Part VI: Fields > Unlock Work Items > Unlocking a Work Item and Related Shared Fields

Unlock Work Items

Work items or shared fields related to a work item can become locked when they are opened in work mode by an operator. You might need to unlock a work item. For example, if a system crash occurs while a work item is locked by an operator.

The following rules apply to unlocking work items:

NOTE: Unlocking a work item results in the loss of any unsaved data in the work item.

When an operator opens any work item that is a member of a split family, whether the work item is a child or parent in the family, XTRAC locks all of the shared fields that are that family of work items. XTRAC lets the operator edit any of the shared fields.

If another operator attempts to process any work item that is a member of the same split family, all of the shared fields are disabled and locked. XTRAC does not unlock and enable the shared fields until the first operator finishes processing the work item and no longer has any open work items in the split family.

For example, shared custom fields called Customer Promise Date, Contracting Country, and Order Type are included on work items in a split family with a parent work item and three children. When operator Jenn opens a child work item in the split family, XTRAC locks all three of the shared fields on the parent work item and all of its children. When operator Dave opens the parent work item, all three shared fields are locked and disabled. He cannot make any changes to any of these fields until operator Jenn completes her processing and closes the child work item.

Unlocking a Work Item and Related Shared Fields

Note: To unlock a locked work item and/or its locked shared fields, you need the Unlock Work Item security function as part of the security group that is associated with your entitlement set.

You can either unlock a work item only, unlock related shared fields only, or you can unlock both a work item and its related shared fields at the same time. You must enter the work item number for both types of unlocking.

To unlock both a work item and its shared fields

  1. In Feature Explorer, click Environment > Unlock Work Item.
  2. In the Unlock Work Item window, in the Work Item Number field, type the number of the work item to unlock.

By default, XTRAC checks the Work Item option.

As a shortcut, you can enter part of the work item's six-digit number. Do not specify any preceding zeros or date.

  1. To specify today’s date, in the Work Item Number field, type a number and hyphen (-) after the W, and then click Tab

XTRAC fills in the preceding zeroes and today’s date. For example, enter 386- and click Tab. XTRAC fills in W000386-14JUL12.

  1. To specify a different date in the current month, type a number and a hyphen (-), enter the day of the month, and then click Tab.

For example, type 386-09 and click Tab. XTRAC fills in JUL12 for a work item number of W000386‑09JUL12.

  1. To specify a day and month in the current year, type a number and a hyphen (-), enter the date and month, and then click Tab.

XTRAC fills in the current year. For example, specify 386-15APR and click Tab. XTRAC fills in 07 for a work item number of W000386-15APR12.

  1. To unlock any shared fields, check the Shared Fields Related to Work Item check box.
  2. Click Unlock.

XTRAC unlocks the work item and, if selected, XTRAC unlocks any locked fields that are in the split family that this work item belongs to.

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