Elementary features


Tabs in the system

In the following sections, all tabs inclusive of their actions and content are described. 


Properties

The tab Properties provides different content and actions. Both depend on whether it is opened from a process instance, activity, or task. The following sections describe each tab view. 

Properties of a process instance

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Description

1

Information about the user who started the process instance.

2

Information about the starting time of the process instance.

3

Name of the process instance.

4

A description of the process instance that can be edited. 

5

An instance can be archived by clicking this button. For further information, please see 'Archive process instances'.

6

By clicking this button, this instance can be used as a template. Both new process instances and templates can be created on the basis of the current process instance. Please find more information in the sections 'Create a template from an existing process instance' and Start a new process instance'.

7

Smartform locks can be removed. See https://tim-doc.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/eng/pages/228166649

8

By clicking this button, a process instance report and a efforts report can be generated. In this context, please regard chapter paragraph 'Reporting'.

9

If the process instance name or the description field is edited, the changes can be saved by clicking this button.

 

Properties of an activity

Only users with the role process manager can view activities

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Description

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The name of the activity.

2

This shows how many tasks the activity contains and how many have already been completed.

3

The description of an activity is displayed here.

4

The start time of the tasks is displayed here.

5

By clicking this button an activity, which is waiting for an event, can be signaled.

 

Properties of a task

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1

Name of the process instance.

2

Information about the user who started the process instance.

3

Information about the starting time of the task.

4

Information about the calculated end of the task. The calculated end is calculated from the start date of the task and the processing time of this task. Please refer to https://tim-doc.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/eng/pages/228102059 for further details on this topic.

5

The name of the task given in the process model.

6

Here, the description of the task is shown. The description is defined in the process model and cannot be edited. 

7

By clicking on this button a query can be started. The current task is interrupted, so it doesn't appear in the task list of the user anymore. The “make a query” is assigned to another user. As soon as the “query” is done, the original task gets active again. Please regard the chapter 'make a query' for more information.

8

By clicking on this button an AdHoc task can be started. An AdHoc task is a task, which must be done in addition to the scheduled tasks. For more information, please regard the chapter 'Create AdHoc task'.

9

By clicking on the button Grab, the user can assign a task to himself/herself. If a task is assigned to the current user, this button is replaced by the button Throw. With this button, users can hand over tasks it if he/she cannot complete it. Please regard the chapters 'Throw tasks' and 'Grab tasks' for more information. 

10

By clicking on this button a task will be finished. For more information please regard chapter 'Finish task'.

11

Here the number of attached documents and notes is displayed. By clicking on one of the fields the corresponding tab will be opened. For more information, please regard chapter 'Documents' and 'Notes'.

12

The assignment area is usually only visible for process managers or team-managers. However, this functionality can be made available globally for all users in one tenant. For more information, please regard the chapter 'Task assignment'.


Documents

It is possible to attach documents to a process instance; for example, to display process-relevant information. These documents can be uploaded and then downloaded and viewed by those who are involved in the process. The layout of the documents tab is described in detail below. 

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Description

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Name of the document.

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Size of the document.

3

The date of the document was uploaded.

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The Creation User of the document is named.

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Optional a comment can be inserted.

6

Here, it is documented, when a document was attached. Documents can be attached directly to a process instance, an activity or a task.

7

By clicking on this button additional actions (download, rename, move, edit a comment, delete) are available for each document.

8

By clicking on this button a file can be attached.

9

By clicking this button a file structure can be set up. 


Notes

This tab is used for creating notes, which may be viewed by the process participants. The layout of the notes tab is described in detail below.

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Description

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Content of the note. 

2

Creation date of the note.

3

Name of the user who created the note.

4

Here, it is documented, when a note was created. Notes can be created directly to a process instance, an activity or a task.

5

By clicking on this button, a note can be deleted.

6

A note can be added by pressing the button 'Add Note'.


Swimlanes

Selecting a process instance under 'My stared process instances' allows the user with the role 'process manager' to open the Swimlanes tab. Within this tab groups and user assigned to each swimlane can be managed.

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General overview of the all associated swimlanes with selected process instance. Clicking in the Field of a swimlane will open a detailed view.

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Within the detailed view of a swimlane available groups can be assigned or removed to a swimlane with a drop down menu.

3

Within the detailed view of a swimlane available user can be assigned or removed to a swimlane with a drop down menu.

4

Cancel changes made to selected swimlane.

5

Save changes made to selected swimlane.

6

Clicking the three dots on the right to a swimlane allows the user to access the history of assignments from the swimlane through the 'Show history' button.

7

Overview of the history of assignments made within selected swimlane.

8

User name assigned to the swimlane.

9

User that made the changes to the assignment.

10

Timestamp of the Assignment.

11

Close button to leave the history of assignment view.


Process model

The process model tab provides an overview of the deployed process definition and the current activities in progress as well as the already finished ones of the selected process instance. The process model tab can be accessed through 'My process instances' while selecting on instance and then navigate to the 'Process model' tab.

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Description

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Overview of the process model and the current progress of the selected process instance.

2

Increase or decrease the model size within the tab.

3

Activities that have been finished are colored green and a confirmation check mark on the upper right side next to the activity.

4

 Activities in progress are flashing in light green and have a play mark on the upper right side next to the activity.

 


Effort(s)

The system offers the user the chance to summarize the potential accumulation of monetary or temporal efforts within a task. In the tab Efforts of a process instance, all recorded efforts are summarized for the entire process instance. Efforts can only be recorded for a task (see chapter 'Track efforts' for more information). In order to provide the process owner with an overview of all involved efforts, the cumulative efforts for all of the tasks are displayed. The layout of the tabs Effort and Efforts are described in detail below.

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Here, the effort type is displayed. The clock symbol represents time expenses and the money symbol monetary expenses. 

2

This column displays the amount of effort. 

3

Here the unit is shown. 

4

This column shows the cost center in which the expenses were incurred. 

5

The effort description is displayed, here.

6

This column shows when the effort was documented. 

7

This column shows who documented the effort.

8

This column shows which task the effort was incurred. This column is only displayed in the efforts tab of process instances.

9

This column shows the group which documented the effort. This column is only displayed in the efforts tab of process instances.

10

By clicking on the three dots, entries could be deleted and edited. 

11

This view is only available for process instances. Here, a process owner can see all the computed time and cost expenses for this process instance.


Activities

A process instance consists of a range of activities, which are executed in a specific order. A process instance only continues once an activity has been completed. An activity consists of one or more tasks that must all be completed before the activity can be considered as completed. For more information about processes and their structure in the chapter 'Definitions'. An activity can contain multiple tasks and is activated as soon as the process flow reaches the activity. For a user with the owner role, all activities are displayed in a list soon as an instance is selected.

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Displays the milestone date if set of selected activity.

2

Checkbox to activate a desired start of selected activity.

3

Calendar to pick a desired starting time if the checkbox above is selected.

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Duration for the activity to be finished in Minutes.

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Earliest Beginning Time (EBT)

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Earliest Finishing Time (EFT)

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Latest Beginning Time (LBT)

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Latest Finishing Time (LFT)

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Begin displays the actual starting time of the activity.

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End displays the actual ending time when the activity was finished.

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Cancel ends the editing of the activities tab and discards all changes.

12

Save takes over all changes.


CPM Info

The CPM Info will allow the user with the owner role to calculate CPM and to hand over buffer to the next activity. In order for calculating CPM the requirements must be meet.

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Description

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Checkbox to hand over spare time to the next activities should previous activities be finished ahead of the estimated time. 

2

Calculate CPM computes the critical path for the current process instance.

3

Save will preserve made changes by the user.


Gantt

The Gantt tab displays a Gantt-Chart with the duration of each activity within a process instance. In order for the Gantt-Chart to illustrate the duration, CPM must be activated and the specific duration of each activity must be provided to the process model.

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Timeline to illustrate the duration of each activity.

2

Activities of the process instance.

3

Legend to coloring of the gantt model


Smartform

The smartform is a web formula using common web technologies. The smartform provides the user with a form and contains all required data for processing the process instance. These forms are attached to a process definition. In a started process instance, a smartform can be accessed at any time and it is data can be entered and altered.

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Smartform is the most common way for the user to interact with the process instance in order to finish the assigned activity/task and enter process variables.

2

Save will preserve changes made by the user to the smartform.