Managing shared snippets

In the Customization > General > Shared Snippets section you can manage (create, modify, and delete) shared snippets. Snippets are blocks of re-usable text, which allow users to avoid repetitive typing the same content. For example, technicians can insert snippets as their standard replies and troubleshooting recipes, most frequent activities and descriptions. This will save them time and effort when working with tickets.

Shared snippets are available in the Desktop App and the Web App.

IMPORTANT: To enable technicians to use shared snippets, you must grant them the Shared Snippets Use permission. For more information, see Understanding security roles > Management and Administration.

Creating shared snippets

Shared snippets are available for all technicians having the corresponding security permission. Snippets can contain placeholders for dynamic text that are replaced with actual values at runtime, such as the current date or the current user's name. You can categorize shared snippets to make them easier to find.

IMPORTANT: Any of the applied changes will take effect only when the user session (in the Desktop App or the Web App) is restarted.

NOTE: In addition to shared snippets, technicians can create their own personal snippets. To enable technicians to create personal snippets in the Desktop App and the Web App , you must grant them the Local Snippets Management permission. For more information, see Understanding security roles > Management and Administration.

To create a shared snippet:

1. Under Customization > General > Shared Snippets, click New on the Module menu above the workspace pane. The Snippet window opens.

TIP: By default, all snippets appears in the category "All." If you have other categories, you can first select a category for your snippet in the Categories pane, and then click New. The snippet will be created in that category. For details, see Managing shared snippet categories.

2. In the Text field, type in the snippet text.
   
   To insert a placeholder for dynamic content in your snippet text, click the location where you want to insert it, click Insert Placeholder, and choose the placeholder in the Select Placeholder window.

   You can use these placeholders in snippet text:

   Item	Inserted dynamic value	Placeholder
   Current User	The Full Name of the current person who inserts the snippet.	%[SYS Current User]%
   Current User->[Field]	The specified field from the current user’s Person record.	%[SYS Current User.Field]% For example: %[SYS Current User.Full_Name]%
   Now	The current date and time (the timestamp) on the computer where the snippet is inserted (i.e. the computer running the Desktop App or the Web App).	%[SYS Now]%
   Today	The current date on the computer where the snippet is inserted (i.e. the computer running the Desktop App or the Web App).	%[SYS Today]%

3. In the Name field, view the snippet name. By default, it is the snippet text. If the default name is too long, you may want to shorten it.

4. Optional: Choose a category from the Category drop-down list. Categorizing makes the snippet easier to find. You can create a new category, if needed, and then modify the snippet properties to add it the that newly-created category.

TIP: Whether you choose a category for the snippet or not, it can be always found it the "All" category.

5. Click OK.

To modify a shared snippet:

1. Under Customization > General > Shared Snippets, in the Categories pane, select the category that contain your snippet. You can find all snippets in the "All" system category.

2. Double-click the snippet to bring up the Snippet window.

3. Modify the snippet as needed.

4. Click OK.

TIP: If your configuration contains many snippets, you can use a standard filter box to navigate directly to the snippet you need. Type in your text in the filter box that appears above the grid of snippets. As you type, the grid will show only those snippets that contain the entered text.

To delete a shared snippet:

1. Under Customization > General > Shared Snippets, in the Categories pane, select the category that contain your snippet. You can find all snippets in the "All" system category.

2. Select the snippet and click Delete.

Related Information:

Managing personal snippets

Understanding security roles

Managing security roles

Searching for text in grids

Managing shared snippet categories

Alloy Navigator Express displays shared snippets under the "Shared" category, in order to recognize them from personal snippets (which appear in the "Personal" category). To make shared snippets easier to find, you can break them down even further into categories for shared snippets (such as "Shared > Activities," or "Shared > Descriptions"). The categories tree always has the category "All," which includes all existing snippets. This system category cannot be changed in any way.

IMPORTANT: Any of the applied changes will take effect only when the user session (in the Desktop App or the Web App) is restarted.

To create a shared snippet category:

1. Under Customization > General > Shared Snippets, click New on the Module menu above the Categories pane. The New Shared Category window opens.

2. Type in the category name and click OK. The newly-created category appears in the Categories pane.

To rename a shared snippet category:

1. Under Customization > General > Shared Snippets, in the Categories pane, double-click the category you want to rename. The Edit Category window opens.

2. Change the category name and click OK.

To delete a personal snippet category:

1. Under Customization > General > Shared Snippets, in the Categories pane, select the category you want to delete.

2. Press DELETE on the keyboard or click More > Delete on the Module menu above the Categories pane.

NOTE: When deleting a category, you just remove this classification, but not snippets that the category included. All snippets are always available in the "All" category.

Related Information:

Managing personal snippets

Searching for text in grids