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Dynamic fields

Dynamic fields are fields that are added to case and task templates to store additional information that is related to the case or task. Dynamic fields are also defined as questions in questionnaires in BMC Helix Digital Workplace Advanced.

Scenario

Mary Mann, a case business analyst in the Apex Global company, adds the New address dynamic field in the Change my address case template from the dynamic field library. Mary adds another field — Reason of relocation in the case template. When Francie Stafford, a case agent, creates a case by using the Change my address case template, requester responses for the New address and Reason of relocation are stored as additional information in the case.

These dynamic fields are reused in all cases that are created by using the Change my address case template.

Related topics

Data types

Dynamic fields can be of the following data types:

  • Text
  • Boolean
  • Numeric
  • Date
  • Attachment

Dynamic fields can be shared between cases and tasks and changes made to the dynamic fields are tracked in audit records. Dynamic fields can also be hidden in a case. However, users with the permission to view the process history, such as an administrator, can view the hidden dynamic fields in the Manage Process.

Dynamic data fields are stored in a JSON structure in dynamic data questions. Dynamic data fields have a one to many relationship from a case. A single dynamic field can be reused in multiple cases when the same case template is used to create those cases. They act as child fields in the case record definition and therefore cannot be used in reporting, consoles, approval, notifications, and service level management. For example, in the above scenario, the New address and Reason of relocation fields can be reused in all cases that are created by using the Change my address case template.

Advantages of dynamic fields

The following image shows the advantages of dynamic fields in cases and tasks:

Advantages of dynamic fields

Default values for dynamic fields

A case business analyst can define default values for dynamic fields so that the value is automatically populated in cases and tasks in which those dynamic fields are used. With default values, case agents can create cases without having to select a value when requesters do not provide the answer to the questions. 

A case business analyst can define default values for dynamic fields in the following ways:

  • In the dynamic field library
  • For the dynamic fields in case or task templates
  • For questions in case templates

Points to consider for defining default values

Consider the following points for defining default values:

  • A case business analyst can define default values for the following attribute types:

    • Text
    • Date
    • Date and time
    • Time
    • Boolean

    Default values cannot be defined for List and Attachment types.

  • When a dynamic data question is created in a case template, and a case is created from BMC Helix Digital Workplace Advanced or by an email, BMC Helix Business Workflows does not copy the default values for the requester question from the case template into the case. Only values for non-requester questions are copied from the corresponding case template into the case.
  • The default value for dynamic fields is not copied from a case or task template definition to the Requester's Response field. The dynamic data questions that are not visible in the Requester's Response field, such as agent or task assignee are automatically populated with default answers from the case or task template definition.

A case agent can view the prepopulated default values for requester questions in the Requester's Response field that is available on the Create Case and Quick Case views.


 

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