Process Step Details and Examples

This article gives details and examples of the functions that are available in steps.

• Create Email
• Create Word, Spreadsheet and Presentation
• Adding Details to the Steps
  • Filing in Steps
  • Workflow in Steps
  • Task in Steps
  • Time in Steps
  • Comment in Steps
• Including Merge Fields in the Filing Details
  • Merge Fields that do not work in the Name or Comments in Processes Steps
  • Including Merge fields in the Name
  • Merge Fields for Year
• Create Phone, Create Note, Create Meeting
• Delay
• Create Job
• Update Client
• Update Job
• Execute Process
  • Apply New Process Filter
• Stop
• Summary Notification
• Alter Document
• myprosperity Share Document

Refer also to Custom Processes using Views and Summary Notifications.

Create Email

The following is an example of a Create Email step.

Recipients - The Recipients is initially set as the "Client Email' as the To recipient. This will use the email address held for the Client selected for the Process and this can be changed, if relevant. Additional Recipients can be added as the To, CC or BCC recipient(s). These are added in a similar way to when creating an email directly in FYI (refer to Adding and Changing Recipients when Creating an Email).

You can include recipients in the following ways. All or any of these can be used to add recipients.

• Search for internal user
• Enter a new email
• Client Email (to re-select the email for the client)
• Partner Email (to send the email to the relative Partner for the Client or Job)
• Manager Email (to send the email to the relative Manager for the Client or Job)

Click the drop-down under the Recipients field and select which of these you want to do. If you delete the default selection of "Client Email", this can be re-selected from the bottom of the drop-down.

Note: For Partner Email and Manager Email:

For a Process that uses a Client View in the Filter, the relative Partner or Manager is taken from Client.

For a Process that uses a Job View in the Filter, the relative Partner or Manager is taken from Job and if this does not exist for the Job it is taken from the Client.

For a Process that uses a Document View in the Filter, when Inherit Job is checkmarked to enable this, the relative Partner or Manager is taken from the Job selected for the Document. If there is no Partner/Manager held for the Job, the relative Partner or Manager is taken from the Client selected for the Document. When Inherit Job is disabled, this picks up the value from the selected Client.

If the value for the Recipient is missing, the Process creates the email as Draft, a warning message is shown in the Process Activity and a Comment is added to the email in FYI.

To, CC or BCC - Use the drop-down next to To to select this as To, CC or BCC.

Template - this selects the Email Template that will be used. The template can include merge fields to create the email text

Attachments - you can add an attachment to the email. This must be a document that has been created by a preceding step within that process. Clicking the drop-down for Attachments in the email step displays a list of all the relevant preceding steps that generate a document, that is, any Create Word, Create Spreadsheet, Create Presentation, Create PDF steps.

Attachments as PDFs - set the Attachments as PDFs switch to "On" to send the attachments as PDF files, or "Off" to send in their original file format.

Sender - The Sender defaults to the person creating the Process. This can be set as one of the following:

• As a specific person in your user list.
• As Partner to set the Sender as the relative Partner for the Client or Job.
• As Manager to set the Sender as the relative Manager for the Client or Job.
• As a Custom User Role (for example, Accountant, Bookkeeper, Team Coordinator, Supervisor, etc). This will set the Sender as the user who is selected for that Custom Field for the Client or Job. Only Custom Fields that have the Type set as "User" are included in the list of what can be selected for the Sender (refer to Custom User Roles).

Note: For Partner, Manager or Custom User Roles:

For a Process that uses a Client View in the Filter, the relative Partner, Manager or Custom User Role is taken from Client.

For a Process that uses a Job View in the Filter, the relative Partner, Manager or Custom User Role is taken from Job and if this does not exist for the Job it is taken from the Client.

For a Process that uses a Document View in the Filter, when Inherit Job is checkmarked to enable this, the relative Partner, Manager or Custom User Role is taken from the Job selected for the Document. If there is no Partner/Manager/Custom User Role held for the Job, the relative Partner, Manager or Custom User Role is taken from the Client selected for the Document. When Inherit Job is disabled, this picks up the value from the selected Client.

If the value for the Sender is missing, the Process creates the email as Draft, a warning message is shown in the Process Activity and a Comment is added to the email in FYI.

Send attachment(s) - determines how an attachment to the email is sent, by email or sent to the client's OneDrive. When this is set as OneDrive, and Attachments as PDFs is set as "Off" you can select Co-edit with client (refer to Co-editing an External Document).

Save or Send - whether to save as "Draft in FYI", "Draft in Outlook" or Send Immediately".

Create Word, Spreadsheet and Presentation

The steps for Create Word, Spreadsheet or Presentation allow you to select settings for Filing, Workflow, Task and Comment.

You can select a Template that will be applied, and for Word, you can also select a Stationery. The Template and Stationery can include merge fields to create the text.

If you want to include merge fields in the filing details such as the document name, these are added to the Filing section in the step (refer below to Including Merge Fields in Filing Details).

The following is an example of a Create Word step. In the Action section, select the Template to use and, if relevant, the Stationery.

Adding Details to the Steps

Details are added to the steps in the same way as when creating emails and documents, using the sections in the drawer.

Filing in Steps

The Filing section controls how the document is named and where it is filed.

The follow is an example of creating a Word document.

Name is the name of the document that will be created in FYI.
If a Template has been selected, this can be set as "Default from template" to use the name of the template for the document that is created, or this can be changed to any text as required.

Autofile can be "Disabled" or "Enabled".

• When AutoFile is "Disabled", the document will be filed using the settings for Cabinet and Category in the process step.
• When AutoFile is "Enabled", the Filing Defaults for the client are used, if available.
  These settings are taken from the specific client the step is processed for. Where the client is part of a Client Group, the process ignores whether there is a client for the group set with the Include in Autofile setting (refer to Setting Filing Defaults for a Client).

Cabinet and Categories in the process step are only available if Autofile is "Disabled" and can be set as relevant for the type of document being created by the step.

Filing defaults to "Filed". If this is set as "Unfiled" it will appear in the owner's In Tray ready for filing. If the Owner is set in the Workflow section this is used (refer below to Workflow in Steps), otherwise it is set as the Owner of the Process.

Workflow in Steps

You can use the Workflow section in the step  for information purposes, to set the approval of an email or document, or to set it as read-only. This is the same as the Workflow section when creating emails and documents. Refer to the section Workflows.

Owner can be used to select the owner of the document/email. This can be set to a specific person in your user list, as "Manager" to set the Owner as the relative Client or Job's manager, as "Partner" to set the Owner as the relative Client or Job's partner or as a Custom User Role to set the Owner as the user who is selected for that Custom Field for the Client or Job. Only Custom Fields that have the Type set as "User" are included in the list of what can be selected for the Owner (refer to Custom User Roles).

• For a process that is run for a Client, the Manager/Partner/Custom User Role is taken from the Client Details.
• For a process that is run in the context of a Job, the Manager/Partner/Custom User Role is taken from the Job Details.

If there is no Partner/Manager assigned to the client and the process is creating an email, it will add the Process Owner as the Owner of the email created in the step. When a Word document or Meeting is created by the process step, it adds the user running the process as Owner of the document created.

Approver can be used to set the Approver of the document/email. This can be set to a specific person, as "Manager" to set the Approver as the relative client or job's manager, as "Partner" to set the Approver as the relative client or job's partner, or as a Custom User Role to set the Approver as the user who is selected for that Custom Field for the Client or Job. Only Custom Fields that have the Type set as "User" are included in the list of what can be selected for the Approver (refer to Custom User Roles).

• For a process that is run for a Client, the Manager/Partner/Custom User Role is taken from the Client Details.
• For a process that is run in the context of a Job, the Manager/Partner/Custom User Role is taken from the Job Details.

Workflow Status can be set for information purposes, to set the approval of an email or document, or to set it as read-only. This is set as default to "Not Started".

Task in Steps

Task is used to create a task for the document/email when the process runs. In the following example, the task is created for an email.

Create a Task - click to set this as "Yes" to create a task.

Subject - enter a brief subject for the task. This displays in the lists in FYI.

Assignee - can be set as a specific person in your user list. Or this can be set as "Manager" to assign the task to the relative client or job's manager, or as "Partner" to assign it to the relative client' or job's partner.

• For a process that is run for a Client, the Manager or Partner is taken from the Client Details.
• For a process that is run in the context of a Job, the Manager or Partner is taken from the Job Details.
• If there is no Partner/Manager assigned to the client/job, the Assignee is set as "Unassigned".

Due Date - select when the task needs to be completed as the number of days. You can also set this as 0 (zero) days to make the task immediate.

Status - this defaults to "Not started". The Status can be changed to "In Progress", so when the task is created, nothing needs to be actioned on it.

Cabinet - if Task Security is set in your Practice Settings, a Cabinet can be selected to add the Cabinet security to the task. This ensures that only users with access to that Cabinet can see the task, for example, for sensitive areas such as HR or performance management. When creating a task, you can select the cabinet. Where a task is automatically created as linked to a document, the task cabinet is inherited from the document created and displays in the task details. Refer to Managing Practice Settings.

Blocking - when creating a task, you can set Blocking as "On" so that the process stops until a Task created in the automation process is set as "Completed". This could be used, for example, for a Task created in the process to ensure that an email, word or any other document created in the previous step(s) has been checked before any other actions in the process are done. When the Task is set as "Completed", the process could then be set up to continue and send the checked email or send an email with a checked document attached.

Note: If the process only holds one step, ensure you do not set a task that is created with Blocking as "On" as the process will show as outstanding until the status of the task is set as "Complete".

AutoComplete - This function allows Tasks that have been created by an Automation Process to be automatically set as "Complete" when the selected condition is met.  Refer to AutoComplete Tasks.

Details - type the brief details of the task. The assignee can easily display the email to see what the task relates to.

Time in Steps

Time in automation steps is used in the Capacity Planning function which is a Beta release. Refer to Capacity Planning Overview - Beta. This article is only available if you are part of the Beta release.

Comment in Steps

Automatic notifications can be defined and triggered as part of process automations using Comments. This ensures that you are aware of documents that have been imported, filed or changed automatically in FYI. Refer to Automation Notifications.

Including Merge Fields in the Filing Details

Certain fields in the Filing section in Process Steps, such as Name and Year, and you can use relative Merge Fields.

In the example below, the Client Name has been added to the document name in the Filing section for example, as Notice of Assessment {{ ClientName }}.

Merge Fields that do not work in the Name or Comments in Processes Steps

Note: The following Merge Fields do not work in the Name field or in the Comments in Processes.

• Created Date
• Original File Name (except in the Alter Document step)
• Reference Number
• Upload Folder
• Share Folder

Including Merge fields in the Name

The following is an example of adding the Client Name to the document name.

1. Click the ellipsis (…) next to the Name .
   
   
2. The pop-up displays with the relevant merge fields that can be used. 
   
   
   
   
3. Position the cursor in the Name where you want to include the merge code (add a space at the end of the Name if needed).
4. Expand the relevant category to display the merge fields in that group.
5. Click the required merge field(s).
   
6. The correct code for the merge field is added for you in the Name.

Merge Fields for Year

Year, this can include merge fields by selecting "Merge Field" from the drop-down which then displays the  merge field pop-up selections in the same way as for the Name. If this is set, for example, with "TaxYear" as the merge field, the document will be automatically filed in the relevant tax year as the Year category.

Create Phone, Create Note, Create Meeting

You can use the Create Phone, Create Note, Create Meeting steps to create a Phone Call, File Note or Meeting in FYI. You can use Merge Fields for the Name and Year in the same way as for other documents. The following is an example of the Create Meeting step.

Delay

A Delay step can be added to an Automation Process to set a delay in the process. This delays the next step in the process from running until that delay is over. The Delay can be set to a number of hours, days or weeks. For example, this could be used so that on completion of a Task that is created in the process, there is then a delay of the selected hours, days or weeks and then an email is sent.

The Automation - History displays the date and time that each step completed.  Refer to Automation History.

Create Job

When using a process with a Client View, the Create Job step can be used to create a Job (refer to Custom Processes using Views and Summary Notifications).

The information is the same when using Create Job from the + button (refer to Create Job in FYI) except the Client is not selected and the Job is created for the Client(s) selected from the Client View in the process.

For practices integrated with Xero Practice Manager, the Job is synced to Xero Practice Manager where the job number will be applied.

Job Cabinet
If your practice has Job Cabinet Security enabled in your Practice Settings, you can select a Cabinet to assign to the Job. As well as giving additional information about Jobs, this allows Cabinet Security to be set on any relevant Jobs. Users only have access to those Jobs for the Cabinets to which they have been given access via the User Group they belong to. Refer to Managing Practice Settings and Managing User Groups. If Job Cabinet Security is not enabled in your Practice Settings, the Cabinet field is not displayed in the Create Job Step.

Update Client

The Update Client step can be used to update Client Custom Fields.

When a Client Custom Field has been selected from Set Custom Field in the step, a field is added above this and shows as the field name. You are prompted to enter the value to set it to.

Once a Custom Field has been selected, it will be removed from the drop-down list as it is already part of the Step.

You can add additional Custom Fields to be updated by the step. Select the additional Custom Field(s) and add the value to set for each.

Updating a Client Custom Fields that is a Date
When updating a Client Custom Field that is a Date, this is set as the "Current Date". An example of this would be updating the Engagement Date on the client record as a result of a client signing an engagement letter. An automation can be set up using a view that detects that the engagement letter has been signed by the client and to update a Custom Field such as "Last valid engagement date" in the client record with the current date stamp.

Another example when this could be used is to record the last date that a partner made contact with a client. This can be triggered when a Phone Call or Meeting interaction was created in FYI.

This process step is used to update the record with the current date so this would not be used for a Custom Field date such as a date of birth.

Update Job

When a Custom Process is filtered on a Jobs view, or on a Documents view and a Job is assigned to the relevant document(s) in the view, you can use Update Job in an Automation Process.

In the Action for Update Job, you select the Job State, Manager or Partner to be set by the process. The Manager or Partner can be set to a specific person in your user list. Any of these can be set as "‘Unchanged’ if the State, Manager or Partner are not going to be changed by the process.

The Update Job step can also be used to update one or more Job Custom Fields.

Job Cabinet
If your practice has Job Cabinet Security enabled in your Practice Settings, you can select a Cabinet to update for any relevant Jobs. As well as giving additional information about Jobs, this allows Cabinet Security to be set on any relevant Jobs. Users only have access to those Jobs for the Cabinets to which they have been given access via the User Group they belong to. Refer to Managing Practice Settings and Managing User Groups. If Job Cabinet Security is not enabled in your Practice Settings, the Cabinet field is not displayed in the Update Job Step.

Updating Name, Budget, Start Date and Due Date
For practices integrated with Xero Practice Manager only, the Update Job Step can also be used to update the Name, Budget, Start Date and Due Date.

When a Job Custom Field has been selected in the step, this shows as the field name and you are prompted to enter the value to set it to.

Once a Custom Field has been selected, it will be removed from the drop-down list as it is already part of the Step.
You can add additional Custom Fields to be updated by the step. Select the additional Custom Field(s) and add the value to set for each.

Updating a Job Custom Fields that is a Date
When updating a Job Custom Field that is a Date, this is set as the "Current Date". An example of this would be updating the Work Commenced Date on the Job record as a result of a status being set.

For practices integrated with GreatSoft, Start Date and Due Date do not display. Budget currently displays but will be hidden in the near future.

Execute Process

Execute Process sets one process to execute one or more other active processes. You can only use this to execute a "Manual" process.

An example of using Execute Process is for a ‘New Employee onboarding’ process which includes separate business divisions who need to complete their ‘checklist’ of onboarding tasks. For example, there could be the following four processes that each division can run separately, and also have a top-level process that runs all four of these when needed.

• Execute process: IT new employee onboarding
• Execute process: HR new employee onboarding
• Execute process: Finance new employee onboarding
• Execute process: Operations new employee onboarding

From the Execute Process Step, select the Process you want to Execute. It is added to the Process in the sequence in which it should be executed.

Apply New Process Filter

The Apply New Process Filter option can be used as a way to split a Process. It can avoid duplications in Processes and used to set up 'master' Processes and then have 'secondary' Processes that run on certain conditions.

• When Apply New Process Filter is set to "No", the filter from the initiating Process is used as the filter for the Execute Process.
  
  
• When Apply New Process Filter is set to "Yes", the filter from the Execute Process itself is used (in additional to that from the initiating Process). 
  
  After running any steps for Clients, Documents, Tasks or Jobs that meet the criteria using the filter from the initiating Process, additional Processes can be executed using the filters in the Process selected for the Execute Process step and setting Apply New Process Filter.
  
  For example, a Process is run for all clients to receive an email reminding them of their lodgement due date. This is set up to use a Custom Field for the due date held for each Client. The Execute Process step then uses a view that segments "Gold star clients" and that automation Process additionally creates a Task for the relative manager to call the client to remind them.
  
  Note: The Process selected in the Execute Process will only run where the criteria in the Filter from the initiating Process still applies to the Clients, Documents, Tasks or Jobs. The Process selected in the Execute Process must apply the same criteria but can have additional parameters. For example, if the filter for the initiating process retrieves Clients for a specific Custom Field, this must also apply to the Process run with the Execute Process step.
  To run a Process with a completely different Filter, this must be run as a separate Process, not with the Execute Process step.

Stop

The Stop step can be used to stop a process that is running using a filter or a view and where the underlying selector has changed so that the trigger is no longer applicable. This could be where a change has been made manually, or by another automation process.

For example, if a process has been set up to select documents, clients,  jobs or tasks using a specific Status and the Status is changed manually while the process is running, that document, client, job or task would then not be included in the view. Any remaining steps in the process are then stopped for the specific document, client, job or task. The Process will continue to run for any other documents, clients, jobs or tasks that are still included in the view as the Process selection is still applicable.

As an example, if a process is set up to send a reminder email for any jobs with a specific Status. The process is also set up with a Delay step for 1 week, with a Stop step and then another Create Email step to send a second reminder email. The second email is only sent 1 week later if the Status for any of the jobs is still the same. The process is stopped for any jobs that have had the Status updated and the process will only send the second reminder for those jobs that still have the same Status set.

Summary Notification

When a Custom Process is filtered on a Documents, Jobs or Tasks view you can add a Summary Notification step so that the notifications are sent out automatically as a summary instead of as individual notifications. Refer to Custom Processes using Views and Summary Notifications.

Alter Document

When a Custom Process is filtered on a Documents view you can use the Alter Document step to update key fields in documents. Refer to Alter Document Step in  Custom Processes using Views and Summary Notifications.

myprosperity Share Document

For practices that have the integration with myprosperity, when a Custom Process is filtered on a Document View, the Share Document step can be added from the myprosperity Application.

The process takes the document(s) triggered from the Document view selected in the Filter and shares them directly with myprosperity. Ensure that the Filter is set with Run Only Once Per Document checkmarked so that the document is only shared once.

This would commonly be used to share Client Signed documents with myprosperity using a Documents view with a filter applied to the Workflow column of "Client Signed".

This function is the same as using the Share function for a selected document and selecting Send via as "myprosperity" (refer to Sharing Documents via myprosperity) but no email is sent when the document is shared via the Custom Process.