Configuring Display Templates

This chapter provides an overview of display templates and discusses how to configure display templates for components.

Understanding Display Templates

This section discusses:

• Display template architecture.

• Display template elements.

• Implementation considerations.

• System-delivered display templates.

Display Template Architecture

Display templates enable you to control the appearance and behavior of components for various yet specific business needs at ease. In the past, the way to enable a component to work in multiple scenarios was through component cloning and the use of markets, for example, the Case component had come up with six different clones to meet the needs of industry solutions and requirements from both external (the Support application) and internal (the HelpDesk applications) call center settings. Code maintenance became a costly project for development because the same change had to repeat multiple times for all cloned versions.

The introduction of display templates eliminates the need for component cloning. The idea is to make the look and feel of components entirely configurable using templates, so that they can potentially be used in any scenario. In the display template framework, only one version of a component exists. This component is a consolidation of all its variants and it consists of all the parts and pieces that can be manipulated. Each implementation that wants to present the component in its specific way creates a display template for the component. Through the display template, you can control the visibility of component pages and fields, alter section and field labels, apply field-level security and setup options that are available to the component.

A component can be associated with multiple display templates, each of which provides a different presentation of the component tailored for specific needs. Suppose that you set up three display templates for the Case component (RC_CASE) to be used in the customer support center, the internal IT helpdesk, and the internal human resources helpdesk. You can configure how the component looks and behaves in each operation based upon business requirements. For example, you can disable the Billing page for the two helpdesk display templates if interdepartmental billing is not available, change the Customer Information section label to Employee Information for the helpdesk display templates, disable the Dispute Information section in display templates that are not pertinent to the communications industry, and so on.

While display templates are typically used as a means to create multiple component versions without the complexity of cloning, you can still take advantage of the framework even when you intend to map a component to just one display template. Use the display template to change section and field labels, and manage fields in page sections. Under the framework, they become rather simple configuration tasks than consulting jobs.

PeopleSoft delivers system data for CRM components that support the framework, and provides display templates for functional users to configure respective components based on the this system data.

Navigation and Security

If you have multiple display templates for a component and would like to provide unique menu items on the left hand navigation menu for adding as well as finding display template-specific component records, you can create a content reference for each component (which corresponds to a menu item) and specify the appropriate display template ID in the portal URL of the content reference. When users click a menu item of a component, the CRM system uses the ID available in the associated URL to determine which display template should be used to show it.

To make sure that users have access to the right menu items, specify proper permission lists for each content reference.

In addition to page level access, the display template framework allows you to apply security at the field level through the CRM application security architecture. You can reference functional option code in fields, which determines the field display logic for users—editable or read only.

See Also

Understanding PeopleSoft Enterprise CRM Security

Defining Display Template General Options

Elements Controlled By Display Templates

Use display templates to control:

• Visibility of pages.

• Visibility and layout of page sections.

• Visibility and security of page fields.

• Functionality and setup options that are initiated by display templates.

• The default pages to display when users access the component in the add mode or update mode.

• Labels on fields, sections, and tabs within sections.

Pages and Sections

For pages that are selected as component system data, you can show or hide them, and specify which visible page to be the default page when the component is newly created and when it is opened for update.

For sections within visible pages, you can choose to show or hide them, and change the section label using either field label or message catalog entries. Each section is predefined in the system data as one of these types: standard, fields without a groupbox, expandable, embedded tab and subtab.

Note. Display templates do not support change on the order of sections.

See Configuring Pages, Sections and Fields.

Standard Sections

A type of section and it's commonly used. In a standard section, its fields reside in a group box.

Fields Without a Groupbox Sections

For sections of type fields without a groupbox, fields are not put together in a group box—this type of sections represents a grouping of standalone fields.

Expandable Sections

A type of section. There are two parts to an expandable section: the top part where fields are displayed all the time, and the bottom part that is collapsed unless you expand it. For fields that are enabled for expandable sections, indicate whether they should always be displayed, or shown only when the collapsible part of the section is expanded.

Embedded Tab Sections

A type of section. Embedded tabs are tabs within a group box and must be implemented through display templates. Embedded tabs and expandable sections serve a similar purpose of saving page space by not showing fields that are less frequently used unless users explicitly click a link or a tab to view them. For fields that belong to embedded tabs, indicate on which of the predefined tabs they should be displayed (a field can be shown in more than one embedded tab), and which tab to be shown on top. Embedded tabs are rendered at runtime by toolbar.

See Configuring Embedded Tab Sections.

Subtab Sections

A type of section. Though subtabs are rendered by toolbars, you set them up through display templates. A subtab in a subtab section includes one or more page sections defined for that page. At runtime, all subtabs pertinent to the page are displayed underneath the toolbar as links. Different from other types of section layout, you cannot make changes to fields in subtabs. When configuring a subtab section in a display template, you control the appearance of each subtab at the section level only.

See Configuring Subtab Sections.

Fields

In addition to page level access, the display template framework allows you to apply security at the field level through the CRM application security architecture. You can reference functional option code in fields, which determines the field display logic for users—editable or read only.

Fields are stored in sections, which can be standard group box, subtab, embedded tab, or expandable sections. In some case, the section may just have fields and they are not in a group box . For fields that appear in visible sections, you can show or hide them, change field label, and apply security using predefined code. Depending on the layout type of the section, additional control on fields applies. For example, when you configure an expandable section, you can decide when a field should appear (always or only when the section is expanded); for a subtab or embedded tab section, you can assign to which tab a field belongs.

See Configuring Pages, Sections and Fields.

System-delivered Display Templates

PeopleSoft CRM provides system-delivered display templates for components that support the functionality and they are crated under the GBL market. You can modify existing or create new display templates.

Note. Components must first be enabled to support display template configuration.

Product Definition

System-delivered display templates for product definition:

Marketing

System-delivered display templates for marketing:

ERMS

The system-delivered display template for ERMS:

Call Center Applications

System-delivered display templates for call center applications:

Field Service

System-delivered display templates for field service:

Change Management

The system-delivered display template for change management:

Order Capture

System-delivered display templates for order capture:

Quality Management

The system-delivered display template for quality management:

Sales

System-delivered display templates for sales:

Marketing

System-delivered display templates for marketing:

Configuring Display Templates for Components

This section discusses how to:

• Enable pages and general options.

• Configure pages, sections and fields.

• Configure subtab sections.

• Configure embedded tab sections.

• Update labels.

• View configured components at runtime.

Important! PeopleSoft CRM delivers system data for each component that supports display templates. Stored in the Display Template System Data component, the system data dictates which parts of the component that functional users are able to control using the predefined display templates (display templates are defined in the Display Template Definition component). Access to these two components is restricted to IT administrators only. Exercise caution when planning to modify system data or create additional display templates; it is considered customization and therefore is not supported by PeopleSoft.

Pages Used to Configure Display Templates for Components

Enabling Pages and General Options

Access the Display Template page.

You can review a list of system-delivered display templates in the Display Template Details component. Select a display template from the list and use it to configure the corresponding component.

Pages

This grid lists the pages that are configurable for the component.

General Options

This grid presents the features and functionality that are enabled in the component system data definition. The list varies depending on the number of feature options that are enabled for a given component. Typically, you select a value for each listed option. For example, select the configurable search ID from the Value drop down list box if you plan to use configurable search for a given display template and component combination; or select the appropriate application class extension if the system should perform some application specific logic when certain user event takes place. This grid does not appear if IT administrators have not enabled any general options in the component's system data to be configured through display templates.

Configuring Pages, Sections and Fields

Access the Display Template - Page Definition page.

Note that the last screenshot shows an example of an embedded tab section setup in another component for display purposes. It's not the continuation of the page displayed in the first four screenshots.

Sections

This grid lists all the sections of the component that are available to be configured by display templates, except for the subtab section (if applicable). Use the Enable check box to show or hide a component section at runtime. Clicking the section label link allows you to change the section label. You can select the label from existing field labels or message catalog entries (you can also create new message catalog entries).

Sub Tab Sections

This grid lists all fields that are defined in the subtab section. Each page can have the maximum of one subtab section. The subtab section is rendered by the page's toolbar. Columns on the left hand side with check boxes represent the subtabs (links) that are enabled within that subtab section. There can be a maximum of 10 subtabs in a subtab section as component system data, which means you can potentially have 10 columns in this grid if they are all enabled in this display template.

For any page field (typically group boxes, sometimes actual fields) that is displayed in the grid, select the subtab in which it resides. A field can appear in many tabs or none at all. This grid does not appear if there's no subtab section defined for the page.

At runtime, each subtab of subtab section appears as a link underneath the associated page name. If the Go To field is available, you can navigate to different subtabs in different pages.

Expandable Sections

This grid shows a list of fields specified for the expandable section as component system data (refer to the third screenshot).

Standard and Fields Without a Groupbox Sections

You can select which fields to appear in a standard section and change their field labels. The grid indicates the order in which the fields are displayed; you can apply field level security by referencing functional option code as necessary. It applies to fields without a groupbox sections as well.

Embedded Tab Sections

This grid shows a list of fields specified for the embedded tab section as component system data. Columns on the left hand side with check boxes represent the tabs that are enabled within that embedded tab section in the Display Template - Section Embedded Tab Definition page. Same as subtab sections, you can have a maximum of 10 tabs in an embedded tab section as component system data, which means you can potentially have 10 columns in this grid if they are all enabled in this display template.

You can select a page field to be placed in more than one embedded tab, and update the page field label if applicable.

Additional Fields

See Also

Understanding the Configurable Toolbar

Configuring Subtab Sections

Access the Display Template - Page SubTab Definition page.

SubTabs

See Also

Understanding the Configurable Toolbar

Configuring Embedded Tab Sections

Access the Display Template - Section Embedded Tab Definition page.

This grid lists the tabs of the selected embedded tab section that are configurable through display templates. Select one among the enabled tabs to be the default tab that shows whenever the embedded section is presented in the component. You can rearrange the tab order and update tab label if applicable.

Updating Labels

Access the Display Template - Label Definition page.

Select the source of the label text: field label or message catalog.

Note. When you see No Label appear in some section or field label as the label value, that means the corresponding page field does not have a specific name when it's defined in Application Designer and therefore the label is not editable in display templates. For example, frames do not always have labels.

Viewing Configured Components at Runtime

Access a component that is configured by display templates.

These screenshots show how the four types of sections, which were configured in previous parts of this chapter, look as the pages render. These sections are:

• Subtab sections

• Expandable sections

• Standard sections

• Embedded sections