Transcript Vineyardsoft Training Presents: KnowledgeSync 2000

Training Course #2:
Event Designing
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Events
An “event” consists of seven components:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
The query(ies) that identify the conditions to check for
Whether to trigger the generation of Crystal Reports
The text of the alert messages
The “actions” to take when the event is triggered
Whom to send the alerts to
The means by which the alerts will be sent
How often to check for this event’s conditions
(Note: In order to proceed with this training course, please be
sure to have completed training course #1, “Query Designing.)
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Please select the component of KnowledgeSync Event Designing
that you would like to learn about next:
Designing an Event (click here)
Event Designing Helpful Hints (click here)
Where to Go From Here (click here)
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Presentation
How to Begin
All event designing is done in the KnowledgeSync
Event Manager.
Log into that module (username “Admin”, no password).
You will be presented with a window like the following:
We will design an event for the “Training” application.
Click on the plus sign (+) next to the “Training” Application in order
to display the sub-branches beneath it.
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We’ll be working in the Events branch.
Click on the Events branch to display a list of
pre-defined events for the Training application.
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The key items you need to consider when
designing an event are:
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•
•
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What condition are you checking for
Should the event produce a related report
What do you want your alerts to say
Should the event trigger an update to
application data
Who will be notified (and how)
How often do you wish to check for
this condition
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1)
The list on the right shows examples
of the types of events that you can
check for.
2)
Click on the “New Event” button at
the top-left of this window to create
a new event . . .
3)
(Note that you can also cut-and-paste
to copy existing events)
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When designing an event, the first thing you
do is to specify the event’s name.
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The “Lookup Key” field is used when organizations
wish to “call” a KnowledgeSync event from an
external application.
Since this event will be run only from within the
KnowledgeSync application, we can leave this
field blank.
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The “Priority” field comes into play if you have
multiple events that are due to be submitted at the
same time of day.
(The event with the lowest numbered priority is
submitted first.)
It’s worth noting that KnowledgeSync uses a
function called “multi-threading” to ensure that it
can keep up with organizations that need to
monitor and respond to millions of records per day.
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The “Active” checkbox indicates
that this event is currently eligible
to be checked by KnowledgeSync.
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1) The “Repeat Notification” checkbox
is very important.
Let’s take an event that checks daily for
clients whose balance is at least 90% of
their credit limit.
With “Repeat” OFF, a client who meets
this criteria TODAY will cause an alert
to be sent.
If the client still meets this criteria
TOMORROW, KnowledgeSync will
not send another alert.
With “Repeat” ON, a client who meets
this criteria TODAY and TOMORROW will
cause an alert to be sent both days (and
each day thereafter) until the client no
longer meets this event’s criteria.
2) For the event we are working with, we
want to send only one alert each time a
client meets the event’s criteria.
And so we’ll leave the “Repeat” field blank.
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Lastly, the “Keep Only Last Checked Record”
box allows us to reduce the amount of audit
trail history that KnowledgeSync retains for
this event.
Typically this field is checked ON.
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The first component of an event is the specification
of the query (or queries) that will be used to identify
the specific conditions that have to occur in order for
the event to be “triggered.”
To select a query, click on the “Add Query” button.
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You are presented with a list of queries for the
corresponding application. Click on the query called
“Accounts; Current Balance + Bal Forward > ‘x’
Percent of Credit Limit.”
(Note also that you can select queries from other
applications; more in “Designing Multi-Query Events.”)
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Notice how once we select a query, we are prompted to fill
in the specific thresholds (or “Event Trigger Parameters”)
that precisely determine the conditions that this event
will check for.
Since we want to check for clients at 90% (or greater) of
their credit limit, we’ll enter “90” as the trigger parameter.
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Some queries require that you fill in other
“trigger parameters”, such as a date range.
The description of this event tells us that it should look at only
those incidents that were closed “this week”.
Go to the “Answer” field for the “Date Range Begins” trigger
and click on the list button that appears there.
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1) The field at the top of the List window lets us retrieve a list
of valid incident dates from the underlying database.
The “Available Substitution Variables” list lets us choose a
date-related variable that will be replaced with an actual date
when KnowledgeSync runs the event.
2) KnowledgeSync includes an extensive list of substitution
variables, including last month start and end dates, next month
start and end dates, last week’s dates, next week’s dates, today,
tomorrow, and yesterday.
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You may also notice that you have the option to create an event that uses
a VB/VBA script instead of a query to check for underlying data conditions.
Scripts have the flexibility of checking for conditions outside of ODBC
compliant databases. See the section titled “Helpful Hints” for more details
on using scripts within events.
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1) When an event is triggered, KnowledgeSync executes one or more
“response actions” which can include sending alerts, updating
applications, and delivering relevant Crystal reports.
2) These reports can be attached to (or embedded within) an e-mail
message, they can be sent as a fax message, they can be
FTP’d to a specific disk and directory, or they can be posted to a
KnowledgeSync webcast page as a URL link.
Click on the “Add Report” button to link a report to this event.
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Linking Crystal Reports to KnowledgeSync is simply a
process of pointing KnowledgeSync to each Crystal
“*.rpt” file that you wish to allow KnowledgeSync to run.
Since the event that you’re working with is based on a client’s balance,
click on the “AR; Customer Aged Balance Report” to link it to this event.
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Once you choose a report, you can also select its output
format, including HTML, PDF, and Excel.
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Report Parameters are very important.
When you design a Crystal Report, you can design it to accept
“selection criteria” such as date ranges, customer IDs, part
numbers, and so on.
When you link a Crystal Report to KnowledgeSync, you can use
data from a triggered event as a report’s selection criteria. This
lets you ensure that your report includes only the data that
corresponds to the records in the triggered event.
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In some cases, you may wish to attach a file (such as a document,
spreadsheet, or graphic) to an outgoing message.
Like a report, a file can be attached to an outgoing mail message,
it can be included in a fax, FTP’d to a certain location, or posted
to a KnowledgeSync webcast page via a URL link.
This option is particularly useful for the automated distribution
(either on a periodic basis or on an as-requested basis) of
Product Brochures, Price Lists, Newsletters, or other such items.
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The “Copy” (FTP) tab allows you to indicate whether the
reports and/or files associated with an event are available
to be copied to the desired locations of the event’s recipients.
(As you’ll see later, you can indicate whether each recipient
wishes to receive copied files and/or reports.)
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One of the major components of event designing is the creation
of the alert messages. All alert messages – whether e-mail, fax,
page, or webcast – are designed in the same manner.
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The top part of the tab displays a list of the fields of data
associated with each triggered record. You can use these
fields in the message subject line as well as in the body
text of the message.
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You can also use “date substitution variables” in your
message subject and text. (More on this shortly.)
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The “Email Account to Send From” field allows you to indicate
which e-mail account KnowledgeSync will use when it sends
out an alert message via e-mail.
(These e-mail “sending accounts” are configured in the
KnowledgeSync Administrator’s module.)
KnowledgeSync integrates with all e-mail systems, including
Microsoft Exchange/Outlook, Internet/SMTP, and Lotus Notes
mail systems.
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The “Email Reply Address” field allows you to dynamically control
the “From Name” as well as the “Reply Address” that will appear in
the alert message.
This is very useful, for example, when using KnowledgeSync to send
e-mail to customers, prospects, or partners.
Instead of the Reply Address being “KnowledgeSync”, the event can
be configured so that the reply address is the name (and address) of
the salesrep associated with that client’s account.
This way, if the recipient of the alert clicks on “Reply”, the ensuing
message will go right back to the person responsible for that client
or partner.
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Let’s start out by choosing an e-mail sending account,
the e-mail reply address, and let’s also design the
subject of the mail message.
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We’ve selected a mail account called “Corporate Alerts”
as the sending account, and we’ve directed any e-mail
replies to go back to the client’s sales rep.
Note how in the message Subject field we’re combining
the customer’s name with some hard-coded text.
Anything enclosed within curly braces “{}” will have
its actual value substituted in by KnowledgeSync.
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Now we can turn our attention to the message text.
KnowledgeSync supports e-mail message text in both
ascii (plain text) format and in HTML format.
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The best way to begin designing an alert message is to
type in the text that you wish to appear in the message.
Once you do this, you’re ready to start inserting the
corresponding data fields next to each field label.
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You start out by positioning your cursor next to
a specific field label.
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You go up to the list of “Available values for use in message content,”
click on the field that corresponds to the label in your message text,
and click on the “Use selected value in Text” button.
(Click on this button now.)
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The field value then appears next to your label in
the message text.
You can then continue adding field values until
you have finished your message text.
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You are now done designing this e-mail alert message.
But what if instead of sending one alert message for
each triggered record, you wanted to send one alert
message that contains the details of multiple triggered
records?
Let’s take a look at a couple of other alert message
formats:
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This event shows how a single message can “repeat”
the details of multiple triggered records.
In this way, KnowledgeSync can send out one message
for all triggered records, or one message per group of
triggered records, such as one message that contains
all overdue invoices per customer.
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You can even create messages with column headings and
formatted lists beneath them.
(KnowledgeSync includes many field formatting options
so that you can control field length, currency and
numeric formatting, and so on.)
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You can even create alert messages that perfectly
mirror an Order form or Invoice in your financial
applications.
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Since the KnowledgeSync supports HTML-formatted
messages, you also have the ability to create very
sophisticated e-mail alerts that contain graphics,
your company’s logo, web page links, and other
formatting controls.
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Once you create your HTML message text using any
HTML editor, you simply cut-and-paste the HTML
“commands” into the KnowledgeSync “Message Text”
field.
You then place the command “BEGIN*HTML” at the
start of your message text and “END*HTML” at the
end of your message.
You can also combine HTML message text with the
“Repeat” function discussed earlier.
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Let’s finish the “Email” tab by addressing the 3 checkboxes
at the bottom of this window.
The first checkbox lets us specify whether we wish to attach
any Crystal reports that we’ve specified for this event to the
outgoing e-mail alert message.
Because of many organization’s use of security and anti-spam
software, KnowledgeSync also gives you the option of taking
the content of an HTML Crystal Report and embedding that
content right within the body of the e-mail message itself.
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And the second checkbox asks you if you wish
to include the files that you’ve specified for this
event also as e-mail attachments.
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The final checkbox is applicable only if you are generating
Crystal reports for this event but have NOT chosen to attach
them to the outgoing e-mail alert message.
This option is very useful for organizations that wish to use
e-mail to notify recipients about the availability of one or
more reports, but wish to deliver the reports via fax, FTP,
or web browser.
(This is also a very efficient way to deliver large numbers of
Crystal Reports to many recipients.)
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Once you have gone through the process of designing an
e-mail alert message, designing a fax, pager, or webcast
message will look remarkably familiar.
KnowledgeSync embeds its own faxing technology,
although you can also use existing fax software such as
WinFax and FaxRush. All that KnowledgeSync requires is
a modem that is reachable from the KnowledgeSync
server.
Designing a fax is identical to designing an e-mail except
that KnowledgeSync lets you designate the contents of a
fax cover page, and you can specify whether text-based
reports and files are to be included in the fax contents.
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KnowledgeSync also embeds its own paging software
but can also integrate with existing paging products.
Like faxing, all KnowledgeSync needs is a modem that
is reachable from the KnowledgeSync server.
The pager message is designed similar to e-mail,
but usually in a much more condensed format.
KnowledgeSync’s paging supports SMS.
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“Webcasting” is an alert method that is unique to
KnowledgeSync.
Before we explore the information on the webcast
tab, let’s look at a sample webcast alert window . . .
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Webcasting is the dynamic generation (and posting) of alert
information to an HTML page.
Webcasting data can be displayed from any web browser. And
with the Microsoft Active Desktop technology, the events
shown in the webcast window will automatically update
themselves – providing users with a real-time dashboard of
alert events they need to be aware of.
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Designing the webcast alert message is very similar
to designing an e-mail alert message.
(Note that there are a few other steps to the set-up
of the webcasting module; please refer to the
KnowledgeSync Reference Guide for details.)
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Since the webcast alert window is a dynamically
updated HTML page, you can specify the number
of days that a KnowledgeSync alert will remain
on the webcast page.
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And to help provide visual clues as to whether an
event contains good news, bad news, or neutral
news, KnowledgeSync lets you color-code each
event according to the information it contains.
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One of the unique qualities of KnowledgeSync is that in
addition to sending out alert messages, KnowledgeSync
also responds to a triggered event by executing a wide
variety of “actions”.
KnowledgeSync “actions” are used to trigger application
workflow, to add or update records within a database,
and to create intelligent follow-up activities based on the
event that was triggered.
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KnowledgeSync offers four standard “Action” Toolsets, plus
additional Custom Actions that Vineyardsoft has designed
for enhanced integration with select applications.
The Custom Actions that Vineyardsoft offers are for
“plug and play” integration with SalesLogix, Microsoft CRM,
GoldMine, and Exact Software’s Macola and e-Synergy
product lines.
(KnowledgeSync’s standard Action Toolsets allow for
custom integration with any front-office or back-office
applications.)
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1) The first of KnowledgeSync’s Action Tools is the
ability to export triggered event data to an external file.
2) This file can be imported into an application, sent
to a mailing (or list processing) house, or used for
site-specific reporting needs.
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1) The second of KnowledgeSync’s Action Tools is the
ability to execute SQL Statements and/or Stored Procedures.
2) All of the fields of data from the triggered event are made
available to the commands/procedures you wish to execute.
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1) The third of KnowledgeSync’s Action Tools is the
ability to run Executable Programs.
2) Like the previous option, data values from the
triggered records for this event may be passed into
the programs to be run.
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Most powerful (and flexible) of all KnowledgeSync’s
Action Toolsets is the ability to create one or more
Visual Basic (VB) scripts that will be executed as the
result of a triggered event.
This Scripting Module enables you to take data from
triggered events and use that data to drive the creation
or updating of records within your front-office and
back-office applications.
KnowledgeSync’s embedded VB Scripting Module is a
comprehensive tool which enables you to create and
test the scripts you’ll use with KnowledgeSync events.
(This module also includes script templates, sample
scripts, and detailed usage instructions.
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As mentioned earlier, KnowledgeSync also includes a
number of “Custom Actions” that are pre-configured
in the application.
One such “Custom Action” is for the SalesLogix CRM
application, and it enables organizations to easily
configure a KnowledgeSync event so that it can not
only update a client’s history in SalesLogix, it can
also schedule an intelligent follow-up activity in
SalesLogix as the result of a triggered event.
Let’s take a look at a couple of examples:
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Here’s an action that’s linked to an event that checks
when a customer is within 10% of their credit limit
in a financial application.
When this condition is detected, KnowledgeSync
updates the client’s history in the SalesLogix CRM
application with the details of the credit status.
But that’s not all . . .
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KnowledgeSync is also scheduling a phone call (within
SalesLogix) between the account manager and the client
to discuss the client’s credit situation.
Key to this action is KnowledgeSync’s ability to take data
from one application (in this case, the credit information
from the financial application) and use it in the creation
of the activity within another application (SalesLogix).
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“Subscribers” are the people who receive alert messages about
a triggered event. In KnowledgeSync subscribers can be set up
in three different ways:
1)
By manually entering subscriber information into the
KnowledgeSync subscriber database
2)
By importing subscriber data from an external application into
the KnowledgeSync subscriber database
3)
By “linking” KnowledgeSync to the subscriber data in one or
more external applications
Setting up subscribers is done through the “Subscriber Maintenance”
option in the Event Manager. For this exercise, we will simply choose
which subscribers will receive alerts about this event.
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Start off by clicking on the “Add Subscriber” button above . . .
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KnowledgeSync subscribers are divided into groups; a single
event can send alerts to an unlimited number of either
individuals and/or groups.
Notice how some of these groups refer to users from
specific applications (such as the “SalesLogix User” group.)
A very important capability in KnowledgeSync is its ability to
dynamically “read” subscriber data from any table in any
application database.
This way, you don’t have to maintain recipient information
in more than one place, and you’ll always be assured that
this information is up-to-date.
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Let’s send alerts about this event to some members of
the “SalesLogix Users (All)” group.
Click on the plus sign (+) next to this group.
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These names are being dynamically read out of the
SalesLogix database.
We’ll select three people to receive alerts about this
event. The next step is to specify how each person
will be notified.
Click on the “Add Subscriber” button.
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Each alert recipient (or group of recipients) may be
notified via any one or any combination of the five
methods shown above.
(Remember: the “copy” method allows you to FTP
reports and/or files to a person’s preferred disk and
directory location.)
But now let’s take a moment to talk about the
“Advanced” tab within Subscriber selection.
Click on the “Advanced” tab.
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The top part of the Advanced tab is designed for use with applications
that identify record “ownership” through the use of a unique “code”
(such as a salesrep ID number).
When a subscriber is set up within KnowledgeSync, you can identify
what that subscriber’s unique code (or “lookup value”) is.
Then, when an event is triggered, KnowledgeSync can check the unique
code of the corresponding record owner, look for a match for that code
in the KnowledgeSync subscriber database, and send the alert to the
corresponding recipient.
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More frequent, however, is the desire to have KnowledgeSync send
an alert to a person based on information in the record that is being
triggered. For example:
Send a ticket reminder to the support rep assigned to the escalated call.
Send an overdue invoice to the salesrep assigned to the related customer.
Send an order confirmation to the client associated with the order.
In all of these cases, the alert recipient will depend on the record being
triggered. And so you need a way to tell KnowledgeSync to look at the
record being triggered, and determine whom the appropriate
recipient will be.
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Note how you can tell KnowledgeSync to send the message to an address
that is contained in a field related to the record being triggered. In this
example, we’re telling KnowledgeSync to send the message to the address
contained in the field called “Customer_Email_Address”.
As long as the field that contains this information is included as one of the
fields in the event’s query, you can use it here.
You can even “carbon copy” (or “blind carbon copy”) this message to other
select individuals.
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And it’s worth noting that every subscriber that KnowledgeSync sends alerts
to can be set up with not one, but TWO delivery addresses per delivery method.
(E.g., two e-mail addresses, two fax numbers, two pager numbers, and so on.)
The reason for this is so that you can specify that if an event is triggered during
“work hours”, the subscriber will get notified using their “work” address. But if
an event is triggered outside of those hours, the subscriber will get notified using
their “home” address.
(And there might even be those times when a subscriber doesn’t want to be
notified at all!)
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The last step in setting up an event is to choose a schedule
that controls “how often” you wish KnowledgeSync to check
for the corresponding event’s conditions.
Click on the down-arrow next to the “Choose a Schedule to Use”
field at the top of this tab.
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KnowledgeSync lets you create an unlimited number of
schedules: from as often as “every minute” to as
infrequently as once a day, week, month, or year.
We’ll use a schedule that runs every daily at 9:00 AM.
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Once a schedule is selected, KnowledgeSync displays the details
of the chosen schedule for your review. If a schedule runs
multiple times through a day, you can further refine the schedule
to control between what hours of the day the schedule will run
(e.g., between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM).
You can also control the days of the week and months of the year
when a particular schedule is eligible to run.
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The second scheduling option you have is to specify whether the
current event will be run if its execution date falls on a holiday.
Holidays are site-definable (by each client) and are maintained
within the KnowledgeSync Administrator’s module.
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Lastly, KnowledgeSync lets you create “event dependencies.”
This allows you to create scenarios where KnowledgeSync checks
for event ‘a’, and (if it is triggered), checks for events ‘b’, ‘c’, and ‘d’
immediately afterwards.
Event dependencies can get a little complex, and are usually not
used by organizations just starting out with KnowledgeSync.
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The final tab in the Event Designer is the “Triggered” tab.
This tab shows you what records have been triggered by
this event. Note that if you can configure an event to
“repeat notifications for triggered records,” KnowledgeSync
will not retain this information.
If you DO wish to allow KnowledgeSync to re-trigger some
(or all) of these records, you can click on either of the two
buttons at the bottom of this tab to “remove triggered items.”
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Helpful Hints
Event Description Tab:

Event Priority: Use the default priority of “5”. The priority value only comes
into play if you have multiple events due for submission at the same time and
you wish to control which event gets submitted first.

Repeat Notifications (I): The option to “not repeat” notifications will work ONLY if
you have identified a “Unique” column for the event’s underlying query. If you
have not identified a “Unique” column, KnowledgeSync has no way to remember
what records have been triggered, and thus the “repeat” function will
automatically be turned ON.

Repeat Notifications (II): Turning “repeat” ON is quite useful in a support
environment where you want to be notified about any calls that have been open
for more than ‘x’ hours. With repeat ON, you will be repeatedly notified about the
same call regardless of whether it is open for 4, 5, 6, or 10 hours.

Keep Only Last Checked Record in Monitor: An event that is checked every hour
can create 24 “checked” records in the KnowledgeSync monitor, even if the event
was never “triggered.” If you don’t need this level of auditing, put a checkmark in
this field.
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Helpful Hints
Queries Tab:

Use Script Instead of Query: You have the option to use a VB/VBA script instead
of a query as the means to trigger an event. This is particularly useful if the
conditions that you wish to check for are not based on data within an ODBCcompliant database. Using a script instead of a query allows you to check for such
things as low disk space, programs that are not running, memory errors, security
breaches, and files that are missing or have recently been updated.

Multi-Query Events: An event can use multiple queries; either from the same
application, or from different applications. Note that since multi-query events
need to “link” the data from one query to the next, it is essential that you select
the queries in the correct order. (See the training course on Query Designing for
more details on configuring multi-query events.)

Event Trigger Parameters: If you wish to modify the “Question” text that appears
for a specific trigger parameter, you’ll need to modify the “Optional Prompt” text
for the corresponding filter within the underlying query.

You cannot have an event that uses both a query and a script.
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Helpful Hints
Reports Tab:

Crystal Reports is the only reporting engine that KnowledgeSync supports from
the Reports tab. (But you can use KnowledgeSync’s “Action” option to call reports
from other reporting applications.)

Report Parameters: Crystal allows you to build reports that accept external data
values as selection criteria. In KnowledgeSync, any data from a triggered event
(as well as date substitution values) may be passed from KnowledgeSync to the
report to be generated.

Posting Reports to a Web Page: One of the most efficient ways to distribute
Crystal reports is to have KnowledgeSync post them to its webcast alert window
and (simultaneously) to send all recipients an e-mail message with a link to the
webcast URL.

Faxing Reports: Only ascii (text-based) reports can be included in a fax.

Report Distribution: For details on how you can configure KnowledgeSync to
distribute reports on a scheduled basis, see the training course titled “Report
Distribution.”
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Helpful Hints
Files Tab:

Description Field – List Options: An important use of the Files tab is to allow you
to specify large (greater than 30k) files and have the contents of those files
appear within the body text of an outgoing e-mail message. To do so, you need to
specify a description of “Alternative Text:text/html” (or “/richtext” or
“/enriched”). (There is a drop-down list to assist you.)

This lets you specify a file whose contents will appear in the body of the outgoing
e-mail message IF the recipient’s e-mail system supports content in that format.

(If the recipient’s e-mail system does not support the format of the specified file,
the file can simply appear as an attachment.)

Identifying Ascii-Formatted Files: If a file’s contents are in ascii format, you need
to identify this by placing a checkmark in the associated “Ascii” field. This is
necessary so that KnowledgeSync knows what files are eligible to be included in a
fax (see next item).

Faxing Files: Only ascii (text-based) files can be included in a fax.
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Helpful Hints
E-Mail Tab:

Formatting E-Mail Text: If you want to create e-mail with special formatting
characteristics (such as special fonts or styles), create your e-mail in HTML format.
If you want even more sophisticated formatting, design a Crystal report and use
that as the content of your alert message.

E-Mail Subject: Don’t forget that you can put both date substitution variables and
triggered event data in the subject of outgoing e-mail alerts.

Message Text: You can also design your message text to look like a letter, while
substituting in the recipient’s name, address, et cetera. This is ideal for such items
as an order confirmation message, or a message that alerts prospects to limitedtime special offers.

E-mail Should Wait for Reports to Generate: Keep in mind that if you select this
option to “wait” and the reports FAIL to complete successfully (perhaps Crystal is
unavailable), the associated e-mail message will NOT be sent.

If you DON’T include reports and files as attachments, make sure that they are
getting faxed OR copied OR included in a webcast message.
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Helpful Hints
Fax Tab:

Rolled-Up Fax Messages: The “Begin*Repeat” and “End*Repeat” functions may
be used in only one delivery method (i.e., e-mail OR fax OR webcast) per event. If
you are using the “repeat” function in an event’s e-mail message, and you wish to
also use it in a fax or webcast message, you must make a copy of the event
specifically for the fax or webcast alert.

Fax Should Wait for Reports to Generate: Keep in mind that if you select this
option to “wait” and the reports FAIL to complete successfully (perhaps Crystal is
unavailable), the associated fax message will NOT be sent.

Using External Faxing Software: KnowledgeSync embeds its own faxing
technology that dials out to modems through serial ports. If you wish to use an
external faxing technology, you should look at using either e-mail or at an event’s
“Action” functions for methods of passing triggered event data to an external
faxing application.

Fax Cover Page: Don’t forget that you can put both date substitution variables
and triggered event data in the cover page of outgoing fax alerts.
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Helpful Hints
Page Tab:

Page Should Wait for Reports to Generate: Keep in mind that if you select this
option to “wait” and the reports FAIL to complete successfully (perhaps Crystal is
unavailable), the associated pager message will NOT be sent.

How Pages Are Sent: KnowledgeSync embeds its own paging technology that
dials out to modems through serial ports. The set-up of the paging vendor, access
phone number, and port configuration is done in the KnowledgeSync
Administrator module.

Sending Pages and Faxes from a Single Modem/Port: KnowledgeSync allows you
to identify a single port that will be shared for both paging and faxing.

Support of SMS Messaging: KnowledgeSync supports SMS messaging.

Try to keep your paging messages brief!
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Helpful Hints
Webcast Tab:

Webcast Should Wait for Reports to Generate: Keep in mind that if you select this
option to “wait” and the reports FAIL to complete successfully (perhaps Crystal is
unavailable), the associated webcast message will NOT be sent.

Include Reports & Files as URL Links: This is a very efficient way to distribute
reports and files to a large number of individuals.

Designing the Webcast Window: KnowledgeSync’s webcasting technology
“publishes” HTML pages (with triggered event data) to one or more specified
locations. The design of this window is controlled through a “publishing template”
that is included with the KnowledgeSync application. The template is called
“KS_webcaster.htm” and is located in the KnowledgeSync “Webcaster” directory.
(See the Webcasting chapter in the KnowledgeSync Reference Guide for more
details.)
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Helpful Hints
Action Tab:

File Creation: You can place triggered event data, date substitution variables, and
constant data into a file. The file may be formatted however you like, including
comma separated and tab separated (use CTRL/Tab).

SQL and Programs Should Wait for Reports to Generate: Keep in mind that if you
select this option to “wait” and the reports FAIL to complete successfully (perhaps
Crystal is unavailable), the associated SQL statement or program will NOT be
executed.

Make Sure That the Action Server is Running: Actions are executed by the
KnowledgeSync “Action” server. By default (upon installation), this server is
flagged NOT to process. To enable this server, go into the Administrator module,
select the “Action” server and check “Allow Server to Process.”

VB/VBA Script Execution: Scripts are defined in the KnowledgeSync Event
Manager, as a sub-branch beneath each application. Scripts may be written and
tested from this option. Script templates and detailed on-line help are also
available from this option.
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Helpful Hints
Subscriber Tab:

Selected Alert Methods: Be sure that if you select that a subscriber receive an
alert via a specific method (e.g., fax) that they have a fax address defined within
their profile. If they have NO address for the corresponding alert method, no
message will be delivered, and no error recorded.

Subscriber Linking and Importing: In addition to manually entering subscribers
into KnowledgeSync, they may be imported from an external application or
“linked” to an external application. See the KnowledgeSync Reference Guide for
more details.

Including a Subscriber’s Address Within a Query: If you want to send an alert to
an address that resides in a database field, make sure that this field is included as
a column within the underlying query.

Sending Alerts Via the “Copy” Method: The “copy” method is KnowledgeSync’s
way of allowing you to take the reports and/or files that are associated with an
event and have them copied (or ftp’d) to a recipient’s preferred disk and directory
location.
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Helpful Hints
Schedule Tab:

Creating Your Own Schedules: KnowledgeSync includes approximately a dozen
pre-configured schedules. To create additional schedules of your own, simply click
on the “Create New Schedule” button.

Schedules That Are Not in Effect Until a Certain Date: KnowledgeSync lets you
create schedules that do not “go into effect” until after a certain date. Thus you
can assign events to a schedule and they will not begin running until a particular
date has been reached.

Schedule “Range”: Every schedule lets you specify the hours of the day, days of
the week, and months of the year during which that schedule is eligible to run.

Schedule Dependencies: Note that schedule dependencies are set-up by
specifying that the current event IS DEPENDENT ON one or more other events
being triggered. (Thus if you wish to run event ‘b’ if event ‘a’ is triggered, you need
to go into event ‘b’ and specify that it is dependent upon event ‘a’.)
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Where to
Go From Here
The best way to proceed from here is to start building events.

Start Simple: You can always add reports, files, and webcasting to an event. Start
off by choosing a single query with a simple e-mail alert. Trigger the event. If you
like what you see, go on from there.

Use the Sample Database: If you don’t have easy access to an ODBC-compliant
database, use the “KS_Sample.mdb” that is included in the KnowledgeSync data
directory. It’s a mini-CRM database and is great for practice.

Don’t Forget the Product-Specific Tutorials: KnowledgeSync includes tutorials for
the sample application, GoldMine, SalesLogix, Great Plains, and many other
applications.

Get More Adventuresome: Once you’ve got a few events working, try a multiquery event. Then set up the webcasting component. There’s always something
more you can try!
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Thank You
Vineyardsoft Corporation
800-850-8055
www.vineyardsoft.com
[email protected]
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