Record Lists

Owned by Stonebranch
Last updated: Jun 01, 2023
14 min read

Introduction

A record list is either a:

  • Listing of records of the same type, such as tasks, calendars, or users.
  • Listing of all records of the same type or category, such as all tasks or active triggers.

When you click a record type in the Services, a list of currently defined records for that record type displays.

List Task Bar

A task bar displays at the top of every list. For example:
 


 

The following table describes the different elements that can appear on a list task bar and the function of each element:
 

Task Bar Element

Function

Allows you to apply an existing filter to the records on the list. The default selection is -- No Filter -- (no Filter is applied). Click the down arrow to display a list of existing filters.

Allows you to create, view, or edit a filter that you can save or apply to the records on the list.

Allows you to create a quick record name filter that you can apply (but not save) to the records on the list.

Allows you to create a new record of the record type displayed on the list.

Allows you to refresh any dynamic data displayed on the list.

Formatting a List

For every list in the user interface, an Action menu of formatting options is available.

To display the menu of formatting options, click the down arrow that appears over the Detail icons column.
 


 

For all lists, you can right-click any column header on the list to display an Action menu of formatting options preceded by sort actions for the selected column.
 


 

See Action Menus for a description of these formatting and sort options.

Sorting

By default, lists are sorted by <record type> Name in ascending, alphanumeric order (0-9, a-z).

You can sort a list in ascending or descending order of the entries in any displayed column.

There are two ways to sort a list:

  1. Click a column header; the list is sorted in ascending order of the entries in that column. A small arrow appears to the left of the column name to indicate the direction of sort. An up arrow indicates ascending alphanumerical order; a down arrow indicates descending alphanumerical. Re-click the header to reverse the direction of sort.
  2. Right-click a column header to display an Action menu and click either:

Sorting by Type

Type columns, such as Permission Type, Task Type, or Task Instance Status, are sorted by the Type underlying integer values, not alphabetically by the Type display names.

For example, if you sort the list of task instances on the Activity Monitor by Status, the list is sorted by the numeric Status Code, not the alphabetic Status Name:
 

Configure a Multi-Level Sort

You can use the Configure Sort action to create a temporary, multi-level sort for any column.

Step 1

Click a column header to sort the list by the currently defined sort level of that column (default is column name in ascending order).

Step 2

Right-click the same column header to display an Action menu.

Step 3

Click Configure Sort... to display the Sort dialog.
 

 
The Sort By row identifies the default Column and Order by which the list is sorted if you click the column header.

Step 4

Click the Add Level or Copy Level button to add a Then by row to the list.
 

Step 5

Select a Column and Order for Then by.

Step 6

Add as many sort levels as desired. To remove a level from the dialog (including the default level), select it and then click Delete Level. Use the up and down arrow buttons to re-arrange the order of the levels.

Step 7

Click Apply. The list is sorted according to the levels that you have defined. Numbers display next to the column headers, identifying the sort order.
 
For example:
 

Step 8

To remove the temporary sort levels for the column, either:

  • Click anywhere in the list header row.
  • Right-click the column header of the column you were sorting and click Clear Sort.

Filtering

You can apply a filter to a list so that it temporarily displays only records matching the filter criteria, and you can create and save a filter that can be applied at any time to the list.

You also can create a quick filter that will filter a list by full or partial record name.

For detailed information on creating and applying filters, see Filters.

Selecting Columns / Column Locations for a List

Initially, all lists display default columns of information in default locations. You can change a list to display any available column in any location.

The columns are based on the fields that exist for a record type in the Controller database; all fields that display in the user interface, including Metadata fields, are available as columns.

To select which columns you want displayed on a list:

Step 1

Display the list.

Step 2

Access the Action menu of list formatting options.

Step 3

Click Columns... to display the Field Picker pop-up dialog.
 

 

  • The Available Fields window lists the fields that currently are not displayed on the list but are available for display.
  • The Visible Fields window lists the fields that currently are displayed on the list (in left-to-right sequence).

Step 4

Drag and drop fields between the Available Fields and Visible Fields windows, as appropriate for whichever fields you want displayed on the list.
 
You can drag and drop a field from the Available Fields window into any location in the Visible Fields window, and you can drag and drop any field in the Visible Fields window to a new location. Fields dragged from the Visible Fields window to the Available Fields are automatically dropped into location based on alphabetical order.
 

Note

You also can:

  • Move any field between the Available Fields and Visible Fields windows by clicking the field and then clicking the > or < arrow.
  • Relocate any field by dragging and dropping the corresponding column directly on the list.

Step 5

To filter the fields listed in either window, enter characters in the text field above the Name column. Only fields containing that sequence of characters will display in the list.

Step 6

Click the Apply button on the Field Picker dialog to save your relocation selections.

List Layouts

Every list displays in its System Default layout when you first log in to the Controller.

You can sort, filter, select, and/or relocate columns in a list, and save that configuration of the list as a new layout.

You can create any number of layouts for a list, and:

  • Pin any layout to a list, making it your Default layout whenever you display that list.
  • Select any layout as a temporary layout for the list while it currently is being displayed.

To select a layout for a list, access the Action menu, which provides the following selections for saving and selecting list layouts:

Layouts >

Displays a menu of all layouts, including the System Default layout, that you can apply to the list.

Save Layout...

Saves the current configuration of the list as a new layout and displays the layout in the Layouts menu.

Save As Default Layout

For the ops_admin role only; Saves the current configuration of the list as the System Default layout for this list.

Restore the Default Layout

For the ops_admin role only; Restores the System Default layout of this list to the original System Default layout.


Layouts Menu

The Layouts menu identifies all currently defined layouts for the list, including the System Default layout.

Layouts menu Icons:

Icon

Description


Indicates that this layout has been pinned as the Default layout for this list.


Lets you delete a layout (except the System Default layout).

 
Indicates the list layout that currently is selected for the list. This layout will display for the list - including any modifications made since the layout was selected - until you close, and then re-open, the list.

For example:

In this Layouts menu, the checkmark next to System Default indicates this is the currently selected layout. 

Selecting a Layout for a List

There are two ways to select a layout for a list:

  1. Click the name of the layout in the Layouts menu. The check mark will display next to that layout, indicating that it is the currently selected layout for the list.
  2. Click the Layout icon next to the layout. The Default Layout icon and the check mark will display next to that layout, indicating that it is the currently selected layout for the list and is pinned as the Default layout for the list.

Note

Pinning a layout as your Default layout also selects it as the currently displayed layout, but selecting a layout as the currently displayed layout does not pin it as your Default layout.

Saving a Layout

You can save any configuration of a list as a list layout.
 

Step 1

Select Save Layout... from the Action menu. A Save As... pop-up dialog displays.
 

Step 2

Enter a Name for the layout. (By default, the dialog displays the record type of the list as the Name.)

Step 3

Select whether or not you want to pin the layout as your Default layout for this list.


You can display a layout for a list without pinning it as your Default layout by clicking the layout name in the Layout > menu. The list will display in the selected layout, but your Default layout will remain the same.

Saving a Layout As Your Default Layout

To save a layout as your Default layout for a list, which pins the layout to the list, click the  icon next to that layout in the Layouts menu. 

Saving a layout as your Default layout for a list does not make that layout the System Default layout; it only means that for you, as the user that saved the layout, it is pinned as your Default layout for the list whenever you display the list.

In the following example, Task Instance has been pinned as the your Default layout for the list, and System Default has been selected as the currently displayed layout.


 

Deleting a Layout

To delete a list layout, click the  icon that appears next to every layout (except the System Default layout, which cannot be deleted) in the Layouts menu.

If you delete a layout that is pinned as your Default layout for the list, the System Default layout automatically becomes your Default layout for the list.

Adding Records from a List

Adding a new record is a simple uniform procedure through the environment: from any list, click the  button.

Deleting Records from a List

To delete one or more records from a list of records:

Step 1

On the records list, Ctrl+right-click the records that you want to delete. Each selected record is highlighted.
 
For example:
 

Step 2

On the Action menu that displayed after you made your first selection, click Delete.

Step 3

On the Confirmation pop-up that displays, click OK.

Note

You also can delete an individual record from its record Details (see Deleting a Record).

Updating Multiple Records from a List

You can update multiple records from any of the following lists:

For detailed information on how to perform a multiple records update, see Updating Multiple Records.

Uploading Records to a List

You can upload records (as contained in a zip and/or json file) to any of the following lists:

For detailed information on how to perform a multiple records upload, see Uploading Records.

Downloading Multiple Records from a List

You can download multiple records from a list (or download a single record from its record details) from any of the following lists:

For detailed information on how to perform a multiple records downloads, see Download Records.

Performing Actions on One or More Records from a List

You can perform many actions on one or more records on a list without having to open the record(s).

  • For a single record, right-click the record on the list to display an Action menu of all actions available for that record.
  • For multiple records, press Ctrl and right-click each record. An Action menu of all actions available for multiple records of that type displays.
     

Note

The actions available for a record when selecting an Action menu from a list may not be the same as the actions available when you select an Action menu from its record Details.

Exporting Records to an Output File

This feature allows you to export record information for records on a list to any of the following file types:

  • CSV (comma-separated values in an Excel file)
  • Permissions for Group (XML for User Groups only)
  • PDF
  • XLS (Excel)
  • XLXS
  • XML
  • XML (Export References)

To export records, you first display the current list of those records.

By default, an export contains all records on the list. If you do not want to export all records on the list, use filtering to select the records to be exported.

Note

You cannot select records on a list manually to indicate which records are to be exported; you must filter the list in order to select the records.

Important!

It is strongly recommended that you do NOT use the Import and Export functions for modification of Universal Controller records. API functions are available if you need to programmatically update, copy, insert, or otherwise manipulate Universal Controller records.

Exporting Records to CSV, PDF, XLS (Excel), or XLSX

When you export to CSV, PDF, XLS (Excel), or XLXS, you export only the columns of information displayed on the list. To select which columns are displayed, see Selecting Columns / Column Locations for a List.

To run the export:

Step 1

Display the list of records.

Step 2

Right-click in any column header of the list to display an Action menu.

Step 3

Select Export.

Step 4

Select CSV, PDF, XLS (Excel), or XLXS.

Step 5

When the export is complete, select whether to open or save the file.

Exporting Records to XML, XML (Export References), or Permissions for Group

When you export to XML, XML (Export References), or Permissions for Group (XML for User Groups only), you export the entire record.

Note

Exporting records to XML files requires the ops_admin role or the ops_imex role.

To run the export:

Step 1

Display the list of records.

Step 2

Right-click in any column header of the list to display an Action menu.

Step 3

Select Export.

Step 4

Select either:

  • XML
  • XML (Export References)
  • Permissions for Group

The following table provides notes on these export types for different record types.

Export Type Record Type Notes
XML Task Also exported: local variables, Actions, Notes, and Virtual Resource requirements.
XML Workflow Also exported: all tasks in the workflow. Each task is exported to a separate XML file
XML (Export References) Task

Also exported: all of the XML export data, plus triggers, global variables, calendars, credentials, and any resources referred to. These "reference" records are saved to separate XML file.
XML Universal Task
  • Export does not include Universal Template XML.
  • Any unmapped fields (for example: booleanField1, choiceField1) are excluded from the XML.
  • For any mapped fields, the XML element includes both the Name and Label attributes. For example: <boolean_field1 name="immediate" label="Immediate">true</boolean_field1>

XML (Export References)

 Universal Task

Export includes:

  • Universal Template XML.
  • Referenced Credentials, Agent Cluster, and Broadcast Cluster.
  • Referenced Agent only if the Export Agent References Universal Controller system property (opswise.export.agent_references) is set to true.

For any other reference fields that might be inherited from the common Task definition (for example, System Operations), those references also will be followed.
XML Universal Template

Export includes the base Universal Template definition, along with as the Universal Template Field and Universal Template Field Value Maps data, in a single XML per Universal Template.

XML (Export References)

 Universal Template

Export includes:

  • Referenced Credentials, Agent Cluster, and Broadcast Cluster (under "Defaults" section).
  • Referenced Agent only if the Export Agent References Universal Controller system property (opswise.export.agent_references) is set to true.

XML (Export References)

 Bundle

Export includes:

  • Any Business Services referenced by the Member of Business Services field.
  • Any Promotion Target referenced by the Default Promotion Target field.
  • Any record added to the Bundle, including those records referenced by any record added to the Bundle.

Step 5

When the export is complete, an Exported message displays above the list, indicating that the export is complete. (The export location is configurable; see the Export Path Universal Controller system property.)

Importing Records from a File

You can import record information from any valid XML file to a list using the Import action that is available for all lists.

  • Any Universal Template XML found in the import directory will be processed prior to any other XML.
  • Universal Template XML will be processed only if the Universal Template does not exist by name or sys_id. You can create a Universal Template via List Import, but you cannot update a Universal Template via List Import; if the Universal Template exists, the Universal Template XML will be ignored.
  • Any Universal Task XML must be validated to ensure that it conforms to the currently defined Universal Template it is associated with.
     

Note

Importing records from XML files requires either the ops_admin role or the ops_imex role.

Important!

It is strongly recommended that you do NOT use the Import and Export functions for modification of Universal Controller records. API functions are available if you need to programmatically update, copy, insert, or otherwise manipulate Universal Controller records.