As a Project Administrator you can create a Distribution Rule or List applicable to everyone on the Project. These are created when documents require either the Action of, or to be Info'd to a specific user each time they are used. Users have the ability to create distribution rules / lists however these are only applicable to that user.
Distribution Lists are pre-defined lists of users for the Attention and CC on documents. They are useful for documents that are frequently sent to the same recipients. Rather than choosing names from the Address Book, you simply choose a Distribution List.
When you create a new document you can choose the desired Distribution List(s) to address the document, however, distribution lists are still subject to Distribution Rules for their document type.
Distribution Rules are created when documents require either the attention of, or copying to a specified user each time they are used. The Rule specifies what names are shown in Action and Info.
The rule can limit the names that are shown in the address book, and can pre-select names so that the document is already addressed when you create a new document.
Rules are particularly useful for users who always address a particular document type to the same person.
Document Types like Incoming Email require a Distribution Rule so that someone is responsible for their distribution.
Creating a Distribution Rule
1. Go to Configure.
2. Select Document Types. Click on the icon to expand the Document Types options.
3. Select Edit Distribution Rules.
4. Select Add New.
5. Fill in the required information.
| Name | Enter name of distribution list or rule. |
|---|---|
| Title | Enter title of distribution list or rule. |
| Type | Select if list or rule. |
| Applicability | Select who this rule applies to. |
| Doc Type | Select which document types this rule or list applies to. |
| Scope | Select when this rule or list is to be applied. The options are Document creation and replies, Document creation only, or Document replies only. 1. The pre-addressing options apply to Document creation only, regardless of whether you select "Document Creation and Replies". This means when someone replies to the document, they may change the addressing Notify/Send options (except if the addressee is (+) "Forced"). |
| Action | Enter names of people (see below). |
| Info | Enter names of people (see below). |
When you select a user to either Action or Info on your document, you must tick a checkbox. Options are:
- Enumerate - the item is expanded from a single "Group" entry into a list of the individual users in that group. This parameter is ignored if the code is 'PRIVATE' or an individual user.
- Preferred - the item is listed in a "preferred" section at the top of the address-book.
- Selected - addressees are pre-selected.
- Forced - addressees are pre-selected and may not be removed.
- Silent - addressees will not get an item on their ToDo notifications list. This might be used in CCs to ensure someone has access to documents, but they do not want a ToDo Notification every time those documents are created or edited.
Exclude - tick this box if you want to exclude this user from the rule.
User ID - choose the user you want to action.
Remove - Remove this user from the distribution rule/list.
Clicking on these arrows will move users up or down on the list of addressees.
6. Click Save.
For how to use distribution rules click here.
Bypassing the Who Talks To Whom Matrix Using a Distribution Rule
In certain circumstances it is necessary to by-pass the who talks to whom matrix. For instance, you may need a particular subcontractor to communicate directly with a consultant.
To achieve this, Distribution Rules can be created which by-pass the security configuration set for the project. A Project Administrator must create this rule.
To do this follow the steps listed above to create one distribution rule for the "Subcontractor" and one distribution rule for the "Consultant". e.g.
Name | Choose a name for the rule e.g. SUB12CON1. |
Title | Type full name e.g. Subcontractor1 to Consultant1 |
Type | You must choose Rule |
Applicability | Choose the company that this rule is for i.e.: Subcontactor1 or Consultant1 |
Doc Type | Choose the document type this rule applies to or leave ALL |
Scope | Choose when it applies i.e. creation & replies |
Addressing | In the TO List Enter the Company Code (for the company you need to communicate with) dash star (to include all users in that company) i.e. CONS1-* |
Once this process is complete the nominated Subcontractor and Consultant will be able to communicate directly with each other.
History Log for Distribution Rules / Lists / Workflows
Changes to the distribution rules, lists, and workflows (adding, deleting, editing) are now logged and can be viewed via the history button.
Changes made to individual rules, lists, and workflows can be viewed by clicking on the history button for each of those items.
History Log for Correspondence Workflows
Changes to Correspondence workflows are now logged and can be viewed via the history button
