Legacy Action Item Forms

Action Item forms are optional, and you do not need to create them to use the ACT application. The ACT module has basic Action Item fields (such as Action Item title, priority and date assigned) programmed into the application.

Any special Action Item details (such as date and time of the event, people/equipment/material affected and root cause analysis) must be documented by attaching Action Item to a custom Action Item form.

Below are the Guidelines for Legacy Action Item Forms

• Any user with the ACT Power User or Super User permission can create Action Item forms.
• An Action Item form can be used as often as necessary to create an unlimited number of Action Items.
• If created and active, they can be attached to event-based, ad hoc or event form’s pre-defined (default) Action Items.
• Here are examples of how you can use this feature in different situations described below.
  • Event-based and event form's pre-defined (default) Action Items: To have parts of an event form (sections such as event investigation and root cause analysis) completed by other people, create those parts as separate Action Item forms, and attach each form to a corresponding Action Item.
    • To follow this method consistently for all events created using a certain form, attach them to the event form's pre-defined or default Action Items.
  • Ad hoc Action Items: These are typically recurring Action Items, although feature can well be used for one-time Action Item. 

• • Sub Action Items: A very useful feature of such an Action Item form is the ability to add sub Action Items. Any Action Item form automatically displays Add Sub Action Item button at the top of the form whether a form is attached to an ad hoc Action Item.
    • Using this button, the person completing the quarterly Maintenance shop inspection checklist can record the deficiencies discovered by creating and assigning new sub Action Items.
    • The ad hoc Action Item displays sub Action Items near the bottom, and it can be closed out only after the sub Action Items are completed.

Form Designer V1 Properties

• Common properties of all field types: The field height of any of the above field types can be adjusted from the default value shown.

• Common properties of all data field types (text box, text area, radio buttons, checkboxes, and drop-down menu):

  • Label position can be at top, left or right of the field value.

  • Label can be blank. This is useful in cases to create a form with a common label at the top (just like a table column with a header name).

  • The width of a label can be adjusted by dragging the blue dual-line handle (||) at the end of the label.

• • To see the current width of a label, drag the dual-line handle (||) slightly then click on edit and view the value in the Field Width field. Use this value for the field widths of labels to align them. When label widths are identical, the adjacent data fields on the right are automatically aligned.

  • Any of these fields can have a default text or value. For radio buttons, checkboxes and drop-down menu fields, defaults are selected in the field options section at the bottom.

  • Any of these fields can be made a Required field. A required field is marked with a red asterisk.

  • Any field can be made a reportable field. When checked, the data in this field can be reported via form fields report. By default, the report field name for such a field is same as the field label and can be changed if desired.

  • When a field is marked reportable, a notebook icon will appear next to the field after saving your changes. 

  • Any field can have a Help Message to provide instructions to users about completing the field. A help icon is shown next to any field containing a help message, and the message is displayed when hovering over the icon.

• Common properties of fields that have field options (radio buttons, checkboxes, and drop-down menu):

  • To reorder a field option, select it (by clicking anywhere in the grey area) and drag it to the correct order position.

  • For radio buttons and check boxes only: Field options can be arranged horizontally (default) or in up to five vertical columns. This is useful in cases where there are a lot of field options.

  • For radio buttons and check boxes only: Field options can have an attached Comment text box. This allows user to enter optional qualifying comments when selecting a particular option.

  • Form Response Triggered Action Items: If you pre-defined Action Items, you can attach these field options. Instructions at the bottom of the article. 
• Add Section: A section is a vertical partition or column in the form that allows authors to group fields vertically in the layout window. Section are not visible when users are completing the actual form.
  • For a new form, Section 1 is created by default and can contain only one column of fields arrange vertically.  An author can add up to 4 sections by using the Add Section tool at the top or bottom of the form and above or below the section selected. The width of a section can be adjusted by dragging the blue dual-line handle on the upper right corner of the section header.
  • To create a form with multiple sections in row, adjust the width of the sections to a size that will enable them to be all in the same row.

• • Sections can be dragged from anywhere on the form to any open space, as long as its width is smaller than the open space.
• Add Separator: Separators allow authors to create horizontal partitions on a form. Each partition can have a different number of sections above and below it. Without a separator, a section will wrap automatically to fill any open space above, if is width is smaller than the open space. A separator can be inserted at the top or bottom of the form and above or below the section selected.
• Add Field: A form is can be created using or more of the field types listed and described below. Authors can drag and drop each field type into a section on the form to determine the layout of the form. To view or change the field properties of an existing field, right-click on the field and select Edit.
• Label: Can be used for title, numbered list, bulleted list, explanation text or embedded picture.
• Line: A solid, dashed or hidden (blank space) horizontal line can be used between fields.
• Text Box: Can be populated with up to one line of alphanumeric text, a number, date, time value or an active user name. The data type allowed for the text box is enforced when a user completes the form.
  • Text boxes allowing only a date value will display a calendar when user is populating field. Text boxes allowing only a time value must be filled with time in military hours formatted as HH:MM:SS.
  • Text boxes configured for active user name will display a list of potential user to populate the field as the user is typing the name of the desired user.
• Text Area: Allows users to enter up to 20 lines of text up to 100 characters wide.
• Radio Buttons: Allows users to only check one of the options displayed.
• Check Boxes: Allows users to check one or more of the options displayed.
• Drop-Down Menu: Allows users to select one value from a list of drop-down field options.
• Tree (Form Trees): A custom-designed decision tree that can guide users to a correct selection by sequentially (hierarchically) reviewing displayed nodes (could be answers to questions) and selecting the most appropriate node (answer).

• Action: A tool menu that allows authors to edit, duplicate, delete sections or fields. The Preview option allows the author to preview the form as a user who is completing the form would.

How to Create an Action Item Form

1. Navigate to ACT > Settings > Action Item Forms.
2. Select New
3. Select Legacy Version
4. Select a Category from the category drop-down menu.
5. Enter the Title for the Action Item form.
6. Description, Header and Footer are optional fields that can be used to further describe the Action Item form.
7. Select the Incomplete Action Item checkbox if you would like to allow the Action Item to be closed out while its sub action items are still open. 
8. Deselect the Active checkbox if you wish to inactivate this form. Typically done if you do not want the form to be accidentally used when building it. 
9. Enter the correct Company and Division from the drop-down menus.
10. Select Public if you would like other Divisions to be able to use and copy this form. 
11. Select Save.

How to Build your Form

1. Navigate to ACT > Settings > Action Item Forms > Action Item Form Title
2. Select Layout
3. From here you can drag and drop any of the fields, defined above, to their correct orientation.
4. After filling in the necessary information in the fields you dragged over, exit the Form Designer.
5. Click Preview to view your form as users completing it would.

How to Add Form Response Triggered Action Items to your Form

1. Navigate to ACT > Settings > Action Item Forms > Action Item Form Title
2. Select the Sub Action Items tab.
3. Select New
4. Fill out the Required fields at minimum.
5. Fill out optional fields like Assigned to and Days to Complete so set those default parameters. 
6. Select Save.
7. Select the Details tab.
8. Select Layout.
9. Right click on the radio buttons, checkboxes, or drop-down menu that you wish to add this sub action item to.
10. Click Edit
11. Scroll down to the answer choice you wish to associate this action item to.
12. Select the Action Item drop-down.
13. Select the action item you want to be triggered based on this answer choice. 
14. Select Save.