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Creating and editing cases

This is how it works

Click on the tile New case.

At this point you can start creating a new case. The creation is divided into the following areas:

Core data

Under Master data you can specify the following information:

  • Case name: This field gives the actual case a descriptive name.

  • Case type: This field contains a selection of case types for which the user has been granted rights. The case type may also be used to differentiate between different processes and task templates defined by the content administrator.

  • Case status: This field contains a selection of states that have been defined depending on the case type. The order results from the predefined status model.

  • Case number (internal): The internal case number is automatically generated when saving, typically it contains a prefix, the year and a consecutive number.

  • Case number (external): If you want to communicate with an external partner and store his case number, this can be done in the field "External case number".

  • Organizational unit: This field contains a selection of different units of organization. Depending on the customer-specific setting, this may be departments, teams or legally independent entities in the company.

  • Person responsible: Specify the responsible persons. You can also define multiple responsible persons via the selection boxes. If set in the general configurations, the author of the case is already entered automatically.

  • Partner: This field optionally contains the external partner involved in the case.

  • Role: This field contains a selection of possible roles associated to the partner.

  • Contact person: This field optionally allows you to specify a contact person for the external partner. If this was stored in the partner core data, this automatically appears in the auto-complete function on typing the first characters.

  • In the section Advanced Master Data advanced properties are displayed which were added additionally and administratively to the contract dossier. Here, you can maintain single input fields or multi-value fields in a table.

Note

The following information is optional:

  • External contract number. An internal contract number is created automatically.

  • Contract value

  • Storage location

  • Blanket agreement number

  • Organizational unit

Example

A customer requests information on a software solution by e-mail. The internal sales department creates a new case for this as follows:

  • Case name: Request product information Case management

  • Case type: KAN-Customer request

  • Case status: Pre-qualification

  • Internal case number: CASE-2016-000548

  • Unit of organization: d.velop AG

  • Partner name: 4you GmbH

  • Role: Customer

  • Contact person: Michael Vision

Terms

In this section you define the terms for your case.

  • Term: The field contains the date by which the case has to be completed.

  • Reminder: The reminder is calculated and suggested with reference to the definition of the leadtimes per case type. This can also be changed manually. On this date, the case is resubmitted to the mailbox of the employee in charge.

Creating another term

You can create terms that you can name individually.

This is how it works

  1. Click on the + character.

  2. Enter a name for the term under Description.

  3. Enter one or multiple users or groups under Person responsible. Depending on the permission configuration, it is possible that only these users can edit the term afterwards.

  4. Specify until when the term should apply.

    Note

    You can set up a reminder. To do this, set the check mark at Reminder. You can then specify the date to be reminded. The users who are specified under Responsible will get the reminder.

  5. Click on Save to apply the changes.

If you want to remove the term, click on the trash icon in the row of the term.

Tasks

In the Task area, you get an overview of the tasks that have been completed and those that are still pending. In addition, you can define task templates at this point.

Note

The buttons to create a task are enabled as soon as you have saved your existing case data.

Your tasks are listed in a table. In the listing you will see the following information, which you can use to sort the listing:

  • Task type (reminder, user task)

  • Status (Processing, Completed)

  • Reminder date

  • Deadline date

  • Name of the task

  • Responsibility for the task

Note

You can also find all tasks relevant for you in the corresponding area of d.ecs task. If you have further questions about this, please have a look at the documentation of d.ecs task.

If the reminder date of a task is in the past, it will be set to the next possible date in the future plus five minutes for the creation in d.ecs task, so that the reminder for this task takes place as soon as possible.

Show all tasks

By default, you will see only tasks that are not yet completed. Enable Completed tasks so that tasks that have already been completed are also displayed. At the end of the listing you can also set how many tasks are displayed at once.

Completing an existing task

If you want to complete tasks that are in the Processing status, click the checkmark icon in the task row.

Types of tasks

dbs | case manager differentiates various types of tasks which are explained below.

Differentiation based on the template type

  • Ad-hoc-tasks: Ad-hoc-tasks are manually created by the user within an actual case.

  • Task templates: Task templates are defined by the content administrator for specific case types and states and can be selected by the user within a specific case or are generated automatically on meeting certain conditions.

Differentiation based on the execution:

  • Once: These tasks may only be created once in the entire case.

  • More than once: These tasks can also be created several times simultaneously in one case.

  • Regularly: These tasks can be repeated at regular intervals. They can also be created several times simultaneously in one case.

  • Automatic: These tasks are automatically generated from a task template if a certain condition is met.

  • Manually: These tasks can be created manually from a predefined task template, they are available for the user in the context of the current case status.

Differentiation based on the terms:

  • Absolute terms: Specify a concrete date as a term.

  • Term from creation date: These terms are calculated relative to the creation of the task.

  • Dynamic terms: Dynamic terms are calculated based on a dynamic term end (e.g. end of the month).

Differentiation based on the template type

Tasks within dbs | case manager are either created ad-hoc or from a task template. Ad-hoc-tasks cover all those tasks that come up spontaneously. These do not have the character of recurring tasks that frequently come up at specific status of a case or even always. Ad-hoc tasks are typically created by the process supervisor or an involved employee in the context of the actual case. Information on how to create ad-hoc-tasks can be found in the chapter Create an Ad-hoc-task.

Task templates are used to pre-organize recurring tasks and thus to structure and standardize processes. They are suitable for recurring jobs and are typically created by a content administrator or process supervisor when designing the process depending on the case type and the case status. The process design is described in chapter contract management for the content administrator while creating a specific task from a template is described in chapter Creating tasks from templates.

Differentiation based on the execution type

Depending on whether a user creates an ad-hoc-task or if they are generated by a task template, different execution modes are available:

IN the context of the created ad-hoc user tasks, the following execution types are available:

  • once: These tasks may only be created once in the entire case.

  • more than once: These tasks can also be created several times simultaneously in one case.

  • regularly: These tasks can be repeated at regular intervals. They can also be created several times simultaneously in one case.

Specific information on editing and completing a task can be found in chapter Working on tasks.

In the context of the task templates, the following execution types are available:

  • automatic: These tasks are automatically generated from a task template if a certain condition is met.

  • manually: These tasks can be created manually from a predefined task template, they are available for the user in the context of the current case status.

The content administrator defines, if a task is automatically generated under certain conditions (e.g. once a predecessor has been completed) or is available for manual selection.

Differentiation by term types

When creating an actual task or a task template, you can decide between different term types. When creating an actual task, the user can choose between an absolute and a dynamic term, when he is creating a term template he can choose between a relative and a dynamic term.

  • Absolute term: Absolute terms can only be used in an actual task. In an absolute term, you can specify a fixed date as the term. In the same way, you can configure a reminder as static.

  • Term from creation date: Terms from creation date can only be used in a task template. When creating a term from creation date, the term or reminder can be automatically calculated relative to the creation date of the task. In the example, 2 was entered for the term and 1 day(s) were entered for the reminder. Additional options are working days, weeks, months and years. If an actual task was generated on 04/06/2016 based on this task template, then the term would be set to the 04/08/2016 and the reminder to 04/07/2016.

  • Dynamic term: Dynamic terms can be used in task templates as well as for actual tasks. Here, the user can have the term calculated dynamically. He or she can define the number of days, working days, months or years the term should be before a configurable end date (end of month, end of quarter, end of year, end of case) or after a defined start date. If a term was configured, a reminder for the term can be configured. If the term is remained empty, the reminder can also be set before the previously mentioned times. In this example, 5 days from the end of the month (08/07/2016) were configured. If an actual task was generated on 06/01/2016 based on this task template, then the term would be set to the 08/02/2016. With an actual task, the reminder is automatically preset based on the defined case or contract type configuration. The contract type configuration or the processes allow you to configure the number of working days that the reminder is sent prior to the term for each contract- or case-type. These settings are used to calculate the reminder date. The presets can be customized. In this example the reminder is to be set 30 working days before the term. Accordingly, the reminder date is 06/21/2016. If the user adjusts the settings for the term, the reminder date is automatically updated.

Calculating the working days

The calculation of the working days requires a configuration. You can access the configuration via Configuration > Administration > Terms.

Here, you can specify the country and region for which the public holidays are to be determined. These and the weekend days Saturday and Sunday are excluded from the calculation of the working days.

Create an Ad-hoc-task

Ad-hoc-tasks are always generated as new tasks within an actual case.

This is how it works

  1. Click on the button + below Tasks.

  2. Enter a subject: This text describes the task and is later also displayed in the d.3 mailbox (and in the optionally related mail).

  3. Select the person or the group in charge for this task using the auto-complete list Responsible. You can also define multiple responsible persons via the selection boxes.

    Optional:

  4. If you want to specify further details for this task, enable the option Advanced view.

  5. Specify further information (if required) under Additional explanations.

  6. Optionally enter a term. These can be specified as the key date or as a dynamic term in an ad-hoc-task:

    Term (key date): Specify the date by which the task has to be completed under Term. Specify the date on which you want to be actively reminded of the task in the d.3 mailbox.

    Dynamic term: Enter the term as a forerun for the case end date, end of month, end of quarter, end of year, due date, since due date or to the middle of the month. The forerun time can be specified as day(s), working day(s), month(s) or year(s). The term date is then automatically calculated from the forerun time. The reminder is calculated from the specified forerun and the first term date.

  7. Select a grade of completion, if you have already started on the task.

  8. Select the button Create to save the task.

Having created the task, this is displayed in the section Tasks.

Creating tasks from templates

Task templates are available at Task templates depending on the current case type and case status.

This is how it works

  1. The task templates listed here can be included in the case as actual tasks via the button Aufgabenvorlage_Symbol_DE.png.

  2. Click Create. The new task is now displayed in the section of the pending tasks.

Tasks templates are typically maintained by a content administrator or an eligible user via the tile Processes.

Working on tasks

You can view and edit tasks for a case as follows:

  1. Under Tasks of the concrete case you can see the scheduled tasks.

  2. If you click on a task entry, you can edit the task.

    • Use the Save button to apply your changes.

    • With the button Complete you confirm that this task is completed.

    • The button Delete allows you to delete the task.

    • The button Cancel allows you to discard the current changes to the task.

With the checkmark symbol in the overview of scheduled tasks, a task can be completed directly. For security reasons, a confirmation is required: Confirm it with Complete, if the task is completed.

If a task has been completed, it disappears from the default overview. With the help of the slider Completed tasks you can, however, show entries of tasks already completed.

Note

Consider that after deleting a case orphaned tasks are being automatically stopped by the reminder service.

Activities

The activities show you the last changes to the case. Click on the button Refresh to show changes that have been applied in the meantime.

Conversations

Under Conversations you get an overview of conversations started for this case.

To start a new conversation, do the following:

  1. Click on the button +.

  2. Enter a title and a participant.

  3. Write your text.

  4. Click on the arrow button.

To send an e-mail to external subscribers, proceed as follows:

  1. Click on the button ^.

  2. Select "E-mail" for the type of message.

  3. Enter an e-mail subject.

  4. Enter an e-mail address for External participants. If you want to send an e-mail to multiple recipients, separate the e-mail addresses with a ";".

  5. Add your message and click on the arrow button.

Conversation attachments

It is possible to attach tasks, documents or dossiers to a conversation.

This is how it works

  1. Enter a new message.

  2. Select an attachment using the paper clip button. You will be offered all tasks, documents and dossiers that are in the case. If there are more results than you are offered to choose from, you will have to restrict your search further.

  3. Apply the selected item. A placeholder is inserted at the end of the message. If you remove or edit it, the attachment will not be added to the conversation. You may only change the position of the placeholder.

  4. Click on the arrow button to send the message.

  5. You can now open the attachment using the link in the added message. Alternatively, you can find all added attachments using the paper clip button next to the conversation title.

Additional explanations

The additional explanations offer the possibility of maintaining an advanced description for a case. This will not be versioned.

Dossier structure

In the Dossier structure you can view the case dossier and all subordinate dossiers and documents. If you drag and drop documents onto the case dossier, the import dialog opens and you can add new documents to the dossier.

Configure sections

The button Configure sections opens a dialog window which is used to show or hide individual sections of the page.

Furthermore, the order of the sections can be changed. To do this, you can move the sections directly in the left section of the page or within the Configure Sections dialog by drag and drop.

The configuration of the sections is saved user-specifically and applied when the page is called up again.

View

The View button on the left side of the page opens a dialog box which provides the configuration of grid spacing.

Sliders can be used to change both the inner and outer distance of the grid in which the individual input fields are arranged. In this way, the input fields can be moved closer together or further apart, depending on your preferences, so that you can see different amounts of information at a glance.

The grid spacing configuration is also saved in the user context and applied to all form pages.