Preparing the Auto-Creation

To use this method of auto-creation, you must first:

  1. Create data elements based on these data definitions:
    • BP Creator  (for creating a business process [BP] record)
    • Planning Item Creator (for creating a planning item record)
    • BP Line Item Creator (for creating a line item on another, existing, BP record)

    These elements use built-in intelligence to create records or line items and create hyperlinks from the original record to the new records or line items that have been generated.

    For example, to auto-create a work order record, you might create a BP creator data element called "Work Orders." To auto-create a planning item from a BP, you might create a Planning Item Creator element called "Type."

    Notes:

    • When line items are created in a BP record via a Line Item Creator, the End step of the BP is used to evaluate data element (DE) formulas that can be applied to calculate the sum of line items, regardless of the workflow step of the BP. For example, a Budget Adjustment BP contains a line item creator that creates one or more line items within a Budget Approval BP record. The Budget Approval BP contains an upper form DE (Budget Adjustments) that sums the Budget Adjustment line items. A Budget Approval BP record is in a workflow step, and on its step Action form, the Budget Adjustments DE contains the formula that calculates the sum of the line items. The End step form of the BP must have the same formula calculation to sum the line items applied to the DE to ensure that the Budget Adjustments DE value reflects the line item creation.
    • For more information on the BP Creator, BP Line Item Creator, and Planning Item Creator data definitions, refer to the section on data definitions in the Unifier Data Reference Guide. For instructions on creating data elements, see the information beginning with Creating a Data Structure.
  2. Create the forms for both the source record and the destination record (the record or line item that will be generated). You cannot map the elements from one record/line item to the other until they both exist.

    The best practice is to first create the destination form (the one that will be auto-created); then create the source form and set up the auto-creation processes for it. For this, you must determine exactly what the destination form should contain. After you have determined the look of the generated form, you can then design and create the source form that will automatically populate the generated form.

  3. Place the BP Creator element(s), BP Line Item Creator element(s), or the Planning Item Creator element(s) on the upper or detail form of the source record from which you are going to generate the new record or line item.
    • If you want record-to-record auto-creation, place the creator element on the upper form.
    • If you want line-item-to-record creation, place the creator element on the detail form.
    • If you want line item creation on an existing record, place the line item creator element on either the upper or detail form.

You can use multiple different creator elements on a single form to auto-create different types of BP, line items, or planning item records. For example: A user wants to create a service request that is routed for approval, upon which a work order is auto-created. When the service request is complete, the work order will automatically create the charges against the work order.

Creator elements:


Last Published Tuesday, October 14, 2025