Summary

This article covers configuring and managing action item sets, as well as importing and exporting values from an action item set. 


Table of Contents

Action item lists can be created to track pending action items across an entire study or for a specific study site.

To view or create study level action items, navigate to the study and click Action Items within the study navigation tree.

Action Item Screen

Upon accessing the Action Item Sets screen, a table of available Action Item Sets will be displayed.

Action Item Set Table

The Action Item Sets table will display one row for each action item set (group or list of action items.)

The Name column will display the name of the Action Item set provided during creation of the set.

The Status column will display a status of Incomplete incomplete or Completecomplete,based on the status of the individual items within the set.

The Delete column will display a trash can icon for user roles able to delete the set.


Create an Action Item Set

To create a new Action Item set, navigate to the Actions menu and click Add New Action Items.

Complete the Name field and Save.

After returning to the Action Item Sets screen, click the name link.

Configuring Action Items in a Set

The structure and contents of the Action Items Set is controlled by the structure file loaded to the set. Structure files can be obtained by downloading the structure template or downloading the structure file for an existing Action Items Set.

Downloading a Structure Template

The Download Structure Template action provides you with a blank Excel template that is used to configure action item sets in the system. The template can be modified as needed add columns to the action item list, populate specific action items, and more. Structure templates are explained in more detail here: Understanding the Structure Template.


Export Existing Configuration

The Export This Configuration action can be clicked on any existing Action Items Set in order to obtain a download of the structure file for that set.

Loading Action Items to a New Set

Once the structure file is configured, it can be loaded to a new Action Items set. This is done by clicking the Load Action Items button displayed on the screen when an action item set currently has no action items loaded.


From there, browse to the location of the template file location and click Upload.

Updating Action Items in an Existing Set

Once Action Items have been loaded to an action item set, the option to Load New Action Items will appear in the Actions menu for that action item list. Choosing this option will trigger a confirmation window informing you that loading a new set will overwrite the old one.


Note: Overwriting action items in a study will destroy the older version, eliminating any data you might have stored within it. If you are simply trying to modify the structure of the existing set without losing the data, it is recommended you first perform a Values Export.


In both cases you will be prompted to provide some configuration of a Structure Template. The system will then use this template to generate the data collection interface you desire.

Deleting Action Items

Once action items have been added to a set, each item, or row of the displayed table, will be shown alongside a delete icon. By clicking the delete icon you can remove individual rows of an action item set without having to reimport a new structure template.

Managing Action Item Sets

 

Entering Data

Fields left blank in the structure template will appear enterable/editable. Fields populated in the structure template prior to loading the Action Item set will appear as plain text / set fields. All fields can be edited. Click the edit icon or click into the editable field to update data.

Adding and Moving Rows

Click the Add Row button at the bottom left of the table to insert a new row to the bottom of the table. The new row will display with all enterable fields.

Rows can be rearranged by clicking and holding in any row and dragging up or down.


Deleting Rows

Delete any row by clicking the trash can icon for that row. Once deleted, the row cannot be restored.


Setting Completion Status

Each row in an action item set has a completion Icon. Clicking this marks that particular row, or action item, as completed. Once all rows of a set are marked complete, the entire set will be considered complete.


Importing and Exporting Values from an Action Item Set

Using the actions provided in the Actions Menu, the data entered into action item sets within a submission can be imported or exported. This can be used to enable offline data entry, as well as provide a means to store data when modifying the structure of your action item set.

Importing Values

By using the Import Values action you can load values into the set using an Excel spreadsheet. The format of this spreadsheet must match that of the set to be accepted. The easiest and most common way to obtain a format that will work is by using the Export Values action.

Note: The fixed fields of the set must be in the same location and have the same value in the Excel document being imported in order for the import to succeed.



Exporting Values

By clicking the Export Values action you will be provided with an Excel download whose structure matches that of the action item set. All fixed fields in the set will be locked upon opening the Excel document to discourage tampering with them. Modifying these fields will result in a change of format that will not be accepted by the Import Values action. The data entry-capable fields will be unlocked in the export and will contain the values, if any that you have entered into the system.

Note: When modifying the format of an action item set, it is recommended that you first export values so that once you have uploaded a new modified structure template, these values can be copy/pasted into an import to restore data to the new set.



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