To define fields in a template

1. Make a list of all fields that you want to be automatically prepopulated with the help of the template you are creating.
2. Decide which default values to assign to each field.
3. Make sure no field definitions in the template conflict with the settings in the selected object definition, for example, Names for custom objects.
   For more details, see Points To Remember.
4. Decide which fields also require that their corresponding sub-objects must be defined and prepopulated first, for example, Categories or Assignees.
5. Open the Records tab of the appropriate template.
6. Depending on the value type you want to assign to each field, proceed to the following instructions:
   • Defining Fields with Literal Values
   • Defining Fields with Attribute Values
   • Defining Fields with Formula Values

Sample Template Values

The following image illustrates the values in the Sample Template Values table.

You may define fields on the Records tab of the template screen in the object definition. For instructions on this operation, see Adding Fields to Templates.

For details on attributes, field value types, and paths, see Field Value Types. For details on operators, see the Operator Options for Different Attribute Types table.

Points To Remember

Keep the following points in mind when adding fields to templates:

• There are certain fields, such as Default Category or Main Assignee, that you populate only if the corresponding category or assignee is added to the record. This means that in your template, you have to define the corresponding sub-objects first (in this case, a category and an assignee), before setting the corresponding default fields. See Adding Sub-objects to Templates.
• When defining fields for custom objects, keep in mind that the name and number attributes may or may not be available for selection, depending on the properties defined in the object definition, under the following conditions:
  • If the project name or number are set to be manually entered by the user in the Name and Unique ID tabs of the corresponding object definition, the corresponding attributes are available in templates.
  • If the project name or number are set to be automatically generated based on the selected pattern in the Name and Unique ID tabs of the corresponding object definition, the corresponding attributes are not available in templates.
• Depending on your wizard or rule design, all values assigned to the fields of the main record and any of its sub-objects and related objects may be overwritten by your specified wizard or rule actions.

Field Value Types

Regardless of whether you are defining template fields, sub-objects, or related objects, you must specify a field value that is automatically populated when the user creates a new record. As shown in the following table, these field values may be:

• Literal: static
• Attribute: dynamic
• Formula: static-dynamic

Field Value Types

You may use pre-population rules in combination with a template to automatically populate text and memo text fields with static values, dynamic values, or string concatenation.

Usually, fields must be populated by a value of the same type. For example, a number field must be populated by a number. You may prepopulate text and memo-text fields with the following types of values:

• Boolean—Populate the field with Yes or No according to the boolean value (Boolean values are generally shown in the end user interface as check-boxes)
• Date—Populate the field with the system date and time formats
• Number—Populate the field with a number as text
• Record—Populate the field with the display string of the record (its name or number)

You may use pre-population rules in combination with a template to automatically populate number fields using the following calculations:

• Addition
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
• Division
• Percentage of a number
• Ratio between two numbers
• Total values from multiple child records, such as the sum of the Amount field from all line items of an invoice
• Number of items in a list, such as the total number of assignees for a matter record

Defining Fields with Literal Values

To define a field with a static value in a template

1. In the Designer window, from the Go to drop-down list select Object Definitions.
2. Select the appropriate object definition.
3. Select the Templates tab, and then select a template.
4. Open the Records tab.
5. Select the General folder.
6. Enter the Order of the field.
   The order is important only when the value of one field depends on the value from another field you are defining.
7. From the Field drop-down list, select the field you want to define.
8. From the Value drop-down list, select Literal.
9. Enter or select the appropriate value in the Literal field.
   For specific instructions and examples of how to enter a static value for different field types, see the following table.
10. Click add more.

Static Value Examples for X Fields

Defining Fields with Attribute Values

Attribute values are based on a value entered or selected in another field. They are also known as "dynamic" values. You may define dynamic values using Object Navigator.

To define a field with a dynamic value in a template

1. In the Designer window, from the Go to drop-down list select Object Definitions.
2. Select the appropriate object definition.
3. Select the Templates tab, and then select a template.
4. Open the Records tab.
5. Select the General folder.
6. Enter the Order of the field.
   The order is important only when the value of one field depends on the value from another field you are defining.
7. From the Field drop-down list, select the field you want to define.
8. From the Value drop-down list, select Attribute.
   Another drop-down list appears with applicable values, such as Current Object.
9. Click the Object Navigator icon to create the appropriate attribute path. For details, see Using Object Navigator.
10. Click add more.

Defining Fields with Formula Values

Formula values are derived from a combination of static and dynamic values. They are also known as "static-dynamic" values. You may define formula values using Object Navigator, Literal values, and operators such as & or +.

To define a field with static-dynamic values in a template

1. In the Designer window, from the Go to drop-down list select Object Definitions.
2. Select the appropriate object definition.
3. Select the Templates tab, and then select a template.
4. Open the Records tab.
5. Select the General folder.
6. Enter the Order of the attribute.
   The order is important only when the value of one field depends on the value from another field you are defining.
7. From the Field drop-down list, select the field you want to define.
8. From the Value drop-down list, select Formula.
   Formulas are only available for fields where a formula makes sense. For example, the activityItem field does not support a formula.
   A set of drop-down lists appears including Literal, Attribute, and available operators to create the appropriate static-dynamic value.
9. Select the appropriate values from the drop-down lists to define the appropriate field.
   Additional fields appear to allow you to select or enter the appropriate Literal or Attribute values.
10. Click the Object Navigator icon to create the appropriate attribute path. For details, see Using Object Navigator.
11. Click add more.

To add a sub-object

1. In the Designer window, from the Go to drop-down list select Object Definitions.
2. Select the appropriate object definition.
3. Select the Templates tab, and then select the appropriate template. The General tab of the template screen appears.
4. Select the Records tab.
   If no sub-objects have been defined in the selected template, only their main folder is available. That is, no subfolders have yet been defined.
5. Select the appropriate sub-object folder in the left pane.
   If the sub-object supports a default value, such as a default Fax Number in a Contact template, you may define it in the Set Default section using Literal and Attribute values.
6. Depending on the value type you want to assign to the default value, perform one of the following instructions:
   • Defining Fields with Literal Values
   • Defining Fields with Attribute Values
   • Defining Fields with Formula Values
7. If you want to add additional, non-default values, enter a text value in the Friendly Name field and click add more to create a subfolder.
   The value of the Friendly Name field is only used within the template. It does not appear in the resulting record.
8. If you have defined a Friendly Name, select its new subfolder.
9. Depending on the value type you want to assign to each field, perform one of the following instructions listed in step 6.
10. Click Save.

Adding Categories to Templates

To specify a category in a template

1. On the Records tab, click the Categories folder.
2. Select the appropriate default category from the Category list.
3. Click add more.
   The category has been added to the template and are added to records created by the wizard or rule that uses the template.
   You may now add custom fields of that category to the template.

To prepopulate the default category of object records, specify the default category with a static value in the template.

To specify the default category in a template

1. On the Records tab, click Categories.
2. Select the appropriate default category from the Category list.
3. Select the check-box next to the appropriate category in the list.
4. Click set as default.
   
   The default category has been specified in the template and is added as the default category in records created by the wizard or rule that uses the template.

Adding Assignees and Attendees to Templates

You may use pre-population rules in combination with a template to automatically populate the following elements:

• Task assignees
• Project assignees

To populate these elements, you must specify a user, group, contact, or contact group (Address Book). When specifying assignees or attendees, it is best to select a user instead of contacts or contact groups, because only contacts that are active users are assigned or included as an attendee. Adding contacts that are not active users does not cause an error to be displayed, but no assignee or attendee is added.

When users manually enter assignees in a task or project record, the system sets some assignee values automatically, such as Status and Assigned On, so you do not need to specify them in your template.

You must define any required values in your template, which users "manually" enter, if you want to create a valid sub-object definition. For example, you must include the user's name and role.

Important: In order for a sub-object to be valid you must define its required values. You may define assignees in a template and then set one as the default assignee.

To define an assignee in a template

1. Open the Records tab of the appropriate template.
2. Select the Assignees folder.
   Although Assignee is a sub-object of the Task object, task templates do not display a separate Assignee folder. You may define the Assignee field in the main General folder of task templates.
3. Enter a text value in the Friendly Name field and click add more to create a subfolder.
   The value of the Friendly Name field is only used within the template to name the subfolders. It does not appear in the resulting record.
4. Select the new subfolder.
5. Enter a value in the Order field.
   The order is important only when the value of one field depends on the value from another field you are defining.
6. From the Field drop-down list, select appropriate field name, such as user.
7. From the Value drop-down list, select Literal. Another drop-down list appears with applicable values.
8. Select User Account.
   Another drop-down list appears with available usernames. If there are more than 100 users, a search module appears.
9. Select the appropriate username.
10. Click add more.
11. To assign a role to the assignee, select type from the Field drop-down list.
12. From the Value field, select Literal.
    Another drop-down list appears with applicable values.
13. Select the appropriate role from the list.
14. Click add more.

Once you have defined at least one Assignee value in a template, you may select one as the default assignee.

To define the default assignee in a template

1. Open the Records tab of the appropriate template.
2. Select the Assignees folder.
3. In the Set Default Assignee section, select Literal.
4. From the drop-down list to the right of the Literal value, select the friendly name you specified for the folder with the appropriate assignee.
5. Click add more.

Deleting Sub-objects from Templates

Do not delete sub-objects that were added for the following reasons:

• To make custom fields created for a category (other than Root) accessible in a wizard.
• To prepopulate certain types of fields in the template that require a sub-object, for example, Main Assignee or Default Category.

To delete a sub-object from a template

1. In the Designer window, from the Go to drop-down list select Object Definitions.
2. Select the appropriate object definition.
3. Select the Templates tab, and then select a template.
4. Select the Records tab.
5. Select the sub-object's folder in the left pane.
6. Select the check-box next to the sub-object's Friendly Name field.
7. Click delete.
   
   The sub-object definition is removed from the template.

Points To Remember

Consider the following points when defining related objects in a template:

• You have to add a separate related object for each associated record you want to be automatically created every time a new record is created. For example, if you need one account, one history record, five involved records, and five task records to be created, you must add twelve related objects in your template.
• You have the option of either creating a separate template for each related object or defining it within the main template.
  • If you need to define only a few default values for certain fields in a related object, you may want to do this within the main template, such as the Due Date and Description for a task.
  • If you need to define a more complex related object, with sub-objects, you have to create a separate template for it and the link it to the main template, for example, an account with its default category, posting criteria and a set of child accounts.
• You may also define a default document folder for each new record that is created based on the template. See Default Document Folder in the General Tab on Template Screens table.
• You may define sub-objects on the Records tab of the template screen in the appropriate object definition.

To add a related object to a template

1. Make a list of all associated records you want to be created and linked to each record created based on the object template you are creating.
2. Decide which related objects you need to define for each associated record.
3. Decide what default values you want to be assigned to each attribute.
4. Decide for which related objects you might need to create separate templates.
   
   See Points To Remember.
5. Create the necessary separate templates to be linked to the selected related objects in the template you are creating.
6. Open the Records tab of the appropriate object template. See Using Template Features.
7. Select the appropriate related object folder in the left pane.
8. Enter a text value in the Friendly Name field and click add more to create a subfolder.
   The value of the Friendly Name field is only used within the template to name the subfolders. It does not appear in the resulting record.
9. Select the new subfolder.
10. Do one of the following actions:
    • Select Use an existing template if you want to use the fields and sub-objects that are already defined for the selected object within an existing template.
    • Select the General subfolder of the friendly named folder if you want to define fields and sub-objects that are already defined for the selected object within an existing template.
      
      The process of defining values for this option is the same as defining individual fields on the Fields tab of a template. The only difference is that you may not define fields that require sub-objects (for example, assignees). In this case, you must create a separate template for the related object and select the Use an existing template option to link it to the current template.
11. If you select the General subfolder option, perform to the following instructions, depending on the value type you want to assign to each attribute:
    • Defining Fields with Literal Values
    • Defining Fields with Attribute Values
    • Defining Fields with Formula Values

Adding Involved Objects

You may define Involved object values in a template to automatically add an involved party record and populate its Contact field. To do this, you must specify one of the following values:

• An active group or user as a dynamic value
• A group as a static value (the group must include at least one active user)
• A user's contact as a static value
• A contact group (Address Book) as a static value (the contact group must include at least one active user's contact record)
• A dynamic value ending with the following object attributes:
  • assigneeList(role).user
  • assigneeList(Any).user

Note: Only active assignees may be used.