Some element changes — e.g., cost and provider — require more complex processing than just changing field values, as well as execution on a specific date (e.g., a cost re-rate effective 1st Jan).
Nextian supports such processing via Element Changes — records containing individual element transactions. Element changes have dual role: they store change information for future execution and serve as detailed history records (which can be used for reporting, e.g., element cost uptick over the last year with per-month breakdown).
Element changes are similar to service changes, however they are stored as a separate object and are simpler, e.g., do not create Chatter entries.
The following applies to element changes:
- They are initiated by using quick actions on element details.
- Have a record type determining what the change is (e.g., Change MRC) and fields containing change parameters.
- Have an effective date (which might be in the future).
- If the effective date is immediate or in the past, a change is processed immediately; otherwise, it is queued for execution and processed on the effective date by the Apply Service and Element Changes batch job.
- Executed changes constitute their own history records visible in Element → Related → Element Changes.
Element changes are stored in the Element_Change__c object and have the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Automatically generated change identifier (e.g., EC-000000101). |
| Element | Element to which the change applies. |
| Change Type | Type of change (e.g., Change Provider). |
| Description | Optional, multi-line change description (usually user-provided). |
| Effective Date | Effective date when change should or should have been applied. |
| Is Applied | Checked (true) if the change has already been applied, unchecked (false) indicates that the change still awaits processing for the Apply Service and Element Changes batch job. |
| Applied Date | Auto-populated date and time when the change has been processed and applied. |
| Applied Successfully | Checked (true) if the change was applied successfully; false indicates that there was processing error and Error Message field is set. If a change cannot be applied the operation is not re-tried. |
| Error Message | If the change cannot be applied and a processing error occurs, this fields holds the error message. |
| Other fields depending on Change Type | These carry additional change information usually with new and old values. |
Supported change types
The following element change types are supported: Re-Rate/Change MRC and Change Provider.
Examining element changes
Individual element changes are shown in element’s Related tab.
Undoing a pending change
A pending change with a future effective date that has not been processed can be undone by simply deleting it.
