HEADERS AND STEP NAME
Headers: to be used for shortened information about what the steps are going to accomplish.
Step Name: Short Hand for what is going to be contained in the step. We recommend keeping this to about 5 words or less.
To add a step header, hover over the step and click the + icon to the left of the step name.
Tip!
This is also the menu you will use to add a step below this current step, add a section below the current section, insert a step Snippet, duplicate the entire step, save the step as a Snippet, or delete the step.
You can also delete the step by selecting it and using the DELETE key on your keyboard.
You are only able to add one step header per step, however any number of the TEXT, NOTE, CAUTION, and/or WARNING content blocks may be added to the header.
STEP DETAILS
Details can be added to give context to a step and will always display under the step name.
Timing: Used to communicate approximate or exact times when things need to happen.
Ex. Launch-1 hour, Delta-V+1 hour, Customer Call + 1 min
Duration: Format HH:MM:SS - Adds a Start button to the step in a run to capture the duration of an active step, accounting for run pauses. Duration will lock when step is signed off, skipped, or failed. Step can not have info entered, be signed off, or failed until the Start button has been pressed.
Location: Commonly used for communicating physical location, but has also been used for location on a vehicle, etc.
Channel: Mode of communication needed to tell others that a step is complete. Channel should be used less frequently as Epsilon3 auto-updates and inherently communicates status(es) to your team.
Custom: Custom Step Details can be added based on your unique company workflow. These custom step details will be available to everyone in your organization to use.
Check out the Custom Step Details article for more details on how to create them!
STEP SIGNOFFS
Use the SIGNOFFS drop down menu to require Operator role(s) to signoff for step completion.
Selecting multiple operator roles within the same SIGNOFF menu will allow for any ONE of the selected roles to sign off. Adding operator roles in separate SIGNOFF menus will require each for signoff.
Heads up!
You can select 0 up to any number of operators as required on a step. By default "Any Operator" will be selected. To remove signoffs, hover over the drop down menu and select the x icon that appears.
Sign offs can be added using our standard "AND" and "OR" logic. Each new block represents a signature.
In this example, the step will need to be signed off by someone with the Eng1 role AND someone with either the MD role OR the QC role.
Click the x next to the role or user to remove them from the step sign off. Hover over the signoff block and click the x that appears to remove that signoff block.
ADDING CONTENT BLOCKS
A step is comprised of a combination of content blocks.
If this is the first content block being added to a step, there will be a + Add Content button.
If there are already content blocks existing in a step, hover over a content block and click the + icon to the left of the block.
The new block will be added below the content block that you clicked the + for.
You will see the same scrollable list using either the + or the + Add Content option.
Tip!
Content blocks can be dragged to different locations in the step/procedure using the 6-Dot menu next to the + icon.
You can also select a content block and use the DELETE key on your keyboard to quickly remove it.
Scroll through the list to find and select the type of content block you would like to add.
You can also duplicate or remove the content block from this menu.
TEXT, NOTE, CAUTION, WARNING, REQUIREMENT
These content blocks are all text-based and differ only in how they will display visually.
TEXT - will appear as a text field with no background color.
NOTE - Will appear as a text field with a blue background and a note icon.
CAUTION - Will appear as a text field with a yellow background and an i icon.
WARNING - Will appear as a text field with a red background and an ! icon.
REQUIREMENT - Will appear as a text field with a grey background and the word
"Requirement:."
TIP!
Markdown can be used in Text, Note, Caution, or Warning fields!
Check out the Add Markdown article for more details.
FILE
This content block allows you to add image, video, audio, or doc files to a procedure.
Images or gifs can be displayed as Small, Best Fit, or Original, Inline or to the side, and with or without a caption.
Annotations can be added to images right from the procedure edit screen. Click the pencil icon next to the uploaded image and an annotations window will appear.
When you have added the desired annotations click Finalize to save them onto the image.
Once the annotations have been finalized, they are stitched into the image and can not be edited or removed at a later time. The image would need to be re-uploaded to make changes to the annotations.
JUMP TO
Jump To content blocks allow you to quickly navigate to another step or section within the procedure.
Use the drop down menu to select which step or section to jump to.
When running the procedure, the step or section selected will appear as a clickable link.
LINK TO PROCEDURE
This content block types allows you to link to a sub procedure.
The sub procedure must already exist before it can be added to this block.
Use the drop down to select the procedure you would like to link.
Procedures can be linked as an entire procedure or a section only.
When running, the Linked Procedure will appear with a clickable Run button.
Clicking the Run button for the linked procedure will open a new run of the procedure selected.
Navigate back to the Main procedure from the sub procedure using the Back to link at the top of the page.
In the Main procedure, you can see the completion percentage and status of the linked procedure.
Clicking the status will bring you back into the linked run.
In the Running Procedures tab, the linked procedures are sub runs of the main run.
FIELD INPUTS
The filed input content blocks allow you to prompt for inputs to be made by operators during a run. There are several different types of field inputs, which can be set using the TYPE drop down menu.
TEXT
This creates a text field that the operator can enter text into during the run, with units being optional.
NUMBER
This creates a field that operators can enter a number into during the run.
Units are required for Number inputs.
Click +ADD RULE to set a rule for the number to be:
=
Not =
>
<
> =
< =
Range
When values are input during the run, the box will indicate if the rule passed or failed.
CHECKBOX
Adds a clickable checkbox.
TIMESTAMP
Allows the operator to enter time stamp in Date, Time, or Date & Time format within a step.
ATTACHMENT
Prompts the operator to attach a file during a run.
LIST
Populates a pre-defined drop down list for the operator to make a selection.
Lists can be defined globally under Settings in the Procedures tab.
The list must be created in Settings first.
During the run, the operator will be able to choose any of the options listed.
CUSTOM LIST
This works just like List, however is set within the procedure rather than globally.
Enter the text for each option and hit [ENTER] to add it.
During the run, the operator will be able to choose any of the options provided.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Similar to the Custom List or List options, this type allows you to designate several options that an operator is able to select during the run.
These are displayed with a selectable radial dial rather than a drop down menu.
Enter the text for each option in the Create Options field and hit [ENTER] to add it.
SKETCH
Add handwritten notes or drawings to a step during a run using the Sketch type for Field Input.
The operator can free draw in the field, and can optionally add text to associate to the sketch.
EXTERNAL DATA / EXTERNAL SEARCH
Incoming defined values from external databases.
Read more about the External Data API in our Epsilon3 API Docs.
Select a defined external data type.
FIELD INPUT TABLES
When creating steps that require a variety of single field inputs, consider using the Field Input Table feature.
Select the number of columns you want your field input table to have.
Here's an example with 3 columns for 6 different field inputs.
Tip: If the step requires multiple signoffs and/or field inputs of the same type, considering using Tables instead.
CONDITIONALS
Conditionals allow you to set the next action based on the results of the current step. The next action can be triggered either upon the step completion, failure of the step, or based on the selection from a List or Custom List field input.
Ex: Conditional based on step completion or failure - Set Conditionals drop down to STEP
When the step is signed off, the procedure will flow to B3 and B4 requirements will remain unmet. If FAIL STEP is selected, the procedure will flow to B4 with B3 requirements unmet. If the step is skipped and NOT repeated, then both B3 and B4 will unlock so as not to block the procedure.
As steps without signoffs cannot be skipped or failed, any conditional based on step completion will only have the completion option.
Ex: Conditionals based on List/Custom List - Set Conditionals drop down to Field Input name.
Select the step you want each option to flow to.
When the step is signed off, the procedure will flow to the option selected.
Using step dependency and conditionals together may result in circular references, thus rendering your steps unable to be completed as intended.
Conditionals are ideally suited for progressing to future / not previously completed steps. If navigating to a previously signed off step, the step will need to be manually repeated to input different values.
INPUT REFERENCE
Allows you to reference / show a value from a previous field input.
EXPRESSIONS
Expressions allow you to automatically perform calculations with field input data using math.js.
Use the + in the Formula field to add field input references.
When running the procedure, the expression will calculate / fill in when all of the included field input values have been signed off.
math.js and concat expressions can also be used in tables.
Expression Chaining
The results / output of an expression can be used in other expressions and number field inputs, so long as it is non-cyclic.
The value of the expression will be locked when the step containing the expression is ended.
When adding the formula to an expression, you will see the available expressions and number field inputs that can be used in the formula.
TABLES
Creating a Table
Add Tables as a Content Block within any Step.
Enter titles for each columns in the Enter Column Name field.
1. Add Columns or Rows to the ends of the table by hovering over the table and clicking the + on the bottom or right side.
2. Click the 3 dot menu on the right most column of a specific row to add, duplicate, or delete a row below the corresponding one.
3. Hover over the line after the column to adjust the column width.
4. Use the 6 dot menu to drag and drop rows higher or lower in the table.
5. Click the 3 dot menu on the right of any column to:
6. Move the column to the left or right, add a column to the right, or remove the column.
7. Set the Column Type:
Text: Text that is hard coded into the table and can not be edited during run
Input: Blank field to enter values during a run
Signoff: Each row requires manual operator signoff (learn more)
Comments: Allows operators to comment on rows before and after signoff
8. Set the Input Settings when Input Column Type is selected:
- Set the input type to be Text, Number, Checkbox, or List
Expressions in Tables
Like an Excel spreadsheet, math.js and concat expressions can be used in Tables.
Select Text as the Column Type for your formula fields. Formulas can reference any cell within the table.
All Table expressions must start with an equals (=) sign.
Examples:
={B1}*{C1}
=concat({D1},' meters squared')
Select Number as the Column Type for your data Input fields. Include Unit types, as needed.
Operators can hover over the "Pending" expression to see the formula for that cell.
Table Signoffs
A Signoff column can be added to Tables by clicking the 3-dot menu and changing the Column Type to Signoffs.
TIP: Enable the "Allow Input After Signoff" setting if you want to give operators the ability to edit inputs within a row after it has been signed off.
Like Step signoffs, each row signoff can be assigned to one or more operators. Each signoff cell relates to the row it's in.
Reviewers can click on the 3-dot menu next to the signoff checkbox if they need to Revoke Approval (i.e. the table signoff undo button)
Revoking a Table signoff or making edits to cell inputs isn't possible once the Step has been completely signed off. To do this, the Step signoff must first be revoked.
A tooltip shows the signoff history for each signoff.
Import Table
Tables can now be imported to save time and effort!
Click the Import Table button on the Table Content block and select a .CSV to import. No more than 10 columns are allowed.
The contents of the .CSV will overwrite anything that was filled in on the table previously. Once imported, columns and rows can still be added, removed, and edited as normal.
REALTIME DATA INTEGRATIONS
Prior to adding commanding, telemetry, or external data please ensure your admin has created a middleware client to handle all requests.
Quick demo on how to go from zero to fully connected with the middleware client.
TELEMETRY
Use Telemetry in your procedure to add incoming data from an external system.
Check out our API Docs for more information regarding Telemetry.
Select
ParameterorExpressionfrom the Telemetry drop down menuSelect the telemetry parameter from the drop down list or enter the parameter name in the expression.
Choose an operation to evaluate the data against.
For expressions, simple arithmetics can be performed with telemetry as shown in the examples above. A relational operator (
==,>=,<=,>,<,!=) is required to evaluate the expression.
NOTE: This will be displayed as a PASS/FAIL to operators when the procedure is running.
Enter the value to evaluate the data against (for
Parametertype telemetry only, not expressions).
Visit this page for more on Telemetry data and plotting.
COMMANDING
Use Commanding to send data to an external system.
Check out our API Docs for more information regarding Commanding.
Select the command from the drop down menu.
Enter the values you need to send within the procedure (dependent on the Command selected).
EXTERNAL DATA
Incoming defined values from external sources.
Check out our API Docs for more information regarding External Data.
Select the Data Type and Item from the drop down menus.
