Question

FSM 6 - Download multiple attachments efficiently

  • 9 June 2021
  • 4 replies
  • 267 views

Userlevel 3
Badge +8

Hi all,

 

I am wondering if anyone has worked out, or has knowledge of, a solution for a Smart or Web client (named) user to download multiple attachments with 1 click.    

 

Our challenge is that a technician may upload upwards of 30 photos through the FSM Mobile App. In many cases our Request Owners or Project Managers end up downloading these photos, for delivery to clients, close notes, or other reasons..  and are spending too much time clicking each attachment.

 

Is there a function that allows us to download all task-attachments or all request-attachments at once? 

I have noticed there is a perform_get_attachment and a plural, perform_get_attachments, MPM.    Which gives me hope that there is.

 

Thank you in advance

Rudy


This topic has been closed for comments

4 replies

Userlevel 3
Badge +8

Kalpani, Saranga,

 

I appreciate the advise and information provided by you both.  Unfortunately Client Reports does not solve the problem for our organization.

 I had considered the solution before (granted: I was thinking RDL vs. RDLC), but in reviewing this solution with our operational departments, it was clear that it does not meet our requirement. 

 

I am truly looking for a “download All” or “Save All” option similar to how other applications provide that.    Worst case we’re open for a single ZIP file containing all attachments on the Request. 


I was hoping the “perform_get_attachments” perform was some type of hidden solution for this.  but I am not successful in trying to get this to work.

 

I am open for Smart Client or Web Client solutions. (even if it just works in 1, not the other).

 

Thank you.  

-Rudy

 

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +22

Hi @Rwjgoedhart ,

 

As @Kalpani Dissanayake mentioned, most of the customers have moved to custom client reports (RDLC) instead of using typical SSRS reports specially when they attach multiple images (e.g.: when using surveys) as you mentioned, downloading all these images one by one wastes a lot of time at the backoffice. Also you need to be aware on the fact that FSM does not encourage the usage of SSRS reports furthermore and sticking into SSRS might not be handy going forward. 

One of the ways to achieve this, is to include all of them together into one client report (PDF/xls/docx) with relevant details and the users only have to download that particular report in which would make their lives easy. If you need enhanced logics like attaching the report automatically into the task_attachments once a job is completed, you might need to go for a simple custom MPM. But you can still use the report screen to download the reports if this is not the case.

Again, instead of attaching multiple documents like docx, pdfs from the mobile, is there a possibility from the customer’s end to replicate the same documents in one custom client report so that you can have that particular report for your reference instead of downloading multiple documents? Again, using  surveys to fill up the content included in these manual documents and having the survey results in the expected document format with one RDLC report can be a solution here. Many customers follow this process nowadays. MPMs like perform_get_attachment_pdf usually could throw UI communication errors as those are being expected to generate from report screen even if you try to include them inside a BR to execute on another screen. Hence, could you check the possibility of having an alternative approach here? :slight_smile:

Userlevel 3
Badge +8

Kalpani,

Something we had considered as well. 

Unfortunately we do not use Client Reports today, we’re still tied to SSRS.   Something that may be a good solution for pictures, but another challenge is that certain attachments may not be able to be rendered into a report, such as PDF and DOCs. (unless my understanding of downloading attachments through RDLC is wrong here..) 

 

@Rwjgoedhart

You may try creating a client report to download attachments and include parameters task id /request id on it. Then add that report to named user’s role. Hope this may help.

 

Userlevel 6
Badge +20

@Rwjgoedhart 

You may try creating a client report to download attachments and include parameters task id /request id on it. Then add that report to named user’s role. Hope this may help.