Prevent data driven VTB

[felladin]

We have an issue where data driven VTB will make it possible for users to change field values on forms, that go against policy. The reason this is, is that a lot of limitations are bound to Client Scripts which are not honoured in VTB.

We removed the "Show Visual Task Board" option on tables (demands list v2), but in Istanbul there is now a button on the VTB start page that makes this even easier.

Are we the only ones that want to allow Freeform boards but not Data driven, as the latter is not locked down enough for end users?

Has anyone of you fixed the new "New" -button to only show Freeform option?

With regards

Anton Lindblad

[valerie_gallot]

Hi Shane,

Yes absolutely this is what I did initially. 🙂

But finally, as it wasn't possible to hide some tables, I completely changed the OOB behavior for VTB creation :

I remove the OOB module "VTB".

I created a new one that is not very nice but it works... It is simply the list of vtb_board. I created a "New" UI action to propose only the VTB that we want to support...

[kchorny]

When they are viewing a board, can they not just click the back button and open the $vtb.do page?

[nicolelawhorn]

I am currently having the same issue. Does anyone mind sharing the business rule that they created or the relabeling steps? I am still new to the application, and been trying to figure it out myself and cannot seem to figure it out.

[kchorny]

I had the same issue, and resisted making VTBs available in our instance for quite some time due to this and other limitations.  But the time has come to bite the bullet.

My first solution was to prevent creation of 'Guided' boards altogether with a business rule, as is mentioned above.  A guided board is one where, in the vtb_board table, 'Task Table' (table) has a value and 'Lane field' (field) is not '__KANBAN__' (if the 'Lane field' IS '__KANBAN__', the board is a 'Flexible' board').  So the rule just aborted the action when a user attempted to insert a record meeting that criteria.

But then I realized that the users who already discovered VTBs through word-of-mouth (Knowledge conferences can be dangerous!!!) and who already have 'Guided' boards, would probably freak out if I said I was going to delete them all.

So then I went the route of restricting lane changes on 'Guided' boards with this business rule:

Name: Restrict Lane Changes on Guided Boards

Table: Visual Task Board Card (vtb_card)

When: Before Update

Condition: Lane -> changes

Script:

(function executeRule(current, previous /*null when async*/) {
//if the card is on a guided board, do not allow the lane change
var board = current.board;
var b = new GlideRecord('vtb_board');
b.get(board);
var bType = b.field;
var table = b.table;
if (table != '' && bType != '__KANBAN__')
{
current.setAbortAction(true);
gs.addErrorMessage('You cannot move cards between lanes on a Guided board');
}

})(current, previous);

This solution isn't all that pretty, because the task actually opens and the error message is then shown in the form.  But I figure our users will get the message after a while and stop trying to do it.

Although VTBs are nice for our users, I am disappointed in them as an admin.  I have had a lot of issues to resolve, and some that I can't resolve and will have to rely on user's being diligent when using them.  One of them is that the view shown when clicking a card (not the task number, just the card in general) allows the user to add a comment.  We have rules in the standard view that require a time worked entry when adding a comment, so the VTB functionality bypasses that rule. 😞  I've been told the only way to remove it is by removing the Comments field from the Activity stream, thereby removing it from the Activity stream on the standard form.  Not cool, SN!

We also don't want people creating catalog tasks, project tasks, incidents, etc using the Add Task button in the VTB.  But I'm told there is no way to remove that button.  It would be nice to be able to disable it for boards on specific tables.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone.

Karla

[felladin]

I really hope they'll give some love to VTB that facilitates administration of it.
We have some scripts like you that trigger on the form, but I can live with having to find alternate solutions to that. But the whole "You can't limit anything in VTB" really needs to be fixed.

Here's to Knowledge 19 being the time for VTB to shine!