Contents

Overview

QESTLab contains hundreds of tests and dozens of test reports, however, it is not possible to cover every test method in use. User documents allow administrators to define their own test methods, test reports, or custom equipment calibration documents in QESTLab.

Test Method

A custom test method user document, once created, will act like all other test screens in QESTLab in that it:

• Can be a child of a work order or sample (aggregate/soil, asphalt, or concrete)

• Have a test method and revision year associated with them

• Can have billing mapped against them

• Can have results mined on management reports and charts

System administrators in QESTLab will define the following for each test method user document:

• The name, method and revision year

• Whether to use an existing QEST Platform table (i.e. if this user document is of the same type as another existing test) or whether a new table is required

• If creating a new table, the fields that will store the necessary information as well as their data types

• If using an existing table, which existing fields will be used

External Test Report

An external test report user document will, once created, support a subset of the features of standard QEST Platform reports, including:

• Signing

• Archiving on subsequent issues

• Locking on completion

Equipment Calibration

An external equipment calibration document can be used to create an Excel-template for calculating and populating any calibration values on a given equipment type.

Pre Planning

Test Method

The test in question should be reviewed and the following questions considered.

Test Report

A custom test report user document will require a mapped Excel template in order to be able to display the report. An Excel template will first need to be created to be used for the report. For consistency, it is often useful to create a design that mimics that of native QEST Platform reports. This means mimicking the design of the header, footer colour scheme and layout.

Preparing a template like this prior to creating any external reports means that it can be re-used on each external report that may be necessary.

Creating a User Document

The following steps will allow a user to create a new user document. This example shows the creation of a Test Method user document.

1. Open the QEST Administrator Console and log in as a user with System Administrator rights. 

2. Navigate to Configuration>Documents>User

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3. Create a new user document by right clicking > Add User Document or using the menu: Action > Add User Document.

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4. This will show the Add User Document dialog. This dialog is split into three sections.

   1. Upper: Document details section which allows configuration of general information that pertains to the entire user document.

   2. Middle: Fields section which allows configuration of individual test fields on the user document.

   3. Lower: Additional Properties section which allows for additional properties to be set on the user document. For example, users can define tags that are used on Construction Hive or assign a special icon to the document. These sections are further described in the sections below.
      

The User Document Dialog

Adding a Field to the User Document

To add a field to the user document, click on the Blank Page icon.

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To delete a field from the user document, click into the row that is to be deleted and click on the Red “X” icon to delete the field.

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Upper Section

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• Document Type: Defines the type of user document being added.

  • Test Method adds a document that represents a custom test

  • External Test Report adds a document that represents a custom test report

  • Equipment Calibration adds a custom equipment calibration that can be used to complete equipment calibration values.
    
    

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• Table: Most user documents will have a table type of "(none)" and this will be fixed for Test Report and Equipment Calibration user documents. For Test Methods (none) means the test will have its own dedicated table created in the QESTLab database. For special cases where the test method user document needs to be based on a native QESTLab table, select the table from the list.

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  • At times it can be advantageous to create test method user documents on native QESTLab tables. Advantages include:

    • Existing functionality can be used e.g. a user document gradation (PSD) can print in the PSD table of the Material Report

    • Simplifies filters since user document tests and native tests of the same type are stored in the same table

    Note: When a user document is created on an existing QESTLab table, new fields cannot be added to the table. This Table field is not editable once the document has been saved.

• Document Name: The name of the user document and it may be seen in some QESTLab a screens. As this is usually the same as the caption, the caption will be set to the value that is initially entered here.

• Caption: The name of the user document when it is viewed by users in QESTLab.

• No: The internal ID of the user document. Normally this is automatically set and should not be modified. It may become more important to edit this value when users want to migrate user documents between QEST Platform environments – document IDs must be consistent between environments.

  This field is not editable once the document has been saved.

• Report Prefix: The prefix of the report. Applicable only to Test Report Type user documents.

• Test Method: The test method of the test method in question (if applicable). Optional but recommended.

• Revision Year: The revision year of the test method (if applicable). Optional but recommended.

• Parent Document: Determines which document(s) the test, report or calibration is available for. For example, a new asphalt test may have the "Asphalt Sample" as a parent. For tests which do not have an applicable QESTLab sample type, "Other Sample" should be selected.

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Test Method User Document Configuration

Fields - Basic

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The Fields section allows the definition of specific fields for use in the user document. This includes:

• Data entry fields

• Results fields

• Metadata fields which import values from elsewhere in QESTLab

User documents based on existing tables will pre-populate the fields based on fields present in the existing table.

The Basic tab contains all settings required to make most user documents:

• Prompt: The label for the field as seen by end users in QESTLab. This is displayed on the reduced entry screen, the bulk entry (work order) screen, and on all reports.

• Name: The internal name for the field. This will be automatically generated based on the Prompt, but can be overridden if necessary. This corresponds to the actual field name used in the underlying database table, so it cannot include spaces or special characters.
  The Name cannot be changed after the document has been saved.

• Type: The underlying data type used for the field. A String type is often the most flexible if it is not clear on what is required.

  • String: For text (non-numeric) values. If used, the Length must also be entered.

  • Integer: For integer (whole-value) numbers.

  • Decimal: For real (decimal) numbers. The format can be used to specify the number of decimal places desired.

  • Date/Time: For storage of dates and times

  • Money: For storage of monetary figures.

  • Float: Same as Decimal, but with twice the precision. May provide more accurate results when entering values with a very high number of significant figures.

  • Binary: For storing binary data. Not generally recommended without assistance from Spectra QEST.

  • Large Text: For storing large amounts of text. It should only be used if the maximum length of the String type (4000 characters) is not sufficient.

  • Bit: A binary 0 or 1. May be useful for True/False, Yes/No types, though the String type may be preferable for flexibility.

  • UUID: For storing GUIDs (globally unique identifiers). Not generally required.
    The Type cannot be changed after the document has been saved.

• Length: For String types only, the Length indicates the maximum number of characters that can be entered into this field. A conservative estimate of how many characters are required is preferable; 2 or 3 times longer than the longest expected value is fine.
  The Length cannot be changed after the document has been saved.

• Format: Determines how the value is formatted when displayed in the reduced entry screen, and in QESTLab reports. Some examples:

  • mm/dd/yyyy - Format a date in U.S. style, e.g. "12/31/2009"

  • h:MM AM/PM - Format a date so that only the time is displayed, e.g. "2:53 PM"

  • dddd, dd mmmm yyyy - A long date format, e.g. "Friday, 15 May 2009"

  • 0.000 - Format a number to display three decimal places

  • Yes;No - Format a true/false value to show "Yes" when true and "No" when false.

  • Mutliline: A special format exists which is used in conjunction with the String type that allows the user to enter a very large amount of text over multiple lines. To use this format, simply select the String type, specify the length for the string and set the format to 'MULTILINE'. When this User Document is created the field formatted as the multi-line will initially show as 3 lines long. If the user enters a string that is longer than three lines, the field will re-size to accommodate for the text. If the field is larger than three lines and the text is removed, the field will decrease in size to accommodate the text.

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  • The format column can also be used to create list fields.

    • A standard fixed list dropdown can be created by adding the format string LIST:Item1;Item2;Item3;
      where Item1, Item2, Item3 refer to the strings which populate each item in the dropdown. Any number of items can be added to the fixed list so long as the format string fits into the length of the string field.

    • A QESTLab list dropdown can be created by adding the format string LISTRESTRICT:FieldName;ID
      where ID refers to the QESTLab list QestID and FieldName refers to the field in the QESTLab list to populate the dropdown items from.

• Mat. Report: Determines whether the value will be reported on an available material report, such as the Aggregate/Soil Test Report, the Multiple Sample Aggregate/Soil Test Report or equivalent asphalt test reports.

Special Characters

For field prompts, which also appear on reports, QESTLab supports the special characters present in the Windows 1252 code page.

Fields - Bulk Entry

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The Bulk Entry tab allows for greater control over how the user document is displayed on the work order screen i.e. in the "bulk entry" view.

• Bulk Entry: Determines whether to include the field on the bulk entry screen or not.

• Equipment Type: If an equipment code must be stored in a field, setting the equipment type here will provide for the user a drop-down box providing all available equipment items of the specified type.

• Read Only: Determines whether the user can enter a value in this field. Set the field to ‘Yes’ if using a dynamic worksheet to calculate a value.

• Autofill: Determines whether the field is subject to the "auto fill" button, which copies across any value in the first sample to all other samples.

• Hidden: Determines whether the field is to be hidden or not. The "Bulk Entry" setting has the same effect.

• Order: Determines the order of the fields on the bulk entry screen and user document in QESTLab. The values have to be numbers and do not need to be in sequential order in this column. The sorting will be seen in QESTLab and will sort the fields from lowest to highest values. If the fields are already displayed in the desired order it may not be necessary to set the Order on any of the fields.

For simple tests that do not require a dynamic worksheet, ordering the fields such that data entry can be performed in the bulk entry screen and user document in QESTLab is recommended. 

Equipment Fields

Any field with a string type can be set to have the value sourced from the Equipment list. Assigning an equipment type to this field will allow a user to select the available equipment for the equipment type in QESTLab on the bulk entry screen. If configured, a drop-down list will be available in QESTLab for a user to select the piece of equipment. This equipment drop-down list is only available on the work order bulk entry screen.

In the example below, three fields were created for the user document. These fields all have the Type field set as a String in order to store the codes. The Bulk Entry field is set to Yes, and the relevant Equipment type is selected.

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Now on the bulk entry screen in QESTLab, the user is able to select the equipment code for equipment field.

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Fields - External Document Metadata

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Sometimes a test requires data from another source such as a value from a QESTLab list; an equipment calibration value; or a value from another work order. The External Document Metadata tab allows users to define queries that import data into a Dynamic Worksheet. This data can then be used for a calculation or re-exported back to the QESTLab test.

• Metadata: Specifies whether the field is an external document metadata field

• Metadata Query: Specifies the pseudo-SQL query used to retrieve the data.

Note: Metadata fields are not necessary for data that exists anywhere under the same work order for the user document test that is being created – this data is already available for mapping.

Usage examples:

• Importing the binder density from a list.

• Retrieving mold dimensions from a selected equipment item.

• Importing the Maximum Dry Unit Weight and Optimum Water Content from a proctor on another work order.

• Retrieving the name of the user that checked the test.

Fields - Reports 1 - 3

By setting the Mat Report field to true, fields from the user document will report on the:

• Aggregate/Soil Test Report (18909)

• Asphalt Test Report (18979)

• Other Test Report (18940)

• Multiple Sample Aggsoil Test Report (18980)

• Multiple Sample Asphalt Test Report (18978)

Fields can also be displayed on some specialized QESTLab test reports using the Reports1, Reports2, and Reports3 tabs. These fields should be used in consultation with Spectra QEST.

Additional Properties

The Additional Properties section can be used to set properties such as the document icon and to set tags for Construction Hive. These two examples apply only to the Test Method user document type.

Changing the Document Icon

For example, if the word LOT is entered in the Value field it will change the default icon image to the LOT icon. The LOT icon which now set for the user document will be seen in the QESTLab navigation tree.

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The image below shows how the LOT icon will appear in QESTLab. 

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The following icons can be used:

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Construction Hive Tags

It is possible to add tags to user documents so that the documents may be easily filtered in Construction Hive. It is recommended to match the user document tags to the existing native tags.

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Granting Access to a User Document

Once a user document has been created it will need to be made available to:

• Laboratories via Regions & Labs in the QEST Admin Console

• Users via their roles in QESTLab application.

Using a User Document

Once a user document has been created and access has been granted, user documents can be used just like any other test, report, or equipment calibration in QESTLab.