Using scheduled tasks PLUS

Note: The following information is considered a PLUS feature and requires additional licensing. The Staff site navigation item related to this content contains the PLUS icon whether you are licensed for the feature or not. For more information, contact your AiSP or ASI Technical Support.

System administrators can add scheduled tasks, enabling iMIS to run a task when a pre-defined Process Automation trigger, event, or scheduled time frame occurs. Once a trigger event occurs, iMIS will run the appropriate task.

Each scheduled task can have Process Automation Triggers, Data sources, Conditions, and Actions. A scheduled task must contain Process Automation Triggers and Actions; Data sources and Conditions are optional.

iMIS provides out-of-the-box scheduled tasks that are already set up for your organization to use and modify if you are licensed appropriately.

Since these scheduled tasks are disabled by default, you must have the advanced tasks license key to use them. Once you have the advanced tasks license key, you can go to RiSE > Process automation, select the task you want to use, then select Enabled.

The out-of-the-box scheduled tasks include:

  • Event confirmation email - Sends a confirmation email to event registrants when they submit their registration. This scheduled task is not enabled out-of-the-box.
  • Donation thank you email -Sends out a thank you email to donors who have made a donation.
  • New member welcome email - Sends a welcome communication on a weekly basis to members who have joined in the past week.

If you have the advanced tasks license and want to use these scheduled tasks, you will need to tailor them for your organization. Each scheduled task is using an iMIS communication template (Marketing > Communication templates > Templates). You will need to make a copy of the template and then modify the copy so that it is unique to your organization. Once the template is ready, delete the system template from the Actions tab, and add your template.

If you would like to tailor the task for your organization, it is recommended that you copy the tasks’ recipient data source queries and communications. Modify the copied queries and communications as needed. Then, edit the scheduled tasks to use your versions of the queries and communications.

  1. If you need to change the recipient query used to determine who will receive a communication, in the Staff site, go to RiSE > Intelligent Query Architect:
    1. Select Common > Tasks > Queries.
    2. Copy and modify the recipient data source query used by the task:
      • The Donation thank you communication task uses the Donations received today query.
      • The New member welcome communication task uses the New members in the last 7 days query.
  2. In the Staff site, go to RiSE > Process automation.
  3. Select the Tasks tab.
  4. Open the scheduled task you want to use.
  5. (Triggers tab) Review the schedule of the included trigger, and modify it if needed.
  6. (Actions tab) Edit the action Type.
  1. To activate the task, select Enabled.
  2. Save the task.
  3. (optional) Click Run task now to instantly execute the task.

Each task can have Triggers, Conditions, and Actions. A scheduled task must contain Triggers and Actions; Conditions are optional. Logs provide the ability to review a detailed log of scheduled tasks. Do the following to create a new scheduled task:

  1. In the Staff site, go to RiSE > Process automation.
  2. (Tasks tab) Click Add new task.
  3. Enter a Name that indicates the purpose of the task.
  4. (optional) Enter a task Description.
  5. Select Scheduled task as the task Type.
  6. (Triggers tab) Create Triggers that tell the task when to run.

    7. Triggers determine when and how frequently the communications are sent. You can schedule one time, daily, weekly, and monthly communications.

    1. Click Add trigger.
    2. Select a trigger Type.

      3. System administrators can add triggers to scheduled tasks, enabling iMIS to run a task when a pre-defined trigger event occurs. Once a trigger event occurs, iMIS will run the appropriate task.

      You can add triggers to tasks as you create new tasks, or you can add triggers to already-defined tasks. Select the type of trigger to use:

      System administrators can specify the exact time a task will run, as well as the frequency with which the task is run.

      • If you select a Frequency of Daily, Weekly, or Monthly, you can Schedule the task to run at specified intervals. For example, you can schedule a weekly task to run every 3 weeks.
      • If you select a Frequency of Weekly or Monthly, you can select the Day of week or Day of month when the task will run.

        • Select the Start date and time. When using a Frequency of Daily, Weekly, or Monthly, you can also select an End date and time.

      Warning!  

      Database change will create triggers directly on the database table. These triggers will run every time the selected actions occur: Row inserted, Row deleted and/or Row updated. To minimize performance impacts avoid overusing these triggers.
      Best practice: Disable any trigger on a user-defined table before you click Create/Update Server Table in iMIS Desktop.

      The task can be defined to run based on specific changes to database tables in the iMIS system:

      1. Select a Table:
        • The drop-down contains commonly used tables. If you would like to use a table that is not listed, select Other and enter a Table Name.
        • The primary key from the trigger table can be used in an IQA query by adding a filter value of "@TriggerID". For example, if there is a trigger for Activity, reference the triggered row in an IQA query by adding a filter of CsActivity.Sequence = "@TriggerID".
        • If the table has more than one primary key, add multiple filters in the form of "@TriggerID1" and "@TriggerID2". For example, Order_Lines has a composite primary key of ORDER_NUMBER and LINE_NUMBER. Reference the triggered row in an IQA query by adding two filters of CsOrderLines.Order Number = "@TriggerID1" and CsOrderLines.Line Number = "@TriggerID2".
      2. Select at least one type of data change for which the trigger is run. You can select more than one type of data change:
        • Row inserted
        • Row deleted
        • Row updated
          • Any update - select to run the trigger when any column in a row has been changed or adjusted.
          • Specific column - select a specific Column from the previously defined table. Enter any specific Value changed from and Value changed to for the selected column. Leave the values blank to indicate any change of the column value.

    3. Select Enabled to enable the new trigger.
    4. Save the new trigger.
  7. (optional) (Data sources tab) Create and manage query data sources for the task.

    8. All query data sources created for this task are listed. The name of all data sources will populate in a drop-down when defining a Condition or Action. You cannot delete a data source if the data source is selected within a Condition or Action, however not every data source you have defined must be used when creating a Condition or Action.

    1. Select Add data source.
      • Enter a Data source name. It is recommended that you choose a name that indicates the type of records returned by the data source. The name must be unique.
      • Select an existing query or click Create source query to add a new query.
        • If you select an existing query, the $/Common/Tasks/Queries folder opens by default.
        • If you choose to add a new query, you are taken to the Intelligent Query Architect where you can define a new query.
    2. Save your data source.
    3. If needed, add additional data sources.
  8. (optional) (Conditions tab) Specify Conditions that must be met in order for the task to run.
    1. If a query data source was defined on the Data sources or Actions tab, select one of the following options:
      • Use existing data sources - select a previously defined data source from the drop-down that will only display data sources that are not being used in any otherConditions.
      • Use results of IQA query as data source - select this option to define a new data source.
        • Enter a Data source name. It is recommended that you choose a name that indicates the type of records returned by the data source.
        • Select an existing query or click Create source query to add a new query.
          • If you select an existing query, the $/Common/Tasks/Queries folder opens by default.
          • If you choose to add a new query, you are taken to the Intelligent Query Architect where you can define a new query.
    2. If there were no previously defined data sources from the Data sources or Actions tab, provide the following required information:

      • Enter a Data source name. It is recommended that you choose a name that indicates the type of records returned by the data source.

        Select an existing query or click Create source query to add a new query.

        • If you select an existing query, the $/Common/Tasks/Queries folder opens by default.
        • If you choose to add a new query, you are taken to the Intelligent Query Architect where you can define a new query.

    3. Save your data source.
    4. If needed, add additional data sources.

    Warning!  

    When a task is triggered, it only executes its action if the selected data sources return one or more records or no Conditions are defined.

    Note: This data source will populate on the Data sources tab once you click Save. You can also edit and remove data sources from the Conditions tab.

  9. (Actions tab) Define the action the task performs when it runs.

    10. The Actions tell the task what to do when it runs. When the Triggers occur and the Conditions are met, the task executes the Actions. In this case, the action is sending a communication to a recipient list generated by a selected recipient data source using a specified communication template.

    1. Click Add action.
    2. Select an action Type.

      3. Note: Some of the following list items might not be displayed depending on the Type that is selected.

    3. (optional) If you select Type of Send a communication or Issue and email gift receipts, select a Recipient data source query, which determines the recipient list for your communication. Data sources added on the Conditions or Data Sources tab are available. For more information on creating recipient data source queries, see Creating a list of contacts to email.

      4. Note: You are not required to select a recipient data source if the communication template used by the action already contains a recipient data source. If you select a recipient data source in the action and the communication also contains a recipient data source, the action’s recipient data source is used.

    4. (optional) If needed, you can click Add new data source to select additional query data sources if you select Type of Send a communication or Issue and email gift receipts.

      • Enter a Data source name. It is recommended that you choose a name that indicates the type of records returned by the data source.

      • Select an existing query or click Create source query to add a new query.
        • If you select an existing query, the $/Common/Tasks/Queries folder opens by default.
        • If you choose to add a new query, you are taken to the Intelligent Query Architect where you can define a new query.
    5. If you select the Type of Send a communication, specify the Communication email template that you want to send to the recipient list:
      • Select an existing email template.
      • Create a new template.

      6. Note: For more information about templates, see Creating email communication templates.

    6. (optional) If you select the Type of Run a stored procedure and your task contains a Trigger with the Type of On database change, an option to Enable TriggerIDs as parameters is available. The stored procedure specified must contain at least one TriggerID parameter if this option is enabled. Select the information icon for specific parameter names and data types depending on which database table was selected in the Trigger.
    7. Save the action.

      8. Note: You can also edit and remove actions from the Actions tab.

  10. To activate the task, select Enabled.
  11. Save the task.
  12. (optional) Click Run task now to run the task immediately.
  13. (optional) Review the Logs to determine which scheduled tasks have been run, which actions have been performed, and whether any scheduled tasks did not complete successfully.
    1. In the Staff site, go to RiSE > Process automation, and select the Logs tab. You can also review the log for each scheduled task by opening the task and reviewing the task Logs tab.
    2. You can search for specific scheduled tasks based on the name of the task, the status of the task, or the date when the task was initiated.

      3. You can search for scheduled task logs based on the following statuses:

      • In progress - The task has been initiated, and is currently running. The task has not yet ended.
      • Completed - The task has been initiated, and ended. There were no results by which a Succeeded or Failed status could be determined. The task evaluated the data source specified in the Conditions, but there were no results for the task to act upon. The task only executes its action if the selected data sources return one or more records, or no Conditions are defined.
      • Failed - The task was initiated and ended, but the task did not complete successfully.
      • Succeeded - The task was initiated and ended, and the task completed successfully.
    3. A list of scheduled tasks is displayed. You can click the name of the scheduled task to open a task editor.
    4. To view the log for a scheduled task, click the Expand ( + ) icon. This will open the log details for the specified scheduled task. You can also click Expand All to see log details for all scheduled tasks.

      5. The log identifies the following events for most tasks:

      • Trigger execution - This is the moment when the scheduled task is initiated.
      • Datasource evaluation - The scheduled task evaluated the data source specified in the Conditions. If there are results for the task to act upon, this event will have a Succeeded status, and an Action execution event is initiated.
      • Action execution - If the Datasource evaluation is successful, the task continues to perform the action defined for this task.

      If any of these events cannot be completed, a Failed status is displayed, and the task is ended. You can then investigate why a task event failed.

    5. You can also do one of the following to delete logs that you no longer need:
      • Click the red X to delete a selected log.
      • Click Delete All Logs to delete all recorded logs on the Logs tab.
    6. By default, the list of scheduled tasks will only display the latest 500 entries. You can adjust this configuration option by editing the PagedResults.Maxrecords option in the web.config file located in the C:\Program Files (x86)\ASI\iMIS\Net\web.config folder. If this configuration option does not exist in or removed from the web.config file the log will still display the latest 100 entries.
    7. You can manage the scheduled task log entries to avoid expanding your database size. See Process automation for more information.