Environment Actions reach outside the form - opening a record, starting another form, running a search, going to a web page, or showing the user a message. Several of them take the user away from the form they are on, so think about unsaved entries before using them.


Open Record by ID

Opens a record.


Record ID - Which record. {FieldName} references work, so this normally points at a field filled in by a search result the user clicked.


Start New E-form by ID

Starts another E-form.


E-form - The form to start.


Window - Where it opens: the same window, or a new one.


Opening in a new window is the safer choice from a form the user has not finished, since it leaves their work where it is.


Perform DocMgt Action

Opens one of the system's own screens.


Action - Search or Entry.


RecordType - Which record type the screen opens for.


Use it to send the user from a dashboard form into the normal search or entry screen for a record type, rather than rebuilding those screens on the form.


Run Internal Search

Runs a saved search in the search screen.


Search - The saved search to run, identified by the ID that appears in the address bar when the search is open: for .../search/11893 the ID is 11893.


Target - Same Window or New Window.


This differs from the Search Field Actions group: those drive a results field on the form, while this takes the user to the search screen itself. Use it where the user needs the full search screen with all its options rather than the cut-down table a form can show.


Open Web Link

Opens a web address.


URL - The address. {FieldName} references and [variables] are replaced, so a link can carry the record number, the user's name or anything else on the form.


Target - Same Window or New Window.


Refresh Browser

Reloads the page. It takes no settings.


It is a blunt instrument and it discards anything unsaved, so try the narrower actions first - Refresh Form Data for the form's values, Refresh Search Results for a results table, Refresh Required Documents for that list.


Copy to Clipboard

Puts text on the user's clipboard.


Text to Copy - What to copy. {FieldName} references and [variables] are replaced, so a button can copy a reference number, an address block or a link built from the record.


Useful on any form where the user's next step is to paste something into another system or an email.


Show Alert Message

Shows the user a message.


Message Type - Information, Warning or Error, which sets how the message is presented.


Title and Message - The wording. {FieldName} references and [variables] are replaced.


Use it to tell the user what happened at the end of a sequence, or why nothing did. It does not stop a sequence - for a message that asks the user to agree before going on, use Confirm / Stop Actions instead, and for one that halts an incomplete form, use Validate Fields.