Process Step Details - Create Emails and Documents

This article gives details and examples of the functions that are available in steps used to create and alter documents.

Refer also to Custom Processes using Views and Summary Notifications.

Create Email

The following is an example of a Create Email step.

Recipients - The Recipients is initially set as the "Client Email' as the To recipient. This will use the email address held for the Client selected for the Process and this can be changed, if relevant. Additional Recipients can be added as the To, CC or BCC recipient(s). These are added similarly to when creating an email directly in FYI (refer to Adding and Changing Recipients when Creating an Email).

You can include recipients in the following ways. All or any of these can be used to add recipients.

Click the drop-down under the Recipients field and select which of these you want to do. If you delete the default selection of "Client Email", this can be re-selected from the bottom of the drop-down.

Note: For Partner Email and Manager Email:

• For a Process that uses a Client View in the Filter, the relative Partner or Manager is taken from the Client.
• For a Process that uses a Job View in the Filter, the relative Partner or Manager is taken from Job and if this does not exist for the Job it is taken from the Client.
• For a Process that uses a Document View in the Filter, when Inherit Job is check-marked to enable this, the relative Partner or Manager is taken from the Job selected for the Document. If there is no Partner/Manager held for the Job, the relative Partner or Manager is taken from the Client selected for the Document. When Inherit Job is disabled, this picks up the value from the selected Client.
• For a Process that uses a Document View in the Filter, if a template is being used that has Merge Fields for Job Custom Fields, the Process must be set with Inherit Job check-marked to pick up the value from the Job.

If the value for the Recipient is missing, the Process creates the email as Draft, a warning message is shown in the Process Activity and a Comment is added to the email in FYI.

To, CC or BCC - Use the drop-down next to the To option to select this as To, CC or BCC. 

Template - this selects the Email Template that will be used. The template can include merge fields to create the email text. Click the Open Template button to open the Template in a new window.

Note: Any changes made to the template after the automation has been created will be automatically reflected in the process.

Attachments - you can add an attachment to the email. This can be a document that has been created by a preceding step within that process, or by selecting 'Trigger Document' to attach the document from the document filter. Clicking the drop-down for Attachments in the email step displays a list of Trigger Documents and all relevant preceding steps that generate a document, that is, any Create Word, Create Spreadsheet, Create Presentation, or Create PDF steps.
For practices on the Elite plan, invoices and credit notes can be attached once they have been assigned an invoice number or credit note number, and the PDF file has been generated. It's recommended to set up an Invoice view filtered by the Invoice Status and any other relevant filters to ensure only invoices that are ready to send are included.

Attachments as PDFs - set the Attachments as PDFs switch to "On" to send the attachments as PDF files, or "Off" to send them in their original file format.

Sender - The Sender defaults to the person creating the Process. If the email is configured to be sent immediately, this can be set as one of the following:

• As a specific person in your user list.
• As Partner to set the Sender as the relative Partner for the Client or Job.
• As Manager to set the Sender as the relative Manager for the Client or Job.
• As a Custom User Role (for example, Accountant, Bookkeeper, Team Coordinator, Supervisor, etc). This will set the Sender as the user who is selected for that Custom Field for the Client or Job.
  • A filter must be selected on the Automation to use Custom Fields
  • Only Custom Fields that have the Type set as "User" are included in the list of what can be selected for the Sender (refer to Custom User Roles).

If the email is set to Draft, once the automation creates the drafted emails, the Sender will be the user who clicks "Send" on the email.

Note: For Partner, Manager or Custom User Roles, Merge Fields can be used on the Sender filter to select the appropriate User.  Click the Merge Fields icon and select from the available merge fields. For example, you can select the Merge Field filter Trigger Client and select "Accountant". This will ensure the Custom User Role associated with the Client is selected as the Sender. Refer to Including Merge Fields in Automations.

When a drop-down option has been used to select the Sender:

• For a Process that uses a Client View in the Filter, the relative Partner, Manager or Custom User Role is taken from the Client.
• For a Process that uses a Job View in the Filter, the relative Partner, Manager or Custom User Role is taken from Job and if this does not exist for the Job it is taken from the Client.
• For a Process that uses a Document View in the Filter, when Inherit Job is check-marked to enable this, the relative Partner, Manager or Custom User Role is taken from the Job selected for the Document. If there is no Partner/Manager/Custom User Role held for the Job, the relative Partner, Manager or Custom User Role is taken from the Client selected for the Document. When Inherit Job is disabled, this picks up the value from the selected Client.

If the value for the Sender is missing, the Process creates the email as Draft, a warning message is shown in the Process Activity and a Comment is added to the email in FYI.

Send attachment(s) - determines how an attachment to the email is sent - by email or via the client's OneDrive folder. When this is set as Collaborate, and Attachments as PDFs is set as "Off", you can select Co-edit with client (refer to Co-editing an External Document).

Save or Send - whether to save as "Draft in FYI", "Draft in Outlook" or Send Immediately".

Note: Emails saved as "Draft in Outlook" are marked as "Sent" in FYI immediately, and should be managed from Outlook directly from that point onwards. The Workflow Status will be set to "Completed".

Create Word, Spreadsheet and Presentation

The steps for Create Word, Spreadsheet or Presentation allow you to select settings for Filing, Workflow, Task and Comment.

You can select a Template that will be applied, and for Word, you can also select a Stationery. The Template and Stationery can include merge fields to create the text. If the Template is modified after the automation has been created you will need to edit the automation and reselect the Template (otherwise the changes will not be included).

After selecting a template, click the Open Template icon to open the Template in a new window.

If you want to include merge fields in the filing details such as the document name, these are added to the Filing section in the step (refer below to Including Merge Fields in Filing Details).

The following is an example of a Create Word step. In the Action section, select the Template to use and, if relevant, the Stationery.

Adding Details to the Steps

Details are added to the steps in the same way as when creating emails and documents, using the sections in the drawer.

Filing in Steps

The Filing section controls how the document is named and where it is filed.

The following is an example of creating a Word document.

Name is the name of the document that will be created in FYI.

• When selecting a Template, the name can be set as "Default from template" to use the name of the template for the document that is created, or this can be changed to any text as required. You can use Merge Fields in the Filing Name field to populate the Name field when the document is created. Refer to Document Templates, Stationery and Merge Fields.
   
• When creating an email from an automation, you can use Merge Fields in the Filing Name field to populate the Name field when the email is created. Click the Merge Fields icon and select from the available merge fields. For example, you can select Name from the Merge Field filter: Trigger Client. Selecting this and adding  "- Monthly Reporting" would create an email with the name "Frank Marshall - Monthly Reporting". Refer to Including Merge Fields in Automations.

Autofile can be "Disabled" or "Enabled".

• When AutoFile is "Disabled", the document will be filed using the settings for Cabinet and Category in the process step.
   
• When AutoFile is "Enabled", the Cabinet and Category are selected based on the order defined in Email AutoFile Filing Defaults. For example, Filing Defaults may be applied from the Template selected in the step, the Client, the User, or the Practice. Refer to Managing Email AutoFile Filing Defaults.

Cabinet and Categories in the process step are only available if Autofile is "Disabled" and can be set as relevant for the type of document being created by the step.

Filing defaults to "Filed". If this is set as "Unfiled" it will appear in the "Owner's" In Tray ready for filing.

If the Owner is set in the Workflow section, this is used (refer below to Workflow in Steps). If the Owner is not set in the Workflow section, the owner of the Automation Process will be selected.

Workflow in Steps

You can use the Workflow section in the step for information purposes, to set the approval of an email or document, or to set it as read-only. This is the same as the Workflow section when creating emails and documents. Refer to the section Workflows.

Owner can be used to select the owner of the document/email. This can be set to a specific person in your user list. Merge Fields can be used on the Owner filter to select the appropriate User.  Click the Merge Fields icon and select from the available merge fields. For example, you can select the Merge Field filter Trigger Client Partner and select "User". This will select the Client Partner as the Owner. Refer to Including Merge Fields in Automations. When selecting a Custom Field, only Custom Fields that have the Type set as "User" are included in the list of what can be selected for the Owner (refer to Custom User Roles). 

When a drop-down option has been used to select the Owner:

• For a process that is run for a Client, the Manager/Partner/Custom User Role is taken from the Client Details.
• For a process that is run in the context of a Job, the Manager/Partner/Custom User Role is taken from the Job Details.

If there is no Partner/Manager assigned to the client and the process is creating an email, it will add the Process Owner as the Owner of the email created in the step. When a Word document or Meeting is created by the process step, it adds the user running the process as the Owner of the document created.

Approver can be used to set the Approver of the document/email. This can be set to a specific person in your user list. Merge Fields can be used on the Approver filter to select the appropriate User.  Click the Merge Fields icon and select from the available merge fields. For example, you can select the Merge Field filter Trigger Client Manager and select "User". This will select the Client Partner as the Approver. Refer to Including Merge Fields in Automations. When selecting a Custom Field, only Custom Fields that have the Type set as "User" are included in the list of what can be selected for the Owner (refer to Custom User Roles). 

When a drop-down option has been used to select the Approver:

• For a process that is run for a Client, the Manager/Partner/Custom User Role is taken from the Client Details.
• For a process that is run in the context of a Job, the Manager/Partner/Custom User Role is taken from the Job Details.

Workflow Status can be set for information purposes, to set the approval of an email or document, or to set it as read-only. This is set as default to "Not Started".

Task in Steps

Task is used to create a task for the document/email when the process runs. In the following example, the task is created for an email without using a Task Template. Refer to Process Step Details - Create Task for further details.

Time in Steps

This feature is available for practices on the Elite plan.

The Time section in the drawer will automatically display when the Create a Task step is enabled.

Time in Task automation steps is used in the Capacity Planning and AutoTime functions.

By adding time, you can forecast the time for users required to complete tasks, and even create draft timesheets when the task is complete.

When Time has been added to an automation step, a clock icon will be displayed in the drawer next to the Time heading. 

Comment in Steps

Automatic notifications can be defined and triggered as part of process automations using Comments. This ensures that you are aware of documents that have been imported, filed or changed automatically in FYI. Refer to Automation Notifications.

Merge Fields that do not work in the Name or Comments in Process Steps

Note: The following Merge Fields do not work in the Name field or the Comments in Processes.

• Original File Name (except in the Alter Document step)
• Upload Folder
• Share Folder

Create Phone, Create Note, Create Meeting

You can use the Create Phone, Create Note, and Create Meeting steps to create a Phone Call, File Note or Meeting in FYI. You can use Merge Fields for the Name and Year in the same way as for other documents. Refer to Including Merge Fields in Automations. The following is an example of the Create Meeting step.

Tip: Basic HTML can be used in the Description Merge Field editor to improve the formatting. Adding tags such as <p> for paragraphs or <strong> for bold emphasis ensures the output of the document is in a clear layout.

Alter Document

When a Custom Process is filtered on a Documents view you can use the Alter Document step to update key fields in documents and to add a Task and Comment.

You can also use the Alter Document step to update a document that has been created in that Process.

Refer to Process Step Details - Alter Document.