Procedures in Self Help projects describe business processes using decision trees.
        

• Procedures are:
  • Managed and built in the Desktop Studio in edit mode.
  • Managed via a content validation workflow to manage the progress of their content up to the Self Help project publication.
  • Made available to users via a publication process.  See Version management.

• Each decision tree appears as a series of steps. There are two types of steps.  See the description.
  • Interactive steps: Users who run the procedure will see them as Web pages. They are used to request information via forms, ask users to choose among several answers, display information such as text, tables or images, provide links to websites, etc.
  • Automatic steps: These are not visible to users. They are used to run scripts, communicate with third-party services via Web services, run tests, perform calculations, etc.

• Each step in the procedure can:
  • Return a result, i.e. user answer, calculation value, test result, etc. This is used to orient the user journey within the process, e.g. go from one step to the next, redirect to a branch, skip to another step via a loop, end the procedure, etc.
  • Can use or display resources such as image, audio or video files, PDFs, HTML content, forms, etc.

• An execution report is generated for each procedure. This logs all steps and branches consulted by the user.

Notes

• Access rights to procedures:
  • Several writers can be authorized to modify a given procedure. When one writer is working on a given procedure, the other writers can access this procedure in read-only mode.
  • To view the procedure in a Web browser, it must be defined as an entry point for users.  See the procedure.
  • Users can access the procedure via a URL depending on their access rights. Sub-procedures cannot be accessed via a URL. 

• A procedure always contains:
  • A single and unique Start  step.
  • An End  step that ends each branch of the procedure.

• You can create sub-procedures. They are used to create secondary business processes.
  • You can declare all of the procedures in the Self Help project as sub-procedures.

• The objects used within the procedure can be:
  • Specific to the step. They are managed as attachments associated with the step in the Conception pane or Description pane.
  • Shared with other steps or other procedures in the Self Help project. They are managed as shared resources that can be accessed in the tree structure of the Explorer pane.

• Web pages displaying interactive steps use the theme associated with the procedure. Only writers whose profile is Designer can modify its visual appearance.

• You can hide text from users by placing it between square brackets [ ].
           example  
  • Metadata in a procedure can contain hidden text, e.g. procedure name, step names, names of form fields, descriptions, etc.
  • The theme can also manage hidden text automatically.

• Execution report of procedures:
  • The report is generated by the user when requested to do so by writers.
  • Text generated in the report cannot be seen by the user running the procedure.
  • By default, the report contains the names of all steps and branches consulted by the user. It can be configured for each step in edit mode by selecting the Description pane pane and clicking the Report.

Caution

• The Project recycle bin folder of the Self Help project only contains deleted project resources and procedures. It does not contain individual steps that were deleted from procedures.

Best Practice

• Use keyboard shortcuts to create procedure components quickly.

• To restore a deleted procedure, click the Project recycle bin folder of the Self Help project in the tree structure of the Explorer pane.
• To restore a step or the content of a step, click the history in the Conception and Description panes.

• Create a sub-procedure:
  • When the secondary process must be reused in different places in the Self Help project.
  • When the procedure contains more than five steps, in order to improve the readability of the flow chart in the Conception pane.

• You can insert resources only in procedures belonging to the current Self Help project. To use resources from another Self Help project, use the import and export functionalities.  See the procedure.

• The theme associated with the procedure automatically manages the layout of resources inserted as attachments to a step via the Conception  pane. To define a custom layout, insert the relevant resources in the content editor of the step. To do this, select Description pane > Content tab.  See the procedure.

• To display the procedures and sub-procedures used by a given procedure, click the procedure in the tree structure of the Explorer pane. Select the Properties view and click the Used by tab.

• If a blocking error occurs in a step, use the execution report of the procedure to find the cause.

• You can use hidden text if you want to:
  • Add keywords for the search via the portal.

    By default, users can only search for words in the procedure text. To add keywords not present in the procedure but likely to be used in the search, go to the Description metadata of the procedure in the Properties view and insert the keywords as hidden text.

    example  [Update]How to modify a procedure
    ==> keyword used in the search: Modify
    ==> additional keyword used in the search with hidden text: Update

  • Modify the sort order of procedures and folders in the Explorer pane.

    By default, they are sorted in alphabetical order. To define a custom order, go to the Description metadata for each component and insert a number prefixed to the name as hidden text.

    example  [0.2]Archive, [0.1]Creation
    ==> alphabetical order (default sort order): Archive, Creation
    ==> order determined by hidden text: Creation, Archive

Properties of procedures

Access: Edit mode in the Desktop Studio > select the procedure in the tree structure of the Explorer pane > Properties view.  See the description.

ExplorerPane_ProcedurePropertiesView_Tabs

Types of steps

Type of step	Visible to users		Visual display in the Conception pane		Description/Notes
Start					Step indicating the start of the procedure. No user interaction is required.
End					Step indicating the end or an interruption of the procedure. No user interaction is required. One End step must be defined for each branch in the procedure.
Action					Automatic step. No user interaction is required. See How to create an action.
Action with Switch					Automatic step. No user interaction is required. It contains a condition that redirects users to different branches. The condition is evaluated when the step is run. The procedure resumes with the branch that meets the condition. All of the steps defined in this branch will be run up to the End step of the branch. See How to create an action with a switch.
Branch					Step linked to an execution condition defining one of the proposals of an Action with Switch step or a Page with Choices step. When the condition is satisfied (condition met, user's choice), all of the steps defined for the branch will be run up to the End step of the branch. See How to create a branch. Note: Move the cursor over the name to see the execution condition for the branch. If you want to delete a step containing branches, you must first delete all of its branches. The dotted line - - - - indicates the presence of a visibility condition in the branch. The branch is proposed only if the condition is met.
Page					Non-interactive step. It displays information to users in a Web page. The procedure resumes with the next step without any user interaction. See How to create a page.
Page with Choices					Interactive step. It displays several options to users in a Web page. The procedure resumes with the branch corresponding to the user's choice. All of the steps defined in this branch will be run up to the End step of the branch. See How to create a page with choices.
Marker					Automatic step. No user interaction is required. It is used to redirect the procedure. The procedure resumes with the step to which the marker points. See How to create a marker.
Sub-procedure					Secondary business process made up of a series of steps that may be interactive or automatic. Once the sub-procedure is run, the process will resume with the next step in the primary procedure. See How to create a sub-procedure.

Content of steps

Steps can use or display different types of objects.

Note: To display the list of resources used by a procedure, select edit mode and select the procedure in the tree structure of the Explorer pane > Properties view > Uses tab.
 

Procedures

How to create a Self Help procedure

See the detailed step-by-step procedure in Self Help.

Step 1: Select the Self Help project.

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

2. Click  to display the tree structure.

Step 2: Create the procedure.

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

2. Select New > Procedure from the contextual menu.
The procedure will be inserted in the Explorer pane. Its name will be <New procedure>.

3. Rename the procedure.
The Explorer pane will be refreshed.

Step 3: Create the steps in the procedure.

1. Double-click the procedure in the Explorer pane.
The Conception pane will appear. The Start  and End  steps will automatically appear.

2. Right-click the Start  step.

3. Select Insert a Step from the contextual menu and click the type of step you want to add.  See the description of the different types of steps.
          

4. Define the step based on its type. Click below to see instructions.

See the detailed step-by-step procedure in Self Help.

Action

Action with Switch

Branch

Page

Page with Choices

Marker

Sub-procedure

5. (optional - for steps visible to users) Preview the step as it will appear on screen:

• Click the step in the Conception pane.
• Click  in the toolbar and select Launch the procedure.
  The step will appear in a Web page.

6. Add other steps to your procedure. Place yourself each time on the step after which you want to insert a new step.
 

Modify the content of a step

• Click the step in the Conception pane.
• Make the required modifications in the Description pane.
• Click  in the toolbar to save the modifications in the Content tab.
   

Modify the content of a step defined using a resource

Caution: When a resource is modified, the modification will automatically be propagated to all procedures where it is used.

• Open the resource in the Explorer pane.
• Make the required modifications.
• Save the resource.

Step 5: Test the procedure.

Objective 1: Check that steps proceed correctly.

1. Click the Start  step.

2. Click  in the toolbar and select Launch the procedure.
The first step of the procedure will open in your Web browser.

3. Browse to check that all of the steps proceed correctly.

Objective 2: Test the URL link.

1. Define the procedure as an entry point for users:

• Right-click the procedure in the Explorer pane.
• Select Allow launch by users from the contextual menu.
   will appear after the name of the procedure.

2. Click  in the toolbar and select Generate a procedure link.

3. Specify the required information in the dialog box.

4. Click Copy a reusable link.
The URL displayed in the Generated link field will be copied to the clipboard.

5. Paste the URL in the URL bar of your Web browser and validate.

6. Enter the login information.
The first step of the procedure will open in your Web browser.

7. Browse to check that all of the steps proceed correctly.

8. Click Finish to close the dialog box.

How to name a step

1. You can double-click:

• The step in the flow chart (1)
• The title bar in the Description pane (2)
           

2. Enter the name of the step.

3. Press < Enter > to validate.
The name will automatically be refreshed in the Conception and Description panes.

How to create a sub-procedure

Step 1: Select the procedure.

1. Double-click the procedure in the tree structure of the Explorer pane.
The procedure will appear in the Conception pane.

Step 2: Select the steps in the sub-procedure.

1. In the flow chart of the Conception pane, press and hold < Ctrl > while selecting the steps to be included in the sub-procedure.
The selected steps will be outlined in blue in the flow chart.

2. Right-click one of the sub-procedure steps and select Create a procedure from this selection from the contextual menu.

3. Name the sub-procedure.

4. Click Finish.
The selected steps will be grouped.
         

 Display the content of the sub-procedure

• Click the step when the cursor becomes .

How to customize the content of a step

See the detailed step-by-step procedure in Self Help.

Use a resource in an attachment

1. Click and drag the resource from the Explorer pane to the outline of the step.
The theme associated with the procedure automatically manages the layout of the step.

Create a table

1. Click .

2. Click one of the cells and select Update table from the contextual menu.

• Define the table width, border size, etc.

• To delete a row, select  Row > Delete row from the contextual menu of a cell.

• To merge cells, select Cell > Merge cells from the contextual menu of a cell.

• To modify the size of a cell, select Cell > Cell size from the contextual menu of a cell.

Create an image with clickable areas

See the detailed step-by-step procedure in Self Help.

1. Right-click the image you inserted in the Content tab of the Description pane.
The contextual toolbar will appear.
         

2. Click .
A new toolbar will appear.

3. Use the cursor to define the clickable areas of the image.

• Click  to define a rectangular area.
• Click  to define a circular area.

4. Click  to specify the action to be performed when users click the area, e.g. open a URL in a Web browser or go to another step.
         

5. Click Update.
 

Case 1: There are branches after the step containing the clickable image
You should indicate the redirection to a branch of the procedure. Tick the option called Hide the corresponding branch to authorize access using the image only.

• Enter the text to be displayed on hover over the clickable area in the Area title field.
• Select the action to be performed when users click the area:
  • URL: The URL will open in a new Web page.
  • Select a branch: Users will proceed to the steps of the selected branch. Tick the option called Hide the corresponding branch to hide the selected branch.
• Click OK.
   

Case 2: There are no branches after the step containing the clickable image
The procedure resumes with the next step.

• Enter the text to be displayed on hover over the clickable area in the Area title field.
• Select the action to be performed when users click the area:
  • URL: The URL will open in a new Web page.
  • Go to next step: Users will proceed to the next step. Tick the option called Disable the Next button.
• Click OK.

5. Repeat these actions for each clickable area in the image.

How to obtain usage statistics for a procedure

See the detailed step-by-step procedure in Self Help.

Step 1: Select the required criteria.

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

2. Click Compute the statistics.
 

Step 2 (optional): Obtain statistics on a procedure instance.

1. Enter the procedure ID.

2. Click Open a procedure instance.
 

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

All results

1. Click Export all.
 

Selected procedure instances

1. Select the relevant procedure instances in the table.

2. Click Export selected.