Automations

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.

Please note: Automations are available as a premium feature within PowerClerk. Please contact us, if you would like to ensure Automations are available in your program(s).

How to create an Automation

Automations allow you to automatically trigger PowerClerk to advance a project’s status, send out a Communication Template, or validate user input on your Forms. When enabled for a program, the Automations feature is an upgrade to the prior Actions feature and all existing Actions will be automatically converted into Automations for the program. The general approach for Automations in PowerClerk is:

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

In comparison, the Actions feature follows this logic too by only allowing status changes to be the trigger and evaluating as condition only if it is the first time, or a all times the respective status change occurs, and the available actions are: Send Communication, Set Deadline, Set Data Field, and Call Web Adapter. Additionally, when configuring a Form, the administrator can define what status change should occur (if any) when a Form is submitted, and what should happen if the Form is resubmitted. As noted, Automations include *all* the functionality of Actions, however, they add significant additional capabilities.

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.
 

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]

Additionally, Automations supports validation actions. For example:

• When [Status is changed to Permission to Operate], if [Interconnection Agreement Attachment Review Status does not equal Approved], then [block the status change to Permission to Operate and display a custom error message].

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.

• 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 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.
• 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 Deadline: Similarly as the prior Action rule, you can define which deadlines to satisfy 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.
 

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

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Create A Support Ticket

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