What goes into a typical application?
Before you start to build your first process in Catalyst, you need to consider a number of things. An application is made up of many components, but one of the most important and easiest to forget as a novice is the required outcomes.
Required outcomes
These may be as simple as getting a document signed or providing a weekly report highlighting the number and type of matters commenced.
Whatever the required outcomes, you will be working with data. It is important to understand how the Catalyst data model is organised so that you can ensure that you have your Object Classes correctly set up. And of course the data captured here will be some of what feeds into any reporting requirements.
Data collection and integrations
You might use our task forms to collect data via a task, so you will need to know how to create task templates and how to create sequences in which the templates are used to create tasks.
In addition, some data may be collected via integration with other applications, so you will want to understand how our API works. In the first instance, please contact one of the Client Value team so we can help get you started.
People and permissions
You will also need to consider the people who will be involved in your application.
Some will be internal staff who are responsible for working with the data, ensuring that the workflow is completed and outcomes achieved. Others will be subject matter experts or individuals who only get involved in certain circumstances.
You will need to give some of them User roles and set their role permissions; most users' permissions will be determined by the User group or groups to which they belong.
Communication
While thinking about the people involved in your application, you will need a means of communicating with them.
You will probably want to notify users when they are assigned a task. And there will most likely be other bespoke messages needed in your workflow. In order for these emails to be successfully sent from Catalyst you will need to ensure that the Outbound mail setup has been correctly configured.
Documents
Another important component of any application is the documents it involves.
These may be provided by users of the system via stand alone forms or task forms, or they may be generated in a sequence via a DocAuto actor from Document templates stored in an Object class.
Next step
Go to our checklist for things to set up once only and for each application. This guide will help you get on your way.