Customization Management

Exploring

This program lets you view and manage the various customization layouts that have been applied to operator roles within SYSPRO.

Elements of the user interface that you can customize range from flow graphs, docking panes and list views to menus, display forms and entry forms.

The nature of the customizations range from moving and removing columns, fields and panes, to configuring keywords for exclusion in selected list views (e.g. whenever the title of a listview column contains the words unit cost, then the column must be hidden for the selected role).

The program also displays all VBScripts that have been written for the site and indicates what custom form fields, scripted fields, or master table fields have been added to all forms.

The displayed customizations can be deleted, copied between roles and workstations (the latter using the export/import functions).

  • This program is accessed from the SYSPRO Ribbon bar:

    SYSPRO Ribbon bar > Administration

Programs

Customization Profiler

Role Management

Operator Roles

Starting

  • You can only design roles if the option: Allow role layout design is enabled against your operator code Operator Maintenance

You restrict operator access to activities within a program using the Operator Maintenance program.

Controls whether operator changes to docking pane layouts are saved when the operator belongs to a role (Customization Management). This includes resetting the layouts for an application.

When using roles, changes to your personal view of the role are saved when you exit an application (e.g. pinning and unpinning panes and making changes to the splitter positions).

If access to this activity is enabled, then changes to the personal view of the role made by the operator are retained and displayed the next time the operator accesses that application. The system always attempts to load the operator's own docking layout first followed by any specifically designed role layout.

If access to this activity is denied, then any changes the operator makes to docking pane layouts are ignored once the operator exits the application. The standard role designed layout is restored when next the application is loaded.

Controls whether operator changes to list view layouts are saved when the operator belongs to a role (Customization Management).

If access to this activity is enabled, then the operator can perform the following functions:

  • Rearrange and resize columns.
  • Remove columns and add them back.
  • Apply grouping and sorting to list views.

These settings are preserved when exiting the application when the user is linked to a role.

In addition, the operator can reset the list view layout, even if roles are in use.

However, if the administrator changes the design of the list view layout for the given role, then the newly-designed layout is automatically applied when the operator re-launches the application.

In other words, the operator can adjust the list view column settings for personal use until such time as the administrator specifically designs that list view layout, when the new layout is applied.

If a list view layout has been designed for the application at role level, then pressing Ctrl+F5 will reset the view to the default role-based layout.

  • The sizing of programs on the screen and the size of panes within programs cannot be controlled at role level. These are controlled at operator level, because different operators typically use different size screens with different resolutions.

  • Menus created for system-wide and industry roles using the Design System-wide View program (SYSPRO Ribbon bar > Home) are not displayed in this program.

Solving

While in Role Design on a client or the server, the changes are stored in Role_### (memory) on both the server and the client. After exiting the design mode, the changes are saved to a Role folder (e.g. Role_001) on the server and the Role_### folder is deleted from the client.

If you are designing a new role, then the next time the operator who is linked to the newly-created role logs in, the new role folder self-heals to the client.

If you are changing an existing role, then the Role folder is updated immediately if the operator designing the role is linked to the same role, otherwise self-healing takes place on the next session the user linked to the role logs in.

The server checks the date-time stamp on the version.txt file, and if the file does not exist or the date-time stamp is different, then the folder self-heals to the client.

No, role design always takes precedence over system-wide design.

The VBScript must also be applied at role level.

For the server, a system account can be used, or a user account that is defined against the Communication Service and has all permissions except the following:

  • Full Control
  • Delete
  • Change permissions
  • Take ownership

For the client, a user account defined against the SYSPRO Client Service that has all permissions except the following:

  • Full Control
  • Delete
  • Change permissions
  • Take ownership

A role can be designed on the server or the client, but changes are always saved on the server and self-healed to the client.

The server checks the date time-stamp on the version.txt file. If the file does not exist, or the date time-stamp is different, then the folder self-heals to the client.

Role information is stored in the ADMRLP.DAT file in the \Work folder.

If you inadvertently deleted a role, you can restore this file from a backup to restore the role.

Using the User Interface Override List pane, you can define a specific list of programs for which a lock-down is applied on the user interface for operators belonging to certain roles.

If a program is listed here, then only the customization for that program is applied (i.e. all other program customizations are ignored for the roles indicated).

Role layout design cannot be saved against the SRS Document Archive Viewer program because the program applies to all document types and each document type has different archive columns.

Defining UI layouts by role in a client/server environment must be done on the client machine.

If done on the application server, it does not self-heal to the client.

To provide operators within defined roles with the same customization experience across any machine (and in the event of a pod loss in a SYSPRO Cloud ERP environment) the customized role settings are stored in the \Base\Settings folder of the file system, as well as the following tables within the system-wide database in SQL:

  • Role customization files (e.g. \Settings\Role_xxx):

    Stored within the SysRoles table.

  • Role menu files:

    Stored within the SysMenu table.

When operators within a defined role log into SYSPRO, the system checks the SysRoles and SysMenu tables for any customized role settings or menus defined and returns these if found. If these settings are not found during the start-up process, the system checks the file system (\Base\Settings) and, if found, copies these to the respective SQL database tables and returns the saved settings to the SYSPRO instance.

Using

Referencing

Field Description

Layout category

This indicates the category for which you want to display and maintain customization:

Role Layouts Display and maintain customization by role.
System-Wide Layouts Display and maintain customization applicable to the entire system.
Industry Display and maintain customization applicable to the specific industry associated with the current SYSPRO company.

Select role

Indicate the role for which you want to display the information and which you want to maintain.

This defaults to {ALL}.

Go

Select this to display the program descriptions for all programs that have role based changes against them for this role.

The program description is a hyperlink and you can use your mouse button on the link to call up the program.

Expand

Expand all the displayed role information.
Collapse

Collapse all the displayed role information (default view).
Import

Import a previously-exported customization file.

This updates existing records and adds new ones, as required, but does not remove any records.

Export

Export customization settings to a text file.

This enables you to create customization changes off-site, or on a test site, before deploying it to an end user site.

Import

Field Description

Import file name

Enter the name of the previously-exported customization file you want to import.

You can use the Browse icon to select the location of the file to be imported.

Import

Import the previously exported customization file.

Cancel

Return to the previous screen without performing an import.

Export

Field Description

Export file name

Indicates the name of the customization text file (including the full path) that you want to create.

The file name defaults to Customization.txt and the path defaults to your \Work folder on the SYSPRO application server.

Email the export file

Select this if you want to email the created export file as an attachment.

To send email ensure that you have enabled the Fax/mail integration required operator option Operator Maintenance.

Options

These options enable you to specify what must be included in the export file.

The sections you select are created when you import the file. Any that already exist are changed to match the imported entries.

Include roles

This include the roles in the export file.

Include keyword exclusions

This includes the keyword exclusions for each role in the export file.

Include operators

This includes details of operator codes in the export file.

Include groups

This includes details of the operator groups in the export file.

This excludes the operator group security.

Export layouts for these roles

All roles currently defined are displayed in this list view.

This option enables you to indicate the roles for which you want to export the layouts.

Select All

Include the layouts for all roles displayed in the list view in the export.

Unselect All

Exclude the layouts for all roles displayed in the list view in the export.

You would typically select this option if you only wanted to include a few role layouts in the export.

You can exclude all role layouts and then select only the few you want to include.

Export these VBScripts

The VBScripts defined are displayed in a list view.

This option enables you to indicate the VBScripts to include in the export.

Select All

Include all VBScripts displayed in the list view in the export.

Unselect All

Exclude all VBScripts displayed in the list view from the export.

You would typically select this option if you only wanted to include a few VBScripts in the export.

You can exclude all scripts and then select only the few you want to include.

Export

Create the export file with the selected information.

Cancel

Return to the previous screen without performing an export.

This pane lets you define a list of programs for which customization takes precedence over any other program customization in SYSPRO.

You would typically use this to define a specific list of programs for which a lock-down is applied on the user interface for operators belonging to certain roles.

If you list a program here, then only the customization for that program is applied and all other program customizations for the role are ignored (i.e. the system interprets all other programs for that role as no longer being role-based).

This pane displays the layouts that have been modified for either a specific role or all roles.

Field Description

Role/Program and Layout

Displays customizations that have been made to the following layouts:

  • Menus
  • Flow graphs
  • Docking panes
  • List views
  • Forms

Description

Indicates the layout description.

Reset

This removes the customization from the form, list view or docking layout for this role.

Select Delete to remove the menu or flow graph designed for the role

Copy

Select this to copy the selected item to one or more other roles.

When selected, the list of roles is displayed (excluding the one you are currently copying from).

You can then select which one(s) you wish to copy to.

Associated VBScript

If a script is associated with the form or list view, then its name is displayed in this column.

Selecting the hyperlink displays the script in the VB Script code for pane, and will expand and pin this pane in place.

Copy Layout

This screen is displayed when you select the Copy option against an entry in the Customized Layouts by Role list view pane.

It enables you to copy any level of customization from one role to one or more roles.

Field Description

Copy role

Indicates the role from which you are copying the layout.

Program/form

Indicates the source from which you are copying the layout.

Copy to

 

Role

Indicates the role descriptors currently defined.

Copy to

Use the check boxes in this column to indicate the role(s) to which the layout must be copied. (i.e. a tick in this column indicates that the layout will be copied to that role).

Select All

Copy the layout to all roles.

Unselect All

Reset all roles to being deselected from the copy process.

Refresh after copy

Refresh the Customization Management information after the copy has been completed.

If only one role was selected, then selecting this option does not change the displayed information, as it will still only display the contents of this role.

If you selected to display all roles using the {ALL} selection, then when the refresh occurs the role that the information was copied to reflects the change.

If the role was not displayed before because it contained no customization, it will be displayed after the refresh

Expanding the Form using the plus sign will indicate whether Custom form fields, Master table fields, orScripted fields have been added/removed from the form.

Operators Linked to Role

This pane displays the list of operators defined for the current company and the roles linked to them.

You use the Operator Maintenance program to link operators to roles.

As this display is a list view, the usual list view facilities are available such as sorting and grouping by column.

Field Description

Operator

Indicates the operator code.

Name

Indicates the name assigned to the operator code (Operator Maintenance).

Primary role

Indicates the primary role assigned to the operator code (Operator Maintenance).

Role 2 - 5

Indicates any additional roles assigned to the operator code.

This pane indicates the columns within list views that are not displayed for operators belonging to the selected role.

This allows you to 'hide' column headers for any role based on keywords.

Field Description

Save

Save your changes.

Add

Add exclusions to the role.

Role

Indicates the role against which the keyword is defined for exclusion.

Keyword

Indicates the keyword defined as an exclusion from listviews.

Remove

Remove the keyword from the role.

Keywords

This screen is displayed when you select the Add option from the Keyword Exclusions for Listviews pane.

Field Description

Enter the keyword in your language

Indicate the keyword you want to exclude from being displayed in listview

For example:

If you define the keyword as cost, then operators belonging to this role will not see any columns in list views that contain the word cost. These columns are simply not displayed.

Select all roles for which this keyword applies

 

Role

Indicates the role descriptors currently defined.

Apply

Use the check boxes in this column to indicate the role(s) to which the which the keyword exclusion must apply (i.e. a tick in this column indicates that the keyword exclusion applies to that role).

Select All

Apply the keyword exclusion to all roles. These are the roles that should not be able to see this keyword.

Unselect All

Reset all roles to being deselected from the keyword exclusion process.

Apply

Apply the keyword exclusion to the role(s) indicated.

Close

Return to the previous screen.

This pane displays all the customized hyperlinks currently defined for forms and/or list views for the selected role(s) - see Customize Hyperlink-Exception

These hyperlinks are global (i.e. not specific to a role or a form).

This pane displays all the customized exceptions currently defined for list views for the selected role(s) - see Customize Hyperlink-Exception.

These exceptions are global (i.e. not specific to a role or a list view).

This pane displays all SYSPRO VBScripts that appear in the \Settings\Role_xxx folder on the server and the client.

A preview of each script is displayed together with the script name and matching program description.

Field Description

VBScript name

Click on the VB Script name hyperlink to expand the VB Script code for pane and populate it with the complete script.

Note that this is not a script editor; it merely displays the script.

Program Name

Click on the Program Name hyperlink to run the program.

This pane displays the VBScript for the selected VBScript name in the VBScripts pane.

This is not a script editor; it merely displays the script.