Triggers - Making Forms Interactive

Introduction

Visual Dispatch Form Designer now supports triggers, which are actions that occur when a specific value is entered in a form or when a checkbox or radio button is selected.

Currently, Visual Dispatch supports two types of triggers:

• Show/Hide Triggers: Control the visibility of other fields based on the value of the selected control. For example, if a checkbox is checked, designated controls are displayed.

• Maintenance Issue Triggers: Automatically create maintenance issues based on values entered in a control. For example, if a checkbox is checked, a maintenance issue is generated.

General Triggers Workflow

The general workflow for setting up Show/Hide triggers is as follows:

1. Open the form to be edited in Visual Dispatch.

2. Select the control to which the trigger will be assigned in Form Designer.

3. Open the Edit dialog for the control or field that will determine the trigger.

   • For simple controls (e.g., Checkbox, Text Box), the Triggers panel is already visible.

   • For group controls (e.g., Radio Group or Checkbox Group), select the specific item within the group that will determine the visibility of other fields.
     Note: Scrolling down may be required to view the Triggers panel.

4. In the Triggers panel, click New.
   Note: Scrolling up may be required to see the Triggers pop-up that appears after clicking New.

Show/Hide Triggers Overview

Show/Hide triggers are properties of a control that specify other controls whose visibility depends on the value of that control.

These triggers allow forms to dynamically respond to input, creating a more concise experience by displaying only relevant fields.

Show/Hide triggers are assigned to the control that influences others. For example, if checking a checkbox shows or hides a radio group, the trigger is applied to the checkbox. This enables a single control to manage the visibility of multiple other controls.

The following video provides a quick overview of creating Show/Hide triggers:

Tip: Test triggers using the Preview feature. Identifying and correcting logic issues early makes adjustments easier and more efficient.

Maintenance Issue Triggers

Creating Maintenance Issue triggers follows a workflow similar to Show/Hide triggers:

1. Select the control, checkbox, or radio button to which the trigger will be attached.

2. Click New Trigger.

3. Select Maintenance Issue.

4. Click OK.

Testing Maintenance Issue triggers can be more challenging, as the form must be associated with a piece of equipment. The trigger is verified by completing the form for that equipment and confirming that the maintenance item appears on the Maintenance List.