Lesson #131
Setup – System Preferences function
Calendar system preferences
The largest module in RB has the most customization options.
Assignment Cancellation
When you cancel a job, RB will ask if you want to notify the assigned resource of the canceled assignment. You can send Assignment Cancellations via text, email, and/or print. While the actual Assignment Cancellation form comes from the Form Templates function (where you can customize it and create additional ones to cover different situations), the accompanying email and text messages are customized in System Preferences.
You have 3 options for including the Assignment Cancellation form in the email. The recommended method is to embed the form in the email body and also attach a PDF version. That way the email’s body will contain the actual cancellation form. And if the resource needs a printable copy, they have the same form attached as a PDF. You can also just embed the form in the email body or attach it as a PDF file.
You can customize the default header and body of the email and the SMS (text) message. You can change the default text in the fields and insert contextual data fields, meaning that only data fields relevant to the cancellation are listed. Adding these fields allows real data from the job to merge into the email, so you don’t have enter any information as you send them. RB will merge the data from the job automatically.
If you are not embedding the form in the email body, you can also customize the appearance of the body of Assignment Cancellation emails with text formatting, colors, images, hyperlinks, and tables. You can edit your email contents in the default WYSIWYG word processor environment or as HTML markup. (This only works if you are attaching the Assignment Cancellation as a PDF. If you embed the form in the email, it replaces any text in the Message field.)
You can override these defaults in any Assignment Cancellation emails sent from RB.
Assignment Notification
Typically, after you confirm your calendar for tomorrow’s jobs, you will email worksheets to assigned resources for tomorrow’s jobs. You can also send these Assignment Notifications via text and print. Plus you can include iCalendar entries and additional automatic file attachments, such as notices, in emailed notifications.
Like Assignment Cancellations, the Assignment Notification form comes from the Form Templates function, and System Preferences is where you set up the communications you use to send the form to your resources.
For emails and text messages notifying resources of assignments, you have the same options as for Assignment Cancellations. You can also include custom iCalendar entries using contextual data fields like the email and SMS options. If you choose to include iCalendar, RB will attach an .ics file to the email. When the assigned resource opens the file, they can save the job setting to their personal calendar.
If you have RB Connect, you can insert a special URL data field in emails, text messages, iCalendar entries — even the embedded worksheet form — so your resources can acknowledge jobs with one click. When resources click the link, it connects to your RB Calendar through your RB Connect to automatically set the task’s Acknowledged Date to the current date.
Attach repository files automatically
Assignment Notification emails can automatically include file attachments from the relevant firm, job, task, and case repositories, as well as the All-Resources repository. In System Preferences, you select which file types you want to include from these repositories. (File types are set up in Lists.) Then if any files matching these file types are uploaded to one of the repositories in the job being assigned, they will automatically attach to the Assignment Notification emails.
The All-Resources repository works a little differently from the other repositories. This is where you can upload files that you want all of your resources to have for their jobs — files like copy order forms, instructions, and blank billing sheets. Instead of uploading these generic files to every job in order for the resources to receive them when you send Assignment Notifications, upload them to the All-Resource Level Repository and set their file type to one that you select here in System Preferences so they are automatically included.
With each Assignment Notification email, you can automatically include all of the job files that your assigned resource will need for the job without having to individually attach specific files each time. And if you don’t want to include certain files on an assignment notification, you can delete those files before sending the email from the Mail Composer in RB.
Default Job Status
After you set up job status categories and select a default status in Lists, use this function to choose which statuses will be included as default Job Status search criteria for searching the job calendar in List View, Monthly View, and Weekly View. You can export this list as an Excel or CSV file to save, print, share, or use in other applications.
Future Calendar
You can email clients a Future Calendar report when they request a copy of their upcoming schedule with you. The automatically generated PDF report will be attached to an email that you can customize like Assignment Notifications and Cancellations.
You can change the default text in the Subject and Message fields and insert contextual data fields so that real data from RB9 related to the client and job dates merge into the email automatically. You can also customize the appearance of the body of the emails with text formatting, colors, images, hyperlinks, and tables. You can edit your email contents in the default WYSIWYG word processor environment or as HTML markup.
You can override these defaults in any Future Calendar emails sent from RB9.
NOTE: Send Future Calendar is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.
Holidays
RB includes a list of all the major holidays observed in the U.S. You select the holidays your office observes and closes for on this list so those days are not calculated in the due days for your reporters to turn in their jobs. You can export this list as an Excel or CSV file to save, print, share, or use in other applications.
Job Cancellation
When a client lets you know that a job is cancelled, you cancel it in RB and email a Job Cancellation notice to the ordering client confirming they cancelled a job on the calendar.
Like Assignment Cancellations, the Job Cancellation form comes from the Form Templates function, and System Preferences is where you set up the email you use to send the form to your contacts.
You have the same send methods for the Job Cancellation form: embedding the form in the email body, attaching it as a PDF file, or the recommended method (embedding the form in the email body and also attaching a PDF version). Likewise, you have the same formatting options as for Assignment Cancellations, and the ability to insert text and contextual data fields in the header and body of emails (except if you embed the Job Cancellation form in the email, it replaces any text in the Message field).
Job Confirmation
When a client schedules a job with you, you can send them a confirmation that you added the job to your calendar. Or maybe you wait and send out confirmations the day before a job to confirm tomorrow’s calendar. Either way you can customize the emails and optional iCalendar messages you send with the Job Confirmations. (You customize the Job Confirmation form and create alternative ones in the Form Templates function.)
Job Confirmation options are the same as Assignment Confirmation options except they are for email and iCalendar only. You choose how you want the Job Confirmation form included, add text and contextual data fields to headers and bodies of both emails and iCalendar entries, and format the appearance of the email body (if you do not embed the Job Confirmation in the email).
Similar to Assignment Confirmations, if you have RB Connect, you can insert a special URL data field in emails, iCalendar entries — even the embedded form — so your clients can go directly to the related Job detail screen when they click the link.
Job Status Automation
Job Status (e.g., New, In Progress, Billed) can update automatically when:
- A Job Confirmation is sent to the client.
- A resource is assigned to a task.
- An Assignment Notification is sent to a resource.
- A new shipment has been added.
You can select which Job Status each of these events will trigger. You can export this list of events as an Excel or CSV file to save, print, share, or use in other applications.
Job Status Color
Jobs in RB main function screens like the Job Calendar or Turn In are color coded by Job Status. This way, at a quick glance, you can tell the current Job Status of a job without having to read its Job Status. You can customize the Job Status colors for both light/default mode (dark text on white background) and dark/reverse mode to suit your company.
You can define status colors by picking from a chart of pre-defined colors, entering a hexadecimal code, or selecting a hue on a rainbow scale and adjusting its lightness/darkness visually. You can export the list of default Job Status colors as an Excel or CSV file to save, print, or use in other applications.
Jobs (Monthly View)
You can customize what information appears in month-at-a-glance job calendars. Each job listed is identified by 2 pieces of job data, and you can select which types of job data are displayed. “Start Time” and “Firm Name” are recommended, but you can also choose to display by job number and witness name, or several other options.
If multiple jobs are scheduled on the same day, the month-at-a-glance calendar can list up to 10 a day. You can choose a different maximum number to appear in each day’s box on the calendar, from 3 to 10. (If more jobs are scheduled for a day than your maximum, they are included in the number in the bar at the bottom of the day’s box and are accessible by clicking the bar.)
Jobs (Weekly View)
You can set one of the job parameters that display in week-by-week job calendar listings. “Start Time” and “Job No.” are fixed data in weekly calendar entries and cannot be changed; but you can select the third type of information to appear on the weekly calendar to identify jobs.
You can also specify how many listings can appear in each workday’s space. If any day contains more listings than your specification, it will include a scroll bar so you can access the hidden jobs.
NOTE: Weekly View is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.
New Job
By default, every new job saved in RB automatically includes a task of your default task type. (Default task type is set in Lists.) If you do not want RB to create a task automatically every time you save a job, you can disable this option.
You can also set the default End Time for new jobs, which can you can change if needed when entering a job in the job calendar.
Overdue Tasks Report
You can email resources a report of their overdue tasks. The automatically generated PDF report will be attached to an email that you can customize like Assignment Notifications and Cancellations.
You can change the default text in the Subject and Message fields and insert contextual data fields in the email body, so that real data from the RB related to the resource and tasks merge into the email automatically. You can also customize the appearance of the body of the emails with text formatting, colors, images, hyperlinks, and tables. You can edit your email contents in the default WYSIWYG word processor environment or as HTML markup.
You can override these defaults in any Overdue Tasks Report emails sent from RB.
Resource Blast
If you use Resource Blast to send out bulk emails and text messages to alert resources of immediate job opportunities like last-minute depos, you can customize the communications. Like Assignment Cancellations, you can insert text and contextual data fields in the header and body of emails and SMS messages, and format the text in the body of emails. You can override these defaults when sending any Resource Blast emails and text messages.
You can also designate the maximum number of resource email addresses to “blast” at a time, balancing your speed requirements with the security precautions of your resources’ mail servers. (Some servers perceive higher numbers sent at once as spam mail.)
NOTE: Resource Blast is an RB9-only function. It is not included in RB Lite.
Tasks (Monthly View)
You can customize what information appears in month-at-a-glance Task Calendars. Each job listed is identified by 2 pieces of data, and you can select which types of data are displayed — either “Job Number” or “Start Time” and either “Resource Assigned” or “Task Name.”
If multiple jobs have tasks that are scheduled on the same day, the month-at-a-glance calendar can list up to 10 a day. You can choose a different maximum number (3–10) to appear in each day’s box on the calendar. (If more jobs with tasks are scheduled for a day than your maximum, they are included in the number in the bar at the bottom of the day’s box and are accessible by clicking the bar.)
Time Zone
Select which time zones appear in Time Zone drop-downs in RB. Users select which time zone is their personal default in User Preferences from the list you create here. You can export this list as an Excel or CSV file to save, print, share, or use in other applications.
Zoom
You can use RB to set up and host Zoom meetings. Set up a Zoom developer account, then enter your credentials here. Include your Zoom account settings and preferences, and customize your Zoom meeting invitation email so you can save time setting up Zoom when your job location is online. You can override any defaults when scheduling a Zoom meeting.
TL;DR: Set preferences for job calendar functions in Calendar preferences. Some preferences can be overridden by individual users in User Preferences.
RB concepts in this lesson
Contact: Person who works for a firm you do business with.
Job: Usually the reporting of a deposition, but can also be any kind of service you provide with your reporters or other resources. More >
Job Status: Stage a job is in, e.g., New or Cancelled.
Mail Composer: RB’s included email app for emailing contacts, resources, locations, and other RB users from within RB. You can customize the email contents and include attachments. You can send individual emails or send emails in batches.
RB Connect: Online repository, calendar, and access to your office for clients and resources, including interactive transcripts, downloadable invoices and e-commerce for clients, and online turn-in, one-touch job acknowledgements, and downloadable pay statements for resources. More >
Repository: RB has 9 repositories where you store files for safekeeping and quick retrieval. When you store files in a case, they are in RB’s Case Repository; when you store files in a job, they are in RB’s Job Repository; etc. If you have RB Connect, you can give clients and/or resources access to specific repository files.
Resource: Person or thing that provides your business with a service, such as reporters, videographers, or conference rooms.
Task: Service requested with a job, such as reporting, interpreting, or video, that require a separate resource (person, company, thing) to accomplish. More >
Users: You and your staff who directly access RB. Contacts and resources are entities — not users in RB — and access RB9 through RB Connect or RB Connect Mobile.
