ServiceDesk 4.4.57 Update 03/27/10

ServiceDesk has long possessed a Command Summary in its main menu.  A listing of commands is particularly needed for some contexts, because in some (such as the DispatchMap, for example) display space is so much at a premium for operative purposes, and the operations that we wish to do are so many, it simply is not practical to provide on-screen command buttons for every purpose.  Instead (and in such forms), we offer a plethora of powerful tricks and tools via various combinations of keyboard and mouse.  Among other things (and for each such context), the Command Summary lists what these actions are. 

Augmenting that main-menu listing, it has long been easy in several such operative areas to quickly bring up the particular section, from the Command Summary, that's applicable to the context in question.  When the apt section is brought up in such manner, we have taken to calling it a "CheatSheet."  These CheatSheets can be very, very handy. 

Gradually, some of these CheatSheets have been improved for greater organization and clarity, but until now some were still somewhat lousy, and we needed some new CheatSheets in places we did not yet have them.  Plus, for each context where a CheatSheet was potentially available, you needed to at least remember the particular magic place, where you could right-click with your mouse, to bring up the Cheat Sheet as applicable there. 

With this release, there is a big general improvement.  In any context that offers a CheatSheet, you can now right-click in virtually any otherwise un-operative space, and get the CheatSheet as applicable there.  The contexts that offer such CheatSheets are as follows:

Callsheets;DispatchMap;PartsProcess form;ScheduleList form;Inventory Control form; and MasterPartsPlan

Please note that the last two forms are new, in terms of their CheatSheet participation.  For those two contexts (and for some time), we've needed reminders of two or three potential commands in each, and those are now provided in these particular new CheatSheets (if you check in those contexts, you'll see some handy actions you likely did not even know were available). 

Please also remember, a right-click in any otherwise un-operative space, in any of these forms, will produce the CheatSheet as applicable there.    

In addition to the above general improvement (and added CheatSheet contexts), the CheatSheet as applicable to the PartsProcess form has been strongly improved, in terms of the clarity of its organization:

Old PartsProcess CheatSheetNew PartsProcess CheatSheet

While the new layout may look a bit more intimidating in size, if you look briefly, you should see it will be a great deal easier to find what you're seeking when you want it.  

A year or so ago we completed the "to-grave" portion of our cradle-to-grave PartsProcess system.  Specifically, we provided a report that explicitly lists items not checked off as having reached a proper disposition (i.e., used on the job, returned to the vendor, etc.).  This was to provide you the basis assure no such items slip through the cracks -- that, ultimately, all reach an appropriate final destination. 

For those transitioning from prior times, however, we discovered an issue.  If you had not prior been doing check-offs, and yet wanted to use the report, you could find it filled with old items of which you're no longer truly concerned. 

To address this, the CheatSheet for the PartsProcess form now has a new option (see bottom item in illustration of "New" above).  If you click it, you can run a process to address the above-described concern. 

On the first of this month, we added popups in the DispatchMap.  If you float your mousepointer over any job reference, a popup shows a bit of added detail regarding the underlying job (InvoiceNumber, and Type and Make of machine being serviced).  Based on popular request, we just added a new element.  If you do a simple click on the little popup, it will open the underlying JobRecord for you.  To be sure, a Ctrl/Right-Click on the underlying reference will do the same thing, but in some instances you may find it just a little handier (and perhaps more intuitive) to do the simple left-click on the popup instead.