Getting to Know Builder's Online Workspace

There are three main views in the Builder Online Workspace:

• Dashboard View 
• Catalog View
• Designer View 

Each of these views provides you tools for managing the data used to generate your custom documents. This article provides a high-level overview of these different views.  

Dashboard View 

• To access this page, launch the Online Workspace and click the tab name for the specific catalog you want to view. These tabs are located along the top of the page and their names typically coincide with your matter types.  

A. Catalog tabs: These are the different template catalogs, which typically correlate with your matter types. This view is useful for testing your automation. Then, once you’ve finished developing your templates, you will add them to the Actionstep matter type and then use them there to generate official client-specific documents. 

B. Create Record Drop-Down Menu and List: Use this drop-down option to select which apps/documents you want to test/generate. Once you generate a document (or documents), it becomes a record.

C. Details Pane: This area shows the details of the specific record you’ve got selected in the Records section. In this pane, you can view the status of the record (whether the data you've provided is up to date based on the template, or needs to be updated) as well as the details of who last updated it and when. If a record needs to be updated, you can Review or Update it. You can also select new documents to add to the record by using the Select App drop-down list. You can also Download the documents associated with the record. 

Catalog View

Use the Catalog view to manage your different catalog models. A catalog model is a specific grouping of variables and templates which are usually tied to a specific matter type. For example, an estate planning catalog would most likely include the templates and variables typically required to create estate planning documents. 

• To access this view, launch the Online Workspace and click the Catalog tab (located at the top-right corner of the page). 

A. Data Catalogs list: Use this list to view the different catalogs available to you. Remember, a catalog typically correlates with a matter type. Use the Search field to more quickly find a specific catalog. 

B. Add a New Catalog option: Clicking this option lets you create a new catalog. When you select this option, you can click the Type drop-down list on the resulting window and choose an existing matter type from Actionstep. Matter type options in this list have an as:mt_ prefix.  See Understanding and Using Object Models and Object Variables in Builder.

C. Details pane: This section of the page shows some of the different details about the catalog, including:

• Catalog Name: Shows the name of the catalog.
• Item Detail Template: Lets you add text or other instructions that will be displayed on the main catalog page in Builder under the catalog title. You can include Builder variables in this field to better customize the information.
• Create Record Label: Use this option to customize the label on the Create Record drop-down list when viewing the catalog.
• Apps on this Catalog: Shows the apps (or templates/template groups) associated with this catalog. This group of options also allows you to: 
  • Enable or disable the app for use by selecting (or clearing) Enabled.  
  • Access previous versions of the app by clicking the "Live" Version drop-down list and choosing that version. When you select a previous version, that version of the app will be used when users create records. When switching between versions, you can rename the version.  

Designer View 

The Designer view gives you access to all the components (variables, objects, formulas, templates, etc.) associated with the catalog you’ve selected on the left side of the page.  

To access this view: 

1. Launch the Online Workspace.
2. Click the Designer tab (located at the top-right corner of the page). 
3. Select the catalog or object model you want to work with from the list of Elements on the left side of the page.  

A. Elements List

Use this list to view the different models available within your system. This includes catalog models, object models, and table models.

B. Add a new element: Click this to add a new object model to your Builder system. See Grouping Commonly Used Variables in Object Models for Reuse to learn more.

C. Model Name field: This shows the name assigned to the model. 

D. Summary Template field: This lets you customize the name of the record that gets created when the app is used to generate the document(s) associated with it. By default, Actionstep uses Matter ID and Matter Name variables to create this title, but you could customize this if you want to.

For example, this template field:
 

Looks like this when viewing this record in the Estate Planning catalog:
 

E. Details tabs: Click any of the following tabs in the Details section to add or manage those types of components: 

• Variables tab: The Variables tab shows all the variables that are associated with the catalog or object model you are currently viewing. Icons next to the variable name can help you identify the type of variable it is. (See Understanding How Actionstep Data is Used in Builder for more information.) You can also click Add a new variable at the bottom of the list to create a new variable to use in your templates. When you have a specific variable selected, the details of that variable are displayed to the right of it (for example, variable name, question prompt, etc.). See Creating Builder Variables and  Getting to Know Builder Variable Types to learn more about these fields.
• Templates tab: This tab shows the different templates (Text, Docx, and File) associated with the catalog/matter type. When you have a specific template selected, the details of that template are displayed to the right of it. You can view the Template Name and Template Type. You can also enter the name you want used when a document is generated from the template. If you've got an existing DOCX file you want associated with the template, you can use the Upload option to do this. Download lets you save a copy of the template to your hard drive.
• Formulas tab: Shows any formulas or computed elements used in the catalog. You can also click Add a new formula to add a new computed field to the catalog. (Learn more.)
• Layouts tab: The Layouts tab lets you choose how the questions for the catalog/matter type will be organized:
  • Using Grid Columns, you can place fields (like all your First, Middle, and Last Name fields) side by side.
  • Click and drag the variables in the Layout section to rearrange their order. 
  • You can also click the menu icon and choose Move to move the variable.
  • To include instructional text in the intake, click Drag to create an information cell to the location you want the text and then enter the text. 
  • Click the menu icon for a specific variable in the list to choose the Position of the variable or Delete the variable.  
• Apps: The Apps tab shows all of the apps associated with the catalog/matter type. Using the menu icon, you can either Copy or Move the app to another model. You can also Delete the app. See Creating Builder 'Apps' to Use When Generating Documentsfor more information.
  NOTE:  An app represents the information typically required for completing documents in a specific catalog/matter. You can associate one or more templates with an app. When you need to generate a document, select the app which contains the required questions. If the app includes multiple templates, documents will be generated for each template.

When you have a specific app selected, the details of the app are displayed to the right of it. You can view its Name and Label as well as all the App Templates associated with it. You can also choose options for how the user will interact with the app, for example, whether using the App generates a document for each template referenced above.  

F. Components list: Use this pane on the right side of the page to view the different components that have been created for the catalog type you’re viewing:

• Select which specific options (Variables, Formulas, Templates, Global) you want to view in the list. 
• Click the Copy icon for a specific component and then paste the component code in any field where you want to reference it. 
• You can also select and drag the component to the field where you want to use it. 
• Use the Search box to more quickly find a specific component.