Custom Actions

Custom Actions

Custom actions refer to user-defined actions that can be performed on different entities across modules. For a custom action to be performed on an entity, it should be used with automation rules.

Custom Actions
Availability across modules
Assets
CMDB
Purchase
Contracts
Custom Modules
Notifications
Asset Life Cycle
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
Field Updates
Asset Life Cycle
-
-
-
-
Custom Functions
 
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
Webhooks
Asset Life Cycle
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
Triggers
 
To set up custom actions,
  1. Go to Setup > Automation > Custom Actions.
  2. Go to the relevant custom action tab: Notifications, Field Updates, Custom Functions, Webhooks.
  3. Use the module drop-down to navigate to the preferred module.
  4. Refer to the links below for detailed information on each custom action:
    1. Notifications
    2. Field Updates
    3. Custom Functions
    4. Webhooks
 

Notifications 

Custom notifications can be configured to send alerts to users via automation rules. These notifications are sent in addition to Notification Rules.
 
Supported Modules
Role Required
Purchase, Contracts, Custom Modules
SDAdmin
Assets
SDAdmin, AssetConfig
CMDB
SDAdmin, SDCMDBAdmin
 
After choosing your preferred module, click New Notification. Fill out the necessary information as described below:
Field
Description
Notification Name*
Provide a unique name for the custom notification.
Description
Describe the notification usage.
Applies to/
Applies to product type/
Applies to configuration item
Choose the appropriate sub-entity in the respective module.   
Notify*
Select your preferred recipients by role or email address as supported in the selected module.
Subject*
Add a subject for the notification.
Message*
Compose the notification message.
*mandatory fields
Info
Use the $ symbol to add context-specific content in the subject and message. 

Manage Notifications 

After notifications are created, they are listed on the list view page where you can perform the following actions:
  1. Click a notification to expand and preview the notification. Click Related Workflows to view the execution details of the notification in the related automations.
  2. Use the icon to edit, delete, enable/disable notifications. You can also enable/disable notifications using the toggle button in the Status column.
  3. To delete, enable, or disable notifications in bulk, select the notifications and use the Actions menu on the toolbar.
 

Field Updates 

Create field update actions to update multiple fields of an entity at once. Each action can be used globally across several automations.
Supported Modules
Role Required
Assets
SDAdmin, AssetConfig
 
To create a field update action, choose your preferred module from the drop-down. Click New Field Update and fill out the necessary information as described below:
Field
Description
Field Update Name*
Provide a unique name for the field update action.
Description
Describe the field update action.
Fields*
Use the drop-down to select the field to be updated.
Provide the value that should be updated in the selected field.
Based on the field type, the value can either be selected from existing options or entered manually by the user.
 Use the icon to add multiple field updates. 
*mandatory fields

Manage Field Updates 

After field updates are created, they are listed on the list view page where you can perform the following actions:
  1. Click a row to expand and preview the field update action. Click Related Workflows to view the execution details of the field update in the related automation.
  2. Use the icon to edit, delete, enable/disable field update action. You can also enable/disable field update action using the toggle button in the Status column.
To delete, enable, or disable notifications in bulk, select the field update action and use the Actions menu on the toolbar.
 

Custom Functions 

Custom functions are programs that allow you to manipulate data within AssetExplorer Cloud. Using custom functions, you can perform operations that cannot be executed via standard UI configurations.

Custom functions are written in Zoho's proprietary scripting language called Deluge.
Supported Modules
Role Required
Sub-entities where custom functions are applicable
Assets
SDAdmin, AssetConfig
All Assets, Each product type
CMDB
SDAdmin, SDCMDBAdmin
CMDB, Each CI type
Purchase
SDAdmin
Purchases, Approval Levels, Approvals, Payments, Invoices
Contracts
SDAdmin
Contracts
Custom Modules
SDAdmin
Custom modules
 

Create Custom Functions 

In the Custom Functions tab, choose your preferred module from the drop-down.
Click New Custom Function and fill out the necessary information as described below:
Field
Description
Custom Function Name*
Provide a unique name for the custom function.
Description
Describe the objective and usage of the custom function.
Applies to/
Applies to product type/
Applies to configuration item
Choose the sub-entities within the module where the custom function is applied.
Use this custom function as a
Select the automation rule where the custom function is used. Ensure the custom function returns the following values based on the automation rule where it is configured:
  1. Workflow condition or workflow action - Boolean value
  2. Life Cycle action or Trigger Action - Void value

Deluge Script Editor
Compile the custom function in the Deluge Script Editor using a simple drag-and-drop motion. To learn more about Deluge and how to write custom functions, click here.

Depending on the module selected, the following arguments will be passed in the custom function.
  1. Assets - 'assetObj' and 'context'
  2. CMDB - 'ciObj' and 'context'  
*mandatory fields
After compiling the custom function, click Save or Save & Execute Script.

 

Manage Custom Functions  

After the custom functions are created, they are listed on the list view page where you can perform the following actions:
  1. Click a custom function to expand and preview the action. Click Related Workflows to view the execution details of the custom function in the related automations.
  2. Use the icon to edit, delete, enable/disable custom function actions. You can also enable/disable field update action using the toggle button in the Status column.
  3. To delete, enable, or disable notifications in bulk, select the custom function action and use the Actions menu on the toolbar.
 

Check Usage Stats 

When using a custom function, an API call is made to AssetExplorer Cloud, known as an InvokeURL call. By default, you have a limit of 15,000,000 executions per month and 50,000 InvokeURL calls per day from Custom Functions.

You can monitor the executions and InvokeURL calls by clicking the Check Usage Stats button in the custom actions list view.

The Usage Stats pop-up displays a colored progress bar to show the percentage of executions and InvokeURL calls remaining.
  1. Green: Less than 50% of the quota is utilized.
  2. Orange: 50% - 75 % of the quota is utilized.
  3. Red: More than 75% of the quota is utilized.

 

Webhooks 

A webhook enables you to call an external URL to communicate with any third-party application. For example, you can sync information between AssetExplorer Cloud and any third-party service to maintain your assets, purchases, or Active Directory.
Supported Modules
Role Required
Purchase, Contracts, Custom Modules
SDAdmin
Assets
SDAdmin, AssetConfig
CMDB
SDAdmin, SDCMDBAdmin
 

Create Webhooks 

In the Webhooks tab, choose your preferred module from the drop-down.
Click New Webhook and fill out the necessary information as described below:
 
Field
Description
Webhook Name*
Provide a unique name for the Webhook.
Description
Describe the objective and usage of the Webhook.
URL
Specify a valid URL to which the webhook call must be made.
Info
Use the $ sign to add a dynamic variable as part of the webhook URL. 
Applies to product type
Choose the appropriate sub-entity within the respective module.
 
 
Method
Choose the Webhook call method: 
  1. Get: Allows you to notify any third-party application about data modifications within any module in ServiceDesk Plus Cloud.
  2. Put: Creates and updates specific data in the third-party site.
  3. Post: Updates specific data in the third-party site.
  4. Delete: Removes any specified data from the third-party site.
Headers
Specify the header key and value of the Webhook.
Use icons to create multiple headers.
Parameters
Specify the parameter name and value. Type $ to get a list of dynamic variables.
Use icons to create multiple parameters.
Message Body
(Only applicable for PUT and POST commands)
Select the message body type: JSON or XML, and specify the values.
 
 *mandatory fields
 

Manage Webhooks 

After the webhooks are created, they are listed on the list view page where you can perform the following actions:
  1. Preview: Click a webhook row to expand and preview the webhook. Click Related Workflows to view the execution details of the webhook in the related automations.
  2. Edit: Use the icon to edit any webhook.
  3. Enable/Disable: Use the icon to enable/disable webhooks. You can also use the toggle on the Status column. To enable/disable in bulk, select the webhooks and use the Actions menu on the toolbar.
  4. Delete: Use the icon to delete webhooks. To delete webhooks in bulk, select the webhooks and use the Actions menu on the toolbar.
  5. Search: Use the icon to search through webhooks using criteria. Add the criteria, value, and click Enter. You can add multiple search criteria using the icon. After the results are displayed, click the existing criteria to edit it.
  6. Decide List View Layout: Click the icon to limit the number of webhooks listed and to define the sort order.

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