Creating an Alert and an Alert Template

Creating an Alert

There are two methods for creating an Alert.

New from Template - This allows you to create an Alert from a Juris Template or user-created Template. You must be on the Alerts selection to have this available.
New Blank Alert - This allows you to create an Alert with no attributes previously assigned. You must define the workflow, schedule and recipient base. Utilizing the Alert Operators, you can build a customized alert.

There are two methods to create an Alert Template. An alert template is used to serve as a base for similar Alerts. You may want to change the schedule, change the recipient list or make slight changes in the limits for the thresholds of the alert. Creating Templates reduces the amount of time to create other alerts if they share common information and flow.

New Blank Template - This allows you create a Template from scratch. The Template upon completion and being saved can be utilized repeatedly for creating other alerts that are similar in function. Be sure you are on Templates in the Alerts node.
New From Alert - This allows you to create a Template based on an existing alert. After you have created an Alert, you may find that it is suitable to be used as a foundation for other Alerts. This saves time when creating alerts that only slightly vary. To create a New From Alert Template, perform the following:

Highlight the Template section in the Alerts node.
Select New From Alert from the Edit tool ribbon.
Select an appropriate Alert from the Alert window.
Click the OK button.

The Alert Template will be placed in the Template node.

Adding Operators and Function to an Alert

You will need to be familiar with the Alert Operators and their functions. Each alert, whether from a Template or a Blank, must start with a Start operator and end with and End operator. For this example, the Missing Time alert has been selected.

The Start operator is always at the beginning. It is a simple operator with only a label extended property.

Next is a Put operator. Put is a variable that is to be used later in the Alert flow. In the image below, it is in crosshatched form. Crosshatched means that the variable is incomplete. It will look crosshatched until all properties are filled with appropriate values. When the values are entered completely the display changes to solid color. The variable used here for the Put operator is an email value to be used later in the alert.

Next in the Alert is the Begin Loop operator. It is labeled Find employees with missing time. This section is where the actual query look up takes place. When the Alert is executed, the query runs to pull the current data.

You can select the query from the query list or enter SQL text manually. If you enter the SQL text manually, you must know the Juris database table structure. A report in My Reports called Meta Data Tables and Fields shows the available Juris database tables and fields. You can also download the report in PDF, here or from the downloads page. You must ensure you use proper SQL to extract the data.

Next in the alert is a Decision operator. This one is for whether the employee has an email. Operands are set by available values from the query or a Put variable. Move the Available Values by dragging and dropping the value to the appropriate field. Depending on the query used, the Available Values can change. Placement depends on the information to be extracted. You can use the Ignore Case check box to make the values not as selective.

When using a Decision operator, there is more than one possible outcome. There can be a Yes and a No value, depending on the data discovered. The alert flow changes direction based on that value. In this example, if the Employee does NOT have an email address, it is set to the default value. Remember that the default value was set in the Put variable above. If the Employee does have an email address, that email address is used. Both operators after the Decision are Put.

In summary for the alert flow so far is:

Set the variable for the default email for a timekeeper. Put
Look at the data base to find employees with missing time. Begin Loop
Is the Employee's address blank? Decision
- Yes, set the email to the default. Put
- No, set email to employees email. Put

After the decision aspect of the alert has been completed, the action portion of the alert begins. The Send operator performs the task of generating an email and sending the report. It also parses the email using the Available Values selected in the Message area. The report is selected in the Report field (using the ellipses button and Report search function) with the available parameters below it. The Email Addresses field allows you to enter manual email addresses or use the ellipses button to launch your email client's address book, and the Dashboard field is for selecting recipients on a Team level.

Once the action occurs, sending the email(s), the process for finding the Missing Employee Email must be stopped. Since it is defined in the Begin Loop operator, add an End Loop operator to finish the loop. There is only a label property for the End Loop operator.

The End operator must be present to complete the entire alert. There is only a label property.

Testing of the Alert

After the Alert has been created you will want to test it to validate proper functioning. In the Visual tool ribbon, there is a Test Alert button. Click the button after completing and saving the Alert. If the Alert does NOT function properly, a failure window appears. If the Alert functions properly you will see a successful execution window.

When the Alert is complete and is functioning properly, the next step is to set the Schedule. Using the Schedule tab, you can make adjustments to the following:

Occurs
- Daily - Allows you to select Every (blank) day(s) for flexibility.
- Weekly - Monday through Sunday are choices. You can select as many as necessary.
- Monthly - Allows you to select days of the month.
Time Frequency
- Occurs Once - For one specific time.
- Occurs Every - For interval times.