Add Or Edit A TEBR

TEBRs (Test Environment Booking Requests) are listed under the ‘My Environment Booking’ tab and the ‘TEBR’ tab of the Environment Requests page.

See Introduction To Environment Requests for a description of how TECRs, TEBRs, and Environment Bookings work.  If you need a placeholder Environment Booking, you can also create a TEBR without a Release.

Administrators can use Title Names Customization to customize the name of the Environment module where it appears throughout Plutora.

TEBR Workflow

To view the TEBR workflow:

Workflows allow administrators to control the way TEBRs are processed. Using the TEBR Status Customization, administrators can set:

• The sequence of TEBR Statuses for each TEBR Type.
• The User Groups or User Roles that have the permission to update each TEBR Status.

For instance, a TEBR Type might have a workflow based on the TEBR Statuses: Draft > Backlog > Under Review > Closed. All User Roles might have permission to change the TEBR Status from Draft to Backlog (using the Status drop-down menu) but only a Manager User Role might have permission to change the TEBR Status from Under Review to Closed. This workflow would allow managers to check each TEBR before it is completed.

If the Enable TEBR Workflow checkbox is selected in TEBR Status Customization, users can click Expand Workflowto view the TEBR’s workflow path. Clicking Collapse Workflow  hides the workflow.

Details Tab

Information Panel

To add or edit a TEBR, you must have the ‘Create Environment Booking Request’ user permission.

To add a TEBR, do one of the following:

• • Go to + New > Environment > TEBR.
  • Go to + New > Environment > TEBR in the navigation menu.
  • Go to Environment > Requests and click TEBR.
  • Go to Environment > Requests, click the TEBR tab, click to select a TEBR  and select Duplicate from the Action drop-down menu.
  • Go to Environment > Schedule and left-click and drag your mouse cursor along the timeline under the Environment or Environment Group Views. This will open the Add TEBR pop up.

To edit a TEBR, you must have the ‘Update Environment Booking Request’ user permission:

1. Go to Environment > Requests.
2. Click the TEBR tab.
3. Click a blue-linked TEBR Number or TEBR Title to open a TEBR. The text above the Information panel (in the screenshot below it says “Welcome to TEBR!”) is generated by TEBR Form Customization.
4. ID is auto-generated and cannot be edited.
   
5. Type a Title. (Mandatory field.)
6. Type a Description.
   
   Administrators can make TEBR fields mandatory with the TEBR Mandatory Details Customization.
7. Select a type from the Type drop-down menu.
   
   Selecting a Type will also select a workflow if workflows have been enabled.
8. Select a status from the Status drop-down menu.
   
   If the TEBR Workflow is enabled in theTEBR Status Customization, only the Statuses that are part of the workflow for the TEBR Type can be selected. If TEBR Workflow is not enabled, all Statuses will be selectable. TEBR Statuses can be customized from the TEBR Status Customization.  
9. Select a time slot:
   
   1. Click to select a Time Slot to choose an hour range:Administrators can create time slots using the TEBR Time Slots Customization.
      • On the same day: While filling in a blank TEBR, select a Time Slot to fill in the time slot’s hour range for the current day.
      • When the date and time are already populated: While editing a TEBR, select a Time Slot to repopulate the start and end times while keeping the dates.
        
        If a date in the past is selected and the Do not allow past dates to be selected checkbox is selected on the TEBR Mandatory Details Customization, you will need to change the date to the future in order to save. 
        
        Or:
10. Manually select a start and end date and time:
    
    1. Select a Start Date/Time. (Mandatory field.)
    2. Select an End Date/Time. (Mandatory field.)

    These dates and times will be updated to match the viewing user’s local time zone.
    Environments and Environment Groups can be booked for different duration than the overall TEBR.

11. Click and select a User or User Group from the Assignee drop-down menu. (Mandatory field.)
    
    Hover your mouse cursor over a User Group in the Assigned To field to show the group members. 
12. Click the blue-linked number next to the paperclip  to manage attachments, such as Microsoft Word files or images:
    
    1. Manage URLs:
       
       1. Add a URL:
          
          1. Click + New.
          2. Click Add URL.
             
          3. Type a valid URL in the URL Link field.
          4. Click Save & Close.
       2. View a URL:
          
          1. Click the view button.
             
          2. Click the X in the top right corner to close the attachment.
       3. Delete a URL:
          
          1. Click the delete button.
             
          2. Click Delete on the confirmation prompt to confirm.
    2. Manage files:
       
       1. Add a file:
          1. 1. Click + New.
             2. Click Add file.
             3. Click to select an attachment.
             4. Click Open.
             5. View a file attachment:
                
                1. Click the view button.
                   
                2. Click the X in the top right corner to close the attachment.
             6. Download a file attachment:
                
                1. Click the download button.
                   Your attachment should start downloading immediately.
                   Save the file to your hard drive if prompted.
             7. Delete a file attachment:
                
                1. Click the delete button.
                   
                2. Click Delete on the confirmation prompt to confirm.
13. Manage Watchers:
    Watchers are external users, who made the booking in ServiceNow, or Plutora Users, or Plutora User Groups, who want to be informed of TEBR updates. If you are adding a new TEBR, click Save to make the Watcher options appear.
    1. Add Watchers:
       
       1. Click the green cross button.
          
       2. Click to select the External User radio button, then type the external user’s email address.
          
          Or
       3. Click to select the Plutora User/Group radio button, then select a User or User Group.
       4. Click Add & Add New to add another Watcher or Add & Close to close.
          
          Watchers will only be saved when Save or Save & Close are clicked on the TEBR pop up.  
    2. Delete Watchers:
       
       1. Hover your mouse cursor over the Watcher
       2. Click the delete button.
          
14. Click Save.

Additional Information Panel

The Additional Information fields will be grayed out if the mandatory fields in the Information panel are not completed and saved.

1. Fill in the fields under the Additional information panel and tabs.
   • The Additional Information fields are fields, which administrators have added using the TEBR Custom Fields Customization.
   • These fields will vary between each Plutora installation.
   • Please consult your administrator for the procedure for filling in these fields.
     
     If a user lacks permission to see a custom field tab’s fields, that tab will now be hidden for that user. (The permission is set in TEBR Custom Fields Customization.)

Project/Release Details Panel

To fill in the Project/Release Details panel:

1. Select the Booking with Project/Release radio button to create a TEBR with Release. Select Booking with Environment Only option if you need a placeholder Environment Booking. In this case, the TEBR will be created without Release.
2. If you have selected, Booking with Project/Release option, the following fields will be enabled. .
   • Project/Release Name: Select a release from the Project/Release Name drop-down menu. Only Releases that do not have an End State will appear in the menu.
   • The Project/Release Description field will fill with the Release’s Description. If no System is selected, selecting a Release will add the Release’s Systems to the TEBR.

If you had selected Booking with Environment Only option, the other fields in this panel will be disabled.

System Details Panel

Systems on the TEBR pop up are now organized by Systems Subtype.

To manage System details:

1. Add a System:
   
   1. Click Add/Remove Systems.
   2. Drag and drop Systems into:
      
      1. Impacted Systems: To show that the System is impacted by the Release.
      2. Regression Systems: To show that the Release poses a regression risk to the System.
      3. The up-to-two custom Systems Subtypes.
         
         The two custom Systems subtypes can be enabled using the Systems – Subtypes Customization.
   3. Click Update.
2. Delete a System:
   1. 1. Click Add/Remove Systems.
      2. Drag the Systems you want to remove from the Systems Subtypes on the right-hand side of the pop up to Systems Available on the left-hand side of the pop up.
      3. Click Save & Close.

Environment Selection Panel

The Environments visible on the left-hand side of the panel are linked to the Systems selected in the Release.

To request a booking for Environments and Environment Groups:

1. Use Live Search to filter Environments and Environment Groups:
   
   1. Live Search now searches the following fields and results will be returned for both partial and full matches on search terms:
      • Description
      • Environment Name
      • Environment Group Name
      • Phase Usage
      • Scheduler Display
      • Status
      • System
      • URL
      • Vendor
      • Icon.
   2. Click to select:
      
      1. The Utilized checkbox to Live Search for Environments that are being used.
      2. The Idle checkbox to Live Search for Environments that are not being used.
      3. A Phase from the Is Available for drop-down menu to Live Search for Environments that are free for that Phase.
         
         Administrators can prevent users from viewing and booking Environments and Environment Groups outside their Portfolio Association by selecting the My Portfolio Association checkbox for the Restrict Site-Wide View of Environments user permission. 
2. Users can now use Query Builder to filter their Environments:
   • Query Builder allows users to create and save their own private searches and use public searches. (Users must have the Create/Delete Environment Public Query Builder user permission to create, edit or delete public queries.)
   • To use Query Builder, click the funnel-shaped button  on the TEBR pop up. See Manage Query Builder for more information.
   • Click the right side Query Builder button to open the quick access menu, which lists private and public queries.
3. Click Save on new TEBRs before booking Environments or Environment Groups.
   
   Click to select the Select All checkbox on the left panel to select multiple Environments.
4. Use the checkbox next to each Environment to select individual Environments or the Select All checkbox to select entire Environment Groups. Checked Environments will move together when dragged and dropped.
   It is no longer necessary to turn a Phase to on before dropping Environments.
5. Book:
   
   An Environment or Environment Group with an Environment Booking Blockout cannot be booked between the start and end dates of the Blockout, unless the user has the Book Environments during Blockout permission.
   1. Environments by dragging them by their gray boxes onto Drop Here.
   2.  Environment Groups by dragging them by their name onto Drop Here to book entire Environment Groups at once.
      • See how Environment booking conflicts are defined and what the colors mean.
      • Drop the Environment or Environment Group when you see the green tick.
      • Environment conflicts (meaning that the same Environment or Environment Group has been already booked in another Release or TEBR at the same time) will be visible as red boxes, once you have clicked Save & Close and reopened the window.
        
      • Automatically approved Environments will have the status In Use when booked.
        
        
      • Shared Environments will lack an Environment Availability button when booked.
        
      • If the Environment’s Status has the Unbookable checkbox selected in the Environment Status Customization, or has already been booked, you will not be able to book it.
      • Environments that cannot be booked will display a red circle and slash.
        
      • The availability of the Environment for each Phase is displayed when users select the Phase from the Is Available for drop-down menu.
      • Environments can have child and grandchild Environments. Dragging and dropping an Environment with child and grandchild Environments will drop the parent Environment, and the child and grandchild Environments.
      • Environments panel (on the left) shows Environments organized into Environment Groups and allows users to drag and drop and book whole Environment Groups (or the Environments inside them).
6. Manage booked Environments and Environment Groups:
   
   1. Click the Environment Name to open the Environment pop up.
      
   2. Click the Environment Availability button (on the left) to view the booking in the Environment Schedule.
      
   3. Click the Environment Allocation button (on the right) to open the View/Edit My Environment Booking pop up.
      
      1. Manage Environment booking durations:
         
         1. Click Start Date or End Date to alter the booking duration:
            
            Environment booking Start and End Dates can now be updated so that multiple Environments and Environment Groups with different dates can be booked in the same TEBR.
            • The new Start and End Dates must fit within the overall TEBR duration, which is set in Start Date/Time and End Date/Time above.
              
              See TEBR Mandatory Details Customization for how to allow booking outside the TEBR duration.
            • The Start Date cannot be greater than the End Date.
         2. Update the Environment or Environment Group if desired. Environments or Environment Groups that have already been added to the TEBR will be grayed out.
         3. Update the Status.
            
            The Status panel will be grayed out if the user is not set as an Environment Booking Approver in the Environment’s System.
         4. Click Save & Close.
   4. Remove booked Environments or Environment Groups:
      
      1. In bulk:
         
         1. Click to select one or more checkboxes.
            
         2. Select Delete from the Action drop-down menu.
            
         3. Click Delete on the confirmation prompt to confirm.
      2. One at a time:
         
         1. Click the X.
            
         2. Click Delete on the confirmation prompt to confirm.
   5. To bulk update Environment Bookings:
      
      1. Click to select one or more checkboxes.
         
      2. Select Bulk Update from the Action drop-down menu.
         
      3. Perform one or more of the following actions:
         
         1. Bulk update Dates:
            
            If the Do not allow Booking dates to be out of TEBR duration checkbox in TEBR Mandatory Details Customization is selected, updates to the dates must be within the TEBR’s start and end dates and times. 
            1. Shift Dates:
               
               1. Click to select whether the end dates or the start and end dates should be moved.
               2. Click to select whether the dates should be moved forward or backward.
               3. Type the number of Days.
               4. Click Save & Close.
            2. New Dates:
               
               1. Select a Start Date.
               2. Select an End Date.
               3. Click Save & Close.
         2. Bulk update the Status:
            
            1. Click to select Approved or Rejected:
               • The user must:
                 • Be selected as an Environment Booking Approver in the Environment’s System.
                 • Have the Approve Environment Allocation in Scheduler user permission.
            2. Click Save & Close.
7. Click Save.

On bulk updating the environment booking status or dates, Environment Booking requesters and the relevant stakeholders will receive email notifications. This enables them to view the progress of their bookings.

Comments Tab

The comments tab allows users to comment on the TEBR and answer other user’s comments.

1. Click the Comments tab.
   
2. To add a comment:
   
   1. Type your comment into the Enter Comment Here field.
   2. Click Send.
3. To edit a comment:
   
   1. Click Edit on the comment.
   2. Edit the comment.
   3. Click Update.
4. Delete a comment:
   
   1. Click Delete on the comment.
   2. Click Yes.

Save & Close

1. Click Save & Close.
2. Reopen the TEBR to see Environment conflicts.

View Audit History

Click the clock-shaped button  to view the Audit History of the record.

Copy URL to Clipboard

Users can copy a TEBR URL to the clipboard by clicking the Copy to Clipboard  button on the top right of the pop up.