This page describes how to create related actions and a record list action.
With Appian Records, you can use record views and a record list to provide a more comprehensive view of your data. Using these display elements, multiple users can benefit from a single record and use the record list to navigate and view the larger enterprise data.
In addition to display elements, you can use Appian Records to enable users to take action directly from the record data. Using different types of record actions, you can integrate enterprise processes so users can take informed action when viewing the data from a record, or the record list.
From the records themselves, you can add related actions so users can use the information directly from a single record to update, add, or modify its information. For example, in a Customer Support record type, you may have support engineers who need to update and resolve submitted support cases. Since each case’s resolution will be different, you can add a related action to your records so support engineers can use the record’s information to start a process to update and resolve the case.
In addition to updating existing cases, support engineers will also need to add new support cases. From the record list, you can add a record list action to start a process to add new records to the record list.
Once you configure record actions on the record type, you can reference these actions in interfaces when you use a record type to power a read-only grid or use the record action component.
If you are working with an existing record type created in 20.2 or earlier, update the record type to use new record type object components, features, and functions.
Related actions are links to process models the user can start directly from a record using information from that record. We call that information the context for the related action. For example, within a customer record, there might be a related action to enter a new order for that customer or to update the customer information.
Related action process models are the same as any other process model, except for a start-form restriction; if the process model has a start form, that form must be a SAIL form. Since record types that use a process model as their source derive related actions from the process model's quick tasks, this restriction doesn't apply to quick tasks.
To learn more about how related actions work from records, see Starting Processes From an Interface.
To create a related action:
In Context, the process parameters from your selected process model are pre-populated with their values set to null. Replace null with the value you want to pass to the process model's parameter.
You do not need to include all parameters from the process model; only include the parameters you need for the related action, and remove the rest. If you make changes to the process parameters later, you'll need to manually update this field.
After you create the related action in the record type, you can determine where the related action appears. By default, all related actions configured for a record type are available in a record's Related Actions view. This record view is configured out-of-the-box on the record type, so you cannot modify it; however, you can hide the Related Actions view, if needed.
In addition to the Related Actions view, you can reference related actions on record views using related action shortcuts. Related action shortcuts allow you to specify related actions that should appear to end users as buttons on a certain record view.
If you choose to display your records in a read-only grid or chart, you can reference related actions in any interface with the record action component.
To display related actions on a record view, you will use related action shortcuts, which are configured on the record view.
To display a related action as a button on a record view:
Under Related Action Shortcuts, a list of available related actions appear. Select the checkbox next to the related actions you want to display on the view.
Related actions from Quick Tasks won't show up in this list.
Under Open Shortcuts In, choose how the related action shortcuts should open. Dialog Box is selected by default.
Users will see the selected related actions as buttons when they are on that particular record view.
A record list action is a link to a process model the user can start directly from the record list. Only one action can be configured per record type and any process model can be selected.
A record list action can be configured to open in a dialog box, the same tab, or a new tab. After completing the record action, users return to the record list. When actions are configured to open in a dialog, any user filter values are remembered when returning to the record list.
A common use case is to add an action to create a new record. This allows users to leverage the record list search to ensure the record in question does not already exist. It also allows developers to use their 5 site pages more efficiently by combining record and action functionality.
To create a record list action:
Select the process model you want to use as a record list action in the Process Model field.
Specify how the record list action should open. Dialog Box is the default option.
