Contents

Overview

A Work Template is a structural template for a work order that allow all the necessary samples, tests and reports to be automatically registered for a work order.

A work template may include:

• The number of samples and the type of each sample.
• The number and type of tests, reports or other documents added to each of the samples and the work order itself.
• Predefined field values for any document, sample or the work order. e.g. a different predefined material for each sample.

Templates can be created for tests which are commonly performed together to save time during the sample registration process. Work Templates can be created either manually or from an existing work order which allows the data entry screens to be used to set up a template. These templates can then be used to create a Work Order and its samples and documents with initial values, all in one go.

Adding Work Templates

Work Templates can be created either from an existing work order, existing work template, or from scratch. Using existing work orders or templates allows the user to quickly setup a large number of work templates which relate to commonly done work. When there is not appropriate existing work, a new work template can be created and manually configured.

Copying from a Work Order

The easiest way to create a Work Template is from an existing Work Order.

1. Load or create a work order with the structure and starting values desired for the template entered.
2. From the Tools menu, select Work Templates -> Create from Current Work Order.
3. Choose when prompted whether to create this new work template as a global work template. If no is selected, the template is associated with the laboratory of the work order the template is being created from.
4. Enter a name for the work template. The names do not have to be unique, but should be descriptive enough to tell all the different templates at this laboratory apart. If no name is entered or the Cancel button is clicked then no template is created.
5. After clicking OK the template is created and the Edit Templates form displayed with the laboratory containing the new template selected. The new template can then be manually modified as required.

Copying from a Work Template

A template can be copied such that an existing template can be used as the basis for a new template. The entire contents of the template are copied including all samples, documents and field defaults.

1. From the Tools menu, select Work Templates -> Manage Work Templates.
2. Select the laboratory (or global) which has the work template in the top right.
3. Select the work template you wish to copy in the Work Templates list on the left-hand side.
4. Click the Save Work Template As... () button above the Work Templates list. 
5. Enter a name for the new work template and click OK.
6. The template is then created and selected. The new template can now be further configured as required.

New Work Template

A new work template can be created from the Manage Work Templates form

1. From the Tools menu, select Work Templates -> Manage Work Templates.
2. Select the laboratory (or global) to which the work template should be added in the top right.
3. Click the New Work Template () button above the Work Templates list. 
4. Enter a name for the new work template and click OK.
5. The template is then created and selected. The new template can now be configured as required.

Configuring Work Templates

To configure work templates:

1. From the Tools menu, select Work Templates -> Manage Work Templates.
2. Select the laboratory (or global) which has the work template in the top right.
3. Select the work template you wish to configure from the Work Templates list on the left-hand side.

Adding Samples, Tests and Reports

Click the document in the central Document tree which the sample, test or report is to be added to. When creating a new template only the Work Order document is available here and should initially be selected.

Repeating Samples

Samples added to a work template are repeating samples by default.

Repeating samples allow the number of samples to be entered into the bulk entry after the work order has been added. Each sample has the structure defined in the work template.

Fixed Samples

Samples can be fixed, meaning that only the number of these samples defined in the template will be added to the work order, without the possibility to add more. They are displayed in blue to differentiate them from the other samples.

To change the state of samples:

1. Click on the sample in the Document tree that you wish to set the state on.
2. Click the Set Sample Repeating () button to toggle the state of the sample. 

Optional Tests

Tests in the template can be set as optional. These are displayed in green to differentiate them from the other tests.

Optional tests are not added to their samples when the samples are created. Instead a row for the test is shown in the bulk entry grid where the user may add the test against samples as desired.

To change the state of the test:

1. Click on the test in the Document tree that you wish to set the state on.
2. Click the Set Document Optional () button to toggle the state of the sample. (This is the same button used in Repeating Samples, described above) 

Predefined Field Values

Predefined values (defaults) can be set for the fields of each document that is part of the work template.

1. Select the document from the central Document tree to which predefined values will be added.
2. Select the Predefined Values tab on the right-hand side.
3. Scroll down to the appropriate field and enter the predefined value.
4. Repeat these steps for as many documents and fields as required.

Free-entry fields are provided for predefined values in the template. This makes them flexible, but it should be noted:

• The entered values are not formatted or validated so only appropriate values should entered otherwise they may cause errors.
• Generating the work template from an existing work order is the easiest and best way to create a work template with predefined values.
• After changing the predefined field values, the template should be tested by using it to create a new Work Order and opening each of the created documents to ensure there are no errors and the correct predefined values are displayed.
• System fields and fields with counters configured are not shown and cannot have predefined values.
• Predefined values can be removed by deleting the value in the grid and saving the work template.