Define General Properties for a Business Object

Use the General page in the Business Object Properties window to define the following:

• Name and description.
• Public ID: An identifier that is displayed to Users to identify a specific Business Object record (required for Major Objects).
• Object Type: Major, Supporting, or Lookup.
• Tracking options: What information to track about Business Object records (ex: Ownership, who created or last modified a record, creation and modification dates). This is done using Fields.
• Menus and shortcut keys (Major Objects only).
• Options: Various behaviors, including where the Business Object appears in CSM (ex: In Search Groups, One-Steps, Expressions, etc.).

  Note: The Business Object Properties window is available in the Business Object Editor (accessed from within the Object Manager in a Blueprint).

To define general properties for a Business Object:

1. Open the Business Object Properties window:
   1. In the CSM Administrator main window, click the Blueprints category, and then click the Create a New Blueprint task.

      Note: If working on a saved Blueprint, open the existing Blueprint.

      The Blueprint Editor opens, displaying the Object Manager in its Main Pane. The Object Manager lists the existing Business Objects.

   2. In the Object Manager, click (New Object) in the Object tree, and then click the New Business Object task from the Structure area.

      Note: If working on an existing Business Object, open the Business Object Editor for that Business Object, and then click the Bus Ob Properties button.

      To open the Business Object Editor:

      1. In the CSM Administrator main window, click the Blueprints category, and then click the Create a New Blueprint task.

         Note: If working on a saved Blueprint, open the existing Blueprint.

         The Blueprint Editor opens, displaying the Object Manager in its Main Pane. The Object Manager lists the existing Business Objects.

      2. In the Object Manager, click a Business Object in the Object tree, and then click the Edit Business Object task in the Structure area (or double-click a Business Object in the Object tree).

         The Business Object Editor opens.

         Tip: You can also click the Edit Business Object button on the Blueprint Editor Toolbar to open the Business Object Editor.

      The Business Object Properties window opens.

2. Click the General page.

   

3. Define general information for the Business Object:
   1. Name: Provide a display name to use within CSM.
      • Plural Name: When you provide a display name, the plural name is automatically populated (an s is added to the end of the display name; this might need to be edited). The plural name is used whenever the Business Object is displayed in text that needs a plural form.
      • Internal Name: When you provide a display name, the internal name is automatically populated with the Business Object display name, but with spaces and punctuation removed. In most places in the interface, the display name is used; however, the internal name is used when accessing the Business Object using APIs. By default, the internal name is also used as the custom storage name on the Database page (except for Group Objects, which use the Group Leader's storage name).

        Note: The storage name can be overridden in the database properties for a Business Object. However, it must adhere to SQL Table naming conventions (ex: Automatically be derived from the display name, not use invalid values such as spaces, etc.).

   2. (Optional) Description: Provide a description to use within CSM.
4. Define a Public ID for the Business Object. CSM uses a unique identifier (usually RecID) for each Business Object instance, but this is not User-friendly. A Public ID allows you to define your own ID that is displayed to Users. This is a single Field that best represents the Business Object (ex: Incident ID for the Incident object, Customer's full name for the Customer object, etc.).

   Important: A Public ID is required for Major Business Objects.

   1. Use Public ID: Select this check box to use a Public ID for the Business Object.
   2. Define a Public ID:
      • Use Existing Field: In the drop-down, select a Field containing the value that best describes the Business Object (ex: IncidentID for Incident or Full Name for Customer).
      • Create New Field: Click New to create a new Public ID field.

        To create a Public ID field:

        1. Click New.

           The Create Public ID window opens.

           

        2. Define general properties for the Public ID field:
           1. Name: Type a display name for the Field.
           2. Internal Name: Type an internal name for the Field (what the system uses internally). This is automatically populated with the Field name (without spaces and punctuation), but can be changed if needed.
           3. Field Size: Use the up/down arrows to increase or decrease the number of characters the Field can hold (default is 10).
           4. Use Counter: Select this check box to use a Counter in the Field. Then, click the Ellipses button to open the Counter Manager, where you can select an existing Counter or create a new Counter. You can do this if you want each new record to have a new and unique, ever-increasing Public ID.
        3. Click OK.

           A window opens asking if you want to create an index. We recommend that you click Yes so that Public ID can be used in CSM Searches.

      • Prefix with Business Object Name: Select this check box to display the Business Object name along with the Public ID. This is useful if the Public ID is numeric (ex: An Incident ID of 12345 is displayed as Incident 12345 rather than just 12345).

        Note: When you define a Public ID, a window opens asking if you want to create an index. We recommend clicking Yes so that Public ID can be used in CSM Searches.

5. Select an Object type: Select a radio button to designate the type of Business Object (Major, Supporting, or Lookup).
6. Define tracking options (creates Fields to track information in the Business Object):

   Note: Clearing a check box deletes the selected tracking Field from the Business Object.

   • Track Creation: Select this check box to track when records are created. Selecting this check box automatically adds the following Fields to the Business Object: Created Date Time, Created By, and Created By ID.
   • Track Modified: Select this check box to track when records are modified. Selecting this check box automatically adds the following Fields to the Business Object: Last Mod Date Time, Last Mod By, and Last Mod By ID.
   • Track Owner: Select this check box to track who owns a record. Selecting this check box automatically adds the following Fields to the Business Object: Owned By and Owner ID. The initial record owner is the person who creates the record.
   • Track Team Owner: Select this check box to track which Team owns a record. Selecting this check box automatically adds the following Fields to the Business Object: Owned By Team and Owner Team ID.

     Note: For more information about the Track Owner and Track Team Owner option, refer to Record Ownership.

7. Define other options:
   • Image: Click the Image button to open the Image Manager, and then select an existing image or import a new image to represent the Business Object in the UI.
   • (Major and Supporting Objects only) Uses Queues: Select this check box to allow Users to add this Business Object to Queues.
   • (Major and Supporting Objects only) Show in Search Manager: Select this check box to allow Search Groups to be associated with the Business Object (Business Object is available in the Association drop-down in the Search Group Manager).
   • Show in One-Steps: Select this check box to allow One-Steps to be associated with the Business Object (Business Object is available in the Association drop-down in the One-Step Manager) and to define Actions/One-Steps for the Business Object.
   • Show in Expression Manager: Select this check box to allow Expressions to be associated with the Business Object (Business Object is available in the Association drop-down menu in the Expression Manager).
   • (Supporting and Lookup Objects only) Show in Table Management: Select this check box to allow values to be provided for the Business Object via Table Management. By default, this is selected for Lookup Business Objects so that Users can easily add new values.
   • Show in E-mail Address Book: Select this check box to show the Business Object in the CSM Address Book (in the Show Names From drop-down). Then, select the Field that holds the e-mail address value (you might need to create this Field). Typically, this is used for Customer, UserInfo, and Vendor Objects.

     Note: When first creating a Business Object, there is not an appropriate Field to hold the e-mail address. You must first create the Field and then edit the Business Object to set this option.

   • Show in CMDB: Select this check box to allow the Business Object to be used inside the CMDB so that Configuration Items can be associated with this Business Object. This is selected by default for the Configuration Item Business Object/Group Members. Typically, it is only selected for other objects if they represent external CMDB data.
   • Show in Contact Manager: Select this check box to show the Business Object in the Contact Manager (in the Customer Type to Show drop-down menu). Then, select the Field to use to alphabetize records. This is selected by default for the Customer Business Object/Group Members. Typically, it is only selected for other objects if they represent external Customer data.
   • Allow spell-checking: Select this check box to turn on spell-checking for the Fields in the Business Object. This checks for spelling errors in content that is provided in Business Object records. You can specify which Fields should be selected on a Field-by-Field basis.
8. (Major Objects only) Define menus and shortcut keys:
   • New Record: Select a keyboard command to use as a shortcut to create a new Business Object record in CSM (ex: CTRL+SHIFT+I creates a new Incident record).
   • Quick Search: Select a keyboard command that can be used to change the Search Control to this object in the CSM Desktop Client Task Pane and set the focus to the Search Control so that the User can provide search terms to run a Quick Search of the Business Object.

     Note: To enable the Quick Search keyboard shortcut, you must select Show in Quick Search on the Search Results page. When this shortcut key is used in CSM, the Quick Search selector will automatically be changed to the appropriate Object, and the cursor will be placed in the Search Control ready for the User to provide a keyword to search.

   • Show on New Menu: Select this check box to show the New Record keyboard shortcut on the New menu on the CSM Desktop Client menu bar and toolbar.
9. Click OK.
10. Publish the Blueprint (File>Publish Blueprint) to commit the changes, or save the Blueprint (File>Save Blueprint) to continue making other changes.

    Note: Before publishing a Blueprint that contains Business Objects, ensure that each Business Object has at least one Form and one Grid defined and that all of the appropriate Fields have been created.