The following will provide a short introduction to some of the new functionalities in Resource Central. More information can be found in the different user guides for Resource Central.
Note: RC 4.3 RTM has major changes in the data structure, so please ensure that Custom Reports are tested before proceeding with an upgrade to ensure correct execution of the report after the upgrade.
Managing Persons - Role Based Access Control
In Resource Central, it is now possible to manage Persons based on Azure’s Role Based Access Control (RBAC). When a Resource Central Role is mapped to an Azure app role, the users signing into Resource Central with the Azure role in their AAD access token will be created automatically as a Person. Thus, they could gain access to specified sections in RC based on the role’s access control.
The benefit shortly stated is that the system administrators no longer need to manage each Person in Resource Central but can just add the users to the distribution list of the AAD role related to a specific role in Resource Central.
For more information on the roles in Azure AD see e.g., the link below:
Role-based Access Control (RBAC) with Azure AD | Microsoft Security
New Access Control Level view
Handling RC Roles’ Access Control Levels has also been made easier as the ACL rights are now collected and editable in one screen under each Role.
Warning on delivery hours
Warning on deliveries makes it possible to notify the organizer instantly in the order form if the time of delivery e.g., is “outside” the opening hours for the catering.
This can be used to notify the organizer of e.g., an additional late delivery fee or other information related to deliveries within a certain time slot.
The feature can be configured for different locations and different time slots.
Orders - Editable item price and names
* Note: If you have custom Financial reports, then they need to be adjusted before this feature can be used.
Items can now be set to allow the service provider to edit the price and name of items included in the order. It is configured on each item, where checkmark controls whether it should be editable or not.
The caterer can then when opening the order, change the price and/or the naming of the ordered item. This will allow the caterer to give discounts or offer special items not included as standard offering in Resource Finder based on organizer requests.
Quantity threshold on items
That the feature “quantity threshold on items” is going to help Catering staff define certain orders needing special attention by setting limits on the items can trigger different things towards the organizer and the catering staff when exceeded.
- Warning messages in the order form and in ordering emails informing the organizer of the special-order conditions.
- An extended deadline on large quantities of an item.
- Flagging of the orders in The Orders overview.
A scenario could be that the catering staff want to accept all orders with item quantity exceeding 30 sandwiches in order to ensure that there are enough sandwich breads and staff working that day to serve for this big order.
The organizer is informed with a warning that the order cannot be considered valid until the catering staff has accepted the order. There might be an extended deadline which can also be seen in the order form under the item information.
Usage
Under Items there are two new options on Items available for the configuration of this new feature:
- Quantity threshold – Defining the item quantity that must be exceeded to trigger the feature.
- Extended item deadline – Setting a deadline longer than the catering deadline if needed.
Under Designer/Orders it is possible to configure messages shown in the order form and order email when the threshold quantity has been exceeded as well as whether the order should be flagged in the Orders overview list.
When the organizer exceeds the threshold quantity, a pop-up will appear, and the threshold quantity and extended deadline is shown in the left panel when clicked
The order email notifies the organizer with the text configured for emails.
The caterer can see the orders that exceeds the threshold quantity, and they should handle it by either accept or decline– it is marked with a Flag:
If configured, there will be sent a reminder email to organizer “X” days before the event’s deadlines.
Preview of form
When creating new Forms, a new preview button has been added to help the users validate the structure and behavior of the form that has been created.
The Preview e.g., allows you to validate whether all the dependencies that have been built into the form such as mandatory fields, dependencies between servings or catering amount to specific properties in the form.
This new feature will improve the form creation process as the validation of the Form can be done much earlier and faster.
Example of missing Cost code:
In the example below, there is a dependency between the number of servings and the Cost code. When there are servings, the cost code field becomes mandatory.
Inserting 2 servings and pressing “Validate” show you the behavior of the form when the Cost code is missing.
Visitors - Save configuration per Person
Saving configuration on visitors for later and faster creation of new visitors is now saved for the individual Person logging into Resource Central.
External ordering
In Resource Central 4.3 RTM external ordering has been introduced to support ordering of services in organizations that provide booking solutions for external users to book their resources within their domain.
The following will describe the solution from the external organizer’s and the service provider’s perspective and the shortly detailed technical requirements for this solution to work.
The external organizer’s perspective:
When Resource Central receives the external booking, the standard Resource Central Reservation email is sent to the external organizer. This email also contains an .ics file that makes it easy for organizer to add the reservation into the calendar.
The external organizer can then from the order form see the offerings and make an order. Hereafter, the order email will be sent. In general, email flow to the external organizer is not much different compared to what is sent to an internal organizer.
One difference is that it is possible to set up an expiry date for the access to the link in the email. The number of days before the link expires is stated in the “New Reservation” mail and can be set up under Order configuration/External Order.
Service Provider’s perspective
The service provider can see the external orders and the external organizer details in the orders overview and on the order. Email and telephone number support communication with the customer, which is also assisted by the standard service provider comments on the order.
Technical requirements
In order to ensure this solution works, it requires that the resources are booked through a service account that can deliver the needed information about the external organizer into the body of the resource reservation. Email and name are mandatory information while the telephone numbers can be left out.
For more information, the solution can be studied in the External Organizer Configuration Guide and if you need further details, feel free to contact Add-On Products for more detailed information.
Anh Bach Duy
Comments