PowerClerk Support Center

Program Design
Automations
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Automations feature
Creating an Automation
FAQs
Communication Templates
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Communications feature
Creating Communication templates
Smart Templates
Feature reference
FAQs
Deadlines
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Deadlines feature
How to create Deadlines
Delaying Deadlines
Deadline Automations
Deadlines in the Admin View
Deadlines in Communication Templates
Deadlines in Reports
Deadlines in Project List Columns
Deadline Functionality Definitions
Feature reference
FAQs
Forms
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Forms feature
How to create and edit Forms
Adding data fields
Configuring Forms
VersaForms
Sensitive Data Fields
Feature reference
FAQs
Roles
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Roles feature
How to create and edit a Role
Access Groups
Feature reference
FAQs
Workflow
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Workflow feature
How to create and edit the Workflow
Transitions
Changing a project's status
Feature reference
FAQs
Advanced Program Design
Channels
Locating the Channels feature
What are Channels?
Channels Checklist
3-Step Publishing Process
Channel Type A: Mark As Child
Channel Type B: Make Successor
Channel Type C and D: Create/Submit Related Project
Sending Signals
Connections
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Connections feature
What are Connections
Input and Output Fields
Connecting, Testing, and Enabling
Maintenance and Alterations
Connections Message Format
FAQ
Content Library
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Content Library feature
Uploading content to the Content Library
Use with Communication Templates
Use for Front Page content
FAQs
Curated Lists
Built-in DER lists
Global Lists
FAQ
Document Templates
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Document Templates feature
How to define a new Template
How to define a new Merged Document
eSignatures
DocuSign template tags
Mapping eSignature tags
Smart Templates
FAQs
Formulas and Calculated Fields
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Formulas feature
How to create a Formula
Formula Data Dictionary
FAQs
Front Page
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Front Page feature
How to edit the Front Page
FAQs
Incentive Design
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Incentive Design feature
How to design an Incentive
Incentive Options
FAQs
Single Sign On (SSO)
Azure AD
Okta IDP Configuration
SP Configuration
SSO for multiple programs
PowerClerk API
Custom API IDs
FAQ
API Documentation for Developers
Application & Process Automation
Getting Started
Common Usage Scenarios
Using Custom IDs
API Method Reference
Code Samples
Administration
Business Days
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Business Days feature
Setting up Business Days
FAQs
Dashboards
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Dashboards feature
How to create widgets in your Dashboard
Other Dashboard Actions
Data Import
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Data Import feature
How to validate a Data Import
FAQs
Duplicate Check
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Duplicate Check feature
How to use Duplicate Checks
FAQs
ePayments
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the ePayments History feature
How to add ePayments
FAQ
Import Projects
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Import Projects feature
How to Import From V2
FAQs
Operation Status
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Operation Status feature
How to use the Operation Status feature
FAQs
Program Info
Project Inquiry
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Program Info feature
How to edit the Program Info menu
Notification Banners
Usage Info
FAQs
Program Statistics
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Program Statistics feature
How to use Program Statistics
FAQs
Reports
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Reports feature
How to setup Reports
Multi-instance reports
Sharing Reports
Integrate scheduled Reports
Cross-Program Reports
FAQs
Test Environment
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Test Environment feature
How to setup a Test Environment
FAQs
User Administration
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the User Administration feature
How to work with User Administration
FAQs
Integration Guides
Integration Guide 001: How to configure a Web Adapter – ArcGIS Implementation
Integration Guide 002: How to configure Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) DRIVE Connect software with PowerClerk
Program Reporting
Data Fields
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Data Fields feature
How to work with Data Fields
Custom Lists and Data Field Groups
Table form element
PV System + batteries element
FAQs
Milestones
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Milestones feature
How to define a Milestone
FAQs
Project List Columns
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Project List Columns feature
How to use Project List Columns
FAQs
Project Summary
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Project Summary feature
FAQs
How to edit the Project Summary
Project Views
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Project Views feature
How to edit Project Views
FAQs
PowerClerk Video Guides
New User Video Guide
Setting up Business Days
Dashboards
Edit Forms - Tutorial #1
Edit Forms - Tutorial #2
Configuring Forms
FormSense
Build A Formula
Automation with Formulas in Action Rules
Formulas and Advanced Visibility Rules
Calculated Fields
Milestones
Roles and User Administration
Visualize Workflows
Settings
My Account
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the My Account feature
How to use the My Account feature
Setting up Multi-Factor Authentication
MFA Recovery Guidelines
FAQs
FormSense
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the FormSense feature
How to use the FormSense feature
FAQs
Grant Access
Questions to ask yourself
Locating the Grant Access feature
How to Grant Access to users
FAQs
PowerClerk Program Launch
PowerClerk Responsive Admin View
PowerClerk User Group Sessions (UGS)
Learning Management System (LMS)

Automations

Automations streamline your Workflow to save time on the most repetitive steps in processing applications.

Automations feature


Questions to ask yourself about Automations:

Does my program currently use Actions or Automations?

Should I consider upgrading to Automations to use more advanced triggers like form submissions or recurring schedules?
What Automations could benefit my Workflow the most by reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks?

Locating the Automations feature

Anyone in a Role with the Edit Automations privilege can edit Automations by opening the PROGRAM DESIGN menu and clicking on Automations as shown in Figure 1: PROGRAM DESIGN >> Automations below.

 

Locating the Automations feature

Figure 1: PROGRAM DESIGN >> Automations

 

How to create an Automation

Automations allow you to automatically trigger PowerClerk to perform different actions or validate user input on your Forms. For example, an automation action rule could advance a project’s status, send out a Communication Template, Set Data Fields, start a Deadline, and more. The general approach for Automations in PowerClerk is:

  • When [a trigger happens], if [a condition is met], then [perform an action automatically].

For instance, Automations expands the available list of triggers, conditions, and automatic actions to enable more granularity in the actions that take place, and the combination of triggers and conditions that initiate those actions.

 

Defining Status Change as Automation Trigger

Figure 2: Defining Status Change as Automation Trigger

 

Workflow Routing Automation Based on Engineer Review Form Result

Figure 3: Workflow Routing Automation Based on Engineer Review Form Result


A few common examples are listed below using example statuses of Submitted, FAST TRACK – Submitted and Inspection Pending:

  • When [Application Form is Submitted], if [System Size > 10kW], then [Change Status to FAST TRACK – Submitted]
  • When [FAST TRACK – Submitted status is entered], if [New Service Requested = true], then [Send Communication: New Service Request]
  • When [Inspection Pending status is entered], if [every time], then [Send Communication: Inspection Needed]
Validation Rules

PowerClerk supports Validation Rules to ensure specific criteria have been met for data entry on specific data fields on a form. If the criteria have not been met, the form submittal will be blocked, and a custom error message will display.


Validation Rules are a type of Automation Action Rule that utilizes a formula to test a criterion of a data field. Validation Rule formulas need to be Boolean formulas, or true/false formulas. The formula should be structured such that the criteria that needs to be met will resolve as “true” when the data field has passed the validation test. If the formula resolves as “false”, the validation rule will block form submission and allow an error message to display on the form to guide the user on how to resolve the invalid data entry.
 
Form Validation Rule Example

For example, a form may request an “account number” in which all “account numbers” are required to be 10 digits long. A Boolean formula to test for this criterion would be structured as follows. Note that this formula resolves as “true” when the length of the data field is 10 digits and “false” when the length does not equal 10 digits.

 

Formula for Validation Rule

Figure 4: Formula for Validation Rule

 

Once the formula has been created, a Validation Rule can be added to the form submittal Automation. In this example, the Validation Rule will be as follows. Validation Rule for [Application Form is Submitted], if [Validation: Account Number Length formula is FALSE], then [block the form submission and display a custom error message]. The Validation Rule will block form submission and guide the user to correct the account number if the data field does not have exactly 10 digits.
 

Validation Rule for Form Submission Block

Figure 4b: Validation Rule for Form Submission Block

 

Action Rules

A variety of Action rules within PowerClerk allow you to model a broad range of business scenarios and streamline process steps tailored to your needs.
 

Action Rules

Figure 5: Action Rules

 

  • Call Web Adapter: You have the option to call a previously configured web adapter through this Action rule to receive the web adapters response for further processing.
  • Clear Assignee: This Action Rule allows you to remove a project’s assignee. You cannot automatically designate an assignee due to possible load balancing implications for projects that could get routed inadvertently to a backlogged assignee queue.
  • Generate Attachment: Triggering this Action rule allows you to automatically generate an attachment which you can pre-configure to your needs utilizing a backoffice form and implement these attachments automatically for your Communication Templates.
  • Send Communication: Sending automated status notifications with PowerClerk allows you to keep all stakeholders of a project continuously informed on important aspects of your projects.
  • Send Signal to Channel: Signal to a previously configured channel through this Action Rule to receive data or output data.
  • Set Data Field: With this Action rule you can automatically set String, Integer, Decimal, and Boolean data type fields to a pre-defined value, or set Date fields accordingly, which in turn can trigger Validation rules or denote expiration deadlines. You also do have the option to copy one data field/data field group to another.
  • Set Deadline: Upon execution of this Action rule, a Deadline will be set to add timing functionality to your projects and ensure the proper timeframes are being met while processing a project.
  • Satisfy or Pause Deadline: Similarly as the prior Action rule, you can define which deadlines to satisfy or pause with this Action rule.
Scheduled Triggers

PowerClerk offers the option to setup a Scheduled Trigger. These triggers allow you to run one of your Reports on a scheduled basis set to either daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. You can also denote the time of day when you require your Report to run and become available within the Reports section of PowerClerk in the individual Reports’ history.
 
Please note: A scheduled trigger has to be individiually setup by a CPR Admin; please contact us at support@powerclerk.com to check on the availability of this feature for your program and submit the configuration details as needed.
 

Scheduled Triggers

Figure 6: Scheduled Triggers

 

Video Guides

Would a video guide help to better explain Automations? Contact us and let us know.
 
A full list of all Video Guides can also be found here.

FAQs

Have additional questions? Contact us to nominate your FAQ and help others find answers to your own questions concerning this feature.

Create A Support Ticket

Not finding your answer here?  Submit a question to our support team at the PowerClerk Ticket System and leverage the PowerClerk team’s expertise.