Default and lock field values

Setting a field automatically is the most common BPM of all: default a bank account, copy notes from the ship-to, pre-fill a contact email, lock a price. The logic is usually one Set Field widget. The real decision is where to put it, because that controls when the user sees the value and which entry paths it covers.

Where to put a default

Hook	When the value appears	Covers
Post-processing on a GetNew… method	As soon as the user clicks New	Records created through that method
Post-processing on a Change… method	When the user changes the related field	That screen’s field-change path
Pre-processing on Update	At save	Saves through that method
In-Transaction data directive on the table	At save	Every save to the table, from any source

A defaulting BPM on GetNew… is friendly, since the user sees and can override the value, but it’s not a guarantee. If the value must be set, add a data directive as well.

Example: default the bank on new cash receipt batches

If nearly every receipt goes to one bank account, save users a step.

1. Create a post-processing directive on Erp.BO.BankBatch.GetNewBankBatch.
2. Add a Set Field widget: set BankBatch.BankAcctID of the added row to the expression "MAIN" (your bank account ID).

The new batch opens with the bank filled in, and users can still change it.

Example: copy ship-to notes onto the order

Suppose you keep delivery instructions in a UD field on the ship-to (ShipTo.ShipNotes_c) and want them on the sales order’s ship comment whenever the ship-to is chosen.

Order Entry calls ChangeShipToID when the ship-to changes. Use post-processing, so Epicor’s own logic has already refreshed the ship-to-related fields and won’t overwrite yours. Nothing is saved yet; the updated values go back to the screen, and the user saves as normal.

var order = ds.OrderHed.FirstOrDefault(h =>
    h.RowMod == IceRow.ROWSTATE_ADDED || h.RowMod == IceRow.ROWSTATE_UPDATED);
if (order == null) return;

string notes = Db.ShipTo
    .Where(s => s.Company == order.Company
             && s.CustNum == order.CustNum
             && s.ShipToNum == order.ShipToNum)
    .Select(s => s.ShipNotes_c)
    .FirstOrDefault();

if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(notes))
{
    order.ShipComment = notes;
}

This replaces whatever was in the comment. If users type their own comments too, append instead of overwriting. If you ship to other customers’ addresses, look the ship-to up under the ship-to customer rather than the sold-to customer.

Example: fill a field from a lookup, with no code

Set Field accepts any C# expression, including a LINQ query. Here an In-Transaction data directive on POHeader fills a UD field SupplierEmail_c with the supplier’s primary purchasing contact’s email when a PO is created and the field is blank.

1. Add a Condition: SupplierEmail_c of the added row is equal to "".
2. On True, add Set Field: set SupplierEmail_c of the added row to this expression:

(from c in Db.VendCnt
 join v in Db.Vendor
    on new { c.Company, c.VendorNum, ConNum = c.ConNum }
    equals new { v.Company, v.VendorNum, ConNum = v.PrimPCon }
 where c.Company == ttPOHeaderRow.Company && c.VendorNum == ttPOHeaderRow.VendorNum
 select c.EmailAddress).FirstOrDefault() ?? ""

ttPOHeaderRow is how the expression editor refers to the row being processed. The ?? "" matters: without it, a supplier with no primary contact gives null.

Note

Supplier contacts are also keyed by purchase point. If you use purchase points, add a purchase point filter so you don’t pick up a contact from the wrong one.

Example: lock the price on new order lines

OrderDtl.LockPrice greys out the unit price on an order line so it can’t be changed by accident.

1. Create an In-Transaction data directive on the OrderDtl table.
2. Add a Condition: there is at least one added row in ttOrderDtl.
3. On True, add Set Field: set LockPrice of the added row to true.

Use In-Transaction rather than Standard: a Standard data directive runs after the save, so changing the row there doesn’t stick.

More ideas

• PO suggestions unapproved by default. New suggestions can arrive already marked for approval. A post-processing directive on Erp.BO.POSugg.GetRowsPlant can clear that flag on the returned rows so buyers approve deliberately.
• Price PO suggestions from last cost. An In-Transaction data directive on SugPoDtl can fill a zero UnitPrice from PartCost.LastMaterialCost. Watch two details: PartCost is keyed by cost ID as well as part, and part costs are in base currency while the document price is in the supplier’s currency.
• Labor defaults such as clearing the request-move flag are covered in Labor entry BPMs.

Related

• Method directives vs data directives
• Query the database with LINQ