Embedded Templates

Overview

Embedded Templates allow users to display information in a Record within a template in another App. It does this by either using aggregate data from one App to another or setting up a one-to-one relationship to a reference Record the information is being retrieved from.

• The 4 Scenarios for using an Embedded Template
• Embedded Template Architecture
• Worked Examples
  • App Level Embedded Template
  • Current Record Embedded Template
  • Parent Record Embedded Template
  • Reference Record Embedded Template

The 4 Scenarios for using an Embedded Template

App Level Embedded Template - This allows you to display app level aggregate data from one App at a Record level in another App. An example would be creating a Record in a Company Blueprint App. We can feed in aggregate data from other Apps to help us to have context when deciding our strategy. Say we have a Return On Investment App. By knowing our investment levels and what the returns are in different areas of the business, we can tailor our strategy to fit. 

Equally we could look at Sales revenues in particular product or service types, a breakdown of issues and where they are occurring, the more we expose in the Strategy Record, the more visibility we have to capitalise in the areas that are performing well and put measures in place to improve areas that are underperforming.

Current Record Embedded Template - Embeds a template from the current App with data from the current Record. Use to fine tune layout. 

• Displaying critical or summary information from the current Record as an Embedded Template can draw the User's focus to these values further driving the App Process in the Form. 
• Embedded Templates can also be used as Sub-Templates within a Template for scenarios such as Categories of questions in a Health Check Audit. 
• By using embedded templates, you can also have templates of varying numbers of column all appearing as one template. The main template could be 4 columns and the embedded template within be of 3.

Parent Record Embedded Template - This is a very common use case for Embedded Templates. It allows you to show meta data that is important when working on linked items. One scenario is a Project App and adding associated Child Risks. When adding a Risk, it is important to know key information such as the Project Goal, Delivery Date, Critical Dependencies, Budget and Stakeholders. This information could be passed down via Parent Expressions but as the Project develops this information could change. So, to keep the information current and improve efficiency, it is preferable to display this as relational information in an Embedded Template in the Risk Record.

Reference Embedded Template - This allows us to display the information from a Record in one App against a Record in another App. A use case for this option would be if we were building an invoice of services that are being billed to a client. If the Invoice has a linked app tracking each product that has been sold, then for each product sold record, we can have a reference template to a product offerings record. This allows us to have a centralised Product Catalogue App where we detail the specifics of each product/service offering. This Invoice has a sale item record for each product that has been purchased but the details of that service can be exposed in the sale item via an embedded reference template with data from the product catalogue record.

Embedded Template Architecture

The function of the Embedded Template feature is to be able to display reference information in an Embedded Template from one Record or aggregated in one App to a Record in another App. The structure in all cases is:

1. Build a template that will be referenced in another App with Record Fields or Aggregate Fields from that App.
2. Add an Embedded Template Field in the App that the embedded template will be displayed in.
3. Add that Embedded Template Field to a template (or Table Report) in the App that the information should be displayed in.

Worked Examples

Let's look at each of the 4 scenarios with an example of how to build the solution to give a complete understanding of how each Embedded Template type works

App Level Embedded Template

Let's look at an Enterprise Management App that is setting the business strategy for the year. In order to make effective goals it is essential to have a live view of what is currently happening across all departments If we take a strategy record for the business year, we may be capturing our strategies in Sales, Support, HR and Operational KPIs.

Focussing in on Support Strategy, we can gain key metrics from our Support Ticket app for Backlog, Resolution Times, Bugs, Feature Requests and Customer Satisfaction.

If we expose this at the time we write our strategy, then we can make more informed decisions on what we need to improve.

As the year progresses it is still valid to see the current position and look at whether the live metrics are meeting the customer success targets that we have set.

Step 1: Support Ticket App - Create Aggregate Fields for each of the key metrics

Step 2: Support Ticket App - Create an App Level Template for the aggregate metric fields

Step 3: EMS App - Create an Embedded Template Field that referenced the App Level Support Ticket Template 

Step 4: EMS App - Add the Embedded Template into a Form Template in the EMS App.

Repeat this in the same App for Sales, HR, Operations and any other key functions to set a cross-functional company level strategy plan against live performance metrics.

Current Record Embedded Template

Embedding Templates in Current Records is used to have another level of control over the user experience. For our worked example we will look at a Marketing Health Check App. We have two layout considerations that we would like to achieve and can by using Embedded Templates.

Layout Enhancement 1: For our Snapshot Template we would like to have a four-column layout on row one and a three-column layout on row two. By embedding a three-column template into the four-column template we can achieve this effect.

Layout Enhancement 2: Our Marketing Health App is scored in a variety of categories. We would like them to all appear on one template but to be grouped into the relevant assessment areas. By embedding a template for each of the question categories into one main assessment questions template, this gives a great UX option.

To have a template with two different numbers of columns that acts as one:

Step 1: Create a template that has the Fields that need to sit within the main Snapshot Template with the three-column layout.

Step 2: Create an Embedded Field so this template can span a row in the Snapshot Template

Step 3: Add the Embedded Field as a new Row in the Snapshot template and set it to span the row columns.

To have a feeling of Sub-Templates within Templates we use the following configuration steps:

Step 1: Create a Template for each of the categories of questions in the Health Check App

Step 2: Create an Embedded Report Field for each of the Templates of Questions in the App

Step 3: Add the Embedded Template Fields to a Template in the App so they appear as Sub-Templates within that Template

Parent Record Embedded Template

For an example of a Parent Record Embedded Template we can look at a Project Management App with a linked Actions Tracker. Without an Embedded Template from the Project App, we only see the specific Action detail:

When performing Action, it is useful to expose key project headline information such as the project priority and confidentiality level which could have an impact on how we complete the action. 

Headline project information can change over time. This could be handled via Parent Expressions and workflows with the data passed down into the action, but it is far more efficient to expose a template in the Action with the project headline information from the Parent Project Record.

Now we have the key Project information, we are able to make the right decisions when we complete the project actions. To configure this:

Step 1: Projects App - Add a template in the Parent with the Project Headline Information

Step 2: Action Tracker App - Add an Embedded Template Field in the Child App referencing the Project Template

Step 3: Action Tracker App - Add the Embedded Template Field to a Template in the Child Actions Tracker

Note: If the information is needed for further expressions, filtering or reporting then they will need to be passed into Fields in the Action Record but if the information is for reference only then it is cleaner to optimise the App with use of the Parent Embedded Template.

Reference Record Embedded Template

Using an embedded Reference Template is for information that is shared across records that may change and should always display as current. A strong business use case is being able to see the current Client Account Information when processing Support Tickets.

Here is a typical support ticket that a software platform provider would receive:

In order to effectively action the support ticket, we need to know the live Client Tier for expected resolution SLAs and support entitlements. Knowing the current Health of the Account Relationship can also add context and let us know whether to trigger further account retention efforts.

We have a Client App which tracks the live account information, so we want to expose a template from that App when working on this support ticket.

Step 1: Client App - Create a Template in the Client App with all the Key Account information

Step 2: Support Ticket App - Add a reference Field to select the Client that the support ticket is for

Step 3: Support Ticket App - Add an Embedded Template Field 

Step 4: Support Ticket App - Add the Embedded Template Field to the Support ticket template

The result is that we can now be far more effective with our support and know that as this is live client on an enterprise tier with a good account health, we are good to implement the feature for the client against their support contract.

The Key account information could also be exposed in a reference embedded template in other Apps:

• A Deals App so we can see client locations to optimise opportunities or the current Account Health as to whether extra retention effort or escalation is needed to convert the sale.
• A Project App for client delivery that displays key information such as the current Account Manager, Client Contacts and Stakeholders.