Activities

About an Activity

As a supervisor or an operator, you can use the Activities application in the Plant Applications Universal Client to add and perform activities associated with an event in the specified duration of a shift. For each activity, you can add values for only the supported Autolog variables available in the Plant Applications Administrator. The Autolog variables are measurements or calculations attached to a given production line and product values based on an event or time. Each Autolog variable is associated with an event.

The data type defines the value entered for the Autolog variable in the Autolog sheet. When you perform an activity, you can analyze the data entered for a variable in the Quartile view or in a Whisker chart. The Activities application supports Autolog variables of the following data types.
Data typeDescription
IntegerAn array of integer numbers.
FloatAn array of floating-point numbers.
BooleanA logical entity that can have two values: true and false.
StringA sequence of up to 25 characters.
CommentA comment variable.
CustomA user-defined data type.
You can perform an activity for the following types of events:
  • Time-based: A time-based event is a generic term for an event that occurs at the scheduled time.
  • Production-based: A production-based event is a generic term for a lot or batch. It represents the output of a given production line.
  • User-defined: A user-defined event (UDE) is a generic, manually recorded event used to document important occurrences related to process operations.
  • Product change: A product change event occurs when there is a product change on a Production Unit.
  • Process order change: A process order change event occurs when the process order??for the associated Production Unit is set to Complete in the Plant Applications Administrator.
    Note: You cannot add a process order change event in the Activities application. You can only filter the activities associated with this event type.
For more information about the events and Autolog variables, refer to the Proficy Plant Applications Help.
You can categorize an activity as one of the types as described in the following table.
TypeDescription
OpenAll activities that are yet to be performed or completed, or are in progress, are categorized as open activities.
CompletedAll activities that are completed or skipped are categorized as completed activities.
You can hover over an activity in the Open or Completed page to view the following information about the activity:
  • Time: Displays the time stamp when the activity was created.
  • Product: Displays the product associated with the activity.
  • Equipment: Displays the equipment associated with the activity.
  • Process Order: Displays the process order, if available, associated with the activity.

About Creating an Activity

When you add an event for a specific duration in the Plant Applications Universal Client, the activity for that event is automatically created in the Activities application. The time stamp of a time-based event and the start and end time of a production-based and user-defined event must be within two hours of the current date and time.
Note: You cannot add a Process Order Change event by using the Activities application. The activities for a Process Order Change event are automatically created in the Activities application when you complete the Process Order in the associated Display and the option to create activities is set to True. You configure the Display associated with a Production Unit in the Plant Applications Administrator.

About the Plant Applications Administrator Settings

In the Plant Applications Administrator, you can group variables in a Display (the Autolog sheet) and add a title for each group of variables. You can also configure the Plant Applications Administrator to create activities corresponding to the titles of variable groups. In this case, the application creates as many activities as there are titles for variable groups in the selected Autolog sheet.

The activity created with an event appears in the Open page. For more information about accessing open activities, refer to the Access the Open Activities topic.

The activities are not created in the following scenarios:
  • When there are no variables configured in the Display associated with an Autolog sheet or a Production Unit and the Display type is not set to custom
  • When the Display associated with an Autolog sheet or a Production Unit is configured to create activities with titles corresponding to the titles of variable groups, but the variable groups have the same title
  • When the option to create activities is set to False in the Display associated with an Autolog sheet or a Production Unit

If the System Complete Activity On New Event option in the Plant Applications Administrator is enabled for the Display and you create an activity in the Plant Applications Universal Client whose product ID, process order ID, and unit ID match those of any existing activities, the existing activities are automatically set to complete. Depending on the number of such existing activities, the application might take some time to set all the activities as complete. You can then perform only the new activity that was last created.

In the Plant Applications Administrator, when the status of a production-based or user-defined event associated with the activity is set to a production status that has the Lock Event Data option enabled, then you do not have the privilege to modify the Autolog sheet for that event.

For more information about Plant Applications Administrator configurations for the Activities application, refer to the Proficy Plant Applications Help.

Add a Time-Based Event

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .

    By default, the Open page appears.

  3. In the Open page, select , and then select Time Based Event.

    The Add Time Based Event window appears, displaying a list of time-based Autolog sheets accessible to the logged-in user as configured in Plant Applications Administrator.

  4. In the 1. Choose activity section, select an activity to create a time-based event on the selected activity.
  5. In the 2. Add Event Details section, in the TIMESTAMP box, select a date and time.
    Note: The time stamp of the event must be within two hours from the current date and time.
  6. Optional: In the COMMENT box, enter a comment for the event.
  7. Select Save.

Results

The time-based event for the selected activity is added and an activity is automatically created for the event. The activity appears in the Open page.

Add a Production-Based Event

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .

    By default, the Open page appears.

  3. In the Open page, select , and then select Production Based Event.

    The Add Production Event window appears, displaying a list of production-based Autolog sheets accessible to the logged-in user as configured in the Plant Applications Administrator.

  4. In the Choose activity section, select an activity to create a production-based event on the selected activity.
  5. In the 2. Event Details section, in the EVENT NUMBER box, enter an event number that is unique per unit.
    Note:

    If the string of the event number of the last added event has numeric values in it, then the application automatically increments the last numeric value by 1. The string with the incremented numeric value for the new event appears in the EVENT NUMBER box. You can retain or modify this value. For example, if the event number of the last added event is PB79RQ89AP, then when you add an event, the value PB079RQ90AP appears in the EVENT NUMBER box. Similarly, if the event number of the last added event is PB79RQ89AP1, then for the new event, the value PB79RQ89AP2 appears in the EVENT NUMBER box.

  6. In the DURATION box, select a start and end time for the production-based event.
    Note: The start and end time of the event must be within two hours from the current date and time.
  7. Optional: Specify values for the following optional properties: STATUS, APPLIED PRODUCT, and COMMENT.
    Note: When the status of a production-based event associated with the activity is set to a production status that has the Lock Event Data option enabled, you do not have the privilege to modify the Autolog variables for that event.
  8. Select Save.

Results

The production-based event for the selected activity is added and an activity is automatically created for the event. The activity appears in the Open page.

Add a User-Defined Event

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .

    By default, the Open page appears.

  3. In the Open page, select , and then select User Defined Event.
    The Add User Defined Event window appears, displaying a list of user-defined Autolog sheets accessible to the logged-in user as configured in the Plant Applications Administrator.
  4. In the 1. Choose activity section, select an activity to create a user-defined event on the selected activity.
  5. In the 2. Add Event Details section, in the EVENT NUMBER box, enter an event number that is unique and not already added to the database.
  6. In the DURATION box, select a start and end time for the production-based event.
  7. Optional: Specify values for the following optional properties: STATUS, APPLIED PRODUCT, and COMMENT.
    Note: When the status of a user-defined event associated with the activity is set to a production status that has the Lock Event Data option enabled, you do not have the privilege to modify the Autolog sheet for that event.
  8. In the REASONS box, select a reason to create a user-defined event.
  9. Select Save.

Results

The user-defined event for the selected activity is added and an activity is automatically created for the event. The activity appears in the Open page.

Add a Product-Change Event

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .

    The Open page appears.

  3. In the Open page, select , and then select Product Change Event.
    The Add Product Change window appears, displaying a list of Production Units on which you to want to make a new product. The Production Units that you can access are configured in the Plant Applications Administrator.
  4. In the 1. Choose Activity section, select a Production Unit to create a Product Change event on the selected Production Unit.
  5. In the 2. Add Event Details section, in the PRODUCT GROUP box, select the product group containing the product you want to make in the Production Unit.
    Tip: In the PRODUCT GROUP box, you can select All Products if you are not sure you about the product group.
  6. In the PRODUCT box, select the product you want to make by using the selected Production Unit.
  7. In the TIMESTAMP box, enter the date and time from when you want to initiate the product change event on the selected Production Unit.
    By default, the current date and time appears in the TIMESTAMP box. You can select the date and time by using the following options:
    • Select to select the date by using a calendar picker, or in the text box next to you can manually enter the date in the format yyyy/mm/dd (for example, 2018/11/21).
    • In the text box next to , enter the time in the format hh:mm:ss (for example, 5:03:44).
  8. Optional: In the PRODUCT CHANGE HISTORY section, refer to a history of all product changes on the selected Production Unit with a time stamp when the product was changed was made.
  9. Select Save.

Results

The product change event is created for the Production Unit in the Plant Applications Administrator. In the Plant Applications Administrator, if the option to create activities is enabled in the Display associated with the Production Unit, then the activity associated with the product change event appears in the Open page. You can then complete the activity in the Activities application.

Access the Open Activities

To access the open activities, you must have the operator or supervisor role assigned to your user ID.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
    The Open page appears.
    By default, the option to automatically refresh activities in the Open page is disabled. You can switch the toggle to enable or disable the option to automatically refresh the page as described in the following table. After you select an option, your selection is saved.
    OptionDescription
    When this option is selected:
    • If appears in the Open page, additional open activities are available in the shift. Select to refresh the page and access all the open activities.
    • If appears in the Open page, no additional open activities are available to access.
    • If appears in the Open page, the RabbitMQ service is down.
    When this option is selected:
    • If appears in the Open page, the manual refresh option is disabled. The page automatically refreshes when an additional open activity is available.
    • If appears in the Open page, the RabbitMQ service is down.
    You can select an option for an open activity as described in the following table.
    OptionAction
    PerformSelect this option to perform an activity and enter values for the Autolog variables for the associated event. The Perform option for an activity appears when the activity is yet to be performed.
    Note: If the option to lock activities is set to True in the Plant Applications Administrator, when you select Perform for an activity, the activity is locked and the In Progress option appears for the activity. Another operator cannot perform an activity until you release the activity.
    In ProgressSelect this option to perform an incomplete activity and enter values for the Autolog variables for the associated event. The In Progress option for an activity appears when the Status of the activity is not 100%.
    CompleteSelect this option to complete an activity. The Complete option for an activity appears when the Status of the activity is 100%.

    If there are no mandatory variables configured in the sheet (sampling Interval or test frequency not set to any variable), the Complete button is enabled even if the activity status is not 100% complete.

    Note: If the Overdue Task Requires Comment option is set to true in the Sheet display options and if the activity is overdue, then the Overdue comment window appears.
    SkipSelect this option if you do not want to perform an activity. The Skip option for an activity appears when the activity is yet to be performed. When you select this option, a window used to enter skip comments appears.
    ReleaseSelect this option to release an activity that you are performing to let another user work on it or take over an activity while the first operator is still performing the activity. The Release option for an activity appears when the activity is yet to be completed.
    Select this option, and then select Add Comment to add a comment for the activity. If a comment already exists for an activity, select , and then select Add/Edit Comment to add a general comment and access, modify, or delete a general or overdue comment. For more information, refer to the following topics:
    Note: To modify or delete comments, your role must have appropriate rights configured in the Plant Applications Administrator.
    Each field for an activity that appears in the Open page is described in the following table.
    FieldDescription
    ActivityDisplays the name of the activity. The default format for the activity name is configured in the Plant Applications Administrator.
    Time DueDisplays the date and time when the activity is due for completion. The date and time is displayed in the format mm/dd hh:mm (for example, 03/27 10:58).
    Due InDisplays the time in hh:mm:ss (for example, 02:00:21) until the activity is expected to be completed. If the activity is overdue, the time appears in red and within parentheses (for example, (02:00:21)). The value in this field is calculated using the formula:

    Due In = Current Time - Time Due

    Tip: Select the time in the Due In row for an overdue activity to enter an overdue comment. For more information, refer to the Add an Overdue Comment for an Activity topic.
    % CompletedDisplays the completion status of the activity as a percentage.
    The calculation of the completion status of the activity is based on criteria as described in the following table.
    CriteriaPercentage Completion Calculation
    • No sampling interval or test frequency set for variables associated with the time-based events
    • No test frequency set for variables associated with the production-based or user-defined events
    The ratio of the total variables for which you entered values to the total variables
    • Sampling interval or test frequency is set for variables associated with the time-based events
    • Test frequency is set for variables associated with the production-based or user-defined events
    The ratio of the total variables with a test ID for which you entered values to the total variables with a test ID

    The test IDs for variables are generated in the Plant Applications database.

    In the Autolog sheet, the appearance of a box for entering a value depends on the following criteria:
    • The box appears with a white background for variables with a test ID in the Plant Applications database.
    • The box appears with a grey background for variables with no test ID in the Plant Applications database
    The status is set to:
    • 0%: If you have yet to perform the activity, enter values for any Autolog variables in the event associated with the activity, or no values exist for variables in the Plant Applications Administrator.
    • 100%: If you enter values for all modifiable Autolog variables in the event associated with the activity.
    StatusDisplays the completion status of the activity such as Not Started, In Progress, Completed, System Completed, or Skipped.
    UserDisplays the ID of the user who is performing the activity.
    EquipmentDisplays the equipment type.
    Event TypeDisplays the event type.
    Process OrderDisplays the process order type.
    ProductDisplays the product types.
    You can hover over an activity in the Open page, to access the following information about the activity:
    • Time: Displays the time when the activity was created.
    • Product: Displays the product associated with the activity.
    • Equipment: Displays the equipment associated with the activity.
    • Process Order: Displays the process order, if available, associated with the activity.
    Note: If you select the Completed tab in the Activities application, and then select the Open tab, the selection of the View by box and the active page number are retained.
  3. In the drop-down list box next to the View by box, select a time range as described in the following table.
    OptionDescription
    Previous DaySelect to access all open activities from the day prior to the current Production Day.
    Current DaySelect to access all open activities from the start time until the end time of the current Production Day. If there are no shifts configured for the plant, this option is selected by default.
    Current ShiftSelect to access all open activities from the start time until the end time of the ongoing shift. If shifts are configured for the plant, this option is selected by default.
    Previous ShiftSelect to access all open activities from the shift prior to the current shift.
    Last 7 daysSelect to access all open activities within seven days prior to the current Production Day.
    CustomSelect to access all open activities within a date and time range that you specify by using a calendar window.

    The following calendar window appears when you select the Custom option.

    To specify a custom date and time range in the calendar window:
    1. In the START DATETIME section, select a date and enter a time in the format hh:mm:ss.
    2. In the END DATETIME section, select a date and enter a time in the format hh:mm:ss.

    Select Apply.

    Note: The Previous Shift and Current Shift options appear only when shifts are defined for the display in the Plant Applications Administrator.

Access the Completed or Skipped Activities

To access the completed or skipped activities, you must have the operator or supervisor role assigned to your user ID.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
    The Open page appears.
  3. Select the Completed tab to access all the activities that were completed or skipped.
    By default, the option to automatically refresh activities in the Completed page is disabled. You can switch the toggle to enable or disable the option to automatically refresh the page as described in the following table. After you select an option, your selection is saved.
    OptionDescription
    When this option is selected:
    • If appears in the Open page, additional completed or skipped activities are available in the shift. Select to refresh the page and access all the completed or skipped activities.
    • If appears in the Completed page, no additional completed or skipped activities are available to access.
    • If appears in the Completed page, the RabbitMQ service is down.
    When this option is selected:
    • If appears in the Completed page, the manual refresh option is disabled. The page automatically refreshes when an additional completed or skipped activity is available.
    • If appears in the Completed page, the RabbitMQ service is down.
    In the Completed page, you can select , and then select Add Comment to add a comment for the activity. If a comment already exists for an activity, select , and then select Add/Edit Comment to add a General comment and access, modify, or delete a general, overdue, or skip comment. For more information, refer to the following topics:
    Note: To modify or delete comments, your role must have appropriate rights configured in the Plant Applications Administrator.
    The following table describes all the fields for an activity that appear in the Completed page.
    FieldDescription
    ActivityDisplays the name of the activity. The default format for the activity name is in the Plant Applications Administrator.
    Time CompletedDisplays the date and time when the activity was completed. The date and time is displayed in the format mm/dd hh:mm (for example, 03/27 13:05).
    DurationDisplays the time taken to complete the activity. The duration is displayed in the format hh:mm:ss (for example, 02:00:21).
    % CompleteDisplays the completion status of the activity as a percentage.
    UserDisplays the ID of the user who completed or skipped the activity.
    Event TypeDisplays the event type associated with the activity.
    EquipmentDisplays the equipment type.
    StatusDisplays the completion status of the activity as a percentage.
    Process OrderDisplays the process order type.
    ProductDisplays the product types.
    You can hover over an activity in the Completed page to access the following information about the activity:
    • Time: Displays the time when the activity was created.
    • Product: Displays the product associated with the activity.
    • Equipment: Displays the equipment associated with the activity.
    • Process Order: Displays the process order, if available, associated with the activity.
    Note: If you select the Open tab in the Activities application, and then select the Completed tab, the selection of the View by box and the active page number are retained.
  4. In the drop-down list box next to the View by box, select a time range as described in the following table.
    OptionDescription
    Previous DaySelect to access all completed activities from the day prior to the current Production Day.
    Current DaySelect to access all completed activities from the start time until the end time of the current Production Day. If there are no shifts configured for the plant, this option is selected by default.
    Current ShiftSelect to access all completed activities from the start time until the end time of the ongoing shift. If shifts are configured for the plant, this option is selected by default.
    Previous ShiftSelect to access all completed activities from the shift prior to the current shift.
    Last 7 daysSelect to access all completed activities within seven days prior to the current Production Day.
    CustomSelect to access all completed activities within a date and time range of up to seven days that you specify by using a calendar window.

    The following calendar window appears when you select the Custom option.

    To specify a custom date and time range in the calendar window:
    1. In the START DATETIME section, select a date and enter a time in the format hh:mm:ss.
    2. In the END DATETIME section, select a date and enter a time in the format hh:mm:ss.
      Note: The end date must be within seven days of the start date.
    3. Select Apply.
    Note: The Previous Shift and Current Shift options appear only when shifts are defined for the display in the Plant Applications Administrator.
  5. Select an activity to access the page displaying the Autolog history.

    In the page displaying the Autolog history, you can access the overall details of the event associated with an activity and a maximum of 20 historical values of Autolog variables entered for the event at different durations when the activity was scheduled. If an activity associated with an event was skipped, no values are displayed for the Autolog variables.

    The following table describes each field for an event that appears in the page displaying the Autolog history.
    FieldDescription
    Event NameDisplays the unique ID of the event.
    DateDisplays the current date and time in the format dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss (for example, 27/03/2018 10:58:29).
    Process OrderDisplays the process order associated with the event.
    ProductDisplays the product associated with the process order.
    In the page displaying the Autolog history, you can select any of the three views based on the specifications:
    • Data: Displays only the Autolog variable details.
    • Spec: Displays only the Autolog variable box is colored according to the specification limits for the Autolog variable as configured in the Plant Applications Administrator.
    • Data & Spec: Displays the Autolog variable details along with the background color according to the specification limits.
      Note: The background of an Autolog variable box is colored according to the specification limits for the Autolog variable as configured in the Plant Applications Administrator.
    You can select View Legend to access all specification limits and the colors associated with them. The available specification limits are:
    • Reject
    • Warning
    • Target
    • User
    • Unavailable
    In the page displaying the Autolog history, you can select an Autolog variable to access information for that Autolog variable. If the specification limits for an Autolog variable are available, the following information appears:
    • The lower and upper specification limits
    • The specification limit associated with the variable based on the value entered for the variable
    • The threshold value based on whether the entered value is higher or lower than the target value

Filter an Activity

You can filter activities either in the Open or Completed page based on the filter applied to the selected columns. Select appearing next to the column name and then select required filters from the menu to include in the list. You also can drag a column to the column header to group the downtime events based on the column selected. criteria that you enter.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
  3. Select the tab for which you want to apply a filter.
  4. Select appearing next to the column name.
  5. As needed, select the applicable filter options, and then select Apply.

Results

The activities based on the specified filtered criteria appears.

To reset the filter options to their default setting, select , select Select All from the filter options, and then select Apply.

Search for an Activity

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
  3. Select the tab for the type of the activity for which you want to search.
  4. Select .
  5. As needed, specify the search options within a specified start and end time.
    Tip: To search for an activity using a barcode, select for an option and scan for the barcode specific to the option. The application supports the barcodes of standards Code 39 and Code 128 only.
    Note: In iPad, you can use only in the Safari browser.
  6. Select Apply.

Results

The activities that match the search criteria appear.
Tip: To clear results and perform new search, select Reset in the page.

Complete an Activity

You can complete an activity that is still open by entering values for Autolog variables in the Autolog sheet that appears in the Activity section.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .

    The Open page appears.

  3. Select Perform for the activity you want to complete.
    The Activity section appears in addition to a section displaying information about the activity.
    The fields in the section displaying information about the activity are described in the following table.
    FieldDescription
    DateDisplays the date when you started to perform the activity. The locale settings of your computer determine the display format for the date.
    TimeDisplays the time on the specified date when you started to perform the activity. The locale settings of your computer determine the display format for the time.
    Process OrderDisplays the process order, if available, associated with the activity.
    ProductDisplays the product associated with the activity.

    In the Activity section, the Autolog sheet for the associated Display appears. You configure Display in the Plant Applications Administrator. If the Engineering Units property is enabled for the Display associated with the event, the units of measurement defined for variables also appear next to the variable value in the Activity section.

    In the Activity section, the icons as described in the following table appear.
    IconDescription
    Select to display only variable names along with the aliasing name (if configured) and the associated specification limits. By default, this view is selected if any of the variable names in the list has the aliasing name configured.
    Select to statistically analyze an Autolog variable value in the Quartile view.
    Select to statistically analyze an Autolog variable value in a Whisker chart. By default, the Whisker chart appears in the pane in the Autolog sheet window.
    Select to access a custom form.
    Note: This icon appears only if you have configured the Display associated with the activity to enable a custom form to appear in the pane. In this case, by default, the custom form appears in the pane.
    Select to filter a variable associated with the activity. If you select this option, the Variable Name box appears. You can then enter the search text in the box, and then select Apply to filter a variable. All variables that match with any of the strings in the search text appear in the search results.
    If the scroll type of the variables view is set to pagination, the variables view in the Activity section appears paginated according to the title of the variables group.
  4. In the Autolog sheet, enter data for all modifiable Autolog variables.
    The application validates the entered values based on the data type, and, if configured in the Plant Applications Administrator, based on the Upper Entry and Lower Entry limits for the variables.
    Note:
    You can enter values for Autolog variables available in the Plant Applications Administrator only. Depending on the following configurations in the Plant Applications Administrator, you can enter values for the modifiable variables:
    • When the status of a production-based or user-defined event associated with the activity is set to a production status that has the Lock Event Data option enabled, you do not have the privilege to modify the Autolog sheet for that event.
    • When the display associated with the activity has the LockUnavailableCells display option enabled, the only users who are members of the Administrator Security Group with an Access Level other than Read can enter values for the modifiable Autolog variables that have no available data.
  5. Press Tab to save the value.

    Whether you enter the value in the Display associated with the Autolog sheet in the Plant Applications Administrator or in the window displaying the Autolog sheet in the Activities application, the last entered variable value is updated automatically in the Autolog sheet.

  6. Select Back.
    The behavior of the Open page and the percentage completion of the activity is based on the criteria and the Auto Complete Display display option as described in the following table. You set the Auto Complete Display display option for the Display associated with the activity in the Plant Applications Administrator.
    CriteriaAuto Complete Display Option ValueBehaviorPercentage Completion Calculation
    • No sampling interval or test frequency set for variables associated with the time-based events
    • No test frequency set for variables associated with the production-based or user-defined events
    FalseThe Complete option appears for that activity. You can then select the Complete option to complete the activity. The activity then appears in the Completed page.The ratio of the total variables for which you entered values to the total variables.
    • No sampling interval or test frequency set for variables associated with the time-based events
    • No test frequency set for variables associated with the production-based or user-defined events
    TrueIf you enter values for:
    • Only a few selected Autolog variables in an activity, the Complete option appears for that activity. You can select Complete to complete the activity. The activity then appears in the Completed page.
    • All modifiable Autolog variables in an activity, the activity is automatically completed and appears in the Completed page.
    The ratio of the total variables for which you entered values to the total variables.
    • Sampling interval or test frequency is set for variables associated with the time-based events
    • Test frequency is set for variables associated with the production-based or user-defined events
    FalseIf you enter values for:
    • Only a few selected modifiable Autolog variables in an activity, the In Progress option appears for that activity. You can select In Progress, and then enter values for the remaining modifiable Autolog variables.
    • All modifiable Autolog variables in an activity, the Complete option appears for that activity. You can then select the Complete option to complete the activity. The activity then appears in the Completed page.
    The ratio of the total variables with a test ID for which you entered values to the total variables with a test ID.
    • Sampling interval or test frequency is set for variables associated with the time-based events
    • Test frequency is set for variables associated with the production-based or user-defined events
    TrueIf you enter values for:
    • Only a few selected modifiable Autolog variables in an activity, the In Progress option appears for that activity. You can select In Progress, and then enter values for the remaining modifiable Autolog variables
    • All applicable Autolog variables in an activity, the activity is automatically moved to the Complete page.
    The ratio of the total variables with a test ID for which you entered values to the total variables with a test ID.
    Note: If the activity is overdue and the option to enter overdue comments for an activity is required, the window for entering overdue comments appears. In the window for entering overdue comments, you must enter your comment about the overdue activity in the ADD OVERDUE COMMENT box, and then select Save.
  7. Optional: Select , and then select Add Comment to enter a comment for a modifiable variable. For more information, refer to the Add a Comment for a Variable topic.
    Note:

    If comments already exist for a variable, appears for the variable.

    In the Open page, an informational message appears, stating that the comment was successfully added.
  8. Select the Event tab.
    Note: This step is applicable only when the activity is associated with a production-based or user-defined event.
    For an activity associated with a production-based event, the following table describes fields that appear in the Event section.
    FieldDescription
    EVENT NUMBERDisplays the unique ID of the event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    START TIMEDisplays the time when the production started for the event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    END TIMEDisplays the time when the production stopped for the event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    EVENT STATUSDisplays the disposition status of the event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    PRODUCTDisplays the product associated with the event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    APPLIED PRODUCTDisplays the product actually associated with the event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    DIMENSION NAMEDisplays the dimension of the event as configured in the Plant Applications Administrator. This field is non-modifiable.
    UNITSDisplays the equipment that produced (or contains) the production-based event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    INITIALDisplays the initial value of the dimension. The value in this field appears blank if you do not modify the dimension value. This field is non-modifiable.
    FINALDisplays the current value of the dimension. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    ADD BATCH COMMENTDisplays the option to add a comment or modify or delete comments for the event. Depending on the security levels defined for your role, you can add, modify, or delete comments.
    For an activity associated with a user-defined event, the following table describes fields that appear in the Event section.
    FieldDescription
    EVENT NUMBERDisplays the unique ID of the event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    START TIMEDisplays the time when you started the user-defined event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    END TIMEDisplays the time when the you stopped the user-defined event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    L1Displays the reason for creating the user-defined event. You can modify the value entered in this field.
    Note: You configure the reason tree for a user-defined event in the Plant Applications Administrator
    L2, L3, L4Display the subreasons, if available, associated with the reason entered for the user-defined event. You can modify the value entered in these fields.
    ADD COMMENTDisplays the option to add a comment or modify or delete comments for the event. You can modify or delete only those comments that were added by you.
  9. Optional: In the Event section, enter the required value in the modifiable fields, and then select Save.
    Note: The Save option is enabled only when you modify a value for a field.

Results

The activity is completed and appears in the Complete page.

Modify the Value of an Autolog Variable

You can modify the value of an Autolog variable entered for a completed or skipped activity depending on the following configurations in the Plant Applications Administrator:
  • When the status of a production-based or user-defined event associated with the activity is set to a production status that has the Lock Event Data option enabled, you do not have the privilege to modify the Autolog variables for that event.
  • When the display associated with the activity has the LockUnavailableCells display option enabled, the users only in the Administrator security group with an Access Level other than Read can enter values for the modifiable Autolog variables that have no available data.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
  3. Select the Completed tab.
  4. Select the activity.
    Tip: In the Completedpage, you can select appearing next to the column name to filter activities, and then select the activity.

    The page displaying the Autolog history appears, displaying values for the modifiable Autolog variables. The last entered variable value appears automatically in the page, displaying the Autolog history irrespective of the application or page from which the value is modified.

    In the Plant Applications Administrator, if the Engineering Units display property is enabled for the display associated with the event, the units of measurement defined for variables also appear next to the variable value in the Autolog sheet.

  5. Select the numeric value for the Autolog variable that you want to modify, and then select EDIT.

    The text box for entering the Autolog variable value is now modifiable.

  6. In the text box for the Autolog variable value, delete the old value and enter a new value, and then press Tab to save the new value.
  7. Select Back.

Results

The updated value for the Autolog variable appears in the page displaying the Autolog history.

In the page displaying the Autolog history, all the Completed and Skipped activities appear. If you modify the value of an Autolog variable later for a completed or skipped activity in the page displaying the Autolog history, the Status of the activity does not change. However, based on the values entered or deleted for Autolog variables in an activity, the percentage completion of the activity is updated accordingly in the % Complete box in the Completed page.

Release an Activity

You can view the Release option for an activity only when the activity is yet to be completed. After you release an activity, you can perform or skip that activity.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
  3. Select the Open tab.
  4. For the activity you want to perform but it is yet to be completed, select Release.

Results

The activity is released and you can now perform or skip the released activity.

Skip an Activity

You can skip an open activity based on your requirements.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
  3. Select the Open tab.

    You can select the Skip option for an activity only when the activity is yet to be performed.

  4. For the activity you want to skip, select Skip.
    The window for entering skip comments appears.
    Note: If the activity is overdue and the option to enter overdue comments for an activity is required, the window for entering overdue comments appears. In the window for entering overdue comments, you must enter your comment about the overdue activity in the ADD OVERDUE COMMENT box, and then select Save. The window for entering for skip comments then appears.
  5. In the ADD SKIP COMMENT box, enter your comment about skipping the activity.
    An informational message stating that the comment was successfully added appears in the Open page.
    Note: You can delete a skip comment added to a skipped activity in the Completed page. For more information, refer to the Access the Completed or Skipped Activities topic.
  6. Select Save.

Results

The activity is skipped and no longer appears in the Open page. You can view the activity in the Completed page.

Access Existing Comments for an Activity

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
    The Open page appears.
  3. Select the tab that includes the activity for which you want to access comments.
  4. Select for the activity, and then select Add/Edit Comment.
  5. As needed, select or clear the General, Overdue, or Skip check boxes to filter the existing comments list by the selected options.
    The General, Overdue, or Skip check boxes appear for an activity only when the comment type corresponding to the box exists for the activity.

Results

You can access all the comments associated with the activity and perform actions on them.
Tip: If you are in the ADD GENERAL COMMENT box, then select Show Comments to access all existing comments entered for the activity.

Add a General Comment for an Activity

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
    The Open page appears.
  3. Select the tab that includes the activity for which you want to add a general comment.
  4. Select , and then select Add Comment for the activity.
    A window for entering comments appears.
    Note: If comments already exist for an activity, select , and then select Add/Edit Comment to access the window for entering comments.
  5. In the ADD GENERAL COMMENT box, enter a comment for the activity, and then select Save.
    Tip: Select Show Comments to access all existing comments entered for the activity.
    An informational message stating that the comment was successfully added appears in the Open page.

Results

The general comment is added for the activity. In the existing comments list in the window for entering comments, the most recently added comment appears last. The information about the user who added the comment, the type of comment, and time stamp when the comment was added also appear for the comment.

Modify an Existing General Comment for an Activity

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
    The Open page appears.
  3. Select the tab that includes the activity for which you want to modify an existing general comment.
  4. Select , and then select Add/Edit Comment for the activity.
  5. Optional: In the window for entering general comments, select the General check box to filter comments in the existing comments list by the general type.
    All general comments appear in the existing comments list in the window for entering comments.
  6. Select for an existing general comment.
    The EDIT GENERAL COMMENT box appears, displaying the current comment.
  7. Modify the comment, and then select Save.
    Note: The position of a comment in the comments list remains constant even if you modify the comment later.
    An informational message stating that the comment was successfully modified appears in the Open page.

Results

The changes to the general comment are saved.

Delete an Existing General Comment for an Activity

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
    The Open page appears.
  3. Select the tab that includes the activity for which you want to delete an existing general comment.
  4. Select , and then select Add/Edit Comment for the activity.
  5. Optional: In the window for entering general comments, select the General check box to filter comments in the existing comments list by the general type.
    All general comments appear in the existing comments list in the window for entering comments.
  6. Select for an existing general comment.
    The Confirm Delete window appears.
  7. Select Yes to complete the delete action.
    An informational message stating that the comment was successfully deleted appears in the Open page.

Results

The general comment is deleted for the activity.

Add an Overdue Comment for an Activity

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .

    The Open page appears.

  3. Select the time in the Due In row for an overdue activity for which you want to add an overdue comment.
    Tip: Alternatively, you can select Complete for an overdue activity after entering values for all the modifiable variables. For more information, refer to the Complete an Activity topic.
    A window for entering overdue comments appears.
  4. In the ADD OVERDUE COMMENT box, enter a reason for the overdue comment, and then select Save.

Results

The overdue comment is added for the activity. In the comments list in the window for entering comments, the most recently added comment appears last. The information about the user who added the comment, the type of comment, and the time stamp when the comment was added also appear for the comment.

Modify an Existing Overdue Comment for an Activity

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  2. Select .
    The Open page appears.
  3. Select the tab that includes the activity for which you want to modify the overdue comment.
  4. Select , and then select Add/Edit Comment for the activity.
    A list of all existing comments appears in the window for entering comments.
    Tip: Alternatively, for open activities, in the Open page, you can select the time in the Due In row for an overdue activity. All overdue comments appear in the list of comments in the window for entering comments. Skip step 5 if you use this navigation.
  5. Optional: In the window for entering general comments, select the Overdue check box to filter comments in the existing comments list by the overdue type.
    All overdue comments appear in the existing comments list in the window for entering comments.
  6. Select for an existing overdue comment.
    The EDIT OVERDUE COMMENT box appears, displaying the current comment.
  7. Modify the comment, and then select Save.

Results

The changes to the overdue comment are saved.
Note: The position of a comment in the comments list remains constant even if you modify the comment later.

Delete an Existing Overdue Comment for an Activity

Procedure

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  • Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
  • Select .
    The Open page appears.
  • Select the tab that includes the activity for which you want to delete the overdue comment.
  • Select , and then select Add/Edit Comment for the activity.
    A list of all existing comments appears in the window for entering comments.
    Tip: Alternatively, for open activities, in the Open page, you can select the time in the Due In row for an overdue activity. All overdue comments appear in the list of existing comments in the window for entering comments. Skip step 5 if you use this navigation.
  • Optional: In the window for entering general comments, select the Overdue check box to filter comments in the existing comments list by the overdue type.
    All overdue comments appear in the existing comments list in the window for entering comments.
  • Select for an existing overdue comment.
    The Confirm Delete window appears.
  • Select Yes to complete the delete action.
  • Results

    The overdue comment is deleted for the activity.

    Add a Comment for a Variable

    1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
    2. Select .

      The Open page appears.

    3. Depending on the status of an activity, select Perform or In Progress for the activity associated with the variable.
      The page for entering data for the modifiable variables appears.
    4. Select , and then select Add Comment for a variable to add a comment.
      A window for entering comments for the selected variable appears.
      Note: If comments already exist for a variable, select , and then select Add/Edit Comment to access the window for entering comments.
    5. In the ADD NEW COMMENT box, enter a comment for the variable.
    6. Select Save.

    Results

    The most recently added comment appears last in the comments list in the window for entering comments. The information about the user who added the comment and time stamp when the comment was added also appears for the comment.

    Tip: If you are in the ADD NEW COMMENT box, then select Show Comments to access all existing comments entered for the variable.

    Modify an Existing Comment for a Variable

    Procedure

    1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
    2. Select .

      The Open page appears.

    3. Depending on the status of an activity, select Perform or In Progress for the activity associated with the variable.
      The page for entering data for the modifiable variables appears.
    4. Select , and then select Add/Edit Comment for a variable.
      A comments list in the window for entering comments for the selected variable appears.
    5. Select for an existing comment.
      The EDIT COMMENT box appears, displaying the current comment.
    6. Modify the comment, and then select Save.

    Results

    Note: The position of a comment in the comments list remains constant even if you modify the comment later.
    The changes to the variable comment are saved.

    Delete an Existing Comment for a Variable

    1. Log in to the Plant Applications Universal Client.
    2. Select .

      The Open page appears.

    3. Depending on the status of an activity, select Perform or In Progress for the activity associated with the variable.
      The page for entering data for the modifiable variables appears.
    4. Select , and then select Add/Edit Comment for a variable.
      A comments list in the window for entering comments for the selected variable appears.
    5. Select for an existing comment.
      The Confirm Delete window appears.
    6. Select Yes to complete the delete action.

    Results

    The comment is deleted for the variable.

    About Accessing a Custom Form

    You can access a custom form for an activity in the Activities application. The custom form must be embedded in an external URL.

    You must configure the Plant Applications Administrator to enable the use of custom forms for the display associated with the autolog sheet. For more information, refer to the Proficy Plant Applications Help.

    To access the custom form and complete the associated activity, in the Activities page, select Perform for a new activity or In Progress for an ongoing activity. For more information, refer to the Complete an Activity topic.

    Depending on the Plant Application Administrator configurations for the display associated with the autolog sheet, you can access a custom form in the following UI areas:
    • As a page: The URL of the custom form opens in a separate page.
    • Embedded within the window displaying the autolog sheet: The custom form appears in an embedded pane in the window displaying the autolog sheet.
      Note: To view the custom form, in the window displaying the autolog sheet, select .
    • As a replacement of the window displaying the autolog sheet: The custom form replaces the window displaying autolog sheet.

    About Custom Forms

    You can build and use your own custom forms in the Activities application. To associate a custom form with the Activities application, you must complete the following requirements in the Plant Applications Administrator:
    • Configure the URL of the custom form.
    • Configure the Autolog sheets to generate custom form driven activities.
    • Configure the user name and password for the user authentication of the custom form.
    For more information, refer to the Proficy Plant Applications Help.

    Data Flow

    When you perform custom activities, you are redirected to the custom activity URL. In addition to the external URL, some additional information is sent as a POST MESSAGE that is a part of HTML5 Web Messaging specification. The following data flow diagram describes the interaction between the Activities application and the custom form to establish the connection and send data.

    The following procedure is described in the data flow diagram:
    1. The user performs a custom activity in the Activities application.
    2. The Activities application initiates the Handshake protocol by sending a message to the form and checks whether the URL of the custom form is valid or not.
      • If the URL is valid, the Activities application receives the message back. The application then adds an event listener to hear from the origin and then posts the message with the variable data to the custom form.
      • If the URL is not valid, a page not found 404 error message appears in the Activities application.

    Post Data

    The window.postmessage() method is used to send data from the Activities application to the custom form. The window.postmessage() method enables cross-origin communication between the following items:
    • Window objects such as between a page and a window that the page spawned.

      Example: The window.postmessage() method is used when you select the option to access the URL of the custom in a separate page.

    • A page and iframe such as between a page and an iframe embedded within the page.

      Example: The window.postmessage() method is used when you select the option to access the URL of the custom form embedded within the window displaying the autolog sheet or as a replacement of the window displaying the autolog sheet.

    The arguments (also called as messages) passed to the window.postMessage() method are exposed to the receiving window through the event object. The Activities application creates an instance of target window to post message by using the following syntax:
    targetWindow.postmessage(message, targetOrigin, [transfer]);
    Where:
    • targetWindow: A reference of the custom form window that receives the message.
    • message: Data to be sent to the custom form. The data is serialized using the structured clone algorithm. The algorithm enables you to pass a broad variety of data objects safely to the destination window without serializing them.
    • targetOrigin: The origin of target window. By default, asterisk (*) is set to indicate no preference. The postMessage() transmits vital information. It is absolutely critical that this argument be a URI whose origin is the same as the intended receiver of the message containing the password to prevent interception of the password by a malicious third party.
    • Transfer: A sequence of transferable objects that are transferred with the message. An optional parameter not used in the Activities application.

    Event Listener

    An event listener is added by the Activities application when the custom form is loaded to receive the message coming from the Activities application as shown in the following code snippet.
    window.addEventListener(???message???, receiveMessage, false); 
    function receiveMessage(event) 
    { 
        if (event.origin !== "http://example.org:8080") 
            return; 
    } 
    The properties of the dispatched message are:
    • data (event.data): The information passed by the Activities application.
    • origin: The origin of the window that sent the message at the time postMessage was called. In the code snippet, the http://example.org:8080 is an example of origin.
    • source: A reference to the window object that sent the message. You can use this property to establish two-way communication between two windows with different origins.

    Security Concerns

    Remember the following security concerns when you use a custom activity:
    • If you do not expect to receive messages from other sites, disable the Activities application to add any event listeners for message events.
    • If you expect to receive messages from other sites, always verify the sender's identity using the origin and possibly source properties. Any window (including a URL, for example, http://evil.example.com) can send a message to any other window, and an unknown sender can send malicious messages. You must verify the syntax of the received message.
      Note: Failure to check the origin and possibly source properties enables cross-site scripting attacks.
    • Always specify an exact target origin, not an asterisk (*) in the Activities application configuration when you use postMessage to send data to other windows. A malicious site can change the location of the window without your knowledge. Therefore, the site can intercept the data sent using postMessage.

    Data Sent to a Custom Form

    The data sent to custom form in the event.Data object is in the JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format. The following code sample shows the data sent to a custom form and the syntax to access the data.

    {
                    "loggedUserInfo": {
                        "token": <<token>>
                    },
                    "header": {
                        "activityId": <<activityId>>,
                        "activityType": <<activityType>>,
                        "activityDescription": <<activityName>>,
                        "startTime": <<startTime>>
                    },
                    "productInfo": <<productId>>,
                    "processOrderInfo": <<processOrder>>,
                    "variableInfo": <<variable_data>>,
                    "activityStatusInfo": {
                        "statusId": <<Activity_statusId>>,
                        "status": <<Activity_status>>,
                        "readOnly": <<readOnly_status>>
                    },
                    "userConfigurationDetails": <<customActivityUser>>
                }
    
    
    • loggedUserInfo: Provides the user name and token. The UAA token is required when the custom forms use the public REST APIs provided to save variables into SOADB.
    • Header: Provides the activity ID, activity type as Production, Time-Based, or User-Defined, activity description, and start time of the activity.
    • ProductInfo: Provides the ID, name, and value of the product.
    • ProcessOrderInfo: Provides the ID, name, and value of the process order.
    • Variables: Provides the list of variables with ID, name, data type, and value.
    • ActivityStatusInfo: Provides information regarding whether the activity is locked, read-only state, or modifiable.
    • userConfigurationDetails: Provides the user name and password configured in Plant Applications.

    Data Size

    As a data point, the WebKit implementation (used by Safari and Chrome) does not currently enforce any limits regarding the size of the data sent through a message.

    The following domains were tested for use of the custom form:
    • Same domain: successful (same IP address)
    • Cross domain: successful (with different IPs and ports, messages transfer between http and https)
    The transmission process of data has the following limitations:
    • Data cannot be transmitted using form headers, form body, or query parameters by using postmessage.
    • All data is transmitted through postmessage only.