Integrating Time Matters with. basic Time Matters database structure t and business logic

Transcription

1 Integrating Time Matters with Third Party Tools and Applications by understanding di basic Time Matters database structure t and business logic

2 Introduction Steve Stockstill, President Data Equity LLC Joined Time Matters in 1999, recruited by the original founders of the company. Brought on to develop the first Enterprise Edition of Time Matters, which was released in the spring of During tenure, served as a senior team member on several significant Time Matters development initiatives; Total Practice Advantage, the World Server/Browser Edition, and Billing Matters. Subsequent to LexisNexis acquisition served as Desktop Development Team Manager, ultimately promoted to Director of Software Engineering for the Time Matters business unit responsible for the development of all Time Matters software products and platforms through the end of his tenure (TM version 8). Data Equity LLC, a software development firm specializing i in developing software integration ti solutions for the legal industry. Most notably: Commercial Software Commercial Integrations MobileTM Google Apps QuickBooks GuestOffice Salesforce.com InfusionSoft SharpShooter NetDocuments

3 Session Logistics Cell Phones Please put your cell phones in vibrate mode, feel free to text and tweet. Handouts Course material will be available online at the PMAC web site or in the download section of the Data Equity web site at Questions The presentation will have pre-determined breaks during the session for questions. If you need something repeated or explained in more detail feel free to ask at any time.

4 Session Objectives Time Matters 3 rd Party Support Roadmap for Applications and Smartphones A Look Inside the Time Matters Database Schema We will be using the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, Windows ODBC Manager and Crystal Reports to identify and understand: Important Time Matters Database Tables System Identifiers (SYSIDs) Basic Primary Table Relationships Creating Reports Outside Time Matters Using the information we have learned about the database we will take a look at creating our own custom reports using Crystal Reports. Linking Time Matters to Applications in the Cloud We will continue to build on the previous tasks to extend Time Matters to such cloud applications as NetDocuments and the Microsoft Live Workspace.

5 3rd Party Support Roadmap Desktop Operating Systems V9 V10 Note Vista 64 Yes Yes Windows 7 No No Target: v10 SP1 Browsers IE 8 No No Target: v10 SP1 FireFox 3.5 Yes Yes SmartPhones iphone See Note See Note Outlook/Exchange supported; Native support TBD New Blackberries (Storm, Bold, etc) See Note See Note Outlook/Exchange supported; Native support TBD Palm Pre No No TBD Windows Mobile 6.5 No No TBD Current Software Versions TimeSlips 2009/2010 No/Yes No/Yes Testing nearly complete with TS2010; TS2009 TBD PaperPort 11 Yes Yes Blackberry Enterprise Server 5 (BES) No No TBD imange/interwoven/ Yes Yes DocsOpen/Hummingbird/ Yes/No Yes/No GroupWise 7, GroupWise 8 No No TBD Windows Server 2008 w/exchange 2007 Yes Yes Imminent Releases Exchange Server 2010 TBD TBD MS Office 2010 TBDv TBD

6 The Time Matters Database Schema The Database Schema consists of the tangible entities of a database; tables, fields (or columns) and the relationships that exist between these elements within database. The Database Business Logic is the less tangible logic in which the database schema is implemented for a very specific business application, in our case Time Matters. The Database Schema is best viewed using the SQL Server Management Studio

7 The Time Matters Database Schema Let s take a closer look at some of the more important tables in the Time Matters Schema. Contacts and Matters are designed very similarly in that both have three tables. Each table corresponds to the data on the Primary, Secondary and Additional tabs of their corresponding forms. The other primary tables are very easy to identify; they inherit their names from within the application: Events, ToDo s, Notes, Billing, Phone, Documents, Mail, , Web, Message, etc. There are a few exceptions to the rule; Outlines need two tables OtlHdr and OtlDtl (outline header and detail respectively) and basic billing Invoice requires TxHdr and TxDtl. Time Matters version 9 introduced the new User Defined Record Type (1-5) tables. These tables are respectively named: Usertype1, through Usertype5. In addition to the primary tables each primary table has a recycle bin table The recycle bin tables are the same In addition to the primary tables, each primary table has a recycle bin table. The recycle bin tables are the same name as the primary table, prefixed by rec_ e.g.; rec_event.

8 The Time Matters Database Schema In addition to the primary tables there are many support files in the Time Matters schema. The Prefs table stores the program and staff level options found under global settings. There are several default Property files which can be identified by the Prop table prefix. The default property table contains field and tab form style attributes. That s why changing the default property file will impact existing form styles. Form styles are also paired with the Codes table which identifies the existence of a form style in the default property file. The Time Matters global audit feature writes to the Audit Current table. Every ninety days (by default) this table is saved and a new empty audit log is started. The unused property tables and old audit tables can be moved to another database to reduce the active database s overhead. Providing marginal improvement in backup performance and overall database size. Many other tables work to provide business lower level functionality and are beyond the scope of today s Many other tables work to provide business lower level functionality and are beyond the scope of today s presentation.

9 Connecting Tables Using the SYSID The Time Matters Database Schema When using a report writer you may frequently need to connect two or more tables so you can print information from a record other than the currently printing record. For example, you may be printing a Note and you want to print information from the Contact or Matter or you may be printing the Contact record and need information from Contact2 or Contact3. EXAMPLE 1: When connecting two or more tables you will use the SYSID from the primary table. If you need to connect the Contact, Contact 2 or Contact3 tables you will use the Contact.sysid fields. EXAMPLE 2: All secondary tables have a field that contains the SYSID of the Contact and/or Matter that were entered into the regarding line (found in form area 1).

10 Creating Reports Outside Time Matters Hands On Demonstration - Creating an ODBC DSN for the Time Matters Database Launch the Windows ODBC Manager - Administrative Tools/Data Sources (ODBC) or- Start/Run odbcad32.exe Add DSN, Select the SQL Server Database Driver Complete as displayed:

11 Creating Reports Outside Time Matters Hands On Demonstration - Creating a Contact Join in Crystal Reports Create a new report, select the Contact, Contact2 and Contact3 tables. Select the Database Expert, Links tab. Click the Auto-Arrange button. If the tables cannot be auto-arranged by key, allow the Expert to arrange by name. You will now be able to select fields from all three tables to be included in the report.

12 Linking to Applications in the Cloud What type of cloud applications can be linked with Time Matters? A few ideas might include: Google Applications Microsoft Office Live Microsoft Office Live Weather and Mapping Applications Document Management Systems and many more?

13 Linking to Applications in the Cloud Hands On Demonstration Connecting Time Matters to NetDocuments NetDocuments is a cloud based document management system frequently used by the Legal and Financial industries. NetDocuments has a very strong API for accessing documents from your online document repository. In addition documents can be saved to and opened from most popular desktop software. Integration Points The objective of our task is to show how simple Time Matters can be quickly integrated with a cloud based application like NetDocuments. We will: Using an HTML Editor Create a Matter Based Power View Using an HTML Editor Create a Matter Based Power View Establish a Link Between Time Matters and NetDocuments Add the Power View to the Time Matters Matter List

14 Conclusion Additional Questions? Contact Information: on Twitter Join the Time Matters Connection LinkedIn Group