Skip to main content

Notes block

Notes capture free-text entries. It is typically used to:

  • Capture free-text anytime feedback on an individual from colleagues, superiors, and others
  • Capture secure notes that only certain groups can see. For example disciplinary hearings; performance calibration; candidate interview notes
  • Capture private notes that an individual or manager uses for their own records
  • Set reminder dates to be notified at a future point to take some action

The Notes functionality should now be implemented using the list block. Use of the Notes block is no longer advised because it limits you to using the Notes functionality for just a single purpose. For example, you could not deploy both Anytime feedback and secured notes using the Notes block; however, using the List block you can deploy any combination of notes functionality.

Notes form

The form is called Note (public/xxas/emp/view/note.xml) and contains three fields:

  1. The Note Type, a drop-down list of configured types
  2. The free-text note, which can be up to 4000 characters in size
  3. An optional Reminder Date

Note types

A Note Type must be specified when authoring a note. Note Types are defined through Lookup Type Applaud Note Types (XXAS_NOTE_TYPES) and the seeded values are:

  • FB - Feedback
  • DEV - Development
  • SUCC - Succession

This is a User-level lookup, so you can add, edit and remove lookups as you choose.

Anytime feedback

Anytime feedback is stored as notes and always use the Note Type FB. It uses an Edit personalization Fast Formula (see Form block) to set the value to FB and hide the Note Type and Reminder date fields. The seeded formula is called XXAS_ANYTIME_FEEDBACK_EDIT.

To configure a list display of a feedback given:

  1. Create a list block (not a note block) to show a list of feedback given for an individual
  2. Use Role and data as the Type of security with the object Applaud HR Assignment
  3. Use only the Row layout
  4. Use the REST API function-data/<Your data function>/by-job/{INSTANCE_PK1_VALUE} and replace <Your data function> with a Function based on the seeded object Anytime Feedback (XXAS_ANYTIME_FEEDBACK_V), eg, XXX_DT_ANYTIME_FEEDBACK
  5. You will need to make sure there are suitable grants against your data function for users to see any items in the list

The seeded object Anytime Feedback restricts notes returned to only those of type FB.

To allow new feedback to be authored:

  1. Create a block action for the list block
  2. Use a LINK operation
  3. Use the Page Id anytime-feedback-add and the Object Id {INSTANCE_PK1_VALUE}
  4. Select Show in modal.
  5. Create suitable grants for the block action
Editing anytime feedback uses a page with the Page Id anytime-feedback-edit.
To define the access control of who can edit and delete feedback, see Editing and deleting notes.

Secured notes

Using secured notes, you can allow users to create private or group notes against individuals. Unlike Anytime feedback, secured notes show the Note Type and Reminder date fields.

To show a list of secured notes:

  1. Create a list block (not a note block) to show a list of notes given for an individual
  2. Use Role and data as the Type of security with the object Applaud HR Assignment
  3. Use only the Row layout
  4. Use the REST API notes/by-job/{INSTANCE_PK1_VALUE}?noteType=<Required Note Types> and replace <Required Note Types> with a comma-separated list of the Note Types you wish to see in this list. For example, if you wanted notes of type DEV and SUCC you would specify ?noteType=DEV,SUCC
  5. This REST API uses the permission XXAS_SRV_Q_NOTES_PERM, which is based on the Data object Applaud Note (XXAS_NOTES). To allow a user to see notes through this REST API, you must ensure this permission is granted against the Applaud Note object according to your requirements
  6. By default, editing a note refers to the page note-edit. You can override this by adding the request parameter &editPageId=<Your Page Id> to the end of the REST API. For example, &editPageId=edit-candidate-interview-note.

The noteType request parameter acts as a filter on top of the notes a user has permission to view. If you do not specify this parameter, it will show all notes accessible through the XXAS_SRV_Q_NOTES_PERM permission. Take care not to accidentally include Anytime feedback notes in Secured notes.

To allow new notes to be authored:

  1. Create a block action for the list block
  2. Use a LINK operation
  3. Use the Page Id note-add and the Object Id {INSTANCE_PK1_VALUE}
  4. Select Show in modal.
  5. Create suitable grants for the block action
Editing notes uses a page with the Page Id note-edit by default, unless the REST API specifics an override editPageId request parameter. To define the access control of who can edit and delete feedback, see Editing and deleting notes.

Editing and deleting notes

All types of notes, whether it's Anytime feedback or Secured notes use the same permissions for editing and deleting. Editing a note is controlled by the permission XXAS_U_NOTE_PERM and deleting a note is controlled by the permission XXAS_D_NOTE_PERM. Both of these are based on the Data object Applaud Note (XXAS_NOTES).

To allow a user to edit or delete a note, ensure that these permissions are granted against the Applaud Note object according to your requirements.

Note reminders

When a user sets a reminder date, the user will receive a reminder email on their chosen reminder date. Reminders are sent as Workflow Notifications by the Send Note Reminders concurrent program, which is available from the Applaud Administrator responsibility.
A reminder date is private to the user who sets it. They have the following characteristics:
  1. Multiple users can set a reminder date on the same note
  2. Users will not see anyone else's reminder date; if they haven't set one themselves the Reminder date field will be blank
  3. When multiple reminder dates are set for a note, each user will receive a note reminder on their respective date

To ensure that reminders are sent on time, ensure the Send Note Reminders concurrent program is scheduled to run at least daily.

Sections in this article