OLE E-doc fundamentals

OLE E-Doc Fundamentals

The following sections describe the page layout, common attributes of an e-doc, and basic functions.

NOTE: This information applies to E-Docs and not OLE interfaces (such as loan, transfer, or bound-with).  Each interface is described in the appropriate guide.  Please refer to the OLE Documentation Portal.

E-Doc Screen Layout

An e-doc consists of a document header and a document body. The document header in the upper right corner of the screen contains system information about the document. The document body is organized in a stack of labeled tabs that are similar to file folders. Based on the type of document, the system displays different sets of tabs. To facilitate the document input process, an initiated document opens with required tabs expanded and optional tabs collapsed. Workflow action buttons appropriate to your role are displayed at the bottom of the screen.

One particular variation to note is that in OLE-built documents (not inherited from KFS) there are not "Show/Hide" buttons but arrows to the left of the tab titles instead:

Document Header

Basic information in the document header

For information about status definitions, see Route Log.

Optional information in the document header

Some documents have information in the header unique to that e-doc. Those are addressed in the user documentation.

Expand All /Collapse All Buttons

You may expand or collapse all tabs in a document by clicking expand all or collapse all.

• Click to expand all of the e-doc tabs.

• Click to collapse all of the tabs.

Show/Hide

Click or on the tabs to expand or collapse an individual tab.

Alternatively, click the arrows on other e-docs:

Required Fields

All required fields in an e-doc are denoted with an asterisk. You cannot submit the document until all required fields contain data.

Date Fields

Dates must be specified in mm/dd/yyyy format. Alternatively, you may select a date by clicking the calendar ( in OLE built documents) and selecting from the calendar that is subsequently displayed.

        

Standard Links and Icons

Since OLE is a web-based application, hyperlinks and icons are used for navigation. Clicking hyperlinks and icons allows you to drill down into document detail and to obtain additional information.

Help Icon

In future releases, when you click the icon by the title in the top left corner of an e-doc or other screen, the help system will display information about and instructions for working with the screen. This feature is not yet functioning in OLE, if selected, you will receive an error message.

Field Lookup

The round magnifying glass or 'lookup' icon allows you to look up reference table information so you avoid data entry errors.

After you click the icon, the system displays a list of valid values for you to select from or connects you to a form that allows you to search for the value you need.

To look up valid values in this form:

1. Enter one or more search criteria or leave all search criteria fields blank to retrieve all. To specify search criteria:

• Type data into any combination, all, or none of the listed search fields. (Most search fields change letters to uppercase for the search.)
• If you know the exact words or phrase, enter the text wrapped in quotes.
• Use * only at the end of a word and only when you have entered a single word in the field
• If desired, to enter a range of numbers or dates, use any of these range operators: >, <, >=, <=, and ..Note that the .. operator may be used only between two date values. It may not be used with a single date. All other operators are used before single dates.
• Specify dates in the format mm/dd/yyyy. Using logical operators & (AND) and | (OR) with multiple search parameters.

2. Click .

OLE displays the list of applicable values that you have requested. After the value list is displayed, you may take one of the following actions by clicking the hyperlinks labeled a and b below.

In KFS-inherited screens:

In OLE-built screens a new popup window appears. Lookup result lists appear like this:

(a) Click return value to select the code.
(b) Click the name of a column to sort the retrieved values by that column.

Multiple Value Lookup

In global Chart of Account e-docs, documents requiring a list of values come with a special multiple value lookup screen where you may select multiple values from the search list. The Look Up / Add Multiple xxx Lines (where xxx is the name of the attributes you are updating) link is available in the applicable section of the tab where this feature is available.

The Look Up / Add Multiple xxx Lines takes you to a special search screen where you are given an opportunity to build a list of values from which you may choose one or more values by selecting the check boxes in the rightmost column.

• Click to select all values in the list.
• Click to clear the check boxes for all values in the list.

Clicking returns you to the tab you came from without populating the tab.

Export Options Links

In the KFS-inherited e-docs, to export the result of the table lookup to your local computer in CSV, Excel, or XML format:

1. Click the export option link for the format you want.
   
   
   
   The system prompts you to click Open, Save, or Cancel.
   
   
2. Click one of the buttons and follow the standard prompts.

Drilldown

After you perform a search in KFS-inherited, financial documents, the system displays a link or icon in the list of retrieved data.  You can 'drill down into' (that is, display) details for any of the linked items. Standard drilldown features in OLE include the following.

• Document ID drilldown: (a) Clicking the Document ID link retrieves the specified document so you can view or edit it.
• User drilldown: (b) Clicking a linked user ID takes you to a Person Impl Inquiry report.
  
  

• Route log lookup: (c) Clicking the Route Log icon takes you to the OLE Route Log for the document in this row. The Route Log contains two tabs summarizing routing activities. The Action Taken tab logs prior events and the Pending Action Requests tab logs known future events, from which you can see current Workflow action requests.
  
  
  
  For more information, see Route Log

• To augment library workflows, search results are not as standard in the OLE-build documents. However from the search results listed there are always document ID links to 'drill down into'.

Standard Tabs

While the tabs contained in various e-docs may vary from one document type to another, a set of standard tabs is included in every e-doc. All documents contain Document Overview, Notes and Attachments, Ad Hoc Recipients, and Route Log tabs. Additionally, financial transactions e-docs contain the Accounting Lines tab and the General Ledger Pending Entries tab.

Document Overview Tab

The Document Overview tab identifies the document and includes fours fields—Description, Explanation, Org. Doc # and Total Amount (total amount only exists on the financial documents).

 

The Description field is a required field on every e-doc because it is used to identify the transaction and is included in the GL inquiry, standard reports, action list, and document search.

The Explanation and Org Doc# fields allow you to include additional information about the document. For those in which it applies, the Total Amount field is updated when the document is submitted successfully.

Document Overview tab definition

Other data fields may be available in the document overview of specific documents.

OLE Financial Documents Accounting Lines Tab

Accounting information for a financial transaction is entered in the Accounting Lines tab. This is where the accounting string data is entered. The required fields and the format of the tab vary slightly by document type. The Amt field may also look different, depending on the type of document you are creating.

Single-Sided Entry

A number of documents require you to enter information onto only one side of the transaction because the balancing side of the transaction is automatically generated by OLE based on pre-set business rules. An example of a single-sided entry is the Purchase Order Accounting Lines.

Double-Sided Entries

Several types of documents function by placing accounts, object codes, and amount combinations in separate sections of the Accounting Lines tab. In a document with From/To sections (such as the General Error Correction or GEC document), the From section of the transaction represents a decrease in income, expense, or budget to an account. For example, when an account is entered in the From section of a GEC document and the object code is an expense type, the transaction reduces (credits) the expense and increases (debits) cash for that account.
The To section of this same type of transaction represents an increase in income, expense, or budget to an account. For example, when an account is entered in the To section of a GEC document and the object code is an expense type, the transaction increases (debits) the expense and decreases (credits) cash for this account.

Accounting Lines tab definition

Some of the above fields are not included in all documents. Specific requirements for each document type are noted in the section for the document type.

Displaying Account Detail

Descriptions for the accounting string data may be hidden or shown by clicking show detail and hide detail.

The system displays the alternate option after you click the button.

• Clicking hides the COA titles in the Accounting Lines tab:

• Clicking displays the COA titles in the Accounting Lines tab:

Accounting Lines Buttons

The accounting lines buttons offer the following options.

• To add an accounting line to the document, click .

The system validates the account number, expiration status and business rules specific to the document type.

If the account number is expired, you must check the Expired Override box or enter a different account in order to add the line.

• To delete the accounting line, click .

• To open the balance inquiry menu, click . Then select one of the reports by clicking the lookup icon next to the desired report title.

Import Lines

If you have a number of accounting lines to enter, you may create a .csv file containing the transactions and import it into the document.

For information about accessing and using the import templates, see OLE Data Import Templates.

Restrictions

Each financial transaction document is governed by business rules for the document type and the accounting line data. Rules may be derived from specific attributes associated with the account, object code, or other accounting string data. The following is a partial list of account and object code attributes that may cause restrictions on various documents.

Attributes that may cause restrictions in entering accounting lines

General Ledger Pending Entries Tab

After a financial transaction document has been submitted, the General Ledger Pending Entries tab displays the actual entries that are to be posted to the GL when the document is fully approved and the GL batch process has run. In addition to the entries the user created, the General Ledger Pending Entries tab may include system-generated offset transactions. Before you submit the document, this tab contains the message 'There are currently no General Ledger Pending Entries associated with the Transaction Processing document'.

When the document is submitted into routing for approval, the pending entries are displayed in the General Ledger Pending Entries tab. After a transaction is fully approved, these entries are posted in a batch process to the General Ledger. After the batch process has been run, the general ledger pending entries are moved from this tab of the document.

Balancing Rules

Each e-doc is governed by a set of balancing rules, some of which are more complex than others. The balancing rules within a document often enforce the basic rule that debits must equal credits. Whether or not an accounting line generates a debit or credit relies on various factors, including which side of a double-sided document it is in and whether the object code used represents income, expense, assets, or liabilities, etc.

The Accounting Lines total in some documents may balance to sections in the document or to entries in the tabs on the document. For example, the Cash Receipt document's Accounting Lines tab balances to the Reconciliation section of the document.

Notes and Attachments Tab

Size and File Type Restrictions for Attachments: The maximum size of attachments is 5 megabytes by default, but your institution may change that limit. The system imposes no restrictions on types of files that may be attached.

The Notes and Attachments tab displays user notes, attachments, or system-generated information about the document. The number of notes and/or attachments is indicated on the tab.

Notes and Attachments tab definition

Other data fields may be available in the Notes and Attachments of specific documents.

Click to add a note.

Ad Hoc Recipients Tab

The Ad Hoc Recipients tab allows you to interrupt the normal workflow routing of the document and include individuals or groups in the routing path. Ad hoc routing does not supersede the normal workflow routing of the document but is in addition to the normal routing.
The Ad Hoc Recipients tab has two sections: Person Requests and Ad Hoc Group Requests. Use one or both of the sections to route the document to a person, group, or both.

Ad Hoc Recipients tab definition

• Click in the Actions column to add the current line.
• Click in the Actions column to delete the current line.

For more information about ad hoc routing, see Ad Hoc Routing.

Route Log Tab

Most financial documents require one or more approvals before they impact the General Ledger. The process usually begins with Workflow identifying all account numbers used on the document and requesting the approval of the fiscal officers associated with these accounts. The applicable routing information for each e-doc can be found in its Route Log tab.

OLE-built, library documents can be routed also. This allows for audit trail functionality.

For more information about the Route Log, see Route Log.

Basic E-Doc Operations

This section describes basic e-doc operations that you perform on many different types of documents.

Initiating a Document

1. Select the document link from the main menu.
2. Complete required tabs for the document.
   For information about the requirements for a particular type of e-doc, see the help documentation for the specific document type in the OLE Document Portal.
   
   
3. Click to route the document for approval.

Copying a Document

(initiating a document based on another document)

You may initiate a new document based on an existing document.

1. Retrieve the document from which you want to copy.
   For information about how to retrieve a document, see Using Doc Search to Find a Document.
   
   
2. Click in the array of workflow action buttons.
   
   The system creates a new document with a new document ID. The document ID information for the copied-from document is displayed in the document header and also in the Notes and Attachments tab of the new document.
   
   Clicking the Copied from Document Id takes you to the document you copied from.
   
    
   
   A note stating that the document was copied from another document is attached to the copied-from document.
   
   
   
   
3. Complete required tabs for the document.
4. Click to route the document for approval.

For information about the requirements for a particular type of e-doc, see the help documentation for the specific document type. For information about routing the document, see Routing a Document.

Lookup and Copy Feature for Maintenance e-docs To create a Maintenance Doc table code that is similar to one of the existing codes, click the copy link. The system creates a document with the same values, except for the values in the identifying fields. This copy feature is not available from the valid value lookup within the financial transaction documents.

Saving a Document

1. To save the document to work on later, click in the array of workflow action buttons.
2. Verify that the document was successfully saved
   The system displays a message in the upper left corner.
   
   
   
   
3. Retrieve the document at a later time to continue working.

For information about how to retrieve an e-doc, see Using Doc Search to Find a Document.

Canceling a Document

Documents in 'INITIATED' status that are canceled are removed from the database and cannot be retrieved or viewed.

1. To cancel a document, click in the array of workflow action buttons.
2. When prompted, 'Are you sure you want to cancel?' click to proceed.

Closing a Document

1. To close a document and return to the main menu, click in the array of workflow action buttons.
2. When prompted 'Would you like to save this document before you close it?' click to proceed.

Closing a document in 'INITIATED' status has the same effect as canceling the document.

Routing a Document

The e-doc process supports both pre-established workflow routing and ad hoc routing. In workflow routing, OLE routes the document to the proper users based on business rules established in Workflow. Ad hoc routing allows a user to route the document to one or more individual users and/or groups for approval, acknowledgement, or FYI.
Unless you want to add an ad hoc routing, select one of the action buttons to route the document in the predefined routing hierarchy.

Using the Action List

The action list button is located in the upper left corner of the screen allows you to view and act on documents that require your completion, acknowledgement, approval, and FYI.

Documents sent to your action list may request various types of actions from you. The most commonly requested actions are:

• Approve: Verify that the transaction is acceptable. Approved financial documents continue routing to additional approvers, or if fully approved, are included in the next update to the General Ledger.
• Acknowledge: View and acknowledge a transaction, without the need for giving formal approval. You must open the document from your action list to clear it out. This type of action request is generated to prior approvers and the initiator when a document is disapproved.
• FYI: A courtesy request allowing you to view the transaction or to clear the request from your action list without viewing it. You do not need to view the transactions sent for FYI routing.

For more information about the action list, see Action List.

Searching OLE

As OLE grows to include more document types (patrons, bibliographic formats, licenses, etc.), OLE will create integrated Search capabilities, where the search functions will provide inter-operability instead of some of the localized wildcards, limits on bibliographic fields, or other search-specific criteria below. Library users will be included in future testing and development of OLE Search, building upon our emerging search types for:

• Document Store Search – full Bibliographic searching
• Acquisitions Search – includes limited Bibliographic searching
• Order Holding Queue – search on requisitions: actions on individual documents, or Approve/Cancel/Calculate return for further action, group of requisitions
• Receiving Queue – complete simple receiving from search via queue
• Fund Lookup – query general ledger for account balances and availabilities
• Load Reports – find statuses and reporting on Ingested load success and failures
• Describe Workbench – search for cataloging records to edit and modify

KFS inherited transactional Searches (no Bibliographic fields, only transactional- vendor, dates, etc.)

• Payment Request
• Purchase Orders
• Requisition - search on Title, Author, Publisher etc. added to eDoc transactional fields (selector, vendor, dates, doc id, delivery info, account/fund, etc.
• Receiving

Other search functions available in OLE

• Lookups (referenced as needed in several sections)
• Lookup icon (referenced as needed in several sections; inherited from KFS)
• Custom Document Searches (inherited from KFS)
• Doc Search button
• Saving Custom (Session) Searches (as applied in OLE)

Remember:The lookup icon for online help is not yet functioning. If selected, you will receive an error message.

Using Doc Search to Find a Document

The doc search button is located in the upper left corner of the screen. Using this button, you can search for a document you want to view or work with. This button allows you to quickly search for any transactional or acquisitions document by Document type, by Selector/initiator, dates, or document identification number. Click the search button without entering any criteria to view documents created today.

1. Click .
2. Enter search criteria.
   
   
   
   For explanations about search criteria fields, see Standard Data Entry, Selection, Action, and Navigation Tools and Standard Links and Icons.
   
   
3. Click .
4. Click the document ID link to open the document, the Initiator ID link to retrieve a workflow user report, or the Route Log icon to view the workflow status.
   
   

Document search criteria

Using Wildcards (*) in the Search Criteria: The use of asterisks in the search criteria allows you to perform pattern matching. To search for documents containing a string of characters in alphanumeric fields such as Document Title, you may enter a character string in the search criteria accompanied by asterisks. For example, enter '*test' to search for a document title that ends with the word 'test'. Enter 'test*' to search for a document title that begins with the word 'test'. Enter '*test*' to search for a document title that has the word 'test' somewhere in the document title.

For information about advanced features of the document search, see Advanced Document Searches.

Performing Searches on the Financial Main Menu

OLE also includes several forms of Search in each of the module tabs: Deliver, Describe, Select/Acquire. Many of these are further discussed in the specific section of this Drivers Manual for each function, and each is still under development.

Common Features and Search Options (FS only)

The following example shows the document lookup screen for monograph receiving.

In the example above, the user selected Search from the Receiving menu group on the OLE Select/Acquire tab. This screen includes the document type OLE_RCV pre-populated in the Document Type field. It also contains other fields you may want to use as search criteria in your search for one or more specific monograph receiving documents.
Each search screen gives you options for two search results types.

• Document Specific Data: In the search results, display information specific to the document(s).
• Workflow Data: In the search results, display information specific to the workflow status of the document(s).

To search for specific documents, follow these basic steps:

1. To restrict the search to documents that meet criteria of your choice, enter search data as appropriate.
2. If desired, save this set of search criteria for reuse later by entering a descriptive name in the Name this search field. Some OLE searches include the option to name and save your searches, so they can be repeated later by the same user. Named searches are available for Requisition, Purchase Order, Receiving and Payment Request searches.
   
   For information about specific fields, see the help documentation for the particular type of document you are searching for in the OLE Documentation Portal.
   
   For tips about data entry, see Data Entry Tips.
   
   
3. Click the button at the bottom of the screen.
   
   The system retrieves a list of items that match your search criteria.
   
   
   
   If you gave your search criteria a name, the system also displays the name of your saved search in the Searches list at the top of the screen.
   
   
4. Choose from among these options.

• To sort the list, click on the header you want to sort on. Click once to sort in ascending order and click again to sort in descending order.
• Some cells (such as those in the Initiator column in the example above) have links to screens that display more detail. Click the link to display detail.
• Some searches have the option of exporting the list.  To export the entire list in .csv, spreadsheet, or .xml format, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click a link to choose from among these options
  
  

• After finding the document you want, click the link for it in Document/Notification Id column. The system displays the document.

Data Entry Tips

Keep these points in mind as you enter data:

• You may enter data in any or all fields on a custom document search screen. You may also leave all fields blank.
• After you select a document type from the Custom Document Searches menu group, you can easily change the search to find any other type of document without returning to the Main Menu tab to select a different search option. In the Document Lookup screen, simply change the code in the Type field to reflect the type of document you want to look for (for example, PO) and move your cursor out of the field. The system rebuilds the screen with the proper search criteria fields for the new document type.
• Dates must be specified in mm/dd/yyyy format. You may also click the calendar icon and then select a date from the calendar.
• For many fields, the system provides a handy lookup tool that can help you retrieve a value (for example, a customer number) you want to search on but have not memorized.

To use the lookup tool mentioned above:

1. Click the lookup icon for the field you need a value for (e.g., Customer Number).
   
   The system displays a form to help you find the specific value you need:
   
   
2. Enter identifying information (customer name, etc.) in any of the fields provided.
3. Click to retrieve a list of records that match your entries.
   
   
4. When you find the record you need, click the link to copy the value (customer number in this example) into your custom document search screen.

The following table indicates how to use special characters to expand or limit your searches.

Using special characters in search

For more information about searches, see Using Doc Search to Find a Document and Advanced Document Searches.