PSNext30 Emails US

Emails in PSNext 3.002/15/09 – Revision 1.0

This document, as well as the software described in it, is furnished under license and may only be used or copied in accordance with the terms of such license. The information in this document is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as a commitment by Sciforma. Sciforma assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this document. No part of it may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Sciforma. Copyright 2009.

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Contents

A -Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3B -The Message's content.........................................................................................................................4

1 -Recipients...........................................................................................................................................52 -Body....................................................................................................................................................6

2.1 -Insert fields.................................................................................................................................62.2 -Raw HTML.................................................................................................................................72.3 -Include header images...............................................................................................................72.4 -Attachments...............................................................................................................................8

C -Email types..........................................................................................................................................101 -Triggered Messages.........................................................................................................................112 -Batched emails.................................................................................................................................153 -Template Lists...................................................................................................................................16

D -Email addresses..................................................................................................................................171 -Override user's email preferences...................................................................................................18

E -URL links..............................................................................................................................................191 -URL links as field tags......................................................................................................................202 -Manually created URL links ............................................................................................................20

F -Summary..............................................................................................................................................22

PSNext 3.0 white papers

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A -Introduction

With the ever increasing usage of mobile devices and their capabilities to receive emails almost anywhere and at anytime, email alerts can be considered as a major feature enhancement in PSNext 3.0.

Users are now able to create custom email alerts and select the events and conditions that will trigger them. For instance Managers can be informed of important project delays or the approval of a project, while Resources could be notified of the approval or denial of an absence request.

A whole new interface is available to create rich-text content that can include inserted PSNext field tags. These tags will then be replaced with the correct corresponding field value when the email is sent. Furthermore the recipients of an email alert can be based on existing generic users.

URL links can also be added to email content, making it easy to link directly into PSNext at the appropriate location of interest.


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B -The Message's content

Before getting into the detail of the new features, this section presents a common dialog box used to define the content and recipients of an email message. Further sections of this document present where this dialog box is used.


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Fig 1. The email's message content window provides standard controls for setting the email's subject, body and recipients.

1 -RecipientsThe email recipients are PSNext declared users that can be be set in different ways:

● Specific user: A concrete named user.● Through an organization branch: The set of

users within an organization.● Through the “All Users” folder: Every PSNext

User.● Through generic users: Based on the

value of a “user-typed” field (built-in or user defined).

Fig 2. Email recipients could be any PSNext identified user


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2 -BodyThe message itself can be entered in the lower section of the dialog box. The tool bar provides common rich-text formating tools such as fonts, alignment options and a control to insert images and attachments. Undo and redo controls are also available when editing a message's content.

2.1 -INSERT FIELDS

The “Insert Filed” icon displays the “Insert Field” dialog box.

This box shows the available fields that can be inserted into the message's body to dynamically customize the content of the message. The available field sources are related to the email type being defined. Table 1 presents a summary of the available field sources per email type.

After selecting a field, a coded text value is inserted in the message's body. PSNext will identify this tag and will replace it by the appropriate value when the email is to be sent.

Fig 3. Insert field tags for dynamic content

Fig 4. Field tags inserted in both the message's subject and body will be replaced by PSNext when sending the email


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2.2 -RAW HTMLThe raw HTML check box allows the user to see and edit the HTML coding of the message. HTML experts can directly use HTML code to customize the appearance of the email's body.When switching back an forth from the raw HTML mode, the message might be altered. PSNext will attempt to convert the formatted text into raw HTML and add embedded image tags for those header images that are found. However, it should be noted that switching between formats may destroy some of the content.

Fig 5. A message's body using raw HTML

2.3 -INCLUDE HEADER IMAGES

A good way to make email alerts get the PSNext look is by including PSNext logos in the header of the message. This extended option will insert HTML image references to PSNext standard banners into the message's header. These images are saved in the PSNext application server in the folder: classes\com\sciforma\psnext\images.


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Fig 6. An example of an email alert received with PSNext headers on.

2.4 -ATTACHMENTS

Email alerts can contain an attached file within them. Attached files can be either a system file (static file sent each time the alert is sent) or a user defined file (the file is created by PSNext each time the alert is sent).

Fig 7. Inserting an attachment to an email alert

●System file attachments: Selecting a typical System file attachment will display the file open dialog to allow the user to browse the system and select the file attachment. Each System file attachment type will have a unique PSNext image based on the file's type and will be placed within the “Attachments” tab in the lower section of the message's body.


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Fig 8. The “Attachments” tab holds the attached files that will be included

●User defined attachments: when inserting a User defined file attachment a dialog box will be displayed allowing the user to specify the name of the file that will be generated, it’s MIME type, and it’s content. User defined attachments can also make use of the Insert fields dialog for field's value substitutions when the file is to be generated (each time the alert is to be sent).In general, user defined attachments are intended to be primarily used to generate text based or readable file types.

Fig 9. Setting the content of a user defined file attachment.

Fig 10. User defined file attachments are holdin a separate tab


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C -Email types

PSNext 3.0 email features have been enhanced to provide three main email capabilities.

Triggered messages: Event driven alerts.

Batched messages: Alerts sent by a scheduled job or batch application.

Templates: Predefined alerts used by collaboration workflows.

Under the Emails view of the System component there is a separate tab to manage each of the above email types.


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Fig 11. There is separate tab for each type of email alert

1 -Triggered MessagesThese are email alerts that are sent when a specific event occurs in the system (a project is published, a calendar is submitted, etc.). Additionally a filter can be included in the email alert's definition determining the additional conditions that should be met for the alert to be sent (project is delayed, calendar status is Rework, etc.)

Triggered messages are managed within the “Triggered messages” tab in the Emails view of the System component. There is a set of triggered emails that are shipped by default with PSNext 3.0. These alerts correspond to the action messages available in previous versions of PSNext. During the database upgrade process to 3.0, all previous Batch and Action messages will be maintained and will be converted to the new format. Users will then keep every email capability they were used to work with.

Fig 12. Triggered emails are event driven alerts

New triggered messages can be created from the File/New... menu or the related toolbar icon . The “Triggered Email Message” dialog box is displayed allowing for user input to define the settings of the new message such as its type and the events that will actually make the email to be sent.


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Fig 13. Triggered email alert settings

PSNext will adapt the available customization options for each triggered alert (such as the available triggers, recipient's generic users and message's body tags) according to the alert type.

TYPEPSNext object that will trigger the alert.

NAMEUnique name to identify the email alert.

TRIGGERSEvents that will trigger the email alert. Table 1 summarizes the available triggers per type.

FILTERAn email's filter sets a condition determining whether the email should be sent or not when the trigger event occurs. For instance a filter can determine to send the alert only if the Project's finish date has a gap of 20% or more with the baselined finish date.

EMAIL DETAILSDisplays the “Message content” dialog box to set the recipients and the content of the email alert.

ENABLEDDetermines whether the alert is enabled or not. This option is useful when administrators want to temporarily deactivate an email alert.

Table below is a useful summary of the available options per email type.


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Table 1: Available Custom Controls by Type

TYPE AVAILABLE TRIGGERS

AVAILABLE GENERIC USERS

AVAILABLE FIELD SOURCES

PROJ

ECT

On Save (save button)On PublishOn ActivateOn DeactivateBefore Purge

GlobalProject Project organizationsPortfolio Folder

ProjectGlobalOrganizationPortfolio folderSpecial fields:- URL to “Planner”- URL to “My Work”

TIMES

HEET

SUMM

ARY On Status Change (submitting,

reviewing, approving, etc.)On Save (save button)

GlobalResource's Organization Timesheet Summary (owner resource)

GlobalTimesheet OrganizationSpecial fields:- URL to “My Work”- URL to “Approvals”

CALE

NDAR

On Status Change (submitting, approving, etc.)On Save (save button)

GlobalResource's OrganizationCalendar

GlobalCalendarOrganizationSpecial fields:- URL to “My Work”- URL to “Approvals”

RESO

URCE

S On Publish GlobalResource Resource's organization

Special fields:- URL to “Resource”

COST

ITEM

S On Publish Cost item's organization Special fields:- URL to “Cost Items”

ASSI

GNME

NT SU

MMAR

Y On Publish GlobalProject Owning organizationsPortfolio FolderAssignment summary (assigned resource)

Special fields:- URL to “My Work”- “Assignment loop” controls

DOCU

MENT

At creationOn check inOn deletion

GlobalProject (if linked)Task (if linked)

GlobalDocumentProject


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TYPE AVAILABLE TRIGGERS

AVAILABLE GENERIC USERS

AVAILABLE FIELD SOURCES

Organization (if linked)Portfolio Folder (if project link) Document

OrganizationPortfolio FolderSpecial fields:- URL to “Collaboration”

ISSUE

At creationOn saveOn deletion

GlobalProject (if linked)Task (if linked)Organization (if linked)Portfolio Folder (if project link) Issue

GlobalDocumentProjectOrganizationPortfolio FolderSpecial fields:- URL to “Collaboration”

PORT

FOLI

O FOL

DER

On ranking openOn ranking submittalOn ranking reworkOn last ranking submit (last ranker submitted)On rework all rankingOn ranking closeOn ranking publish (saving results in objectives)

GlobalPortfolio folder

GlobalPortfolio folderSpecial fields:- URL to “Portfolio Control”


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2 -Batched emailsBatched email alerts are not event-driven alerts, they are controlled by a .bat file or by a PSNext's scheduled job that will send them. Batched emails are managed in the “Batch Messages” tab.

A set of batched messages are included by default in PSNext 3.0 corresponding to the built-in batched email messages available in previous versions.

Fig 14. Batched email alerts are controlled by a scheduled job

The settings of the Batched messages are common to those the Triggered alerts except for the triggers that are not available since batched emails are not event-driven.

Fig 15. Properties of a batched email message

Administrators can now create and schedule jobs that will launch the batch emails that have been defined and enabled under System/Emails.


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Fig 16. Batch email is a new type of Scheduled Job. Fig 17. Enabled “Batched emails” can be referred by a Scheduled job to be sent.

3 -Template ListsPSNext 3.0 provides email support for Document and Issue work flows allowing alerts to be sent when workflow actions are performed. These kind of email alerts are likely to be used by many workflow definitions. To avoid users creating multiple similar email definitions, email template lists are provided.Any email item to be used in a Collaboration workflow definition must first be created within the template list. These workflow based emails can be created under this “Template Lists” tab (under System/Email) or directly from the workflow definition dialog box (under System/Workflows).For further information on Collaboration workflows read “Collaboration in PSNext 3.0”.

Fig 18. Template lists for emails to be used in Collaboration workflows


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D -Email addresses

As previously presented in this paper, the recipients of a PSNext email alert must forcibly be PSNext declared users. Any PSNext user can have up to three email addresses, three built-in fields are provided for that intention (Email Address 1, Email Address 2, and Email Address 3). The values of these fields are set by the PSNext administrator in the Users component but can also be set or updated by each individual user through the Global options of its profile (Tools/Options/Global/Email).

Another preference that can be set by each user is the preferred email address(es), that should be used when PSNext is sending them an email alert.


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Fig 19. An user changing his/her individual email preferences.

1 -Override user's email preferencesWhen changing its email preferences, a user could decide to stop receiving email alerts by unchecking all of the email addresses associated to its profile (no preferred address). With the new email capabilities offered by PSNext 3.0, administrators now have a main control that can override the preferred email addresses chosen by each individual user. When the “Override user global options” option is checked under System/Email, PSNext will send email alerts to every known email address of the user (recipient) even if the address is not marked as preferred.

Fig 20. Administrators can override the email preferences of every user

Additionally, field permissions are honored within the Tools/Global/Email dialog box so that access is controlled to the field's values.


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E -URL links

URL links is a very useful feature of PSNext 3.0 specially when working with email alerts. Users will receive emails from PSNext for very different reasons. Besides providing relevant information within the email's content (by using dynamic variables), it is also possible to include a URL link that will direct the user to the context that generated the alert and is awaiting user action (approve a document, rework a timesheet, etc.).

When a user tries to follow a PSNext URL link, if the user is already logged into PSNext, the focus will be set to the context specified by the URL link. If there is no PSNext session open, PSNext will launch and will lead the user to the right context after authentication is accomplished.


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1 -URL links as field tagsIn Table 1, it is possible to see that dynamic URLs are provided as “special fields” to be inserted as a tag in an email's body. As any other tags, the available URL tags are related to the type of the email that is being created. For instance a “Project” alert could lead the recipient to the “Planner” component and open the project that generated the alert.

The URL tag that is inserted will actually be replaced by a full qualified hyperlink that the recipient can click on to reach the related context.

An important parameter to ensure that the final hyperlinks are valid is the “Email URL substitution” value that can be set under System/Email. This value should detail the exact URL path to the PSNext domain.

Fig 21. URL tags use the “Email URL substitution” parameter when they are replaced

2 -Manually created URL links URL links to a given PSNext context can also be manually created so that users include them in documents, web pages, non-PSNext emails or web browser favorites. This is the structure of a PSNext's URL link:

<PSNext URL>?LinkData=TAB.VIEW.DATA

<PSNEXT URL>The url of the Psnext domain. i.e http://ourdomain.com/psnext/Index.htm

TABThe component the url will lead to.i.e. tabPlanner

VIEWThe view of the component that should be focused.i.e. viewProjects

DATAData parameters of the item to display.i.e. PROJECT:PRJ3217_2009;VERSION:0

An URL link leading to the Planner component displaying project PRJ3217_2009 looks as follows:http://ourdomain.com/psnext/Index.htm?LinkData=tabPlanner.viewProjects.PROJECT:PRJ3217_2009;VERSION:0

Table 2 lists the available parameters that could be included in a PSNext URL link.


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Table 2: URL link parameters by component

COMPONENT TAB VIEW DATA

PLANNER

tabPlanner ViewProjectsviewGanttviewNetwork viewOutlineviewTaskUtilizationviewResourceUtilizationviewCostUtilization viewGraphs

PROJECT:Project_Id, VERSION:version

COLLABORATIONtabCollab FILE:File_Id

ISSUE:Issue_Id

MY WORK

tabMyWork ViewOverviewviewTimesheetviewCalendarviewTasksviewMyGantt

DATE:MM-DD-YY

REPORTStabReports RPT:name

STATIC:nameFAV:name

PROJECT:Project_Id,VERSION:version

RESOURCEStabResources ViewResource

viewRACviewResUtil

APPROVALS

tabApproval viewSummary(Timesheets,Calendars)viewTimesheetviewCalendar

DATE:MM-DD-YY,RESOURCE:ResId

PORTFOLIO CONTROL

tabPortfolioControl viewProjectsviewGanttviewRankingviewTaskUtilization viewgraphs

PORTFOLIO:Fullname,PROJECT:ProjId, VERSION:version

COST ITEMS tabCostItems

PROJECT CONTROLtabProjectControl PROJECT:ProjId,

VERSION:version

USERS tabUsers

SYSTEM

tabSystem viewAddProjectAccess viewAssignmentOptions(consult full list in online help),


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F -Summary

Email enhancements rely on three main types of alerts: triggered (event-driven), batched controlled, and template lists.

By combining a filter with triggered or batched alerts, PSNext administrators are able to define an endless number of email alerts to fulfill any specific need: a project is delayed, expenses are over budget, timesheets are not submitted on time, etc.

Email messages can contain rich text or html encoding as well as dynamic variables to better adapt the message's content to the situation originating the alert. Additionally file attachments can contain files generated on the fly that could for instance create an iCalendar file for the recipient to accept/reject an invitation.

Finally URL links can be inserted in an email's body so that the recipient can be redirected to the exact PSNext component, view and object requiring attention.


Documents

PSNext30 Emails US