shell will create shells and sub-shells from line items using the location the user specifies. Note: Whenever a record reaches terminal status, and the line items reach the status that the user specifies, the system creates projects/shells for each line item. If a line item contains errors, the, the system ignores the entire creation and returns the record to a non-terminal status.

Simple

This sub-type creates a single project/shell from an upper form when the record reaches a terminal status.

Line Item

This sub-type creates multiple projects/shells using an upper form and line items. The projects/shells are created when the record reaches a terminal status, and each line item reaches a specific status that the user specifies.

Projects/shells will be created using the values from the fields on the line item detail form; however, if the new projects/shells will contain common information, such as the location or phase, you can include the fields that are common on the upper form so they need to be filled in only once.

There are two classifications for this sub-type:

Project or Shell will create projects/shells from line items using the location the user specifies.

Shell and sub-shell will create shells and sub-shells from line items using the location the user specifies.

Note: Whenever a record reaches terminal status, and the line items reach the status that the user specifies, the system creates projects/shells for each line item. If a line item contains errors, the, the system ignores the entire creation and returns the record to a non-terminal status.

Design Requirements

For these business processes to work effectively, you will need to create the following components in uDesigner:

Data elements for shell number, shell name, and project phase
(For shells) Integration interface for the shell to be created
Upper form
Detail form (for a Line Item sub-type)
Line Item List (for a Line Item sub-type)
(Optional) Workflow
Log

Design Flow

The following outlines the design steps necessary to create this business process.

1. Create a data structure.

For this business process, you must create three data elements:

One to gather the name from the BP for a new project/shell. Use the SYS Shell Name data definition to build this element.
One to gather the number from the BP for a new project/shell. Use the SYS Shell Number data definition to build this element.
One to gather the project phase from the BP for a new project. Use the Project Phase data definition to build this element. The data set for this field will be specified in Unifier and will be available under the project shell as a project phase field when a project is auto-created using this business process.
If you want the user to be able to assign managers and employees to the shell during its creation, you will need to create one or more user data pickers to place on the upper form of this business process. Use the User Data Picker data definition to build these elements. When the administrator configures this business process, the picker(s) can be filtered to show only certain employees. Note: If you place user data pickers on this business process form, be sure the same pickers are on the shell attribute form.

See the instructions beginning with Creating a Data Structure.

2. Design an integration interface.

Use the integration interface to create shell creation business processes that will, in turn, create shells. See Creating an Integration Template.

3. Launch the design.

This step initializes the design process for the BP. See Starting a New Design (Edit Studio).

4. Design an upper form.

See the instructions beginning with Designing an Upper Form.

For this sub-type:	These fields are mandatory:
Line Item	status to specify the status of the business process
Simple	For a shell: uuu_shell_creator uuu_shell_location to specify where the shell should reside in the hierarchy uuu_administrator to specify the shell administrator uuu_shell_template_picker to specify the shell template for the auto-created shell uuu_shell_status to specify what status the shell should have when it is created the shell name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition) the shell number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition) status to specify the status of the creation BP. When the BP reaches this status, Unifier will create the shell. If you want to automatically link the shell to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker) If you want the user to be able to assign managers and employees to the shell during its creation, include the user data picker(s) you created in Step 1. For a project: uuu_project_creator uuu_administrator to specify the project administrator uuu_proj_template_picker to specify the project template for the auto-created project uuu_shell_status to specify what status the project should have when it is created uuu_proj_address_1 uuu_proj_address_2 uuu_proj_address_3 uuu_proj_city uuu_proj_state uuu_proj_country uuu_proj_zip uuu_proj_phone uuu_proj_fax uuu_project_phase the project name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition) the project number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition) status to specify the status of the creation BP. When the BP reaches this status, Unifier will create the project. Note: If you want to automatically link the project to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker)

For this sub-type:

These fields are mandatory:

Line Item

status to specify the status of the business process

Simple

For a shell:

uuu_shell_creator
uuu_shell_location to specify where the shell should reside in the hierarchy
uuu_administrator to specify the shell administrator
uuu_shell_template_picker to specify the shell template for the auto-created shell
uuu_shell_status to specify what status the shell should have when it is created the shell name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition) the shell number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition)
status to specify the status of the creation BP. When the BP reaches this status, Unifier will create the shell.

If you want to automatically link the shell to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker)

If you want the user to be able to assign managers and employees to the shell during its creation, include the user data picker(s) you created in Step 1.

For a project:

uuu_project_creator
uuu_administrator to specify the project administrator
uuu_proj_template_picker to specify the project template for the auto-created project
uuu_shell_status to specify what status the project should have when it is created
uuu_proj_address_1
uuu_proj_address_2
uuu_proj_address_3
uuu_proj_city
uuu_proj_state
uuu_proj_country
uuu_proj_zip
uuu_proj_phone
uuu_proj_fax
uuu_project_phase
the project name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition)
the project number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition)
status to specify the status of the creation BP. When the BP reaches this status, Unifier will create the project.

Note: If you want to automatically link the project to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker)

5. Design a detail form. (Simple sub-types do not need detail forms.)

See the instructions beginning with Designing Detail Form.

For this sub-type:	These fields are mandatory:
Project or Shell	For a shell: uuu_shell_creator short_desc uuu_shell_location to specify where the shell should reside in the hierarchy uuu_administrator to specify the project/shell administrator uuu_shell_template_picker to specify the project/shell template for the auto-created project/shell uuu_shell_status to specify what status the shell should have when it is created the project/shell name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition) the project/shell number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition) uuu_line_item_status to specify the status of the line item. When the line item reaches this status, Unifier will create the shell. Note: If you want to automatically link the project/shell to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker) For a project: uuu_project_creator short_desc uuu_administrator to specify the project administrator uuu_proj_template_picker to specify the project template for the auto-created project uuu_shell_status to specify what status the project should have when it is created uuu_proj_address_1 uuu_proj_address_2 uuu_proj_address_3 uuu_proj_city uuu_proj_state uuu_proj_country uuu_proj_zip uuu_proj_phone uuu_proj_fax uuu_project_phase the project name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition) the project number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition) uuu_line_item_status to specify the status of the line item. When the line item reaches this status, Unifier will create the project. Note: If you want to automatically link the project to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker)
Shell and Sub-Shell	uuu_shell_creator short_desc uuu_shell_location to specify where the shell should reside in the hierarchy uuu_administrator to specify the shell administrator uuu_shell_template_picker to specify the shell template for the auto-created shell uuu_shell_status to specify what status the shell should have when it is created (Note: Make this field a "Required/Editable" field on the design. If the shell status of the parent shell is inactive or has no value, child shells will not be created.) the shell name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition) the shell number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition) uuu_line_item_status to specify the status of the line item. When the line item reaches this status, Unifier will create the shell. Note: If you want to automatically link the shell to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker)

For this sub-type:

These fields are mandatory:

Project or Shell

For a shell:

uuu_shell_creator
short_desc
uuu_shell_location to specify where the shell should reside in the hierarchy
uuu_administrator to specify the project/shell administrator
uuu_shell_template_picker to specify the project/shell template for the auto-created project/shell
uuu_shell_status to specify what status the shell should have when it is created
the project/shell name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition)
the project/shell number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition)
uuu_line_item_status to specify the status of the line item. When the line item reaches this status, Unifier will create the shell.

Note: If you want to automatically link the project/shell to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker)

For a project:

uuu_project_creator
short_desc
uuu_administrator to specify the project administrator
uuu_proj_template_picker to specify the project template for the auto-created project
uuu_shell_status to specify what status the project should have when it is created
uuu_proj_address_1
uuu_proj_address_2
uuu_proj_address_3
uuu_proj_city
uuu_proj_state
uuu_proj_country
uuu_proj_zip
uuu_proj_phone
uuu_proj_fax
uuu_project_phase
the project name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition)
the project number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition)
uuu_line_item_status to specify the status of the line item. When the line item reaches this status, Unifier will create the project.

Note: If you want to automatically link the project to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker)

Shell and Sub-Shell

uuu_shell_creator
short_desc
uuu_shell_location to specify where the shell should reside in the hierarchy
uuu_administrator to specify the shell administrator
uuu_shell_template_picker to specify the shell template for the auto-created shell
uuu_shell_status to specify what status the shell should have when it is created (Note: Make this field a "Required/Editable" field on the design. If the shell status of the parent shell is inactive or has no value, child shells will not be created.)
the shell name (based on the SYS Shell Name data definition)
the shell number (based on the SYS Shell Number data definition)
uuu_line_item_status to specify the status of the line item. When the line item reaches this status, Unifier will create the shell.

Note: If you want to automatically link the shell to a planning item, include a Planning Item Picker (uuu_planning_item_picker)

6. Create a workflow.

See the instructions beginning with Starting a Workflow.

7. Create a log.

See Designing a Business Process Log (Standard or Picker).

Last Published Monday, June 3, 2024