Contents

Overview

Well controlled reference data is core to the QEST Platform; lists are a key part of this reference data and its control. Lists of reference data allow for controlled vocabulary and permit users to complete the data entry for tests and results in a consistent and efficient manner. These can be project-specific items like approved mix designs or more general items like descriptions of weather. Drop-down menus across different data entry screens and products are populated by reference data from these lists. Lists can have local or global scope, meaning the items contained in a list are available either at all laboratories, just one laboratory or a mixture of the two with some being global items and others local.

List Permissions

List permissions are controlled through the Roles node. It is possible to grant read, edit, add and delete permissions to users.

Creating a New List item

Drop down fields used throughout the QEST Platform often reference a list, and these are populated under the List node in QESTLab. Data is added to the list once, it can then be used many times across multiple work orders and samples. Filters below the List node allow the user to see different lists applicable to different sample types or categories. (e.g. Agg/Soil, Asphalt, etc.).

The first step to adding a list item is to select the desired list in the QESTLab tree. Once the list opens in the right hand content pane, the New List Item  button located on the top left toolbar should be clicked. This will prompt the user to enter a code, name and any other list specific details for the new list item.

Once all the required information is entered the OK button is used to confirm and add the entry. The new list item will now be available in the selected list type. Additional columns for reference data related to the newly added item may be available for addition in the list view, this is dependent upon the list selected. 

List Options 

Options for lists are controlled through the Administrator Console under Lists. 

Double-clicking a list or right-clicking and selecting the Edit List Options item will allow the editing of options for the list. This will open a new window that will contain all the options available for that list item. 

A short description each option is included in the table below: 

A more detailed description of each of these options is described below.

List Type

Depending upon the selection, list items will be available for selection within a specific lab or to all labs. The differences between each list type is discussed below:

Global Lists

• Are located under the global laboratory,
• Specific access to this global laboratory be granted before users can modify these list items,
• Entries in these lists are available in drop downs at all laboratories.
  

Local Lists

• An instance of the list is located under each laboratory separately,
• Modifying items in these lists at each laboratory is available those users who have rights for the given laboratory,
• Entries in local lists are available only in the laboratory in which they exist for that list.
  

Global and Local Lists

• A global instance of the list exists as well as an instance located under each laboratory separately
• Both the global and local lists behave as described above (that is, both sets of functionality are available)

Page Size

This setting sets the number of records that are displayed (fetched from the database) for lists with a large number of records, at any given point in time. The default recommended value is 300. If a search is attempted for any item of data that is not currently being displayed, the system will query the database. This setting can help improve performance when loading of QESTLab lists by bringing in data from the database on an as-required basis. 

Searching

The Searching setting enables on-demand filtering of list dropdowns. As a user types in the list dropdown, after a small delay, the items displayed in the list will be narrowed based on the text typed.

Preferred Laboratory

The Preferred Laboratory setting is used in conjunction with Global lists. When there is a large global list, this setting can be applied such that each local lab can only view subsets of this entire list. A preferred lab can be nominated for each global list item. Once complete, users in each laboratory will see only the items that have their current laboratory set as the preferred lab by default as opposed to the entire list.

Allow Editing of Inactive Items and Inactive Status

This setting allows individual list items to to marked as Inactive. Inactive items do not appear in list drop-downs throughout QEST Platform. For example, if an individual project were set Inactive, it cannot be selected on any new work orders. Existing work orders with the inactive project will continue to load without issue.

An inactive item is not deleted, can be altered via the list and re-activated at anytime.

An inactive items appear grayed out in lists and the data filter allows exclusion of inactive items.

Allow Self Group Filtering

Enables the ability to filter/search each list by its own Name column.

The image below shows the Agg/Soil Material list with this option set to False, the user can only filter by Supplier and Source.

The image below shows the Agg/Soil Material list with this option set to True, in addition to filtering by Supplier and Source, the user can also filter by the material name.

Lockable Code and Name Columns

This setting allows Code and Name column locking for the selected lists. When viewing a list with this setting selected, a button is shown at the top which allows the locking to be toggled while scrolling, as shown in the screenshot below.

When locked, the Name and Code columns (if they are the left-most columns of the list) become locked and hence fixed when scrolling across wide lists. This allows users to see the code and name that identify a list item lined up against the value they wish to edit when needing to scroll across to find it.

Show Global List Entries in Grouping Drop-downs

Checking the box for this setting allows global entries for the list to be accessible in all the local drop down boxes on various screens in QESTLab. This setting is relevant only if the list in question has been set up as a "global and local" list type.

Show Inactive Items in Filters

This setting allows 'Inactive" list items in filters. See 1144160820 for more information regarding the Inactive list items. 

Allow free entry of data in list (will disable auto-complete of lists)

This setting, when checked, will allow the user to enter free text in all drop-downs linked to the list. For example if the setting is checked for the client list, all client drop-downs would allow free text entry. This allows users to enter data that doesn't actually exist in the list.

Exclude Non-approved Clients from Drop-downs 

This setting is only applicable to the Client list. When checked, all client drop-downs lists on tests screens, sample screens, filters, lists, invoices, and any other places they appear, will be restricted to clients that have been approved. Clients can be approved by ticking the 'Approved' check box on the client list.

Client and Project Lists

Client and Project lists have their own special nodes in the QESTLab tree. These nodes are used to define client and project related details, these details are displayed on test reports and can also be used to determine default test report recipients.

Clients 

Customer details are stored in the client list. The user can select a customer from a drop-down list when registering a work order or a sample, producing a test report or invoice and on many other screens. To manage the client list click on the Clients node in the tree. The clients for the current laboratory are displayed in the right hand window. To restrict the clients by laboratory select the laboratory in the filter area and click the Refresh button .

If the customer base is shared across all labs, a global client list should be configured. If each lab in the organization has its own set of clients that are not usually shared then local clients may be set up. A combination of local and global clients can also be set up based on the needs of the organization. 

If the client list is a local or global and local list, the Client node will show up at the top of the tree for each laboratory. If the client list is a global only list, the Client node will only be visible when the laboratory is set to all or global.

Creating a New Client

To add a new client to the Client list follow these steps:

1. Click on the client node.
2. Click on the New List Item icon  in the upper left on the toolbar. 
3. Complete the fields for the information that needs to be retained and manged in QESTLab for the downstream purpose of showing client data on reports. 

Projects

Creating a New Project

To add a new project to the Project list follow these steps:

1. Click on the project node.
2. Click on the New List Item icon  in the upper left on the toolbar. 
3. Complete the fields for the information that needs to be retained and manged in QESTLab for the downstream purpose of showing client data on reports. 

List Definitions

Miscellaneous Lists 

List Name	Description
Additive Material Source	Additive material source name and associated supplier. Used on specific soil test screens to identify materials with stabilizer.
Additive Material Type	Additive material type. Used on specific soil test screens to identify materials with stabilizer.
Billable Items	Used to map a specific test within QESTLab to a billable item code. This list is used in conjunction with the Fee Schedule list.
Clients	Client records and associated details.
Contacts	Report recipients and their contact information. Contacts are associated with a project.
Contractor List	Identifying names of contractors for use on inspections and across all sample types.
Credit Reason	Only applicable if the Allow users to request Approval for an Invoice general option is set to True. When crediting an invoice, a choice must be made from items in this list as to why the invoice is being credited.
Customer Requirements	Used on the work order to identify customer requirements for a specific field density work order in Australian and New Zealand markets. E.g. Minimum Dry Density Ratio of 95% of Standard Compaction.
Daily Field: Observations and Tests	Pre-populated observations/test remark text that can be imported onto the Daily Field Inspection test and report.
Distributions	Shows a list of all contacts that have been selected as a recipient per report type per project.
Equipment Tasks	Used to describe the type of task associated with an equipment calibration and check. E.g. External Calibration, In-house calibration, etc.
External Report Identification	Used to label external reports to allow easy identification of these reports when viewing the QESTLab tree or publishing to Construction Hive. Requires External Report Identification to be enabled on the database.
Fee Schedule	Linked to Billable Items and is used to import a unit charge and minimum charge for the specific document that has been selected as a billable item.
Invoice Correction Reason	Only applicable if the Allow users to request Approval for an Invoice general option is set to True. Pre-populated remark to explain reason for requiring a correction to an invoice.
Layer/Depth/Eleven	Used to add to location descriptions on aggregate, soil and asphalt sample types. Usually contains entries such as “Fill Material”, “Base” etc.
Offset From	Description of offset from value. E.g. RHS, CL, etc.
Price List	Only applicable if the Use Approved Price Lists general option is set to True. Price lists impose additional control on fee schedule items by grouping fee schedule items together and allowing these groupings to be applied to one or more projects for billing purposes.
Projects	Project records and associated details
Qualification Tasks	Used to populate the qualification tasks drop-down in the People node. E.g. Radiation License, First-Aid License, etc.
Reason Non Standard	Entries in this list can be used to retrieve the reason for non standard result on the sample registration screen.
Report Comments	Canned comments for inclusion on test reports. A comment can be associated with a specific client, report type, project or any combination of these if desired. If no association is made then the comment is available on all reports.
Sample Preparation	Allows data entry of procedural information on individual test screens through the Test Information panel . To use this list the "Display procedural Information Data Entry" option must be enabled in the administrator console under General.
Sample Remarks	Allows entry of remarks on test screens. When enabled, a Remarks text field will appear on the Test Information panel of the test screens. To use this list the "Display Remarks Entry" option must be enabled in the administrator console under General.
Sampled By	A purely Read Only list. Displays a list of all the 'Sampled By' personnel for the selected laboratory and if they are laboratory endorsed.
Specification Note	Entries in this list can be associated with a specification limit and will be shown on the North American aggregate/soil field density test report only and used to denote the outcome of the test clearly in the body of the report.
Test Procedure	Allows data entry of procedural information on individual test screens through the Test Information panel . To use this list the "Display procedural Information Data Entry" option must be enabled in the administrator console under General.
Test Report Notes	Pre-populated notes that can be selected to appear on the test report.
Weather Conditions	Predefined set of weather conditions for use on concrete samples and other selected tests.

Agg/Soil Lists

Asphalt & Bitumen Lists

Concrete Lists

Masonry Lists

Other Lists

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