LMACS ++Requests

Use Cases

Elaborating a Request

The setup

Conditions and Expected Results

Audience: All LMACS Users

Access Required: Facility User

Result: Add Items, Files & Comments to a basic request.

Difficulty: Moderate

Scenario: A logged in user has submitted a request, and now wants to elaborate on it, adding additional items, and other various details.

How it works - Implementation

Step 1

Locate Request

Locate your request in the LMACS system.

Step 2

Modify Request

Add additional request items, files or comments. View status, or change the request type.

Step 3

Modify Items

If you’ve added any items to your request, you can add additional files or comments.

But First.

Let’s Examine the request model.

Request

Anatomy of a Request

A basic request can be very simple, but also has the ability to become very complex. �Let’s take a moment to look at the structure of the request in order to understand how everything fits together.

Anatomy of a Request

The Basics

At a minimum, a Request contains a title, description, project, type, status and some time information.

The project, type and status all come from pre-defined values. The rest is free text (with the exception of the assignments).

Anatomy of a Request

Additional Information

In addition to the basics, you can add files, comments and bookings to the main request to supplement the description.

There is no limit to the number that can be attached.

The request also maintains a history of any changes.

Anatomy of a Request

Items - The real power

A Request item can represent any number of thing - steps, samples, tasks, results, etc…

Each Item contains much of the same information as the parent request, but can also can be tied to specific resources (tools).

There is no limit to the number of items that can be added.

Anatomy of a Request

Items - Additional Information

As with the main request - you can add files, comments & bookings to the individual items. Each item can also be assigned to specific users, allowing a complex request to be distributed amongst a team.

Each Item also maintains a history of changes as well.

Anatomy of a Request

Visibility & Permissions

When viewing the main request, you can easily view all of the various data associated with all items in the request.

The ability to view history & change certain aspects of the request and items will depend on your privileges within the LMACS system.

There are a few ways to locate your request.

​

1. When you login to LMACS you will see a list of your pending requests on your homepage. You can click any of the fields to open the editor.
2. You can also search all of your past requests by visiting the requests section in your profile.

Locating your Request

Step 1. Locate your Request

click any of the fields to start editing

​

• Summary: The details of the main request.
• Files: tied the request and items will be listed here.
• Comments: tied to the request and items will be listed here.
• Bookings: tied the request and items will be listed here.
• Add Items: Use this form to add new items to the request
• Item Details: Use this section to view, reorder and edit the details of the individual items.

​

TIP You can drag and drop the panels to order them as you please. The system will remember your settings next time you visit the page.

The Request Modification Screen

Step 2. Modify Your Request

Edit Request Page - As visible to a basic user

Request Summary

file(s)

comments(s)

item details

add new items

booking(s)

Adding files is as simple as dragging and dropping files from your computer to the “Add Files” area. Alternately, you can click “Add File(s) to open a file browser Dialogue.

​

You will be able to remove any files that you have uploaded by clicking the red x icon. You can only remove files that you have uploaded.

​

You can view the file details by clicking the grey e icon. This will open a popup that will allow you to change the label if you like.

​

The file counter displays the number of files attached to the request.

Adding Files

Step 2a. Adding Files

drag files here to add

file counter

To add a comment, simply enter your text and click “Add Comment” All comments associated with the request will be listed in the Comments section. The counter will display the total number of comments.

​

If the comment is really long, it will be truncated and a [more] label will appear. Clicking [more] will open a popup window with the full comment and complete datestamp.

​

You cannot modify or remove comments once they are made.

Adding Comments

Step 2b. Adding Comments

Type here to add a comment

Long comments are truncated. Click [more] to read the full comment

comment counter

Full comment opens in a new popup

You can add bookings to requests if you want to allocate tool time to this request. To do this, expand the booking panel and simply click Add Booking.

​

Any current booking will be displayed (bookings related to items will be tagged).

​

All of the standard system booking restrictions apply. If you are able to delete bookings, you will also be able to do that here as well.

​

TIP: You can also subscribe to a special calendar that will show all of the bookings related to a request.

Adding Bookings

Step 2c. Adding Booking

Check a schedule right here

Click here to add a booking (pop-up)

The booking pop-up is exactly the same as booking a tool the standard way. All the same rules apply

Anything more than the most basic request will likely require some items. Items is a loose term and can represent a wide variety of things, depending on the request type.

​

They may represent a training request, process step, physical sample, characterization request, or fabrication step, to name a few.

​

Adding items is easy - the minimum required information is a title & type. Optionally, you can select a tool and enter a more detailed description.

​

Keep in mind, you will be able to add additional files and comments to the item afterwards.

Adding Items

Step 2d. Adding Items

Items can represent a wide variety of things to a request

Once you’ve created your items, you can view them in the “Item Details” section. ��At a glance, you will be able to see if the item has been assigned, what the current status is, and the due date if one has been set.

​

If there is an order to your items (ie. they represent a process flow), you can drag them to reorder as necessary.

​

Clicking Edit will open popup which will allow you to modify the item.

​

​

Edit Items

Step 3. Edit Items

Each item is listed in the details panel. The counter displays the number of items

​

When editing the item, you can update the description, type or tool if necessary.

​

You can also attach comments, files or bookings to each individual item as well as the main request. This can be useful if you want to associate specific files or results with a given item.

​

Depending on your privileges in the system, you may also be able to delete items. Keep in mind that doing so will also remove any comments, files or bookings associated with this item.

​

​

​

Editing Items

Step 3a. Editing Items

Add comments here

Add files here

Modify Details here.

Add booking here

Add files down there

Any comments, files or bookings added to individual items will also be listed in the main request sections, however, they will be tagged with the item label for easy identification.

Item Files, Comments & Bookings

Step 3b. Identifying Item Files, Comments & Bookings

Comments or files added to an item are tagged in the main sections.

Check Up on Things

Be sure to check up on your request to see how things change.

If you get any tasks assigned to you, the will show up in your pending tasks on the homepage.

That will be covered in another Use Case.

fin.

Please review the other Use Cases for further information on using the LMACS ++Request System