Active Links

Active Links in BMC Remedy are a type of workflow component used to automate tasks and provide interactive functionality on the client side (user interface). They are triggered by specific events or conditions, such as clicking a button, selecting a menu option, or modifying a field's value.

Key Features of Active Links:

1. Client-Side Execution:

   • Active Links operate on the client side, meaning they execute in the Remedy Mid-Tier or the Remedy User Tool.
   • They are designed to enhance the user experience by automating tasks without requiring interaction with the AR System server for every action.

2. Triggering Conditions:

   • Active Links are triggered by user actions such as:
     • Open Window
     • Field/Menu Choice
     • Button/Menu Bar
     • Field Focus Change
     • Field Value Change
     • Table Field Row Double Click
     • Return/Table Dbl-Click
   • They can also be conditionally triggered based on field values or user permissions.

3. Actions:

   • Active Links perform actions such as:
     • Setting field values
     • Opening windows (e.g., display, search, or modify forms)
     • Running processes or executing commands
     • Pushing data to other forms
     • Sending notifications
     • Running other Active Links

4. Execution Order:

   • Active Links execute in a specific sequence based on their execution order (priority) when multiple Active Links are triggered simultaneously.

5. Use of Execution Conditions:

   • Execution conditions (e.g., If, Else If, Else) allow Active Links to perform different actions depending on the scenario.

6. Chaining Workflow:

   • Active Links can call other workflow components, such as other Active Links or Filters, to perform more complex operations.

Use Cases for Active Links:

1. Form Validation:

   • Check that mandatory fields are filled before allowing the user to save a record.

2. Dynamic Field Behavior:

   • Make fields visible, hidden, or required dynamically based on user inputs.

3. Auto-Populating Fields:

   • Automatically populate fields based on other field values or external data.

4. Guided Navigation:

   • Provide step-by-step forms for users by enabling or disabling specific fields or sections dynamically.

5. Integrating with External Systems:

   • Execute a command or external process to fetch or update data from other systems.

Advantages:

• Enhances usability and interactivity of forms.
• Reduces server load by performing client-side actions.
• Increases automation and efficiency for users.

Example Scenario:

Scenario: You want to display an error message if a user leaves the "Phone Number" field empty when submitting a form.

1. Trigger: Field Value Change or Button Click.
2. Condition: Check if the "Phone Number" field is empty.
3. Action: Display an error message prompting the user to fill in the field.

This kind of interactivity can be achieved using Active Links.

Let me know if you'd like to dive deeper into examples or configurations of Active Links in Remedy!