Enabling multiple layouts

Until now, the way to restrict data sharing between different user profiles was to create different forms using a combination of custom fields and custom field sets. Now, with the Multiple Layout Types feature, you can offer different layouts to different user profiles and restrict data sharing and record access between them in Remedyforce Console. For more information about the Multiple Layout Types feature, refer the following sections:

Feature availability

The feature is available on both Salesforce Classic and Lightning Experience and is applicable only for the following modules:

Incidents
Tasks
Change Requests

Note

If the incidents and service requests are not segregated in the console list view, then Enable Multiple Layouts check box will not be displayed.

How the feature works

An administrator creates a layout type and assigns the required categories, status, and templates to it. For more information about creating custom layout types, see Managing custom layouts for console forms. The administrator then assigns this layout type to profiles that can have access to the data included in the layout type through categories, status, and templates.

Once the layout type is assigned to a profile, the profile users can access only those records from the console that have layout types that are assigned to their profiles, as per default feature setting.

Depending on the requirements, the administrator can also assign multiple layout types to a profile. In such a case, one of the layout types needs to be marked as a default layout.

Sample scenario for using the Multiple Layout Types feature

Consider a scenario where there are two profiles, Facilities and HR, with the following requirements:

Each profile can access only certain data.
Users from one profile must not be able to view data that is available to the users of other profile.

To meet this requirement, administrator should perform the following steps:

Define the required categories, templates, and status for each profile. The following table provides an example of defining the categories, templates, and status.

Profile	Category	Template	Status
Facilities	Hardware	Cannot Access Imagine	Open Close Awaiting for Approval
Facilities	Network	Desktop Software Installation	Open Close Awaiting for Approval
HR	Employee Onboarding	Benefits & HR Policy Question	Open Close Pending
HR	Employee Separation	Benefits Question	Open Close Pending

2. Create layout types called Facilities and HR and assign the required categories, templates, and status to these layout types.

3. Select the HR profile and assign the HR layout type to this profile. Similarly, select the Facilities profile and assign the Facilities layout type to it.

In this example, assign the Facilities layout type to the Facility profile and HR layout type to the HR profile.

The following image shows the steps that an administrator needs to perform to assign layout types to different user profiles.

Now, users from each group can create records in only those layout types that are assigned to their profiles.

Considerations for using the Multiple Layout Types feature

If you are using this feature to create, edit, or assign layouts to users, you must understand the following considerations:

General considerations
Creating layouts
Assigning layouts
Deleting layouts
Editing layouts
Using the Layout Type field
Using picklists and lookup filters with layout type
Restricting access to the layout type

General considerations

The Multiple Layout Types feature is available only for incidents, tasks, and change request. The restrictions due to this feature are not applied to service requests, even though service requests are displayed in the incidents list view.
The Multiple Layout Types feature is not supported on Service Cloud Console.
Clients cannot select a layout type in Self Service. Therefore, you need to configure common tickets with respective layout type values so that when the clients submit tickets, an appropriate layout type is assigned to these tickets.
If you set up a layout type in a template for Self Service common tickets and clients manually enter a category or template name that is not available in the selected layout type but is a valid category, the records are saved with those templates and category values.
You can also assign status to the selected layout type.

If a layout is assigned, the user can see only the statuses that are assigned to that layout. In case, the user changes the assigned layout, and selects a different layout that has different assigned statuses, then only the status that the user had selected from the previous record is displayed. However, if the user changes the status, the previous status is not displayed in the Status drop-down list, after the record form is saved.
You can assign a layout type to a record from a workflow using templates or process builder. However, you must assign the layout type only when the earlier value of the layout type is blank and you must use the criteria of ISBLANK(LayoutType) in your condition. If a layout type is changed using a workflow or process builder and you do not have this criteria, then staff users might see inconsistent behaviour in Remedyforce Console. The staff users might not get access to a record, which they could access previously, due to the changed layout type that is not assigned to them.
When layout type access validation is enabled, the records are filtered only in Incident Matching under Smart Suggestions and Agent Tools. Note that users will be able to see records for all layout types in all other areas. However, they will not be able to view the record details on the form in Remedyforce Console.
While creating templates, all categories, status, and templates for that module are available for selection. They are not filtered based on the layout type populated in template. BMC recommeds that you select only relevant categories, status, and templates for that layout type.
Based on the Multiple Layouts setting (Remedyforce Administration > Application Settings > Consoles) that is configured, the user will be able to view the change request information in Change Schedule.

Creating layouts

You should first create categories, templates, and status required for a layout and then assign them to the layout.
You can add a Layout Type field to templates by using the field and template mapping feature. The template can then be used to assign layout types to records.
Tickets that are created through Self Service or other sources have layout type as None and are accessible to all users. To avoid this situation, perform the following tasks:
- Set layout types for incidents from Self Service: Set appropriate layout types in the templates that are exposed in Self Service to ensure that tickets submitted using these templates have layout types as defined in the templates.
- For tickets created from other sources: Create appropriate templates with layout types set in template field mapping. Create a workflow so that tickets that are created from different sources and with layout type as blank will have only this template applied.
BMC recommends that you must not create more than 50 layout types. While there is no limit, organizations might have difficulty managing their layout types if this number is exceeded.

Assigning layouts

You can assign multiple layout types to a profile.
You can enable the Consoles > Allow Changing of Layout Type on Edit setting for a profile. With this setting, profile users can change the layout type when they edit a record.

Deleting layouts

You can delete a non-default layout type created by yourself or created by another administrators. In such a case, all associations of that layout type are removed. Also, the records using that layout type are rendered without any layout type, that is, the Layout Type field for these records will show None.
You cannot delete a layout type that is marked as a default layout type for a user profile.

Editing layouts

If you remove a category, a template or a status from a layout, that template, category, or status will no longer be available when a user creates a record, but the existing records with that template or category remains unchanged.

Using the Layout Type field

The Layout Type field is should be used only when the multiple layouts feature is enabled. If you are using the Layout Type field in reports, note that the Layout Type field will be blank for existing records. You must not use the Layout Type field for any other purpose.
The Layout Type field is available for Column Headers and Incident Matching field sets for Incidents, Change Requests and Column Headers field set for Tasks. It is not available in other out-of-box field sets.
BMC does not recommend adding Layout Type in custom field sets, even if you can add the Layout Type field to a custom field set.

Using picklists and lookup filters with layout type

If lookup filters are created on category, template, and status fields, then categories , templates, and status that are available for the selected layout type as well as those which are filtered by lookup filter condition are shown.

Restricting access to the layout type

The restriction to access records based on layout types is applicable only from Console. You must update the permission to access records from other places accordingly.
Records on whose layout types users do not have access are visible in the list view. Therefore, select those fields for list view that you want users to see for all type of records.
You can disable the setting Enable Layout Type validation for record access to perform the following actions:
- View records that have layout types that are not assigned to their profile.
- Select a template in a record that has a layout type which is not assigned to their profile.
When the setting Enable Layout Type validation for record access is enabled and user tries to open a record that has a layout type not assigned to the user's profile, Consoles show the following behaviour:
- Remedyforce Console: The record does not open and the user gets the error 'You do not have access to the layout type of this record.'
- Service Cloud Console: A blank record opens in a new tab and the user gets the error ' You do not have access to the layout type of this record.'
- By default, if multiple layouts is enabled staff can view records in the list view but cannot view details if they do not have access to the layout type.

Limitations

If a user does not have access to a certain layout type and the SmartView column is added in the Console list view, then clicking on SmartView icon shows details of the record and the record can be edited. Hence, it is recommended to remove the SmartView column from the list view to restrict the record access based on layout type.
You can use the Layout Type field for template mapping, process builders, or reports only if the Multiple Layout feature is enabled, otherwise the value for Layout Type field appears blank.
While creating QuickViews, a user can view all values for layout types.
Layout Type field is not available for mass edit of records even if it is added in the Column Headers field set.
Even if a user does not have access to records based on the layout type access, the user can still link such records to CIs from CMDB, find such records in knowledge search, QuickViews, or any out-of-the-box or custom lookup field created on the object.
The records on which a user does not have access based on the layout type are not displayed in Smart Suggestions.
When the Multiple Layout Types feature is enabled, Console form might take a longer time to load as compared to a regular Console form.
Users can perform Delete and Change Owner options from QuickView on records whose layout type is not available to them.
While performing mass update in the mass update window, all categories, templates, and status are shown irrespective of the layout type of records that are selected for mass update.

Frequently asked questions

Is the layout type automatically assigned to the records that are created through emails?

The layout types are assigned to records that are created by emails only if you configure a workflow for it. Until then, such records have a layout type as None.

What layout type is assigned to the records that are created from other systems?

Records created from other systems are assigned layout type as None.

Does the enable multiple layout setting restricts the record access from the Console even if the multiple staff personas have access to these records through the Staff Queue assignment?

If the multiple layout setting is not enabled, the setting will not restrict the record access.

What happens when I open an incident as a staff from Reports, Quick Views, Email Links, Smart Suggestions, Change Schedule?

You will be able to view the record information only if the layout type of the record is assigned to your profile, else a warning message is displayed.