AltSync Setup

Prerequisites

The AltSync unmanaged package available with version 1.309 or greater replaces the former FX5AltSync package, which is deprecated.

About AltSync

The AltSync function allows for customizable sync rules and works in conjunction with the Sync engine.

Read more about how AltSync works.

An AltSync solution can be quickly installed from an unmanaged package. Or, AltSync can be installed manually for greater customization.

AltSync Package

Basics

The quickest way to set up the AltSync feature is to install the AltSync unmanaged package.

The AltSync package gives you instant control over the key transactional data that syncs to FieldFX Mobile.

Transactional data includes records on any of the following objects: Job, Ticket, Ticket Item, Ticket Log, Price Book, Quote, Quote Item, FX Forms, and any master-detail children of FX Forms.

You can customize AltSync for objects, depending on the version of Sync.

How It Works

  • Utilizes three custom fields on various objects:

    1. AltSync checkbox: Boolean field to indicate whether the record should sync to mobile.

      The flag can be set to True or False manually, by an AltSync Trigger during day to day transactions, or by the nightly AltSync processes.

      Child transactional data objects should use lookups to their parent object to define the flag.

      For example, Ticket Items should look to the parent Ticket.

      Tip: The AltSync__c field works in conjunction with the Sync__c field. When both fields exist on the object, both fields must evaluate to True for the record to sync to mobile devices.

    2. AltSyncSource field: A text field with a value of either None or Linked.

      Value set by Trigger or process when the record is referenced by another record.

      For example, the value is set to Linked on an Account when a Ticket for the Account has activity.

    3. AltSyncStamp field: Time stamp when the AltSync flag is set to True.

      This datetime stamp is used as an expiration date to determine whether the AltSync flag for the record needs to change to False.

  • The AltSync package adds an AltSync flag checkbox, AltSyncStamp datetime field, and AltSyncSource text field to four objects:

    1. Account

    2. Contact

    3. FX5__Equipment__c

    4. FX5__Well__c

  • the AltSync package adds an AltSync__c field to each of the following objects, and includes a formula for most of them:

    Object Formula Impact

    Account

    None unless the AltSync flag is set to True by a Trigger, the nightly AltSync process, or a manual change to the AltSync flag.

    Contact

    None unless the AltSync flag is set to True by a Trigger, the nightly AltSync process, or a manual change to the AltSync flag.

    Crew Planning

    FX5__Job__r.AltSync__c

    Crew planning records sync when the job syncs

    Equipment

    None unless the AltSync flag is set to True by a Trigger, the nightly AltSync process, or a manual change to the AltSync flag.

    Equipment Planning

    FX5__Job__r.AltSync__c

    Equipment planning records sync when the job syncs

    Job

    FX5__Price_Book__r.AltSync__c && FX5__Sync__c

    Jobs sync when it is syncable (flag controlled by a Status Workflow trigger) and the job’s price book syncs

    Price Book

    FX5__Is_Active__c

    Price books sync when they are active

    Price Book Item

    FX5__Price_Book__r.AltSync__c

    Price book items sync if its price book syncs

    Quote

    FX5__Status__r.FX5__Sync__c

    Quotes sync when in a syncable status

    Quote Item

    FX5__Quote__r.AltSync__c

    Quote items sync when the quote syncs

    Ticket

    FX5__Job__r.AltSync__c && FX5__Sync__c

    Tickets sync when the ticket is syncable and the job syncs

    Ticket Checklist Steo

    FX5__Ticket__r.AltSync__c

    Ticket checklist steps sync when the ticket syncs

    Ticket Item

    FX5__Ticket__r.AltSync__c

    Tickets items sync when the ticket syncs

    Ticket Log

    FX5__Ticket__r.AltSync__c

    Ticket Logs sync when the ticket syncs

    Well

    None unless the AltSync flag is set to True by a Trigger, the nightly AltSync process, or a manual change to the AltSync flag.

Installing the AltSync Package

  1. Contact LiquidFrameworks Support to get an installation link for the AltSync package

  2. Open your email app

  3. Access FieldFX Back Office

  4. Switch to Salesforce Classic

  5. Change the org-wide sharing defaults:

    1. From Setup, enter "sharing" in the Quick Find box, then select Sharing Settings

    2. Under Organization-Wide Defaults, click Edit

    3. Locate Job in the list

    4. In Default Internal Access, select "Private"

    5. Locate the second Price Book object in the list

    6. In Default Internal Access, select "Private"

    7. Click Save

    8. Click OK

      You will receive an email confirmation once your sharing settings recalculate.

  6. Review the following objects for an existing AltSync field and delete the field if found:

    • Account

    • Contact

    • Crew Planning

    • Equipment

    • Equipment Planning

    • Job

    • Price Book

    • Price Book Item

    • Quote

    • Quote Item

    • Ticket

    • Ticket Item

    • Well

      Caution: If you do not delete an existing AltSync field on one or more of these objects, the FX5AltSync package cannot install.

  7. Install the AltSync unmanaged package:

    1. Click the installation link you received for the AltSync package

      The installation page opens

    2. Under What if existing component names conflict with ones in this package, select Do not install

    3. Select Install for All Users

    4. Click Install

    5. Click Done

      You will receive an email confirmation once the installation finishes

  8. Update permissions:

    1. Grant all users Read access to the AltSync checkbox on the following objects:

      • Account

      • Contact

      • Crew Planning

      • Equipment

      • Equipment Planning

      • Job

      • Price Book

      • Price Book Item

      • Quote

      • Quote Item

      • Ticket

      • Ticket Item

      • Well

    2. Grant all users access to every LFW Apex class

  9. Update page layouts:

    1. Add the AltSync checkbox to page layouts for the following objects:

      • Account

      • Contact

      • Crew Planning

      • Equipment

      • Equipment Planning

      • Job

      • Price Book

      • Price Book Item

      • Quote

      • Quote Item

      • Ticket

      • Ticket Item

      • Well

Custom AltSync Checkboxes

Basics

  • You can add AltSync checkboxes to any object if you are using Sync 4.0

  • You can add AltSync checkboxes to the following objects if you aren’t using Sync 4.0:

    • Account

    • Contact

    • Equipment

    • Quote

    • Quote Item

    • Status

    • Status Workflow

    • Ticket

    • Ticket Item

    • Warehouse

    • Well

Adding an AltSync Checkbox

  1. Access FieldFX Back Office

  2. Switch to Salesforce Classic

  3. Open the Settings page for the object

  4. Add the AltSync checkbox:

    1. Under Custom Fields & Relationships, click New

    2. Select Formula

    3. Click Next

    4. In Field Label, enter "AltSync"

    5. Under Formula Return Type, select "Checkbox"

    6. Click Next

    7. In AltSync (Checkbox), enter a formula to use

      Example 1. AltSync on an Equipment object

      Use the following formula for an AltSync checkbox on the Equipment object. This formula configures the Sync Engine so that equipment records don’t sync when they have Out of Service selected.

      FX5__Out_of_Service__c = false

    8. Click Next

    9. Click Visible twice

    10. Click Next

    11. Select the page layouts on which to include the checkbox

    12. Click Save

  5. Grant permissions for the AltSync checkbox

Activity Based Sync

How it works

Sync Lookup Settings manages AltSync flags on lookup records by the activity on transactional data.

Transactional data includes records on any of the following objects: Job, Ticket, Ticket Item, Ticket Log, Price Book, Quote, Quote Item, FX Forms, and any master-detail children of FX Forms.

Sync Lookup Setting records in Custom Metadata Type specify how many days to detect activity for a lookup record.

The settings also determine how many days the lookup record’s AltSync flag should remain True after the last detected activity for hte record.

The default Timespan value specifies 30 days to detect activity and keep the lookup record AltSync as True after the last detected activity.

The process to review and adjust AltSync flags on lookup records runs nightly.

Sync Lookup Settings exist for

  • Account

  • Contact

  • Equipment

  • Well

Modify the Timespan Values for Sync Lookup Records

  1. From Setup, enter Metadata in the Quick Find box, then click Custom Metadata Types

  2. Click Sync Lookup Setting

  3. Click Manage Sync Lookup Settings

  4. Click Edit next to the object with the Timespan Days value you want to change

  5. Enter the desired Timespan Days value, then click Save

Add Additional Lookup Data Objects to Sync Lookup Settings

  • You can enable additional objects for the Sync Lookup Manager to manage the AltSync flag based on transactional lookup activity.

  • The object should exist as a lookup from a transaction data object (see the list in the Note above).

  • On the lookup object, confirm that the following fields exist or create them:

    • AltSync__c: Boolean field to indicate whether the record should sync to mobile

      The flag can be set to True or False manually, by an AltSync Trigger during day to day transactions, or by the nightly AltSync processes.

      Child transactional data objects should use lookups to their parent object to define the flag.

      For example, Ticket Items should look to the parent Ticket.

    • AltSyncSource__c: A Text field with a value of either None or Linked

      Value set by Trigger or process when the record is referenced by another record.

      For example, the value is set to Linked on an Account when a Ticket for the Account has activity.

    • AltSyncStamp__c: Datetime field set when the AltSync flag is set to True

      This datetime stamp is used as an expiration date to determine whether the AltSync flag for the record needs to change to False.

  • In the Sync Lookup Settings Custom Metadata Type, add a record for the lookup object:

    1. From Setup, enter Metadata in the Quick Find box, then click Custom Metadata Types

    2. Click Sync Lookup Setting

    3. Click Manage Sync Lookup Settings

    4. Click New

    5. Make the following entries:

      • Label: Name or description of the lookup object

      • Sync Lookup Setting Name: Accept the default value Salesforce generates

      • Lookup Type: API name of the lookup object

      • Timespan Days: Number of days that lookups should be detected and that should pass after the last detected activity before the record’s AltSync flag is set to False

    6. Click Save

Recommended Reading

  • AltSync
    Learn how the AltSync feature works