Topics

Comidor Topics can be used as a channel of communication between colleagues. Users can create an internal community within the company where employees from one team can post topics and discuss with colleagues from other teams. This activity encourages collaboration and connection amongst peers and departments across the company. Examples might be informative topics like news sharing, the arrival of new workmates in a company, a new idea or a report with company or competitor results.

Topics can be monitored through Workbench and Process Dashboard as they are a type of process. Users can determine the topic category and the people who will have access to it.

 

Create a Topic

To access Topics, go to:

Workplace > Topics

Start with creating a new Topic by clicking on the + Icon in the Unit Title Bar. A new tab will appear:

1. Add the title and the basic info of the Topic. This will be a Process of type “Topic”.
   • Business Category: Search for a Topic category and select it or add a new one
   • Category: This is an extra categorization option
   • Assigned to: Click on the Assigned To field in order to see Comidor Users and Groups. You can assign this Topic to as many people or groups as you wish. This means that the people or groups selected here will be able to contribute to the Topic
   • Send notification to: Add Comidor Users and Groups who will receive a notification when someone comments on the Topic
   • Responsible group: The group responsible for running this Topic
   • Additional access: People and/or Groups that can access this Topic, without being able to contribute to it
   • Change rights: People and/or Groups that can edit the Topic details, e.g. Category, Assigned To, etc. This means that those who have access to this Topic will have the right to modify it
2. Next, set the scheduling of the Topic. Execution details will be filled in later when the Topic starts
   • Select Importance (Normal, High, Top) and Priority (Low, Normal, High, Top) of the Topic, if applicable
   • Set Scheduled Start and End Dates and Times of the Topic. Click on the checkbox if you wish to set the Topic to be executed automatically (starting and finishing on the scheduled dates and times)
   • The scheduled duration can be set to calculate the Tasks Workload later, if applicable. Enter the scheduled duration of the Topic in hours, e.g. put 0.5 for a Topic that will last half an hour or 20 for a Topic that will last 20 hours. As a suggestion, the calculated hours option gives the number of working hours within the timeframe of a day. When the Region code is set up in Regional Settings, suggested calculated hours give the timeframe of the working hours between scheduled start and end, excluding public holidays, etc
   • Scheduled quantity refers to a number of actions or number of responses you have to reach
3. Execution will be populated later when the Topic starts. If the Topic has already started make sure to complete these fields:
   • State – defaults to Opened when a user creates the Topic. You can change this later as Confirmed, Scheduled, Running, Completed, Canceled, Paused or Failed. The topic state will change to Running and Completed automatically on the scheduled start and end dates and times, respectively, provided that you checked the ‘execute automatically’ field above
   • Start and End Dates & Times are the actual start and end dates and times. You can see them when the process starts and when it finishes
   • Duration – actual Topic duration in hours
   • Quantity is the actual Topic quantity
   • Completed (%) is the percentage of Topic completion and should be added and managed manually by the process holder(s)
4. Location Details – can be added e.g. Country, Address, and City information By clicking on Find your location on Google Maps, you will see the location displayed inside your Topic (if Maps functionality activated) Business Intelligence Tools

5. Complete the Topic Description
6. Set users that will be Administrators and the Process Supervisor. Practically, this means that these users will have access to this Topic – even if they are not in the basic info above
7. Topics can be linked with a related Parent process, an Account, Contact, a File, Email and a Workflow. Type any related letters to find an entity
8. Select the desired Save option (refer to Quick Reference Guide)
9. Create from template option is available when you have already added a Topic Template in Process Templates in Automation – this will provide you with ready-to-start Topics with specified people participating in them

Edit and Monitor a Topic

To access Topics, go to Workplace > Topics.

Topics will appear in the Active Units Bar.

After creating the Topic, users can edit and monitor it through the Process Dashboard and the Workbench.

1. Click on a Topic from the list view in order to view and manage it.

• Click on the Pencil Icon to edit the Topic details. Only users who have been given access can edit. This is set in the Change Rights field when setting up the Topic

• Apply any changes in the fields that are explained further in Create a Topic and click on one of the Save options

2. Click on the Actions Icon to open a list of actions:
   • Refresh button gives an instantly updated view of this Topic
   • Select Delete to delete this Topic. A pop-up window appears
   • Click on Print to print the Topic view. A new tab opens in the web browser
   • Click on Link with in order to Link this Topic with any Comidor object (process, account, contact, project, opportunity, etc.). A pop-up window appears
   • Click on Notify in order to Notify a person or group of people about this Topic (ensure you Notify people that can access the Topic)
   • Create a Duplicate Topic based on the current one
   • Print notes added to the discussion board of this Topic. A pop-up appears prompting you to select the timeframe of the notes you want to view/print

1. Change the Topic state by clicking on the state button on the top right. Then select the state of the process.
   • Select Confirmed or Scheduled in order to verify or schedule the start of the Topic. A new pop-up window appears where you can set a different start time and date or accept the suggested time and date. Click on Save
   • Select Running and a new window appears, where users can set the execution time. The Topic state will change
   • Select Paused to pause a Topic for some time. A new pop-up window appears and the user can see the update in execution information
   • Click on Failed on a Topic that failed to complete. You can update start and end dates and times, duration (suggestion of tracked or computed duration are available) and quantity and click on Save. See the update in Topic execution information
   • Click on Canceled on a Topic that has been canceled. Update start and end dates and times, % of completion, duration (suggestion of tracked or computed duration are available) and quantity and click on Save. See the update in Topic execution information
   • Finally, press Completed setting a Topic as complete. Update start and end dates and times, duration (suggestion of tracked or computed duration are available) and quantity and click on Save. See the update in Topic execution information
2. When viewing a topic, get a full analysis by clicking on the Dashboard in the left panel. View information such as % of Process completion, time tracking, task count tracking, and tasks workload in hours
   • Task Count refers to the number of completed Tasks of this Topic. Tasks Workload (in hours) is the number of actual Task(s) duration divided by the scheduled Topic duration and the Completed percentage is the aforementioned field of the Topic that the user fills.
   • Create notification Reminders that will be sent when specific criteria are met
   • A pop-up opens with criteria to choose from. This reminder will be sent to a specific user and will appear in their Notifications Bar. You are also able to send an Email reminder
   • Email reminders will be sent provided that you have connected your email account in Comidor.
3. Click on Notifications in the left panel to see all the Reminder – notifications that have been created and sent regarding this specific Topic. The notifications may refer to process completion, process start, process delay or time before its start
4. You can add or check previously added Opportunities, Budgeting, Expenses or Income entities that are related to this Topic. You must have access to the Accounting (ACC) package in Application Rights to check accounting information
5. Click on Tags and Links in order to give a Tag on this Topic or Link it with other Comidor entities. For example, Accounts, Contacts, Projects, Opportunities, Messages, Files, etc
6. If you have linked a workflow to this specific Topic, you can get real-time information regarding the Workflow Tasks that have been created and/or completed so far and the workflow run diagram in the respective tab.
7. Also, you can monitor all actions that have taken place in Workflow audit tab. Important information you can get at this point is:
   • The server that calls the action
   • Object Name
   • Previous Stage
   • Path Description and Condition
   • Change Info
   • Created and Modified by whom
   • Creation and Update dates

Add Tasks & Files in a Topic

Tasks can be added and scheduled to a Topic if work needs to be done by those involved with the Topic. Add a quick Task by clicking on the bottom right of the Topic. A new form will open and you can create multiple Tasks and enter and monitor them from this point. Click on refresh to instantly see all new-added tasks in the form. Related files can be uploaded directly from your Desktop or by clicking on the Earth Icon to attach a File URL.

Discussions in a Topic

Users that have the right to view a Topic (Users and Users in Groups that you have selected in the fields of Topic: Assigned to, Supervised by, Additional access, Administrator, Administrator 2 and Supervisor) can also read any discussion that occurs on that Topic in Notes.

• Add a Comment by clicking on the Comment Icon. Open the HTML editor for more formatting options
• Users can click on Refresh to see new comments; click on Show More or Show Less to view the number of comments as required

Only people and people in groups that are added to “Send Notification to” field, receive notifications in the Notifications Bar about these comments.

Multiple Topics Actions

1. From Workplace > Topics.
2. In the list view of Topics, select multiple Topics to perform various actions. Click on Delete to delete many Topics at the same time. A check message appears in a pop-up window prompting you to be specific and check what Topics (and their sub-processes) you would like to delete. Choose between “Yes, delete all”, “Yes, but just those selected”, “No”
   • Change state – a pop-up window appears. Click to expand the list, select a state and click on Ok
   • Change category – a new pop-up window appears. Click to expand the list, select a business category, and click on Ok
   • Link with – to Link the Topics with a Comidor object eg. Process, Opportunity, Survey, Project, Account, Contact, Message, File, etc. or select Tag to apply multiple tags at once              
   • Select Print notes added on the discussion board of this Topic. A pop-up appears prompting you to select the time frame of notes report you are about to view/print
   • Make a copy in Process Scheduling – to copy this Topic and transfer it to Process Scheduling unit, where you can set a repetition for it

Print and Export Multiple Topics

In the Topics’ main view, click on the Actions Icon and select Export or Print to export or print one or all of the Topics.