Associate a role with its time lines

Once you have associated roles with document types, you can also associate a role with its time lines.

How members of a documentation team are associated with each document type varies, depending on the different phases of the documentation life cycle. For example, while both writers and editors are associated with topics during the Authoring cycle, a writer's tasks and time lines differ substantially from an editor's.

To associate a role with its time lines:

  1. In TEXTML Administration perspective, right-click the Content Store node and select CCMS Admin > Manage Roles.
    The Role Manager window opens.
    Note: IXIASOFT recommends that you avoid directly editing the roles.xml file. The Role Manager window has built-in validation mechanisms to reduce errors.
  2. In the Roles list, select the role to configure.
    The document types assigned to the selected role are displayed under Document type.
  3. Under Document type, select a document type.
  4. Right-click in the Time Lines list and select New Time Line.
  5. Choose a time line from the following options:
    • Active, to configure the tasks that are active for this user role at the specified point in the document cycle
    • Incoming, to configure tasks that are pending for this user role at the specified point in the document cycle
    • Retained, to configure tasks that are passed back to this user once another user finishes them, such as when an author changes a topic's status to edit review, and the topic becomes Active for the designated SMEs, but has a Retained status for the author.
  6. In the Time lines list, select a time line.
    Each status defined in your configuration appears in the Status list.
    Figure: Active status options for sample Editor user


    Note: The * in the Status list above applies your selection to all cycles.
  7. Click each status to add for this role, document type, and time line.
    For example, in the configuration illustrated above, Editor users will be Active for topics that have the Authoring: edit review status.
  8. To select another time line for this role and document type, repeat from Step 4 to configure its status.
    For example, you might want to configure the Editor role to have an Incoming time line for topics that have draft status, so that Editor users can anticipate their pending workload.
    Note: Depending on the role, you may configure one, two, or all three possible time lines. For example, a graphic artist might have a status associated only with the Active time line and only for image document types; whereas a Resource Manager who wants to keep abreast of the entire project would likely have a status associated with all document types and all three possible time lines.
  9. Repeat from Step 2 to associate additional roles with time lines.
  10. Save your changes locally (CTRL+s).
  11. Click Check In Document (check in manager icon) to commit your changes.
  12. Inform users of the changes.
    The changes will be applied automatically once users close and then reopen their CCMS Desktop. Users can also apply the changes without restarting their CCMS Desktop by clicking IXIASOFT CCMS > Synchronize Configuration. Additionally, refresh IXIASOFT CCMS Web so that users will see the change reflected there.