Scripting Basics

Learn about script types and triggers, access to item fields, permissions and security considerations, and more.

Script Types and Triggers

The item Object and Access to Item Fields

The scripting engine automatically loads the associated workspace item into the item object. Follow these guidelines to access item field values through the object:

• Item Detail Fields. Implemented as properties on the item object. The name of a property must be set to the ID assigned to the field when configured. For example, a Detailed Notes field with the ID DETAILED.NOTES is represented as item.DETAILED.NOTES.

  Important:

  Configured workspace item fields are referenced by Field ID. Field IDs are always in upper case.

• Multi Select Fields. Implemented as a standard JavaScript object array. Use of the indexOf function is supported to determine if an array contains a specific item.

  Warning:

  Because of likely unstable behavior, we strongly discourage you from using the typeOf JavaScript keyword.

• Picklist Values. Represented as the actual value entered when the list is created.

Access to linked item data

Because a property on the item object can represent another workspace as well as an item field, scripts can access data in linked items, as shown in this example:

if item.MANUFACTURING_PLAN.STATUS == 'Complete'
  returnValue(true);
else
  returnValue(false); 

Here, the MANUFACTURING_PLAN property is a field of the workspace item that is actually a link to an item in another workspace (for example, "Manufacturing Plan"), and the STATUS property is a lookup field of the linked item.

Return Value Requirement

All Condition and Validation scripts must return a value and can use the returnValue() function to do so. The value returned by a script is evaluated to determine whether the precondition is met (true/false) or the validation is successful (pass/fail).

Note If returnValue() is called multiple times in a script, the value of the last call is the "winner."

Example:

if (item.STATUS == 'OPEN' || item.STATUS == "PENDING')
  returnValue(true);
else 
  returnValue(false);

Permissions and Security Considerations

Permissions

Scripting is part of the Setup Administration permission. A typical setup to grant the permission to a user is as follows:

1. Add the Setup Administration permission to an Administrator role.
2. Associate the Administration role with an Administrator group.
3. Add the user to the Administrator group.

Security considerations

Scripting is an advanced feature of Fusion Manage. We recommend that you limit the feature to Administrators with some background in programming.