Auto-assigning records with a button

Question

Hi Everyone,I'm looking to add a function whereby users can click a button and the result is that a record is assigned to the user that clicked the button. The catch is, there are several parameters that users will have to evaluate on their end that we also have to find a way to evaluate on our end. The records are transcription assignments and for now I just want to test different buttons based on the length of the audio file. Length is important because all transcription assignments are typically due same day. So if it's 3 pm, then a transcriber knows they can only accept an assignment that's no longer than 25-minutes to have turned around by the time they sign off at 5 pm.So, is there a way to create a button that says, search all records on the assignments table where the status equals "Awaiting Transcription" and the audio length is less than 25, then sort for the record that was uploaded the earliest, and then assign that record to the user that clicked the button?Does anyone else do something like this?------------------------------Daniel Johnson------------------------------

markshnier__you · Answer

You can have a sort and filter on a report of the Unassigned Transcripts. Quickbase know the current time
ie ToTimeOfDay(now()) and so you can subtract form 5:00 pm and know if the record qualifies to pass the filter at the time of day that the report is run. So the user can be instructed to take the first one at the top of the report.

If you need a button to set a field to the current user, then you could use a URL formula for that. If you need help with that you can post back but you have to let me know how our user would assign a record manually to themselves. What kind of field are they updating?

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Mark Shnier (YQC)
mark.shnier@gmail.com
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danieljohnson2 · Answer

Hey Mark,Thanks for the reply. The process of assigning a record involves changing two fields. One is a User field which is the default user set, and the other is just a text-multiple choice status field. I'm confident I could make the button for that which would be used on the report if I go that route.Is it possible to avoid showing options at all? I'd like the user to click the button and then a few seconds later get the notification email that they have a new assignment. The manager in charge of this process currently performs all the calculations to determine which assignment to give to whom at that moment in his head. He does that because he knows on the backend which assignments are higher priority than others (based on values in fields) and each transcriber's schedule/capacity. The transcribers are independent contractors paid a rate per audio minute. That means their incentive is to work on as many audio minutes as possible, which doesn't always line up with our incentives which are based on client needs.If there's no way to do it without the report, is there a way for the report to only show the top result?------------------------------Daniel Johnson------------------------------

markshnier__you · Answer

:).&nbsp; Yes I know I was trying to slide by with the easy answer. I have heard this question before because you don't want the agent cherry picking the easy Assignments.I think you can have a table with a single record called Take Next Transcript. It will be Record ID# = 1.Make a relationship back to Transcripts based on a formula field = 1 in Transcripts called [Link to Next Transcript (=1)].Then you come up with a formula that awards points for each transcript. Those points can take into account the time of day and other factors. So for example if the transcript is too big to finish before the end of the day you could have a lot of negative points.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then make a summary field on that Relationship of the Max Points, also subject to a filter that the transcript has not already been assigned.Look up Max Point down to Transcripts.Now each Transcript knows if they won the lottery.Now make a summary field of the max Record ID where the points = max points.Now the Magic Record ID# knows the Record ID# of the Next Transcript.We can make a button to assign the transcript to the current user.&nbsp; There is a risk here that two people are selecting at the same time have the magic button on the screen and they both push it and the second one to push it will end up overriding the first. There's probably a way around that but if you get that far we will deal with it.&nbsp;&nbsp;------------------------------Mark Shnier (YQC)mark.shnier@gmail.com------------------------------

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Auto-assigning records with a button