LANDESK SOFTWARE CONFIDENTIAL Tips and Tricks with Filters Jenny Lardh

LANDESK SOFTWARE CONFIDENTIAL

Tips and Tricks with Filters

Jenny Lardh


The Basics

What are Queries and Filters?What are the difference between Queries and Filters?How to Create a Query / Filter

Tips and Tricks

How to create tabs in Web AccessControlling Drop down listsDirect lookup using Queries


What are Queries and Filters?

Queries and Filters will show you information from the object they are created on.

Create a Query / Filter on the Incident Object and you will get Incidents in the result.

The information that you present can then be filtered using criteria so that you only see information relevant to the user.

You can filter your Query and Filter to only show Incident logged “today” or “last week”.

Queries and Filters can be used in different part of the product:

Query• Dashboard Gadgets• Run from a shortcut group• Default Query.• Linking Actions

Filter• Drop down lists• Tabs


What are the difference between Queries and Filters?

A Query will allow you to base your result on one object.Any criteria added to the Query will come from an attribute on the based Object.

Example:Base On: Incident Object.You can add a criteria to show all Incidents where Category is Equal to “Hardware”.

A Filter will allow you to base your result on one object and Filter by another Object.

Example:Base On: Incident – Note Object.Filter By: Incident Object

Add this Filter as a tab on an Incident and you can see all Notes belonging to that Incident only

You can “Base On” and “Filter By” the same Object


How to create a Query and Filter

Both Queries and Filters can be created in Console within the“Query and Report Designer” Component.

Click on “New Query / New Filter”

Type in Title and select your Objects to Baseand Filter by accordingly.

Created For:Me: This is a private Query / FilterEveryone: This is a system Query / Filter


Adding Columns

This is where you decide what Columns to show.

On the left you see an Attributes list with available attributes.Drag your selected Attribute on to the “Selected Attributes” area.

You can right to get in to Properties.Properties will allow you to change details such as:

Column HeadingSort OrderColumn Sizing


Grouping (Queries Only)

This will allow you to choose an attribute to Group your Query by.

Drag the Attribute that you want to Group By to the Group Area

In the Group pop up window you can select to Sort the Grouping, Load the Query with collapsed grouping or expanded grouping.


Adding Criteria to Queries

Here you will select the filters added to your Query. This is what will determined what results you will see.

Find the relevant attribute you want to filter by and drag this out to the Current Criteria area.

Your Criteria pop up window will appear.

Select your Condition in the “Condition” drop down list.

Select your Value in the “Value” drop down list.

Tick “Prompt user to specify value” if the User should be allowed to select their own value when running the Query.


Adding Criteria to Filters

The Attributes list on the left will show you all attribute from the Object the Filter is “Based On”.

Select the Attribute you wish to filter by and drag this out to the “Current Criteria” are.

The Criteria pop up window will show

Select the relevant Condition to use in the “Condition” drop down list.

For the Comparison Value, you can select an Absolute value or a Runtime value.Absolute Value = Will allow you to specify an absolute

value from the Attribute you selected.Runtime Value = Will allow you to select a value from the

Object you are “Filtering By” and then filter this dynamically.The attribute list that you will see within the Criteria popup window are all attributes from the Object the Filter is “Filtered by”


General PageGeneral Settings for Query:

Will show you the Title and Description set when you first started creating your Query / Filter.

Results Detail:

If you want your Query to automatically refresh, you can set this here.

Include soft deleted records, means that it will show records that has been marked as soft deleted in the database.

No. Records Displayed:

This it the number you want returned per page or to only return a certain amount of results.

Prompt Options:

Prompt Dialog is valid for Console Only and allows you to see a Simple prompt or a Grid prompt.

Launch Action:

Allows you to choose what Object you want to launch when double clicking on the record. For example, you can launch the Note or you can launch the Incident the Note belongs to.


Create a Query through Web Access

Queries can also be created directly in Web Access by right clicking within the shortcut panel or on a Dashboard and select to create a query.

The “Create Query” page will load.

Type in a Title, select your Module and Object you want to create your query on.

Add to shortcut bar? – Will add the Query you are creating to the shortcut bar where you right clicked.

As system shortcut? – Query will be available to all users.

Is telephony aware – Only relevant if you’re using telephony.

Prevent launch of records – Stops users being able to launch any result within the Query.

View list of Service Desk Queries – Allows you to select an already existing Console Query rather than creating a new Query from scratch.



Once you have created a Query in Web Desk you can choose to add Filters to the Query.

Run the Query, then in the top right hand corner, drop the arrow down.

Select “Insert Filter”

In the Attribute list you get up, select the Attribute you want to filter your Query by and click OK.

Select relevant Condition Type and Value.

You can also choose if the user should be able to select their own value to filter by, by ticking “Show filter as prompt?”



When you’re done modifying your Query, your Query will show the new results immediately according to your modifications.

Note that the shortcut will still have the original Query saved, meaning it will not have any filters added to it.

If you wish to save the modifications done, right click on the shortcut itself and select “Replace this shortcut with current page


How can I apply Filters and Queries in my setup?


How to create tabs in Web Access from a filter


Decide what to “Base On” and “Filter By”

Decide where you want to see the tab Decide what information you want to see within the tab Find which Objects to Base On and Filter By

For example:I want to see all Incidents logged by Raise User on my Incident window.

Base ON: Incident Management - IncidentFilter By: Incident Management - Incident

I want to see all Notes added to my Incident on my Incident window.Base On: Incident Management – NoteFilter By: Incident Management - Incident

I want to see all Tasks added to my Request on my Request window.Base On: Request Management – TaskFilter By: Request Management - Request


Create your Criteria

Create your Filter within Query and Report Designer in Console. Add the relevant Attributes you want to see as column on your tab and set any properties, such as Sort By. Add any criteria to your filter.

When adding criteria you will need to match a value from an attribute within the result you expect to see to an attribute o the record you have launched.

For example:I want to see all Incidents logged by Raise User on my Incident window.

We need to match Raise User within the results to Raise User on the Incident.Raise User is Equal to (Raise User)

I want to see all Notes added to my Incident on my Incident window.We need to match the Incident linked to Notes to the Incident we are viewing.Incident is Equal to (Incident)

I want to see all Tasks added to my Request on my Request window.We need to match The Request linked to Task to the Request we are viewing.Incident is Equal to (Incident)


Add the Filter to your window

Launch the window in Window Manager that you want to add the tab to From within the Controls section, click on the Query option and click on the

window. It will appear as a collection at the bottom of the window. Highlight the Query at the bottom of the window and go

to Properties. In the “Query/Filter” option, select the Filter that you have

created and save your window. Make sure “Show on Window” is set to True.


Controlling Drop down lists


Controlling Drop down lists

You can filter the returned value in any drop down list. This can show a fixed result or different results depending on who’s using the drop

down listFor Example:If an Analyst is dropping down “Raise User” s/he will see all available End UsersIf an End User is dropping down “Raise User” they will only see End Users belonging to their own Company.

There are two ways to create a filter for a drop down list. Query and Report Designer. Through Object Designer.

Creating your filter through Object Designer willautomatically select the correct Object for you andso has a lot of advantages when looking to use thefilter in a drop down list.

Un-filtered drop down list

Filtered drop down list


Creating a Filter through Object Designer

In Object Designer, find your relevant Attribute and look in Properties.

Select the […] button on the “Filter Selectors” setting.

In your “Attribute Filter Selectors” pop up window,select “New Filter Rule”


Creating a Filter through Object Designer

In the “Select a filter query” drop down list, select “New” Your “New Filter” pop up window appears. Notices that your

Based On and Filtered By Objects are already selected for you. Create your Filter as Normal. When the filter is created remember to Save in Object Designer


Filter Conditions

A condition will let the system know when to use the filter added to the attribute.

You can have multiple filters added to the one attribute and a condition to let the system know when to use which filter.

For example:Filter 1’s Condition - Incident.Category =

HardwareFilter 2’s Condition - Incident.Category = Question

Filter 1 and Filter 2 can be two completely different filters showing two completely different results.


Create a Condition

Highlight the Filter you wish to create a Condition on and select “New Condition”

The Condition Box will become read/write. In the Path section, tick the attribute you wish to add

the condition on, for example: Category. In Comparison Type, select the best option for what

you want to achieve. You can now either Specify an absolute value or a

macro value for this attribute. Absolute Value: Type in the value you want to compare

with, for example: Hardware. Macro Value: Can be used if your Path is a User or

Group Attribute and can then be “Current User” or “Current Group”

For example, If Incidents Latest Assignment is Assigned to Current User show me Filter 1.

Filters will be applied in the order they have been entered into the Filter Selection section.The system will use the first Filter it can match up true with the Conditions.


Making drop down lists more user friendly


Making drop down lists more user friendly

Only seeing the Title Value in your drop down list might not always be the most user friendly display.

To change this, you can add an Attribute Template to your drop down list, which will allow you to see more than one value in the drop down list.

This will also make all showing values searchable when typing in the drop down list.For example, if phone number is showing, you can type the users phone number in and the drop down list will filter accordingly. This will make it easier to find the record you are after.

From This

To This


How to create a Template for your drop down list

In Object Designer, highlight the Object that the drop down list is linked to.

For Exampleusing our “Requested For“ Attribute, this is linked

to User

In the Properties, select “Output Attributes” in the Templates section.


How to create a Template for drop down lists

The “Output Attribute Templates” pop up window appears. Click “New” to create a new template.

Type in a Name of your template. Select all Attributes that you wish to see in your drop down list. You can change your Font Size and Style from within the “Font

settings” Click OK and save Object Designer


How to set your Template to a window

Go to Window Manager in Console Launch the window you wish to use your

Attribute Template on. Highlight your Attribute In Properties, drop down “Attribute Template”

and select the created Template Save your window.


Direct lookup using Queries


Direct lookup using Queries

Did you know that you can Query any Data Connections set up in Service Desk?


Query Data Connections

Ones you have set up a working Data Connection using the Data Connection component in Console, the Connection and Connection Type will show as a Module and Object in Object Designer.

This means that we can use them the same as other Modules and Objects.

When creating a new Query, you can select your Data Connection as Module and Data Connection Type as Object.

This will run as a normal Query, showing you everything that the Data Connection will find.

If you are using your Data Connection for a Data Import, then this is a great way of seeing what you are due to import.


Thank you

Documents

LANDESK SOFTWARE CONFIDENTIAL Tips and Tricks with Filters Jenny Lardh