Differences between DataGuide for FieldFX and ServiceMax DataGuide

The DataGuide package is the same to run on FieldFX or in ServiceMax. Depending on which platform you use, there are differences of functionality. The following table highlights the changes between the two platforms and the features that are different:

ServiceMax DataGuide DataGuide for FieldFX

Multiple Language Forms

  • DataGuide can translate Forms in multiple languages within the form designer in the ServiceMax DataGuide package.

  • Not available

Render DataGuide Form on a Report Template

  • With the ServiceMax DataGuide package, a report template designer can include the DataGuide form output as an element on the document template. The element is a representation of the form output and cannot be de-constructed into individual components within the document template.

  • User must have the ServiceMax DataGuide package installed for this to work.

Referencing fields from parent object

  • You can do this by pasting a variable name on the form design element. Generate this variable via an Input Mapping screen, a tab within the DG Form Designer.

  • You can do this directly on the form design element via an interface that allows you to pick a field.

Back Office Interaction with Form and Form Data Records

  • Used separate package lighting web components for each New, In Progress and Completed forms. You can add these components on a lightning record layout.

  • You will need to configure a lighting component differently for New, In Progress and Completed forms. Add this lightning component to a lightning record layout.

Form Root Objects

  • Support of DataGuide forms for any objects within the org in Back Office. FieldFX Mobile currently only supports DataGuide forms tied to FieldFX Jobs and Tickets. Independent Forms as well as support for additional objects in FieldFX Mobile are roadmap items for December 2023 and 2024.

  • Support of DataGuide forms for the FieldFX Job and Ticket object as well as Independent Forms (not tied to any object) in both Back Office and Mobile.

Form Designer

  • You can access the form designer via a Back Office tab where it utilizes a recent Survey JS UI/UX library.

    Each release updates the library to the latest version of Survey JS with each release. The form designer only exposes the form object to the user. The user can create multiple versions of the same form.

  • Access the form designer via the Admin Portal app in FieldFX. It utilizes an older Survey JS UI/UX library. The form designer exposes the Form and Form Version object to the user.

SObject Filter

  • DG: Does not use the pre-filter argument, although this is still visible on the UI.

  • Uses a pre-filter argument (SOQL Optimizer) to allow querying large amounts of data.

Form Data JSON

  • Introduces the following changes to the Form Data JSON structure:

    surveyData.json becomes SurveyData.json

    Question answers are captured within an ‘answers property’.

    For example: {"version":1,"answers":{"question1":"Test this out"},….}

  • N/A

Form Migration between environments

  • You will need to manually migration your data by copying the records from one environment to another.

  • Users can migrate the form and form versions between 2 environments via an Admin Portal Tool.

Package Schema (Technical)

  • N/A

Form Actions

  • N/A

Launch Document Template on Form Submission

  • Yes

  • Available for FieldFX Mobile in July 2023 and will be available in Field Back Office in December 2023.

Generate Form Response Link

  • Yes

  • N/A

ServiceMax DataGuide

DataGuide for FieldFX

Supported Languages

DataGuide supports these languages:

  • Chinese Simplified

  • Chinese Traditional*

    FieldFX doesn’t support character sets for these languages in FieldFX Mobile.

  • Dutch

  • Finnish

  • French

  • German

  • Italian

  • Japanese

  • Korean*

    FieldFX doesn’t support character sets for these languages in FieldFX Mobile.

  • Portuguese (Brazilian)

  • Russian

  • Spanish

  • Swedish

Package Schema (Technical)

Use the following objects:

ServiceMax DataGuide DataGuide for FieldFX
Table 1. ServiceMax Package Objects

Form

SVMXDG__DG_Form__c

Form Version

SVMXDG__DG_Form_Version__c

Form Data

SVMXDG__DG_Form_Data__c

Form Response

SVMXDG__DG_Form_Response__c

Application Log

SVMXDG_Application_Log__c

Documents

ContentVersion

Form Expression

SVMXDG__DG_Form_Expression__c*

Form Report Template

SVMXDG__DG_Form_Report_Template__c*

Report Template

SVMXDG__DG_Report_Template__c*

Report Template Expression

SVMXDG__DG_Report_Template_Expression__c*

Report Template Rendition

SVMXDG__DG_Report_Template_Rendition__c*

The ServiceMax Core and Go applications only use these objects.

The FieldFX application uses a different mechanism and different objects to achieve the same functionality.
Table 2. DataGuide for FieldFX Package Objects

Form

FX5__Form__c

Form Version

FX5__Form_Version__c

Form Data

FX5__Form_Data__c

Form Response

FX5__Form_Response__c

ServiceMax DataGuide

DataGuide for FieldFX

Form Actions

Launch Document Template on Form Submission

A form designer can create a form action to generate a document template based on submitting a form. The form designer generates the document template when:

  • In the background, where the user will not interact with the document template and the PDF saves automatically under the parent record.

  • Interactively, where the document template will open, and the user will have to save it after potentially filling out information on it (such as a signature or required fields).

Form Action - Launch Doc Template on Form Submission

Generate Form Response Link

Because ServiceMax DataGuide does not have a look-up field to the root object, it makes it more difficult for a user to create a Salesforce Report. This enhancement populates a custom look-up field that a system administrator will have to create on the Form Response record.

For example, if you add a form on a job object, you will need to create a Job look-up field on the Form Response object. When the system saves the form, it will populate the look-up with the job record that references the parent form data record.