Deltek Insight 2011: Customizing Time and Expense

ECT-201: Customizing Time and Expense

May 18, 2011

Presented byMary Bernstein, RAND Corporation

04/18/20232 ©2011 Deltek, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Project Manufacturing

Human Resources

Financial Management

Project Management

Do More

CRM and Capture Management

Teaming Solutions

Market IntelligenceWin More

Do More

Project Execution & Management

Reporting, GRC & Compliance

Project & Corp Accounting

Time, Expense, Labor, Payroll

Business Performance Management

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04/18/20234

Agenda

©2011 Deltek, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Pros & Cons of Customization Customization Levels:

1. Basic Customizations: Using Product Features

2. Beyond the Basics

3. Advanced Customization Customizations Best Practice Summary Related Resources

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Key Take Aways


How do customizations make the Time & Expense product easier for end-users?

When should my company customize? When should my company avoid customizing? If I do customize, how can I do it safely?

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Customizing Time & Expense: Pros


Benefits of customizing an off-the-shelf product:

Address gap between business requirements and product function Reduce user errors Ease user training and support Improve consistency of ‘look and feel’ with corporate standards (e.g.

branding) Create or enhance interfaces to other systems

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Customizing Time & Expense: Cons


Depending on the type, customizations may:

Increase development and documentation resources Increase initial testing effort Increase time to deployment Increase ongoing maintenance costs because each new patch and new

release will require: Review Potentially, re-apply, re-install or re-design Retest

Complicates support interactions Increases project risk

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Basic Customization:Setups


Choose expense form and field names that help the user recognize purpose.

Skill Level: High

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Basic Customization:User Defined Fields

User (e.g., admin) defined fields offer flexible label and content. Content is visible to approver and exportable to ERP. Available in ER header and on individual expense types.

Skill Level: High


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Basic Customization:Custom Text


Custom text allows you to replace—in real time—labels, email content, instructions and help text throughout the application.

Text can include HTML to control text color, bold/italic, or include URL

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Beyond the Basics:MessageBundle File


The MessageBundle files defines all numbered messages, labels and text.

Each file appears in supported language versions:

US English: MessageBundle_en_US.properties

German: MessageBundle_de_DE.properties

French: MessageBundle_fr_FR.properties

If you don’t find the label you need in the ‘Custom Text’ screens, you can:

• Edit the MessageBundle file to change it directly (requires restart)

• And/or change the format of the label line so that appears in Custom Text screens.

Found in: <home>\applications\TC\APP-INF\classes

Skill Level: High

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Beyond the BasicsMessageBundle Format


The MessageBundle line format:F000420 = P-T Charged ^^ RAND ^^ Expense ^^ Charge Field Label ^^ Text Type ^^ Y ^^ Hint

a) Unique Label Number

b) Visible Text Field

c) Custom Text Module

d) Custom Text Screen Application

e) Page

f) Type

g) Custom Text Visibility Flag (N/Y)

h) Admin Hint Text

b c d e f g ha

Skill Level: High

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Beyond the Basics:Custom Procedures


Some business requirements require additional validations during the process of completing timekeeping or expense business process, for example:

State of California timekeeping rules

Company specific preauthorization rules

Special cross-form validations Custom procedure framework allow insertion of customer (or consultant)

prepared PL/SQL code. Framework exposes pre-defined set of input parameters and output

parameters. Custom procedure can return warnings (to continue) or errors (to prevent

further action) or have other effects behind the scenes.

Skill Level: High

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Beyond the Basics:Custom Procedures


Custom procedures very powerful if:

Custom action fits at supported processing point

Custom action is an addition to existing product functionality

Not helpful if:

Custom action occurs at other point, e.g., at expense line save or when entering value into a specific field

Custom action needs to replace or over-ride product functionality

Skill Level: High

Processing Points

Form TypePre Save

Post Save Pre Sign Post

SignPre Approve

Post Approve

Timesheet p p p p p p

Preauthorization p p p p

Expense p p p p

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Advanced Customizations


Warning and Disclaimers Adjusting Colors Changing Navigation Changing Defaults Adding Form Specific Labels Adding Database Triggers

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Advanced Customizations:Warnings and Disclaimers


Unless implemented by Deltek consulting staff, advanced customizations are not supported by Deltek.

Untested customizations may interfere with product functionality. Untested customizations may interfere with product functionality. Proceed at your own risk.

Note: RAND is not responsible for problems that may arise or

damages that may be incurred.


Customizing Time & Expense: Limits

Model-View-Controller Architecture

Setup options define view & controller actions Custom procedures influence controller actions at defined action points Some adaptations to view (i.e., presentation) possible via changes to

application source files Significant changes to look, flow and function not feasible

Controllerjava classes

Viewjsp & css files

Modeljava classes

db

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Advanced CustomizationsAdjusting Colors


Background, label, and field colors may need to comply with corporate standards or branding guidelines.

Color definitions found in .CSS files<home>\applications\TC\DeltekTC\com\deltek\tc\framework\css\alt

Keep limited vision user concerns in mind.

As shipped

RAND colors

Skill Level: High

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Advanced CustomizationsChanging Navigation


Showing unsupported buttons and links confuse users and increase support calls.

Adding contact links allows immediate interaction with support staff.

Skill Level: High

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Advanced Customizations3. Changing Defaults


Some screens require multiple clicks for each uses, particularly search screens in the Expense module.

Adjusting default checkbox default settings can save time and reduce user frustration.

To find the right .jsp file:

• View frame source

• Look for: <input type='hidden' name='unit' id='unit' value=‘modulename'>

• Find file with same name in: <home>\applications\TC\DeltekTC\com\deltek\tc\modulename

Skill Level: High

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Advanced Customizations3. Changing Defaults


For example, expense search screen code found in:

<home>\applications\TC\DeltekTC\com\deltek\tc\exprptsearch\ ExpReportSearch.jsp

In jsp file, find checkbox definition and omit “checked”

Restart application server after any changes to .jsp files. Note key words in comment field—eases identification of customized code

Skill Level: High


Advanced Customizations4. Adding Form Specific Labels

Form setup allows custom expense category and expense types.

Expense types can be used on multiple form types. However, for different labels for the same screen or cell on

different forms, you must customize. Add statements that test for form type, then substitute desired label numbers. If desired label not already in MessageBundle file, add new custom lines with

unique label numbers.

Skill Level: High


Advanced Customizations4. Adding Form Specific Labels

In expense report, use different label on purpose and description fields based on ER type:

Skill Level: High


Advanced Customizations5. Adding Database Triggers

Database triggers:

• Can be used on an insert, update or modification of any table in system.

• Tricky to write and test.

• Require developer to have deep understanding of both the application data and the application functions.

• Can degrade system performance.

• Can have unexpected side-effects if trigger interferes with application function.

Skill Level: High

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Advanced Customizations5. Database Triggers


Simple trigger on DESKTOP_AUTH_TASKS makes it easier for travel approvers to see international travel and second level role.

Skill Level: High

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Customizations:Best Practice


Avoid advanced customizations whenever possible.

Use staff with the right skill set to do the work.

Always keep original vendor files.

Test thoroughly.

Document customization extensively--record and explain every single change to every single file or table!

Build time into all subsequent project plans to review, re-apply, and re-test.

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Summary


Time and Expense is a very flexible product with a variety of features to enable customized look, feel, and function.

In some cases “advanced” customization is justified.

Advanced customizations will incur costs throughout product lifetime.

Follow best practice guidelines to avoid problems down the road.

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Q&A


Questions?

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http://www.youtube.com/user/deltekinc

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http://www.twitter.com/deltek

http://www.youtube.com/user/deltekinc

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Call To Action


Take fully advantage of the built-in features that support customized screens, labels and workflow.

Take advantage of the custom procedure support to enhance validations and perform other company-specific actions.

Contact your product manager to request more customization features!

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References


Deltek Document

Getting Started Guides One for each module; step by step for basic customizations.

Technical Guides Consolidated document with detail technical material beyond basic customizations.

Release Notes Detailed guide on changes from last version. Assists with customization review process.

Install & Upgrade Docs Includes guide on installing custom help files.

ERD Database guide essential for advanced customization developers.

Education

Deltek Insight 2011: Customizing Time and Expense