Epicor ERP

Global Alerts Course

10.2.200
Disclaimer
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Global Alerts Course Contents

Contents
Global Alerts Course...............................................................................................................4
Before You Begin....................................................................................................................5
Audience.........................................................................................................................................................5
Prerequisites....................................................................................................................................................5
Environment Setup..........................................................................................................................................6
Workshop Constraints..............................................................................................................................7
Global Alerts Setup.................................................................................................................8
Company Maintenance....................................................................................................................................9
Workshop - Configure Email Settings for Global Alerts..............................................................................9
Alert Attachments..........................................................................................................................................10
Workshop - Create Shortcut Link............................................................................................................10
Enable Global Alerts.......................................................................................................................................11
Workshop - Create Required Directive....................................................................................................11
Create Data Directive.......................................................................................................................11
Define the Condition.......................................................................................................................12
Define the Action............................................................................................................................13
Connect the Directive Sequence......................................................................................................15
Standard Global Alerts.........................................................................................................17
Workshop - Standard Global Alert.................................................................................................................19
Activate the Global Alert.........................................................................................................................19
Trigger the Global Alert..........................................................................................................................20
Workshop - Standard Global Alert for Specific Recipient.................................................................................22
Activate the Global Alert.........................................................................................................................22
Set Up the Work Force............................................................................................................................22
Set Up a Sales Order...............................................................................................................................23
Trigger the Global Alert..........................................................................................................................23
Alert Groups..................................................................................................................................................24
Refine Shortcut Link.............................................................................................................26
Workshop - Add Shortcut Tables....................................................................................................................26
Custom Global Alerts............................................................................................................28
Workshop - Custom Global Alert...................................................................................................................28
Create Custom Directive.........................................................................................................................28
Define the Condition..............................................................................................................................29
Define the Action...................................................................................................................................29
Connect the Directive Sequence.............................................................................................................31
Test the Custom Alert.............................................................................................................................32
Test the Shortcut Link.............................................................................................................................32
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................34

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Global Alerts Course Global Alerts Course

Global Alerts Course

This course explores both standard and custom global alert messaging. The workshops in this course demonstrate
how you setup an alert, activate it, enter a record that triggers the alert, and review the resulting alert message.
Global alerts are email messages you activate to help specific users track data activity. You determine which alerts
you want continuously monitoring data and who will receive the automatic email messages generated by the
specific database activity. Besides the alert text, each automatic message can also have a short cut link. This link
is a configuration settings file (.sysconfig) file that can be used to launch the Epicor application so it immediately
displays the record which triggered the alert.
You can use two types of global alerts. Standard global alerts are pre-defined messages you activate in Global
Alert Maintenance. Use this program to determine who will receive this alert message. You can also set up a
standard global alert to automatically add a memo to the record which triggered this alert; these memos help
build a database history for the record. Custom global alerts are automatic messages you create through Business
Process Management (BPM) data directives. You determine which table/column you want to monitor, the custom
message sent in the email, and who receives the custom global alert.
By using both standard and custom global alerts, you can set up a complete automatic communication system.
Individuals throughout your organization will then be better able to respond and resolve customer, supplier, and
internal issues.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
• Set up the application to send and receive global alerts.
• Activate standard global alerts for specific recipients.
• Activate standard global alerts for alert groups.
• Review global alert error messages.
• Create shortcut links.
• Create custom global alerts.

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Global Alerts Course Before You Begin

Before You Begin

Read this topic for information you should know in order to successfully complete this course.

Audience

Specific audiences will benefit from this course.

• System Administrators
• IT/Technical Staff
• Department Managers

Prerequisites

To complete the workshops in this course, the necessary modules must be licensed and operating in your training
environment. For more information on the modules available, contact your Epicor Customer Account Manager.
It is also important you understand the prerequisite knowledge contained in other valuable courses.
• An Introduction to Epicor ERP Course - This course introduces navigational aspects of the Epicor application's
user interface. Designed for a hands-on environment, general navigation principles and techniques available
in two user interface modes - Classic Menu and Modern Shell Menu. Workshops focus on each of these
modes and guide you through each navigational principle introduced.
• System Setup and Management Course - This course explores how you set up and manage the Epicor
ERP application. By understanding these tools, you control how users access and run the application as well
as manage automatic processes and customizations.
• System Flow Course - This course introduces a basic quote to cash scenario that includes the process from
the initial customer quote to final cash receipts and payment of supplier invoices. This course emphasizes the
series of processes that make up the quote to cash process by using a simple scenario to highlight various
transactions. Your organization may have more complex processing routines than those described in this
course.
• Knowledge in Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).
Depending on the business focus of your organization and/or department, the following courses may be of
interest:
• Manufacturing Foundations Course - The Manufacturing Foundations course introduces you to the principal
building blocks in establishing a strong manufacturing environment. This course discusses the necessary
prerequisites involved with efficient production floor configuration.
• Distribution and Supply Chain Management Foundations Course - This course introduces the distribution
capabilities of the Epicor application. Distribution is a core competency in an enterprise.
Warehousing/distribution functions on their own behalf are an integral portion of virtually all businesses,
which includes manufacturers that house and distribute their own goods.
• Financial Foundations Course - This course introduces you to the maintenance modules and programs in
the Epicor application that set the basis for the financial activities within your company.

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Before You Begin Global Alerts Course

Environment Setup

The environment setup steps and potential workshop constraints must be reviewed in order to successfully
complete the workshops in this course.
Your Epicor training environment, in which the Epicor demonstration database is found, enables you to experience
Epicor functionality in action but does not affect data in your live, production environment.
The following steps must be taken to successfully complete the workshops in this course.

1. Verify the following or ask your system administrator to verify for you:
• Your Epicor training icon (or web address if you are using Epicor Web Access) points to your
Epicor training environment with the Epicor demonstration database installed. Do not complete
the course workshops in your live, production environment.
Note It is recommended that multiple Epicor demonstration databases are installed. Contact
Support or Systems Consulting for billable assistance.

• The Epicor demonstration database is at the same version as the Epicor application. The
demonstration database is installed from the Epicor Administration Console using the "Add Demo
Database" command under Database Server. See Epicor ERP installation guides for details. If you are an
Epicor Cloud ERP customer (and have licensed embedded education), the demonstration database is
installed for you.
• Your system administrator restored (refreshed) the Epicor demonstration database prior to
starting this course. The Epicor demonstration database comes standard with parts, customers, sales
orders, and so on, already defined. If the Epicor demonstration database is shared with multiple users
(that is, the database is located on a server and users access the same data, much like your live, production
environment) and is not periodically refreshed, unexpected results can occur. For example, if a course
workshop requires you to ship a sales order that came standard in the Epicor demonstration database,
but a different user already completed this workshop and the Epicor demonstration database was not
restored (refreshed), then you will not be able to ship the sales order. If you are an Epicor Cloud ERP
customer see section below.

2. Log in to the training environment using the credentials epicor/epicor. If you are logged into your training
environment as a different user, from the Options menu, select Change User.

3. From the Main menu, select the company Epicor Education (EPIC06).

4. From the Main menu, select the Main site.

Epicor Cloud ERP Specific Information

Note If you are an Epicor Cloud ERP customer, then note the following about your Epicor-hosted education
company. All logins referenced in the course (such as manager, or epicor) should be changed to be the
<site ID>-. For example, if your site ID is 98315, then wherever you are instructed to use the login epicor,
instead use 98315-epicor. The password is the same as the login name.

Note To refresh your Epicor training data, send a request that includes your site ID to
SaaSEdRefresh@epicor.com. Refreshing your training data may take up to 72 hours after the request is
received.

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Workshop Constraints

The workshops in this course can be performed only once in each instance of a restored (refreshed) shared
database. If a user has already completed these workshops in the database, the database must be restored
(refreshed) before another user can complete this course.
To complete the workshops in this course, you must know your network's Server Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP)
Server and the SMTP Port number. This information varies from company to company. Contact your IT Specialist
to obtain this information before you begin this course. If you have printed out this course, enter this information
below:
SMTP Email Server: __________________________________
SMTP Port: _____________________

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Global Alerts Setup Global Alerts Course

Global Alerts Setup

This section of the course describes how you set up the application to generate standard global alerts.
Before you can activate standard global alerts, you need to configure the Epicor ERP application so it can send
email messages and then create a data directive to process these automatic messages. To do this, you set up the
following:
• Configure the current company to handle email processing. You set this up in Company Maintenance.
• You next create a template for the shortcut.sysconfig file that will be attached to each standard global alert.
This file can be refined later to open a specific program in the Epicor application. You create this file in Alert
Attachment Maintenance.
• To complete the setup, you create a Business Process Management (BPM) data directive that automatically
processes the global alerts email. You create and activate this directive in Data Directive Maintenance.

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Company Maintenance

You use Company Maintenance to define the email settings for the current company. The Global Alerts data
directive uses these settings to send email. A custom global alert data directive also will use these settings for
sending email.
On the Emails and Forms sheet, you enter the SMTP Server that distributes email throughout your company.
A SMTP Server must be defined for each company in your organization. Much like a post office receives and
delivers mail to various locations, a SMTP Server receives your company's email and distributes it throughout your
® ®
company's email application, for example, Microsoft Office Outlook . When the Global Alerts data directive is
activated by a global alert, the email is automatically sent to the SMTP Server you define in this program.
Use this functionality to send both standard and custom global alerts throughout the current company.
Tip While a SMTP Server is required, an Exchange Server is not needed to distribute alert messages.

Workshop - Configure Email Settings for Global Alerts

In this workshop, configure email settings for the current company.

This workshop demonstrates how you set up the current company email settings required to send global alert
email messages. The SMTP Server and Port information you enter depends on the network used while completing
this course.
Important The default settings for some virus protection programs block Port 25 to prevent mass mailing
worms from sending mail. You may need to unblock the rule or add _proapsv.exe to the excluded processes.
If necessary, contact your system administrator for help.

1. Navigate to Company Maintenance.

Menu Path: System Setup > Company/Site Maintenance > Company Maintenance
Important This program is not available in Epicor Web Access.

2. Click on the Email and Reporting sheet.

3. In the Email Link group box, the Port field specifies the email link port number for email messages that
distribute within the current company. Be sure to enter an unused port number within this field. The port
number should be high enough to ensure it is not used anywhere else. For example, 7778 is a valid entry
in this field.
This port is used when sending a global alert with a shortcut link (shortcut.sysconfig). When the alert is sent,
the application listens on this port to retrieve the correct data in the program linked to the shortcut.sysconfig
file.

4. In the Email Address field, specify the default From email address used to send global alert email. Some
examples of a From email address are administrator@epicor.com and administrator@salesdemo.mfgdemo.com.
If necessary, you can change this address on a specific alert.
® ®
Important If you are using Microsoft Exchange in your education environment, enter your email
address in this field. When you set up global alerts later in this course, the From email address has to
match the value you enter here.

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Global Alerts Setup Global Alerts Course

5. Now for the Email Label field, specify the default From email label displayed on global alert email. For
example, Epicor Auto Mail.
Just like the Email Address value, you change this label on a specific alert.

6. In the SMTP Server field, enter the server that processes your company's email. For example, smtp.epicor.net
or localhost.

7. Next enter the Port number that handles your company's email. For example: 25
® ®
8. If you use Microsoft Exchange in your education environment, you need to connect to the SMTP Server
using your domain account. Select the Use Specified Credentials radio button option. Enter the account
information:

a. User: Enter your domain followed by your User Account ID. For example: main\hjones

b. Password: Enter the password for your domain account.

9. Click Save.

10. Exit Company Maintenance.

Alert Attachments

Each standard or custom alert needs to have a shortcut link (shortcut.sysconfig) file attached to it.
Users that receive these global alerts can use this attached configuration file to open the Epicor application directly
to the program and record that caused the global alert.
You use Alert Attachment Maintenance to define which tables can be launched through the shortcut.sysconfig
file. When data is entered or changed in one of these selected tables and triggers a global alert, the
shortcut.sysconfig file is updated to launch the specific program and record.
When you first set up global alerts, you do not need to define which programs will be launched through this file.
However you do need to create the template for a base shortcut.sysconfig file that will be linked to the data
directive. As you activate standard global alerts or create custom global alerts, you can then refine this template
to include the program shortcut information you need. This feature is discussed later in the course.

Workshop - Create Shortcut Link

Do the following to create the base shortcut.sysconfig file that will be attached to email messages generated by
standard global alerts.

1. Navigate to Alert Attachment Maintenance.

Menu Path: System Management > Business Process Management > Alert Attachments

2. In the Table field, enter AlertQue.

Important For your future reference, if a table has never been used to create an alert attachment,
you must always start by entering the table name as shown in this step. If you click Table to open
the search dialog box, you are shown only tables that are already associated with an attachment.

3. Press <Tab>.

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4. You are asked if you want to create a new record; click Yes.

5. Click Save.

6. Close Alert Attachment Maintenance.

The alert attachment template is created. A standard global alert with email messages enabled in Global Alerts
Maintenance and the BPM data directive for global alerts (the subject of the next workshop) will automatically
include a shortcut.sysconfig file based on this template in the alert e-mail messages.

Enable Global Alerts

Global alerts require a BPM data directive that monitors a specific database table and sets the conditions for
triggering alerts and sending email alert messages based on changes in the monitored table.
A data directive is a set of conditions and actions associated with a specific database table. Data directives typically
track data changes before these changes are applied to the database.
The workshop in this section demonstrates how to create a data directive that monitors the AlertQue table for
global standard alerts and sends messages out to the recipients defined in a standard global alert's configuration.
The Standard Global Alerts section includes workshops that use this data directive.
Later in this course, the Custom Global Alerts section includes a workshop where you create a custom global
alert by setting up a data directive that monitors a specific table and sets the conditions for triggering alerts based
on changes in this table.

Workshop - Create Required Directive

This workshop explores how you set up a BPM data directive for standard global alerts. When this data directive
is running, you can activate standard global alerts and distribute them to specific users within the current company.

Create Data Directive

Do the following steps to create the data directive.

1. Navigate to Data Directive Maintenance.

Menu Path: System Management > Business Process Management > Data Directives Maintenance
Important This program is not available in Epicor Web Access.

2. Click on the Table... button.

The Table Search window displays.

3. In the Table Name Starting At field, enter alert.

4. Click Search.

5. Find and select the AlertQue table and click OK.

6. Navigate to the Standard Directives > Detail sheet.

7. Click the Down Arrow next to the New button; select New Standard Directive.

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Global Alerts Setup Global Alerts Course

8. For the Directive Name, enter Global Alerts.

9. Click the Design... button.

Tip If you are working through this example within the embedded course, be sure advance the course
to the next topic before you click the Design... button. The BPM Workflow Designer is a modal
window, so you cannot advance through the course while this window is open.

The BPM Workflow Designer displays.

Define the Condition

You now define the condition you will use to trigger global alerts.

1. Click and drag the Condition icon to the Design area.

2. Click on the Condition 0 icon to give it focus.

The Condition 0 tab displays at the bottom of the BPM Workflow Designer window.

3. Click the New button on this tab.

A new condition row displays on the Condition tab.

4. Under the Condition column, click the Down Arrow and select the There is at least one updated row
in the specified table option.

5. Click on the updated drop-down arrow; change this option to added.

6. Click on the specified link.

The Select Table window displays.

7. The ttAlertQue table displays in this window; click OK.

The condition should now display There is at least one added row in the ttAlertQue table.
Tip If you are working through this example within the embedded course, you next will need to click the
Save and Exit button. Because the BPM Workflow Designer is a modal window, so you cannot advance
through the course while this window is open.

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Define the Action

Now define the action that occurs when a data change activates the condition.
This action will generate an email message using variables you design on the e-mail template.

1. If you had to close the BPM Workflow Designer to advance through the course, click the Design... button
again.

2. Click and drag the Send E-mail icon to the Design area.

3. Click on this node to give it focus.

The Send e-mail asynchronously based on the designed template with rule action displays.

4. Click the word asynchronously to set the synchronous execution.

For the purposes of this workshop, you want BPM to fire the email immediately when the action executes.

5. Click on the designed link.

The Design E-mail Template displays.

6. For the Name, enter Global Alert Email.

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Global Alerts Setup Global Alerts Course

7. Now you design the variable fields you want the message template to use. Right-click on the From field;
from the context menu, select the Field Query... option.
The Select Table Field(s) window displays. Notice ttAlertQue displays in the Table field.

8. In the Name field, enter From.

9. For the Filters options select Added records.

10. Now for the Fields, select the EmailFrom option.

11. Click OK. The From field now displays a <From/> variable. This variable will populate with values from the
global alert.

12. Right click in each of the remain fields on this form, select the Field Query... option, and repeat steps 6-9.
Add the following variables to the template. Before you add the variable to the Body field, be sure to clear
the default text.

Template Field Field Query Name Filter Table Field

To To Added records EMailAddr
CC CC Added records EMailCC
Subject Subject Added records Subject
Body Body Added records AlertText

13. Select the Include shortcut link check box.

This option causes the alert attachment (shortcut.sysconfig) file to be automatically included on all global
alert e-mail messages.

14. Click OK.

You return to the BPM Workflow Designer window.
Tip If you are working through this example within the embedded course, you must next click OK
and then click Save and Exit to close the BPM Workflow Designer. Scroll down to see the remaining
information in this topic, then launch the BPM Workflow Designer again.

When you finish, each field on the Design E-mail Template is populated with a variable:

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Connect the Directive Sequence

Now connect the items in your data directive so they execute in the order you need them to run.

1. Click on the Start icon.

Several arrows display around this icon.

2. Click and drag on one of the arrows to draw a line to the Condition 0 icon.

3. Now on the Condition icon, click on the Arrow next to the True (+) icon and drag a connecting line to
the Send E-mail 0 icon.
Your data directive should resemble the following illustration:

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Global Alerts Setup Global Alerts Course

4. Click the Save button and close the BPM Workflow Designer.
You return to the Data Directives window.

5. To activate this data directive, click the Enabled check box.

6. Click Save.

7. Close Data Directive Maintenance.

The Global Alerts data directive is now running. You can now activate standard global alerts in Global Alerts
Maintenance.

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Global Alerts Course Standard Global Alerts

Standard Global Alerts

Standard global alerts are pre-built automatic messages either delivered to end users through email or through
a memo added to the record that activated the alert.
These standard global alerts notify critical office and shop personnel about key data entry events as they occur,
giving these users the ability to respond to the situation as quickly as possible. For example if a sales order is
placed on hold, a global alert email is sent to the sales staff associated with this order. By leveraging global alerts,
you improve how the application communicates with managers and other users.
You activate and configure these pre-defined alert messages through Global Alert Maintenance. You determine
which global alerts are active and who will receive them. Although you cannot modify the text sent by standard
global alerts, several options are available, so this set of alert messages should be able to handle most messaging
needs.
However you can also create custom global alerts through Business Process Management. Use this functionality
when you need to track data unique to your organization or industry. This functionality is described later in this
course.

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Standard Global Alerts Global Alerts Course

Standard Global Alert Example

The following steps illustrate how a standard global alert activates and sends its message and/or creates its memo:

1. Within Global Alert Maintenance, you activate the standard global alert that notifies recipients when a
debit memo is created.

2. You next identify specific recipients and enter email addresses for the debit memo global alert. You save
the changes, and the global alert now monitors debit memo database activity.

3. An inspector decides a part is substandard and so it fails inspection. The inspector records this decision using
Inspection Processing Entry and creates a DMR record.

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4. The inspector, buyer, quality assurance person, or shop supervisor next inspects the part to determine if it
is salvageable for rework; this person decides to reject the part. This decision is recorded in DMR Processing
and the user selects the Request Debit Memo check box.

5. When the DMR is saved, the application creates the debit memo. This generates a global alert. Depending
on the options selected in Global Alert Maintenance, the following actions occur:

a. If the Send Alert check box is selected, an email is sent to the recipients selected on the global alert.

b. If the Create Memo check box is selected, a memo is attached to the job(s) associated with the defective
part.

6. If an email address on the standard global alert is incorrect, a Global Alert Message Error Log generates.
Use this log to fix the errors.

Workshop - Standard Global Alert

During this workshop, you set up a global alert to send you an email.
The scenario for this workshop is you work for a company that manufactures dishes for digital satellite systems.
To help you better manage the manufacturing process, you want your schedulers to know when the engineered
status on each job changes.

Activate the Global Alert

Do the following to activate the engineered job global alert.

1. Navigate to Global Alert Maintenance.

Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > Setup > Global Alert

2. Click the ID button.

3. In the Global Alert Search window, click Search.

The list of standard global alerts displays. Each of these alerts can have a specific recipient.

4. Click the ID column header to sort the global alerts by their identifiers. Each global alert has a unique global
alert number.

5. Select the ID 1160 - Job engineered status has been changed and click OK.

6. To use this alert, select the Active check box.

7. Now select the Create Memo check box. This indicates a memo generates and attaches to the record, job,
order, or quote that caused the alert.
Tip To review the memos associated with the record, click the Memos button in the applicable entry
or tracker programs.

8. Select the Send Alert check box. This indicates the global alert will send an email message to the recipients
you specify in the To and CC files.

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Selecting the Send Alert checkbox assumes that a supporting BPM data directive is running that monitors
the AlertQue database table and sends emails when an alert is triggered. You created and enabled this data
directive in the Global Alerts Data Directive workshop.
Tip If the Send Alert check box is selected and an email cannot be sent (mail server is unavailable)
the Epicor ERP application creates a corresponding memo instead, even if the Create Memo check
box is not selected for that alert.

9. Notice the From Email Address and the Label fields activate. These fields indicate the From email address
and label that displays on each email message generated by this global alert. For this workshop, enter your
email address.
By default, the From Email Address and the Label you entered in Company Maintenance are used. However,
you can enter different values in these fields.

10. Some standard global alerts have a Specific Recipient defined; this field displays the default quoter or
salesperson associated with the quote or sales order that launched the global alert.
For this example, this read only field is blank. The next workshop illustrates how you use this field.

11. In the To field, enter your email address.

Notice you can enter multiple email addresses in this field.

12. Optionally, use the CC (courtesy copy) field to enter additional email addresses that may want to see this
global alert. For this workshop, leave this field blank.

13. In the Text field, enter Alert: The Engineered status on this job has changed.

14. Click Save.

15. Close Global Alert Maintenance.

Trigger the Global Alert

This global alert will notify the scheduler when a planner finishes determining the material and operation needs
for a specific job. When the planner selects the Engineering check box on a job, the global alert is sent to the
scheduler.

1. Navigate to Job Entry.

Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Job Entry

2. Click the Job... button.

The Job Search window displays.

3. Search for and select job 2273.

4. Select the Engineered check box.

5. Click Save.

6. Exit Job Entry.

By selecting the Engineering check box and clicking Save, global alert 1160 generates and is sent to all the
recipients identified in Global Alert Maintenance.

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Global Alerts Course Standard Global Alerts

®
7. Navigate to Microsoft Office Outlook.

8. Review the emailed global alert message.

Important If the SMTP Server and Port are not set up correctly, you will not receive this email. Contact
your system administrator for help.

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Workshop - Standard Global Alert for Specific Recipient

During this workshop, you set up a global alert to send an email to a specific recipient.
The scenario for this workshop is that a customer, Production Engines Limited, ordered steel tubing. Sales order
5100 was created to satisfy this order. However the steel tubing parts failed inspection, so a part quantity needs
to be manufactured. Because of this, the customer's order will ship late. You want to notify Scott Tyler, the
salesperson associated with this order as soon as the order ships.

Activate the Global Alert

1. Navigate to Global Alert Maintenance.

Menu Path: Sales Management > Order Management > Setup > Global Alert

2. In the ID field, search for and select the 1120 Order has been shipped global alert.

3. In the Options group box, select the following check boxes:

• Active
• Create Memo
• Send Alert

4. Notice this global alert has a value in the Specific Recipient field. The Salesperson value displays, which
indicates the salesperson defined on the late sales order will automatically receive this alert message.

5. In the Text field, enter Alert: A sales order has been shipped.

6. Click Save.

7. Close Global Alert Maintenance.

Set Up the Work Force

You next need to indicate the salesperson (the specific recipient) who will receive alert messages. You activate
this feature in the salesperson's work force record.

1. Navigate to Work Force Maintenance.

Menu Path: Sales Management > Order Management > Setup > Work Force

2. In the Work Force ID field, enter TYLER and press <Tab>.

The work force record for Scott Tyler displays.

3. Select the Send Alert check box.

After you save this record, this salesperson will automatically receive messages from the 1120 global alert.

4. For the Email address, delete the existing entry and enter your email address.

5. Click Save.

6. Close Work Force Maintenance.

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Set Up a Sales Order

Now enter the sales order and indicate you want an alert message sent when this order is shipped.

1. Navigate to Order Entry.

Menu Path: Sales Management > Order Management > General Operations > Order Entry

2. In the Sales Order field, enter 5100 and press Tab.

3. Navigate to the Header > Header Salesperson sheet and verify Scott Tyler displays as a Salesperson.

4. From the Actions menu, select Order > Reopen Order.

5. Navigate to the Header > Detail sheet.

6. Click Refresh.

7. Select the Alert On Shipment check box.

When selected, this check box indicates that a global alert is sent once this order is completely shipped.

8. Click Save.

9. Close Sales Order Entry.

Trigger the Global Alert

You now indicate the sales order is shipped within Customer Shipment Entry.

1. Navigate to Customer Shipment Entry.

Menu Path: Material Management > Shipping / Receiving > General Operations > Customer Shipment
Entry

2. From the New menu, select New Pack.

3. Navigate to the Lines > Customer Shipment Entry > Detail sheet.

4. From the New menu, New Line.

5. In the fields, enter the following information:

Field Data
Order Number 5100
Line 1
Rel 1
Our Ship Qty 100

6. Verify that the Shipped Complete check box is selected.

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7. Click Save.

8. If the "Lines: 0 - The sales order release is closed.... Do you want to continue?" warning message displays,
click Yes.

9. Navigate to the Header > Detail sheet.

10. Select the Shipped check box.

11. Click Save.

12. Close Customer Shipment Entry.

An alert message with details is sent to your email address.

Alert Groups

Use alert groups to communicate job record events to recipients based on production roles. You can activate
alert groups that send alert messages to individuals who perform similar tasks in a manufacturing process.
You structure alert groups so they represent categories that relate to job production roles. Examples of these
categories include engineering, quality assurance, and shop supervision.
You create alert groups in Alert Group Maintenance. When you create an alert group, you then assign it global
alerts that apply to a production role. You can also assign shop warnings to alert groups; shop warnings are
production specific messages. For example, if you want to create a alert group for Quality Assurance, you would
only select the global alerts and shop warnings that apply to quality assurance tasks.
You next use Person Maintenance to assign recipients to an alert group. The Person Maintenance lists people
whose roles are compatible with the alert groups you have created. Use this program to add people to specific
alert groups.
You then create production teams that include the people you defined through Person Maintenance. Each
production team contains a list of people that perform a related role in your manufacturing cycle. However you
can add people to a production team who are not assigned to an alert group. This feature provides flexibility, as
not every person assigned to a production team will receive global alerts, but can still perform other tasks related
to the production team.
When you create jobs, you link a production team to a specific job. As various changes are made to the job
record, they may trigger a global alert. If an alert is triggered, each person who is a member of this team assigned
to an alert group receives the global alert message.
Example A person is assigned to the Quality Assurance alert group. This person is also assigned to the
Quality Assurance production team. Now when QA database activity is placed against a job, this person
only receives QA related global alerts.

The following illustration the global alerts setup flow.

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Refine Shortcut Link Global Alerts Course

Refine Shortcut Link

When you set up to work with standard global alerts in the previous workshops, you created a base shortcut link
(shortcut.sysconfig) file that opens the Epicor ERP application to the Home page. However you can further refine
this file so when a user launches the Epicor ERP application, it opens the specific program and record that triggered
the global alert.
When the standard or custom alert generates, this shortcut.sysconfig is included as an attachment on the email.
Users can then copy this .sysconfig file into their client installation, and then launch the Epicor application through
this file. Two methods are available for associating client installations so they launch with these shortcut link files.
• Permanent Link -- Locate Epicor.exe file used to launch the application on the client, and associate the
shortcut.sysconfig file with this .exe file. When users receive a global alert, they save the shortcut.sysconfig
file to their client/config folders. Each time they launch their client installations, it opens to the program and
record that caused the global alert.
• Temporary Link -- Users can access the Epicor desktop icon's properties and update the Target field with
a run time argument that points to the shortcut.sysconfig file. When they launch their client installation, it
opens to the program and record that caused the global alert. To restore the default .sysconfig file, users
access the desktop icon's properties again and remove the run time argument.

Workshop - Add Shortcut Tables

Do the following to refine the shortcut link file template so the data directive can populate the generated
shortcut.sysconfig file with values that identify the table that activates your custom global alert.
When you set up the Global Alert data directive, you indicated the shortcut link is attached to all email generated
by the global alert. Because of this, the shortcut link is automatically added to all standard global alerts you
activate. You can enable this functionality in custom global alerts as well.

1. Navigate to Alert Attachment Maintenance.

Menu Path: System Management > Business Process Management > Alert Attachments

2. Click New on the Standard toolbar.

3. Click the Table… button to find and select the table you want to add to the shortcut.sysconfig file. In this
example, you select the JobHead table.
The rest of the fields now display default information. If needed, you can change these values.

4. The Process ID field displays the menu identifier for the program that appears when the application launches
with this shortcut.sysconfig file. You can select a different Process ID from the drop-down list, but typically
you select the default value. In this example, SVG00012 is selected.
Tip All the menu identifiers available within the application appear on this list. Be sure to select the
menu identifier that matches the data you want to display. If you select a program that does not
display the fields contained within the selected table, the shortcut link does not work.

5. The Shortcut Table displays the specific table that appears when the shortcut launches. Use this field to
define what displays when a global alert triggers from the selected table. In this example, JobHeadList is
selected.

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6. The DataSource Type field defines the type of data that displays through this shortcut link file. A type
appears by default, but if you need, you can change this value; for example, JobHeadListDataSet.

7. If the selected table is a child table, the Parent Table identifier displays as well. The parent table is required
to display the data through the shortcut link. In this example, JobHead is a parent table, so this field is blank.

8. You can also modify the shortcut link file that is automatically sent. To do this, click the Template tab. Use
this sheet to modify the shortcut.sysconfig file to modify the .sysconfig file to use different settings.

9. Scroll to the bottom of the template. Notice the shortcut.sysconfig file that is included as a global alert
attachment or BPM email notification attachment includes a <shortcut> element that defines the application
table and record that triggered the alert or notification.
Important Before using the template, be sure to update it accordingly based on settings from you
application configuration file. Contact your system administrator, if needed.

Tip The settings you can change on this file are documented in the Startup Configurations chapter
within the Epicor Implementation User Guide. You can also review these settings in Configuration
Settings File topics within application help.

10. When you finish modifying the shortcut.sysconfig file, click Save on the Standard toolbar.

11. Close Alert Attachment Maintenance.

When the custom global alert created in the next section of this course is sent, the data directive will generate
a shortcut.sysconfig file that can be used as a shortcut to the application program and record impacted by the
change. The file will be attached to the alert email.

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Custom Global Alerts Global Alerts Course

Custom Global Alerts

The standard global alerts available in Global Alerts Maintenance may not contain an alert you need. You can
create custom global alerts using Business Process Management (BPM) data directives.
To build these data directives, you follow a process similar to what you did when you made the Global Alerts
data directive previously in this course. However instead of creating a generic directive that monitors the AlertQue,
you select a specific table/column to monitor. You also create an email template that you send to specific recipients,
and this email contains a specific alert message.

Workshop - Custom Global Alert

The following series of exercises demonstrate how to create a custom global alert. For this workshop, you will
create a custom global alert that notifies you when a job's scheduling priority is changed from NORMAL to HIGH.

Create Custom Directive

To begin, you create a new data directive that monitors the JobHead table.

1. Navigate to Data Directives Maintenance.

Menu Path: System Management > Business Process Management > Data Directives Maintenance
Important This program is not available in Epicor Web Access.

2. Click on the Table... button.

The Table Search window displays.

3. In the Table Table Name Starting At field, enter Job.

4. Click Search.

5. Find and select the JobHead table and click OK.

6. Navigate to the Standard Directives > Detail sheet.

7. Click the Down Arrow next to the New button; select New Standard Directive.

8. For the Directive Name, enter Global Alert - High Priority.

9. Click the Design... button.

Tip If you are working through this example within the embedded course, be sure advance the course
to the next topic before you click the Design... button. The BPM Workflow Designer is a modal
window, so you cannot advance through the course while this window is open.

The BPM Workflow Designer displays.

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Define the Condition

You now add a condition that monitors the SchedCode field on the JobHead table.

1. Click and drag the Condition icon to the Design area.

2. Click on the Condition 0 icon to give it focus.

The Condition 0 tab displays at the bottom of the BPM Workflow Designer window.

3. From the Condition 0 tab, click the New button.

A new condition statement displays on the Condition 0 tab.

4. Under the Condition column, click the Down Arrow and select the The specified field has been changed
from any to another option.

5. Click the specified link.

The Select Table Field(s) window displays. Notice this window is automatically linked to the ttJobHead
table; this is the temporary table used to store data in the JobHead table before this data is saved to the
database.

6. Use the Fields text box to locate the field you need. Enter SchedC.

7. Select the SchedCode field.

8. Click OK.

9. Now select the any link.

The Specify a Value window displays.

10. Clear the Any value check box.

This activates the Value field.

11. Enter "NORMAL" in this field (with the double quotes) and click OK.

12. Next select the another link.

The Specify a Value window displays.

13. Clear the Any value check box.

14. Enter "HIGH" in this field (with the double quotes) and click OK.

The condition should now display The ttJobHead.SchedCode field has been changed from "NORMAL" to
"HIGH".
Tip If you are working through this example within the embedded course, you next will need to click the
Save and Exit button. Because the BPM Workflow Designer is a modal window, so you cannot advance
through the course while this window is open.

Define the Action

Now create the action that will generate an email message for the custom global alert.
This action will generate an email message that uses a variable you design on the e-mail template.

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Custom Global Alerts Global Alerts Course

1. If you had to close the BPM Workflow Designer to advance through the course, click the Design... button
again.

2. Click and drag the Send E-mail icon to the Design area.

3. Click on this node to give it focus.

The Send e-mail asynchronously based on the designed template with rule action displays.

4. Click the word asynchronously to set the synchronous execution.

5. Click on the designed link.

The Design E-mail Template displays.

6. For the Name, enter Job Status Alert - Priority.

7. Now for the To field, enter the user(s) who will receive this custom global alert. Enter your email address
in this field.
Tip You can enter multiple email addresses in this field. To do this, add a semi-colon after each
address.

8. The Subject field defines the value that displays in the Subject field for the email. In this example, enter Job
Priority Changed to HIGH.

9. For the Body of the email, delete the informational text and enter "The scheduling priority for Job has
changed from NORMAL to HIGH."

10. Right-click the space after "Job" and select the Field Query... option.
The Select Table Field(s) window displays. Notice the ttJobHead table displays in this window.

11. In the Name field, enter JobNumber.

12. Select the Updated records check box.

13. Now in the Fields text box, enter JobN.

14. Select the JobNum field.

15. Click OK.

The text for the email message now displays: "The scheduling priority for Job <JobNumber/> has
changed from NORMAL to HIGH."

16. Select the Include shortcut link check box.

This option causes the shortcut link (shortcut.sysconfig) file to be automatically included on email generated
through this custom global alert. When users launch the Epicor ERP application using this file, the application
automatically opens Job Entry and displays the record that caused the alert.

17. Click OK.

You return to the BPM Workflow Designer window.
Tip If you are working through this example within the embedded course, you next will need to click
the Save and Exit button. Because the BPM Workflow Designer is a modal window, so you cannot
advance through the course while this window is open.

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Global Alerts Course Custom Global Alerts

Connect the Directive Sequence

To complete the data directive, you define the sequence through which you want the data directive to run.

1. If you had to close the BPM Workflow Designer to advance through the course, click the Design... button
again.

2. Click on the Start icon.

Several arrows display around this icon.

3. Click and drag on one of the arrows to draw a line to the Condition icon.

4. Now on the Condition icon, click on the Arrow next to the True (+) icon and drag a connecting line to the
Send E-mail icon.
Your data directive should resemble the following illustration:

5. Click the Save button and exit the BPM Workflow Designer.
You return to the Data Directives window.

6. To activate this data directive, click the Enabled check box.

7. Click Save.

The Global Alert - High Priority data directive is now running. You are now ready to test the custom global alert.

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Custom Global Alerts Global Alerts Course

Test the Custom Alert

To activate the custom global alert, you change a job's status from NORMAL to HIGH and save the job record.
Your active data directive will generate the email alert message with shortcut link, based on the condition change
in the JobHead table.

1. Navigate to Job Entry.

Menu Path: Production Management > Job Management > General Operations > Job Entry

2. Click the Job... button.

The Job Search window displays.

3. From the Job Status drop-down list, select Open.

4. Find and select Job 2031 and click OK.

The job record displays in Job Entry.

5. Now in the Scheduling Priority drop-down list, change the priority level from NORMAL to HIGH.

6. Click Save.
Saving the change triggers the email action in your data directive, sending an email to all designated recipients.

®
7. Now launch Microsoft Outlook.

The custom global alert message is displayed. Notice the job number, 2031, displays in the message and that
the shortcut link is included in the email as an attachment.

Test the Shortcut Link

Now test the shortcut link to verify that when you launch the Epicor ERP application, it automatically launches
Job Entry and displays job 2031.
®
1. Return to Microsoft Outlook and the custom global alert message.

2. Right-click on the shortcut.sysconfig attachment icon; from the context menu, select Save As.
The Save Attachment window displays.

3. Navigate to the config folder in your client installation. For example, navigate to the
C:\Epicor\ERP10\LocalClients\ERP102100\config folder.

4. Click Save.

5. Now display the Desktop.

6. Right-click the Epicor icon and select Properties.

The Epicor Client Properties window displays.

7. In the Target field just after the Epicor.exe value , enter the /CONFIG=shortcut.sysconfig run time
argument.

8. Click OK.

9. Close and then re-launch the Epicor ERP application. For the user account, enter epicor/epicor.

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If you are in an Epicor Cloud ERP environment, log into the application using <siteID>-epicor; for example
enter 94193-epicor.

The Epicor application launches, followed by Job Entry. The Job 2031 displays in this program.

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Conclusion Global Alerts Course

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have completed the Global Alerts course.

34 Epicor ERP | 10.2.200

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