Service Manager

Creating a Form

Forms are created within the Form Editor. You create a form associated with a business object, which in turn is used within a layout for users to view.

1.From the Configuration console, click Build > Business Objects.

2.Open a business object > Forms > Add New Form. The application shows a blank form.

3.Enter information into the fields. These options apply to the entire form, not individual components.

4.To apply a style to the form, click Form styling..., enter values from the pop-up window, then click Save.

Styles defined here are superseded by styles defined in individual controls. See also Example: Using the SelectorFormat Property to Change a Style on Hover

5.Drag a field, relationship, or other control onto the form. You can drop the component when you see the green check mark.

•Fields: Includes all fields defined for this business object. For example, the Urgency field has been added to an incident form called Incident.DataEntry. The application stores a value entered in the Urgency field on the Incident.DataEntry form in the incident business object.

•Relationships: You can add a field from a business object relationship provided the relationship is one-to-one or many-to-one. This includes all business objects linked with this business object through defined relationships. For example, the IncidentDetails form includes a Customer Name field allowing you to search through the display names returned from the Employee business object. When you select a name, the application automatically populates the rest of the customer information.

•Other: Includes controls and graphical elements. For example, the Incident.Brief form includes a pair of lists displaying recently updated tasks and recent activities. See About the "Other" Form Controls.

Available fields and components are derived from the business object associated with the form.

•Drop in the blue area to place the component next to an existing component in the same cell.

•Drop below the blue area to place the component in a new row below the existing cell.

•Drop to the right of the blue area to place the component in a new column next to the existing cell.

•To remove a control, select the component and press Delete on your keyboard.

6.Adjust individual cell properties from the Cell Properties tab. These properties pertain to the entire cell, no matter how many components are in the cell and no matter what properties each control has defined.

7.Edit the properties of the component using the Control Properties tab in the left panel. The control properties listed depend on the component you are working with.

The properties are listed in alphabetical order.

8.To add a cell, select a cell on the form, then do one of the following:

•From the toolbar go to Commands > Insert . then choose a command.

•Select a command from the top of the form:

•Add Top Row: Inserts a blank row at the top of the form.

•Add Bottom Row: Inserts a blank row at the bottom of the form.

•Insert Row Above: Inserts a blank row above the selected row.

•Insert Row Below: Inserts a blank row below the selected row.

•Insert Left Column: Inserts a column to the left of the selected column.

•Insert Right Column: Inserts a column to the right of the selected column.

•Delete Item: Deletes the selected item.

•Merge Cells: Combines the selected cells into a single cell.

9.Click the open icon to open the Form Editor Commands window, then click a command:

•Delete Control: Deletes the selected control.

•Merge Cells: Combines the selected cells into a single cell.

•Add Row At the End: Inserts a blank row at the bottom of the form.

•Insert Row Above Selection: Inserts a blank row above the selected row.

•Insert Row Below Selection: Inserts a blank row below the selected row.

•Delete Row: Deletes the selected row and its contents.

•Insert Column to Right: Inserts a column to the right of the selected column.

•Insert Column to Left: Inserts a column to the left of the selected column.

•Delete Column: Deletes the selected column.

•Show tab order

•Apply left-to-right tab order

•Apply top-to-bottom tab order

•Clear - Let browser decide

•Complete index assignments

Another empty cell appears.

10.Repeat for more cells, using the appropriate commands for your form.

For example, to modify the vertical alignment of a cell, next to Cell Vertical Alignment, choose an alignment setting from the drop-down list.

You can manipulate these styles to add powerful structure and design elements to the form. Examples include:

•Adding buttons to initiate an action.

•Defining control actions when selected or manipulated (for example, run a report).

•Defining control behaviors (for example, contents or lack of content, use of a pick list, accompanying tool tips).

•Adding a free-floating label to identify a control or other item.

•Formatting the appearance of a control by adding styles.

•Adjusting control size and alignment.

11. Click Save. Frequently saving your changes is recommended as you construct the form.