Creating Classes

A class categorizes a selection of process models that share a similar process type, and serves as a template for the models and projects created that are based on them.

To create a class:

From the System menu, select Process > Classes.

To narrow the class list, search by the class name, system name, or category.

Do one of the following:

To add a new class - Click Add New in the upper right corner of the page.
To create a class based on an existing class - Click in the Copy column to create a copy that can be used as a base to build a new class.
To edit an existing class - Click the name of the class to open it for editing.

To copy a class to use as a base for a new class you must have "Can Edit" for any access group in the system and "Can View" for at least one access group on the class. If you "Can Edit" any of the access groups the class belongs to, the copy will have those groups. If you do not have "Can Edit" on any of the class' access groups, the copy will inherit your highest access group you can edit.

Complete the following information to identify and describe the class:

Required fields display with red text and an asterisk * if the field is empty.

Field	Description
Name	Enter a name, up to 64 characters long, which identifies the class.
System Name	Enter a unique, shorter name that identifies the class in queries, reporting views, field codes, and other places in Accolade. The name must be unique among classes and can contain only letters (English alphabet), numbers, and the underscore.
Process Type	Select the type of process that models created using this class follow: Gated - A model that follows the Phase Gate process, including one or more sets of stages and gates. Non-Gated - A model that includes one stage but no gates. Non-gated models are useful as static placeholders and information storage locations in larger systems. Idea - The model used for idea submissions. Idea models, like gated models, can contain one or more sets of stages and gates. The Idea option is only available if your company uses the optional Idea Submission or Ideation components. Note that this selection cannot be changed once the class is created.
Icon	Select the icon that projects based on this class use. Icons help provide a visual indication of the class type where projects are listed, including the All My Work and other similar pages.
Description	Enter a description of the purpose or nature of the class. This description helps others identify the class throughout the system.
Order	Enter a number to specify the class’s place when it displays in a list of classes. Lower numbered classes display higher in the list.

Complete the additional class options as appropriate for the class you are defining. More...

Field	Description
Gate Line-Up	Select whether the projects based on this class display in the Gate-Lineup pages: Default to included - The Excluded from Line-up check box within the project is initially set to include the project in the line-up pages. Process Managers and Project Managers can change the value within projects, as necessary. Default to excluded - The Excluded from Line-up check box within the project is initially set to exclude the project from the line-up pages. Process Managers and Project Managers can change the value within projects, as necessary. Always included - The Excluded from Line-up check box is set to include the project in the line-up pages and is view only within the project. Always excluded - The Excluded from Line-up check box is set to exclude the project from the line-up pages and is view only within the project.
Reporting	Select whether data from projects based on this class is included in reports: Default to included - The Excluded from Reports check box within the project is initially set to include the project data in reports. Process Managers and Project Managers can change the value within projects, if necessary. Default to excluded - The Excluded from Reports check box is initially set to exclude the project data from reports. Process Managers and Project Managers can change the value within products, if necessary. Always included - The Excluded from Reports check box is set to include the project data in reports and is view only within the project. Always excluded - The Excluded from Reports check box is set to exclude the project data from reports and is view-only within the project.

Field

Description

Gate Line-Up

Select whether the projects based on this class display in the Gate-Lineup pages:

Default to included - The Excluded from Line-up check box within the project is initially set to include the project in the line-up pages. Process Managers and Project Managers can change the value within projects, as necessary.
Default to excluded - The Excluded from Line-up check box within the project is initially set to exclude the project from the line-up pages. Process Managers and Project Managers can change the value within projects, as necessary.
Always included - The Excluded from Line-up check box is set to include the project in the line-up pages and is view only within the project.
Always excluded - The Excluded from Line-up check box is set to exclude the project from the line-up pages and is view only within the project.

Reporting

Select whether data from projects based on this class is included in reports:

Default to included - The Excluded from Reports check box within the project is initially set to include the project data in reports. Process Managers and Project Managers can change the value within projects, if necessary.
Default to excluded - The Excluded from Reports check box is initially set to exclude the project data from reports. Process Managers and Project Managers can change the value within products, if necessary.
Always included - The Excluded from Reports check box is set to include the project data in reports and is view only within the project.
Always excluded - The Excluded from Reports check box is set to exclude the project data from reports and is view-only within the project.

Select the Active check box when the class is ready to use in process models.
Select the Is portfolio check box to allow projects that use this model to be a parent project in a collection of projects, called a portfolio.

Selecting this option displays the Portfolio page within projects, which lists projects that are linked using the Member Of link type. See Creating Project Link Types for more information on using project links.

Select the Enable email notifications check box to send notifications by default via email about events in projects that use models that are based in this class.

Select one or more of the "Include in" options to make projects based on models that use this class available throughout Accolade. More...

Field	Description
Include in Work Pod	Select this check box to allow projects as well as deliverables and activities to display in the Work pod.
Include In Portfolio Optimizer	Select this check box to include projects in Accolade Portfolio Optimizer. Typically, projects that do not include resources, for example projects that are only grouping mechanisms for other projects, are excluded from Portfolio Optimizer. This selection is only available if your company uses the optional Portfolio Optimizer component.
Include In Resource Editor	Select this check box to include projects in Resource Editor. Typically, projects that do not include resources, for example projects that are only grouping mechanisms for other projects, are excluded from Resource Editor. This selection is only available if your company uses the optional Resource Planning component.
Include in Save to Accolade	Select this check box if you want users to be able to use Save to Accolade functionality to save documents and project plans to projects that use models that are based in this class.
Include in Time Tracking	Clear this check box if projects created using this class do not require time to be tracked against them. Leave the check box selected if timesheet users can add projects created in this class to their timesheets to record time worked on that project. This selection is only available if your company uses the optional Time Tracking component.
Show in Planning	Select this check box to display projects created using this class as planning elements in planning and roadmapping. This option only controls the display of projects as elements and is available to all class types in Innovation Planning. See Creating Classes for Planning Element Types for more information. This selection is only available if your company uses the optional Innovation Planning and/or Roadmapping components.
Create in Planning	Select this check box and select a process model associated with this class to make the class available as a planning element type. The Include in Planning option is selected by default when you select this option, so elements created using this type in Innovation Planning are also available to view within Innovation Planning. Note that this option is not available until after a gated or non-gated class is created and at least one model is associated to the class. This selection is only available if your company uses the optional Innovation Planning and/or Roadmapping components.

Click Create to create the new class or Apply to save changes to an existing class.
(Optional) After you create the class, continue with one or more of the following steps to complete the class setup:

Define reason codes for project events to log why certain events in these projects occurred.
Configure access group restrictions for the class.
Set customized terminology to be applied to projects that use a model based in this class.

Notes:

To delete a class, display the class and ensure the Active check box is cleared. Click Delete. If you delete a class that is used by one or more security profiles, users with those profiles no longer have access rights to projects that use models assigned to that class.
Newly created classes are automatically added to the classes available in the Child Relationship link type if all classes are set as available for that link type. However, if other link types include all classes, a newly created class is not automatically added. Update the link type to include the class, as needed.
If you delete a class used in Accolade Innovation Planning and Roadmapping, any planning element type based on that class is also deleted and planning elements that use that type are removed from the planning board and all planning views. However, models and projects based on that class are not deleted.
Resource Planning, Time Tracking, Portfolio Optimizer, Innovation Planning and Roadmapping are optional Accolade components that you may not have access to. To implement these solutions, contact Sopheon Customer Support.

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