Working with Data

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Siebel applications allow you to add, change, delete, and copy records. You can also organize data to suit your preferences, attach files to records, and import or export data.

In addition, you can exchange data with other applications using the import and export functions in your Siebel application.

Tasks

Selecting Records

Adding Records

Editing Records

Saving Data

Deleting Records

Undoing Changes

Attaching Files to Records

Organizing Columns in a List

Sorting Data in a List

Freezing Columns in a List

Importing Data

Exporting Data

See Also

Using Charts

Selecting Records

To select a record

• In a list, click a field in the row you want to select.
  The background color of the row changes to indicate that the record is selected.
  Note: If you click a field that is also a hyperlink the target of the hyperlink appears.

Adding Records

Whether you can add records in your Siebel application is defined by accounts and responsibilities given to you by your Siebel administrator. You can use the application-level File menu, the menu button on a form or a list, or the New button on a form or a list to add records.

To add a new record in a list

1. In the list, click New.
   – or –
   Click the menu button, and then click New Record.
   – or –
   From the application-level menu, choose Edit > New Record.
   An empty row appears in the list.
2. In the row, fill in all the fields for the record.
3. Step off the record.
   – or –
   Click the menu button, and then click Save Record.
   – or –
   From the application-level menu, choose Edit > Save Record.

To add a new record in a form

1. In the form, click New.
   – or –
   Click the menu button, and then click New Record.
   – or –
   From the application-level menu, choose Edit > New Record.
   A blank form appears.
2. In the form, fill in all the fields for the record.
   Note: Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
3. Step off the record.
   – or –
   Click the menu button, and then click Save Record.
   – or –
   From the application-level menu, choose Edit > Save Record.

Editing Records

In a list, you can change a record using inline editing. In a form, you can change fields directly in the form.

To edit a record inline in a list

1. In a list, select the record to edit.
2. Make your changes in the record.
   Tip: You can show more columns in the list.
   See Organizing Columns in a List for instructions.
3. Step off the record.
   – or –
   Click the menu button, and then click Save Record.
   – or –
   From the application-level menu, choose Edit > Save Record.

To edit a record in a form

1. Make the record you want to edit the active record in a form.
2. In the form, make your changes.
3. Step off the record.
   – or –
   Click the menu button, and then click Save Record.
   – or –
   From the application-level menu, choose Edit > Save Record.

Saving Data

When you create new records or make changes to existing records, you must save your changes.

Note: If you try to navigate to a different location in your Siebel application without saving your changes, a message box may appear asking you to save your changes.

To save data in a list or form

• When you are ready to save your entries, step off the record.
  – or –
  Click the menu button, and then click Save Record.
  – or –
  From the application-level menu, choose Edit > Save Record.

Deleting Records

You can use the menu button to delete records in a list or a form.

To delete a record

1. In a list, select the record to delete.
   – or –
   Make the record you want to delete the active record in the form.
2. Click the menu button, and then click Delete Record.
   – or –
   From the application-level menu, choose Edit > Delete Record.
3. If a dialog box appears asking you to confirm the deletion, click OK.

Associating Records

When you are working with records, you need access to all information that is related to those records.
You can associate a record with another record. For example, if you are working with an account, you are likely to track key contacts for that account. The Contacts screen allows you to add and manage key contacts. You can also find a Contacts view in many screens, such as in the Accounts screen. Through the Contacts view, you can associate a contact with a particular account record.
 

Note: You might not be able to associate records with other records in all screens if there is no association between the records.

To associate a record with another record

1. Navigate to the appropriate screen.
2. Drill down on the record with which you want to associate another record.
3. Click the appropriate view tab.
   The selected view appears.
4. In the selected view, click New.
   Depending on which view you are in, a blank record or a selection dialog box appears.
5. Do one of the following:
   o Select the record that you want to associate from the dialog box and click OK to add a new record.
   o Complete the fields of the blank record to add a new record.

Undoing Changes

After you create a new record, or make changes to an existing record, but before you do anything else, you can undo your actions.

To undo changes

1. Follow the instructions in Adding Records or Editing Records.
2. Click the menu button, and then click Undo Record.
   – or –
   From the application-level menu, choose Edit > Undo Record.

Attaching Files to Records

Attachments allow you to include a file created with another application with your work in your Siebel application. Files can be attached to different types of records. If the Attachments view is available in a screen, you can attach a file to the current record. The benefit of adding an attachment to a record is that other users, who may work on the same record later on, will have access to the file you attached.

To attach a file to a record

1. In a screen, drill down on the record to which you want to attach a file.
2. Click the Attachments view tab.
   The Attachments list appears.
3. In the Attachments list, click the menu button, and then click New Record.
4. In the Attachment Name field, click the select button.
   The Add Attachment dialog box appears.
5. In the File Name field, click Browse.
   The Choose file dialog box appears.
6. Locate and select the file to attach, and then click Open.
   The Add Attachment dialog box appears with the name of the file, including the path to the file, in the File Name field.
7. Click Add.
   The Attachments list appears. The list now contains a row for the attachment you added.
   Note: If the file resides on a network and you want the file to be updated in the Siebel application when it is updated on the network, select the Update File check box.
8. Click the menu button, and then click Save Record.

Organizing Columns in a List

You can add, remove, and rearrange columns in a list to suit your preferences.

To change columns displayed in a list

1. In the list, click the menu button, and then click Columns Displayed.
   – or –
   From the application-level menu, choose View > Columns Displayed.
   The Columns Displayed dialog box appears.
   Note: The Available Columns box contains the names of the columns that are currently hidden in the list. The Selected Columns box contains the names of the columns that are currently shown in the list.
2. Select one or more column names in the Available Columns box or Selected Columns box and use the following buttons to show or hide the columns.
   

   Click	To
   	Show the selected columns.
   	Hide the selected columns.
   	Show all columns.
   	Hide all columns.

3. In the Selected Columns box, select a column name and use the following buttons to reorder the columns.
   

   Click	To
   	Move the selected column to the top of the list.
   	Move the selected column up one position in the list.
   	Move the selected column down one position in the list.
   	Move the selected column to the bottom of the list.

4. Click Save.
   Note: To change the settings back to the default, click Reset Defaults.

Tips:

• To resize columns in a list, place the cursor on the line between the column headings. When the cursor changes to a resize arrow, drag the border to a new location.
• To move a column to a different position in the list, click and drag the column header to a new position.

Sorting Data in a List

You can sort records in a list by the data contained in specific columns. You can perform an advanced sort to sort by up to three columns at once.

Not all columns in a list are sortable. If (Sortable) appears in the tooltip when you position your cursor in the header of a column, then that column is sortable.

The active sort order of a column is shown in the column header. A full triangle pointing up means the data is sorted in ascending order on the values in the column. A hollow triangle pointing down means the data is sorted in descending order on the values in the column.

To sort on a single column in ascending order

• In a list, click the column header of the column by which you want to sort.

To sort on a single column in descending order

1. Sort on the column in ascending order by clicking the column header of the column.
2. Click the column header again.

To perform an advanced sort

1. In a list, click the menu button, and then click Advanced Sort.
   The Sort Order dialog box appears.
2. From the Sort by drop-down list, select the first column sort by.
3. From the Then by drop-down list, select the second column to sort by.
4. From the second Then by drop-down list, select the third column to sort by.
5. Use the Ascending and Descending option buttons to define the sort order for each column you selected for the advanced sort.
6. Click OK.
   The list is sorted by the column in the Sort by drop-down list, and then by additional columns in sequence. The sort order arrow appears in the column header of the first column you selected for the advanced sort.

Freezing Columns in a List

Lists can contain many columns. You may find that you want to scroll to the right and view columns you cannot see without losing focus of the left-most columns. You can do this by freezing the desired left-most columns.

To freeze columns in a list

1. Select the list in which you want to freeze columns.
2. Double-click the column header of the right-most column you want to freeze.
   The frozen column headers now appear with a darker gray background. In addition, a dark gray vertical line appears separating the frozen columns from the unfrozen columns.
3. Scroll to the right to view columns without losing focus of the frozen columns on the left.

To unfreeze columns

• Double-click the header of the right-most frozen column.
  This is the same column you double-clicked to freeze the columns.

Importing Data

You can only import data into certain areas of your Siebel application. Ask your Siebel administrator for details.

To import data

1. Navigate to the screen where you want to start the import.
2. In the main list (upper part of the application window), click the menu button, and then click Import.
   The Import dialog box appears.
3. Click Browse.
   The Choose file dialog box appears.
4. Select the file that contains the records you want to import and click Open.
   The Input File field now contains the name of the file you selected with its full path.
5. Use the Input Format option buttons to select the format of the file you are importing.
6. Under Input Source, if you are importing a file from ACT! or ECCO, select Predefined and then select the correct version from the drop-down list.
7. Use the Conflict Resolution option buttons to define what should happen when a conflict occurs.
8. Click Next.
   A mapping dialog box appears. The dialog box shows all the fields from the first record in the import file (Import Field), all the fields defined for the type of data in the Siebel application (Siebel Field), and the current field mappings (Field Mappings).
9. To change the mapping of a field:
   1. In the Import Field list, select the field value for which you want to change the mapping.
   2. In the Siebel Field list, select the field to which you want to map the import field.
   3. Click Update Mapping.
      The new mapping appears in the Field Mappings list.
10. Click Next.
    The records from the import file are imported into the Siebel database. When the import is done, a status dialog box appears.
    Tip: To review information about the import, click View Log.
11. Click OK.

Exporting Data

The export function lets you export data from your Siebel application and then automatically open the export document on your local machine.

To export data

1. Navigate to the screen where you want to start the export.
2. To limit the number of exported records, run a query.
3. In the main list (upper part of the application window), click the menu button, and then click Export.
   The Export dialog box appears.
4. Use the Rows To Export option buttons to define which rows you want to export.
5. Use the Columns To Export option buttons to define which columns you want to export.

   Note: The order of exported columns is determined in Siebel Tools by the order of the Sequence property values of the columns as they are set in the List Column object.

6. Use the Output Format option buttons to define the format of the output document.
7. Click Next.
   The Web browser’s File Download dialog box appears.
8. Make your selection and click OK.
   Depending on your selection, the export document opens with its associated application, or you save the export document on your local machine.

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