Self Help - Projects

Last modified on 2023/07/25 18:30
Contents

A Self Help project contains a set of business processes described in the form of procedures and associated with a given domain.
   Open url.png See How to deploy a Self Help project.

  • Each project is managed in edit mode in the Desktop Studio. Writers can access it depending on their access rights. Open url.png See the description.
  • It is made up of components grouped in folders to facilitate management, such as folders for images, forms, etc. Open url.png See the description.
  • Its procedures are available to users via a publication process. Open url.png See Version management.
  • It can be translated into different languages. Open url.png See Multilingual management.
     

Specific Self Help projects: 

Notes

  • The content of each Self Help project can be used to initialize another Self Help project in the same domain. Its procedures, resources, etc. will be copied.
  • When a Self Help project is created, the
    Library and Project recycle bin folders will automatically be created.
  • When you move a folder, all of its links will automatically be refreshed in procedures.

Caution

  • If you delete a folder, all of its contents will be deleted.

Best Practice

  • Use the content import functionalities to initialize quickly your Self Help project. You can access them using the File > Import menu or using the contextual menu.
    • You can import the Self Help project content that was previously saved in an AAR archive.
    • You can perform a mass import of Word documents contained in a folder. The Self Help will be identical to the tree structure of folders and subfolders in the file explorer. Open url.png See the description.
    • You can import a question/answer Excel file. The Self Help will be based on the folders specified in the Excel file. Open url.png See the description.

Self Help project folders

Object Description/Notes
Project recycle bin folder This contains all forms, procedures and variables deleted from the Self Help project.
  • This folder is automatically created. You cannot rename or hide it.
  • You can restore the elements in the folder as long as it has not been emptied.

Caution:

  • This folder does not store procedure steps that were deleted.
  • It is automatically emptied each time the Self Help project is published.

Best Practice icon.png  Empty the Project recycle bin on a regular basis to lighten server load.
Library folder This contains macros, variables and formulas used by all procedures in the Self Help project.
  • This folder is automatically created. You cannot rename or hide it.
  • You cannot create subfolders.
  • When one of the elements in the library is modified, the modification will automatically be propagated to all procedures where it is used.
The variables and macros in the folder are as follows:
  • Variables associated with fields created in forms.
  • Manually created variables and macros.
  • Predefined variables and macros present in each Self Help project.
The formulas in the folder are as follows:
  • Manually created formulas, i.e. standard and conditional.
  • Generic formulas present in each Self Help project.
Other folders A Self Help project can contain a number of custom folders.
example   Resources, Procedure templates, List of examples, Folders by business object

  • Each folder can contain subfolders.
  • Each subfolder can contain other subfolders.

Best Practice icon.png  Group all shared resources that may be accessed by procedures in the Self Help project in a folder called Resources. To facilitate management, you can then create one subfolder for each type of resource.

example  Folder: Resource ==> Subfolders: Images, Documents, Connectors

Self Help project properties

      Explorer Pane - Properties view - Project.png

Access: Edit mode in the Desktop Studio > select the Self Help project in the tree structure of the Explorer pane > Properties view. Open url.png See the description.

ExplorerPane_ProjectPropertiesView_Tabs

List of tabs

  • Info: Information on the Self Help project, i.e. last version number and its origin, last modification date, etc. Note: You cannot modify this information.
  • Quota: This displays the following:
    • Disk space used by the Self Help project version.
    • Disk space used by other Self Help projects.
    • Disk space available on the server (Note: Except if the server has unlimited disk space).
  • Metadata Definition: List of active metadata manually added to the Self Help project.
    • You can export active items of metadata. They apply to all Self Help project procedures. Open url.png See How to export metadata from a Self Help project
    • Click Add metadata icon.png in the toolbar to add an item of metadata.
    • You can click Activate metadata icon.png to deactivate an item of metadata. It will automatically be moved to the Deactivated Metadata tab.
  • Deactivated Metadata: List of deactivated metadata manually added to the Self Help project.
    • You cannot export deactivated items of metadata.
    • You can click Activate metadata icon.png to reactivate an item of metadata. It will automatically be moved to the Metadata Definition tab.
  • Statistics: Statistics on the use of each procedure in the Self Help project, e.g. number of executions and their average duration, average number of steps in the procedure, etc.  - Open url.png See the procedure

Access rights of writers for Self Help projects

Define access rights for writers

        Open url.png See the procedure.

        Properties - Writers tab.png

Access: edit mode in the Desktop Studio > select the Self Help project in the tree structure of the Explorer pane > Properties view > Writers tab

Notes

  • Writers can modify their own access rights.
  • Depending on the logged-in user's access rights to the Self Help project, certain icons may be grayed out.

Caution

  • If writers delete their own ownership rights, only the domain administrator or Self Help project owner can reassign them.

Screen description

  • Information on the writer: Name, email address, access rights to the domain.
  • The logged-in writer will be displayed on a Selected writer background.png background.

        Update writer.png


Status of access rights icons for Self Help projects

Icon Active icon Inactive icon
Add writer icon.png in the toolbar: Used to add a writer to the Self Help project
  • You are the domain administrator

    or

  • You are one of the project owners Delete writer icon.png

    or

  • You are authorized to read, write, approve and publish or to read, write and approve for the Self Help project
  • You are authorized to read only for the Self Help project
Update writer icon.png next to a writer: Used to modify the access rights to the Self Help project (Guest - Read/Write/Approve/Publish)
  • You are the domain administrator

    or

  • You are one of the Self Help project owners and the user to be modified is not the domain administrator

    or

  • You are authorized to read, write, approve and publish or to read, write and approve for the Self Help project and the user to be modified is not the domain administrator
  • You want to modify the rights of the domain administrator

    or

  • You are authorized to read only for the Self Help project
Add writer ownership right icon.png next to a writer: Used to delete or assign ownership rights for the Self Help project
Delete writer icon.png next to a writer: Used to delete access rights for the Self Help project
  • Only read-only access is authorized.
  • Click Add writer ownership right icon.png to reassign the rights.
  • You are the domain administrator

    or

  • You are one of the Self Help project owners and the user to be deleted is not the domain administrator
  • You are one of the Self Help project owners and you want to delete the rights of the domain administrator

    or

  • You are authorized to read only or to read, write and approve or to read, write, approve and publish for the Self Help project

Types of writers

Type of writer Access rights
Domain administrator For all Self Help projects in the domain:
  • Is the owner
  • Is authorized to read, write, approve and publish
  • Can add writers
  • Can assign or modify the access rights of writers
  • Can delete the access rights of writers
Owner of a Self Help project For the Self Help project:
  • Is authorized to read, write, approve and publish
  • Can add writers
  • Can assign or modify the access rights of writers, except those of the domain administrator
  • Can delete the access rights of writers, except those of the domain administrator
Note: You can define several writers as owners of a given Self Help project.
Guest - Read/Write/Approve/Publish For the Self Help project:
  • Is authorized to read, write, approve and publish
  • Can add writers
  • Can assign or modify the access rights of writers, except those of the domain administrator
  • Cannot delete the access rights of writers
Guest - Read/Write/Approve For the Self Help project:
  • Is authorized to read, write and approve
  • Can add writers
  • Can assign or modify the access rights of writers, except those of the domain administrator
  • Cannot delete the access rights of writers
Guest - Read Only For the Self Help project:
  • Is authorized to read only
  • Cannot add writers
  • Cannot assign or modify the access rights of writers
  • Cannot delete the access rights of writers

Procedures

See detailed step by step on Self Help portal

How to create a Self Help project

Step 1: Create the new Self Help project.

1. Open the Desktop Studio in edit mode.

2. Select the method for creating your new Self Help project:

  • You can use import functionalities to initialize quickly your Self Help project.
    • Import the AAR archive content via the File > Import > Archive menu.
    • Perform a mass import of Word documents contained in a folder via the File > Import > Folder menu. Open url.png See the description.
    • Import a question/answer Excel file via the File > Import > FAQ menu. Open url.png See the description.
  • You can use a Self Help project template that was previously published:
    • Select File > New > Project in the menu.
    • Click Create from a published version.
    • Select the version of the Self Help project you want.
    • Click Finish.
      The new Self Help project will appear in the Explorer pane with the words Copy of ... in its name.
  • You can create a Self Help project from scratch:
    • Select File > New > Project in the menu.
    • Click Create a new empty project.
    • Enter the name of the new Self Help project.
    • Click Finish.
      The new Self Help project will appear in the Explorer pane.
       

Step 2 (optional): Add folders to the Self Help project.

1. Right-click the Self Help project name.

2. Select New from the contextual menu and click Folder.

3. Name the folder.

4. Repeat these actions for all folders you want to add to the Self Help project. You should place the cursor each time on the new folder.

Move a folder

  • Click and drag the folder to its new position.
    All of its links will automatically be refreshed in procedures.
     

Delete a folder

  • Right-click the folder and select Delete from the contextual menu.

Caution: All of its contents will be deleted.

Step 3: Add resources to the Self Help project.

1. Right-click the Self Help project folder where you want to create the new resource.

2. Select New from the contextual menu and click the type of resource to be created. Open url.png See Types of resources.
        Insert new resource.png

3. Define the content based on the type of resource.
       Open url.png See How to create a resource.

4. Repeat these actions for all resources in the Self Help project.
  

Step 4: Create procedures for the Self Help project.

1. Right-click the Self Help project folder where you want to create the new procedure.

2. Select New > Procedure from the contextual menu.

3. Create the steps in the Conception pane.

       Open url.png See:

4. Repeat these actions for all procedures in the Self Help project.

5. Test each of the procedures in the Self Help project.

  Open url.png See the procedure.
 

Step 5: Define the access rights of writers for the Self Help project. 

       Open url.png See:

How to manage access rights for a Self Help project

Step 1: Display the list of writers for the Self Help project.

1. Select the Self Help project in the tree structure of the Explorer pane.

2. Display the Properties view by selecting View > Properties in the menu.

3. Select the Writers tab.

Step 2: Manage the writers authorized to access the Self Help project.

   Open url.pngSee Status of access rights icons for Self Help projects.

Assign access rights to writers.

1. Click Add writer icon.png.
The list of users authorized to access the server will appear.

2. Select the relevant user.

3. Assign one of the four types of access rights available in Access rights. Open url.png See the description.

4. Click Finish.

5. Repeat these actions for the other writers.
 

Modify the access rights of writers

1. Click Update writer icon.png for the relevant writer.
        Update writer.png

2. Assign one of the four types of access rights.
 

Delete a writer from the project

1. Click Delete writer icon.png for the relevant writer.

How to publish a Self Help project

    Open url.png See Version management of Self Help projects.

HowToPublishProject

Step 1: Select the Self Help project to be published.

1. Right-click the Self Help project in the tree structure of the Explorer pane.

2. Select Publish from the contextual menu.

3. (optional - if linked resources are opened) Click Yes if the following message appears: "There are opened editors associated with this Self Help project".
 

Step 2: Select the user groups authorized to run Self Help project procedures.

1. Select the authorized groups from the list on the left called Existing groups.

2. Click Arrow right.png.

3. Click Next.
 

Step 3: Select the executable procedures.

1. Tick each authorized procedure.

2. Click Next.
 

Step 4: Display the version history.

1. Enter the description of the version.

2. If the version to be published is the final version, tick the option called Keep the next version of the Self Help project in the workspace. 

3. Select one of the following activation/deactivation modes for the new and previous versions:

  • Publish and Replace: This activates the new version and deactivates the previous versions.
  • Publish and Activate: This activates the new version without deactivating the previous versions.
  • Publish and Not Activate: This deactivates the new version without deactivating the previous versions.

4. Tick the option called Automatically switch to the publication perspective when finished to open the publish mode automatically at the end of the processing.

5. Click Finish.
 

Step 5: Run the publication task.

Caution: As long as publication has not been performed, only Self Help project owners or the domain administrator can modify the Self Help project.

  • You can run the publication task immediately using the Publish now option.
  • You can schedule the publication task using the Publish at option:
    • Specify the publication date and time.
    • Tick the option called Prevent Self Help project modifications before publication.
       

Step 6 (optional): Send an information email to users after publication.

1. Tick the option called Send an email.

2. Enter the email subject and body.
 

Step 7: Run the publication.

1. Click Finish.

  • The task will be run immediately or at the scheduled date and time. 
  • A new working version will be created in the Explorer pane in the Desktop Studio in edit mode.
  • The published version will be created. You can access it in publish mode.
  • Publish mode will automatically open if you ticked the option in step 4.

How to translate a Self Help project

  Open url.png See Multilingual management.

Translate a Self Help project
You can perform the translation in two ways:

Automatic translation of procedures
   Note: 

  •  The source language will automatically be detected. You can translate it into 65 different languages. 
  • If required, you can make modifications manually to the translation.

  Open url.png See How to use the automatic translation tool.

How to obtain usage statistics for a Self Help project

Step 1: Select the Self Help project.

1. Select the Self Help project in the tree structure of the Explorer pane.

2. Display the Properties view by selecting View > Properties in the menu.

3. Select the Statistics tab.

Step 2: Select the required criteria.

1. Define your selection criteria, e.g. period, working version to be included, etc.

2. Click Compute the statistics.
 

Step 3 (optional): Save the results in a file.

All results

1. Click Export all.
 

Selected procedures

1. Select the relevant procedures in the table.

2. Click Export selected.
 

Step 4 (optional): Obtain statistics on a procedure instance.

1. Obtain the procedure ID from the user.

2. Enter the procedure ID.

3. Click Open a procedure instance.

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