Creating case templates and task templates

Templates are an easy way for agents to save time by reusing the information that is common to the similar type of requests. If you are using BMC Helix Business Workflows for different lines of business, templates ensure that the case is created for a specific line of business and follows the Flowset-specific processes in the line of business. For example, cases that are created by using the Facilities case template are created in the Facilities line of business and follow the Facilities Management-related processes. For more information, see BMC Helix Business Workflows for a line of business.

In BMC Helix Business Workflows, as a case business analyst, you can create case templates and task templates for a line of business.

For example, if you discover multiple cases for the same request, such as employees asking for information about benefits packages in the organization, you can create a case template and reuse it. Similarly, you can create a task template that verifies which packages apply to the employees for each request, and reuse it.

You can add dynamic fields to the template to gather additional case-related information. While creating a case or task by using the template, case agents add information to the defined dynamic fields. Additionally, you can grant access to confidential support groups so that they can access the confidential data. Case agents can view the user’s confidential data in a case or a task only if they are a part of the confidential support group for the case and have access to the case. For information about how to grant access to confidential data, see To grant confidential data access in a case template. 

To create a case template 

1. Log in to BMC Helix Business Workflows.

2. Click My Applications Settings .

3. Select Case Management > Case Templates.

4. On the Case Templates page, from the Line of Business list, select the line of business for which you want to create a template, and click Case Template.

   If you have access to a single line of business, the line of business is selected by default. Based on the line of business, the values for case labels, case categories, case assignments, and owner groups fields are available for selection.

5. On the Create Case Template page, enter values for the Template Name and Case Summary fields.

   To format the text, use the options in the text editor. 

   Important

   In the template name field, you must only use alphanumeric characters, spaces, hyphens, and underscores. Do not use special characters.

   If you use any special characters and save the case template, you cannot add tasks to the case template. Also, after you create a case template, you cannot rename the template name.

6. Complete the case fields as explained in the following table:

   Field	Action
   Case Company	Select the company for which you want to create the template. Select one of the following options: Global—All companies in a tenant can view the template. A company name—Agents of the selected company can view the template.
   Case Status	Specify the status of the case created by using this template. Important: The case status specified in a template is the default status for the case which you create by using the template. After creating the template, if you change the case status in it, you need to complete the fields displayed. If there is an active domain, support groups only from that domain are displayed. If you have modified the labels of the default statuses of cases, then the modified labels are displayed while creating the template. For more information, see Modifying the lifecycle of cases, tasks, and knowledge articles.
   Case Reason	Select the reason for the case status.
   Flowset	Select the Flowset for which you want to apply the template. If you selected the Case Company as Global, only Flowsets defined for the Global company are listed. If you selected a specific company, then Flowsets defined for both Global and that company and line of business are listed. After you create a case template, if required, you can update the Flowset. If you update the Flowset for the case template, the new Flowset is applied to the cases that are created by using the case template and after updating the case template.
   Case Priority	Specify the priority of the case created by using this template.
   Description	Add a description for the case.
   Label	Select a label for the case template. You can filter the templates based on a specific label.
   Case Category Tier 1, Case Category Tier 2, Case Category Tier 3, Case Category Tier 4	Select the categorization tiers for the case. Categorization helps in case assignment and classification.  For example, when a case is submitted without an assignee, the case category can be used to assign the case. Important: If there is an active domain, Category Tier 1 only displays the values for that domain.
   Support Group and Assignee	To assign the case created by using this template to a support group or user, complete the following steps: Select a Support Group.  Select an Assignee for the cases that will be creating by using the case template. To assign the case created by using this template to yourself, select the Assign to me check box.  The default support group that you belong to is automatically selected. If you do not belong to a default group, the first support group in the line of business is automatically selected. Important: If an assignee is not defined, you must add one before you can move the case to In Progress. Details of the individual or group and the company to which the case is assigned are displayed based on selected values.
   Resolution Code Required?	To make it mandatory for case agents to select a case resolution code when resolving the case, select .
   Resolution Description Required?	To make it mandatory for case agents to enter a case resolution description when resolving the case, select  .
   Resolve Case on Last Task Completion?	To automatically resolve a case that is created by using the case template after the completion of the last task in the case, click . Important: When you select this option, for default case status transitions, a case transitions to Resolved status on completion of the last task in the case. For custom case status transitions, a case transitions from current status to next status on completion of the last task in the case. For information about how to enable automatic resolution of cases at global level or company specific level, see Enabling automatic resolution of cases.
   Identity Validation	Select one of the following options to specify whether the identity of a requester must or must not be validated before creating a case for them: None—Indicates that the requester identity validation is disabled. This option is set by default. Optional—Indicates that the requester identity validation is enabled, but it is optional. Enforced—Indicates that the requester identity validation is enabled, and it is mandatory. For more information, see Enabling requester identity validation.
   Assignment Method	Select the appropriate action to enable automatic case assignment: None (Default)—Select this option if you want to disable round-robin case assignment. Round Robin—Select this option if you want to enable round-robin case assignment. BMC Helix Business Workflows assigns the cases in a round-robin manner; that is, cases get assigned equally to all agents in a support group. For more information about round-robin case assignment, see Automatic case assignment.
   Task Failure Configuration	Select the appropriate action for failed automated tasks: Do Not Proceed (Default)—Select this option if the next task should not be executed when the automated task fails. The task must be in the Completed status for the next task in the sequence to be activated. This option is applicable to automated tasks added to a case created without a case template that included automated tasks. Proceed With Next Task—Select this option if the next task should be executed even when the automated task fails. For more information about how to proceed with failed automated tasks, see Automated tasks.
   Allow Case Reopen	Select Yes to allow the case created by using this template to be reopened after it is closed. If global configuration enables case reopen, select No to disable case reopen for cases created using this template.
   Reopen Timeline Days	Specify the number of days during which a case can be reopened after it is closed. This field is displayed if Allow Case Reopen is set to Yes .

7. Complete the case metadata fields as explained in the following table:

   Field	Action
   Template Status	Select one of the following statuses: Draft—This is the default status of a new template. In the Draft status, the template is not available for use. Active—The template is available for use . Important: Only active  templates are searchable and available for use. Inactive —The template is redundant, and no longer in use.
   Owner Company, Owner Organization, and Owner Group	To make a support group or user the owner of the template, complete the following steps: Select a combination of Owner Company, Owner Organization, and Owner Group. Agents in the owner company can view the template. A list of all the users of the support groups directly related to the selected combination of company and organization is displayed. Additionally, if there is an active domain, only support groups from that domain are displayed. For example, if you select the company as Calbro Services and the owner organization as Human Resources, all groups defined for Human Resources are displayed in the list. Click Save. Important: You can make a support group as the owner of the template. In the Owner Company field, only the following companies that you have access to are listed: Operating - Internal Operating - Customer Service Provider

8. Click Save. 

   Important

   • After you create a case template, it is displayed on the Case Templates page. If you sort the templates by using the Status or Priority column, the templates are sorted incorrectly.

   • If you have the write access, you can edit templates that are in the Draft status. To edit the case fields in a template, click Edit in the case details section. 

9. (Optional) To add dynamic fields and dynamic groups to the case template, see Adding dynamic fields for storing additional case information.

10. After you create the template, add task templates to add common tasks related to the case template.
    

    You can add three types of tasks— Manual , External , and Automated . For information about how to add tasks to a case template, see Defining task flows in a case template.

    Important

    After BMC upgrades your  BMC Helix Business Workflows environment, all your existing case templates are updated to leverage task flows.

    If you try to modify a task flow of an existing case template that consists of Parallel elements, you might encounter validation errors. You must update the task flow to correct the Parallel element connections with the other elements.

    The following video (11:06) explains case templates, how to create a case template, and use it while creating a case:

     https://youtu.be/NoKxArWrerY

To create a task template for a manual or external task

To ensure that case agents perform the required case related tasks while working on the case, create a manual task template. If you are integrating BMC Helix Business Workflows with an external application by using the Business Workflows connector, create an external task template.

To create a task template for a manual or an external task, perform the following steps:

1. Log in to BMC Helix Business Workflows.

2. Click My Application Settings .

3. Select Task Management > Task Templates.
4. On the Task Templates page, from the Line of Business list, select the line of business for which you want to create a template.
   

   If you have access to a single line of business, the line of business is selected by default. Based on the line of business, the values for case labels, case categories, case assignments, and owner groups fields are available for selection.

5. To create a task template for a manual or external task, click Manual Task Template or External Task Template.

6. On the Create Task Template page, enter values for the Template Name and Task Summary.

7. Complete the additional fields as explained in the following table: 

   Field	Action
   Line of Business	The line of business that you selected to create the template is displayed. Based on the line of business, the values for task labels, task categories, task assignments, and owner groups fields are available for selection.
   Task Company	Select the company for which you want to create the template. Select one of the following options: Global—All companies in a tenant can view the template. A company name—Agents of the selected company can view the template.
   Label	Select a label for the task template. You can filter the templates based on a specific label.
   Task Priority	Specify the priority of the task created by using this template.
   Task Category Tier 1, Task Category Tier 2, Task Category Tier 3, Task Category Tier 4	Select the categorization tiers for the task. Categorization helps in the task assignment and classification.  For example, when a task is created without an assignee, the task category can be used to assign the task. Important: If there is an active domain, Category Tier 1 displays values that belong to that domain.
   Support Group and Assignee	To assign the task created by using this template to a support group or user, complete the following steps: Select a Support Group.  Select an Assignee for the tasks that will be created by using the task template. To assign the task created by using this template to yourself, select the Assign to me check box.  The default support group that you belong to is automatically selected. If you do not belong to a default group, the first support group in the line of business is automatically selected. Important: In the Company field, only the following companies that you have access to are listed: Operating - Internal Operating - Customer Service Provider If an assignee is not defined, you must add one before that task can move to In Progress. Details of the individual or group and the company to which the task is assigned are displayed based on selected values.
   Assignment Method	Select the appropriate action to enable automatic task assignment: None (Default)—Disables round-robin task assignment. Round Robin—Enables round-robin task assignment. BMC Helix Business Workflows assigns the tasks in a round-robin manner; that is, tasks get assigned equally to all agents in a support group. Learn about round-robin task assignment in Automatic task assignment.

8. Complete the task metadata fields as explained in the following table:

   Field	Action
   Template Status	Select one of the following statuses: Draft—This is the default status of a new template .  In the Draft status, the template is not available for use. Active—The template is available for use . Important: Only active  templates are searchable and available for use.  Inactive —The template is redundant, and no longer in use.
   Owner Company, Owner Organization, and Owner Group	To make a support group or user the owner of the template, complete the following steps: Select a combination of Owner Company, Owner Organization, and Owner Group. Agents in the owner company can view the template. A list of all the users of the support groups directly related to the selected combination of company and organization is displayed. Additionally, if there is an active domain, only support groups from that domain are displayed. For example, if you select the company as Calbro Services and the owner organization as Human Resources, all groups defined for Human Resources are displayed in the list. Click Save. Important: You can make a support group the owner of the template. In the Owner Company field, only the following companies that you have access to are listed: Operating - Internal Operating - Customer Service Provider Details of the individual or group to which the case should be assigned is displayed based on selected values.

9. Click Save.

10. (Optional) To add dynamic fields and dynamic groups to the task template, see Adding dynamic fields for storing additional case information.

For information about how to create task templates for automated tasks, see Creating automated tasks for quicker case resolution .

To grant confidential data access by using a case template

You can grant permission to confidential support groups so that they can access the confidential data. You can grant confidential data access only to support groups, and not to any specific individual, business unit, or department. You can assign read or read and write permission to the support groups. If you copy a case template or a task template, the confidential dynamic fields and confidential data access are also copied to the new template. For more information, see Identifying and protecting users' confidential data.

1. Log in to BMC Helix Business Workflows. 

2. Click My Application Settings .
   

3. To grant confidential data access, select Case Management > Templates.

4. On the Case Templates page, from the Line of Business list, select the line of business for which you want to update a template.
   If you have access to a single line of business, the line of business is selected by default.

5. On the Case Templates page, open the required template from the list. 

6. Click Edit.

7. On the template details page, click Confidentiality Access, and then click Edit. 

8. In the Support Group Access box, select the support group to which you want to grant confidential data access. 

   Important

   The box displays the support groups that are marked as confidential in BMC Helix Innovation Suite Foundation data. For more information, see To configure confidential support groups in Foundation data .

9. If you want to provide write access to the support groups, select the Assign Write Access check box.
   

10. Click Add.
    

When a case is created by using the case template, the users from the support group to which grant confidential data access can access the confidential data.

Related topics

Task Management

Creating automated tasks for quicker case resolution

Creating and updating cases

Associating Foundation data with domain tags

Designating case data as confidential