ETCETERA® EPM: Applications
for the Enterprise
for the Enterprise
- Application Development
- One Place for Dozens of Applications
- Manage Work in Activity Queues
- Dynamic Application User Interfaces (AUI)
- Workflow – Ad Hoc and Rules Based
- Automatically Generate AUIs
Harness the potential of ETCETERA® EPM (Enterprise Process Management) for robust application development and process management tailored to meet modern-day operational demands. With EPM, create intuitive online applications for task management, case management, business and accounting processes, all while empowering mobile workforce productivity. EPM enables organizations to swiftly transition from concept to implementation, crafting online work processes infused with automated functionalities, user-friendly interfaces, accurate data capture and validation, content capture, work routing, and validation. Its rules-based workflows and offline to online process synchronizations pave the way for streamlined operations.
Experience a task-centric environment with EPM, where user satisfaction is intertwined with successful task completion. The intuitive interface and structured workflow of EPM are designed to propel users towards efficient task management and completion, all encapsulated within three interactive presentations. The seamless integration of EPM’s core features ensures a conducive workspace for managing and executing a wide array of work tasks, thereby enhancing overall organizational productivity.
The User Experience
Making Work as Simple as 1 – 2 – 3
1
My Work Queue
2
Selecting an Application
3
Online Application Interface
My Work Queues provides for a summary of all work activities in which the user may be involved. The summary of work queues shows the name of the work queue, the number of pending transactions and actions available to the user in each work queue. The user determines if they want to see the detail of transactions in a work queue. If so, that information is presented in a tabbed presentation at the bottom of their user interface in the same order as work queues are presented in summary above. In each detailed work queue, searchable data elements specific to each work queue are used to present information about the pending or suspended transactions. My Work Queues is one place to go for all my work queue information.
- Work queues provide a summary of the number of open transactions in that work queue class.
- Work queues can be refreshed, all at once (2a) or just one work queue at a time (2b) to display the number of transactions waiting in the queue and to refresh the detail work queue listing that is active. As any detail work queue is selected, it is automatically refreshed.
- For one or as many work queues as selected, a listing of all in-process transactions is provided in a tabbed presentation in the bottom of the user’s view. The tabbed section lists the AUI details and the order of the tabs is the same order as the work queue summaries at the top of the user’s interface.
- Users can easily identify newly presented transactions because they are bolded for easy identification. Transactions that were previously viewed by the user and returned to their work queue are not bolded.
- The ▼ on detailed rows provides a list of actions available to the user, based on the user’s privileges. These actions include View, View Details, Route, Add a Note, Create Revision and Delete.
The values used in the listing of in-process transactions are completely configurable. These listings can always be sorted by clicking on the column header.
All of the data presented in a work queue detail list can be output to Excel. Work queues are sometimes used to create a view to all open work in other work queues, such as the work queues of a business process or of subordinates. Work queues for views are created in the same simple way as work queues for queuing work.
Work queues are easily defined. There is no limit to the number of work queues that are presented at an individual’s desktop, tablet or other mobile device.
From My Work Queues users select and open an in-process Application User Interface (AUI), or to create a new transaction, simply click on the Select Application button, where they’re presented within an organized, tabbed presentation of all AUIs available to the user. A single mouse click or touch (mobile devices) opens the user interface in the browser. Users simply click on the 
to select frequently used AUIs and place them into their Favorites tab for rapid access. Some AUIs are created and automatically placed into user work queues using the Workflow Rules Engine which uses data in external data sources to spawn new transactions. My Work Queues is one place to go for all my work queue information.
- Work List of AUIs on a Favorites Tab
- Tabbed Presentation of AUIs Available to the User
The user only sees the tabs they have permission to view and only sees the AUIs that they are permitted to access and use.
The Online Application Interface replaces traditional application dialog boxes with dynamic intelligent user interfaces. The goal of this type of user interface is to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and naturalness of human to screen interactions. The AUI can include instructions and an ability to view supporting documents and add new supporting documents to the transaction (of any file format) either at the transaction level or within specific sections in the AUI. Users can enter data and enrich data from multiple data sources (ODBC views into data sources and API calls). Conditional controls expose other required data without the need to place the user into another dialog box. Error messages are presented to the user within the AUI, eliminating the need for modal or system dialog boxes that restrict user access to the active application interfaces. The user’s entire application experience is in a single, dynamic, morphing AUI in which they can complete all related work without leaving the environment.
- Shows how many documents support this transaction, if any.
- Easy way to browse and upload any primary supporting document or other related documents or files (if any). In this example supporting documents are added to the transaction, but supporting documents can also be consnected directly to a section of the AUI. Some applications don’t involve supporting documents.
- Retrieves all related documents for viewing with a single click. If more than one document is related to the application a list is presented and the user can select one or more documents to view. If documents are associated with a section or a field, the view capability is often deployed with the section or field.
- An example of the user performing a lookup for data validations and auto-filling selected fields with data from external sources.
- An example of the user performing lookups for data to select correct values in a “Repeater Container” that allows the user to dynamically add sections for the number of rows needed to complete their work. In this example, the user is applying account coding with links to the ERP Chart of Accounts. The buttons for adding (inserting) or deleting rows. In this example, adding rows offers an easy way to split the amount of the invoice into multiple account codes.
- Buttons for adding (inserting) or deleting rows. In this example, adding rows offers an easy way to split the amount of the invoice into multiple account codes.
- This user interface includes other variables in a calculation.
- Signature Blocks provide for signing using Windows Credentials (Active Directory) or Named Users or capture signatures using a signature pad or on mobile devices.
As the user enters data, new fields may be automatically created depending on the values entered (conditional panel controls). Look-ups to data sources are completed for the presentation of information or validation of information.
Topaz signature pads are used for AUIs requiring a legally valid signature by a third party.
Windows Authentication (Active Directory integration) or ScerIS User Authentication digital signatures can bind to selected data fields on the AUI for AUIs requiring one or more employee signatures.
The AUI may be joined to a Workflow which will automatically route the AUI into individual or group work queues, or alternatively the user might complete their work and route to (select an individual or group to route to) another party in the system.
The presentation of the AUI is a matter of the design considerations used by the AUI designer. Logos, colors, labeling, links to other files (such as videos for training), panels that expand based on data provided by the user and so much more is simply a matter of setting design parameters for your organization.
Defining Work Queues
Work queues are created using a “data search criteria” that provides for the identification of AUIs across all active transactions using “searchable” fields defined in the selected AUIs. The system manages the rest.
Creating the rules for displaying transactions in individual, delegate or group work queues is as simple as creating a Work Queue search and publishing it as a saved Work Queue. When saved, apply a name to the Work Queue search which will in turn be the Work Queue name displayed at the user’s desktop. Apply “Present as a Queue of Class” to select the class to apply security to the work queue.
Saving the Work Queue presents a dialog box that provides for naming the work queue and assigning security to it.
- Creating work queues starts with the standard search dialog box. If editing a current work queue criteria, select the work queue from the “Available Work Queues” list. Modify the search criteria for AUIs, AUI Tabs, or Search Fields or reorder the Result columns.
- If creating a new work queue, select the AUIs and/or AUI tabs applicable to the work queue.
- This will dynamically present the searchable fields for the user interfaces which can be selected for presentation in the work queue detail list in addition to the default searchable fields. These fields are used to further define the transactions presented in the work queue.
- Reorder the Work Queue columns with a simply “drag and drop” applied to the default and unique searchable fields identified in the Work Queue criteria.
- Save and Name the Work Queue.
Saving the Work Queue presents a dialog box that provides for naming the work queue and assigning security to the work queue.
Developing AUIs
AUI design is often performed by the user, but Advanced Controls and Custom Controls require more technical expertise (provided internally or by your virtual resource at ScerIS). Using a “drag and drop” development environment, users familiar with creating tables in WORD can often develop AUIs in ScerIS AUI Designer.
Setting Up User Permissions
User security and permissions are managed in EPM Authorization Services (AUTH). The AUTH architecture provides a very granular authorization security schema where security definitions are comprised of Objects, Access Conditions, Resources, Actions, Permissions, Groups, and Users. AUTH is integrated to Active Directories for Single Sign-On and also provides for ScerIS Named Users. ScerIS software products sense Windows authentication in permitting access to applications and in determining other user specific privileges.