Author vs dedicated field
In my opinion, the use of the author field is limited to the audit trail
Posts by Year
2025
Custom Gantt chart and the dashboard filter widget
In this post I will focus on how we can make use of the filter widget in combination with a custom Gantt chart.
Custom Gantt chart on a dashboard
Interested in rendering data as a Gantt chart on a dashboard?
Modal dialog for dashboards
A variation of the modal dialog for the dashboard
Adding hotkeys to WEBCON BPS 2025
When you are upgrading to 2025 you want to execute save, edit, close with a hotkey. ;)
Upgrade WEBCON BPS 2022 to 2025
Installation
Data migration and deactivated users
Three options to handle removed and/or deactivated users when migrating data to WEBCON BPS.
Integrating Excel into a process
A show case on how to integrate Excel into process
Generate SharePoint save file names
Are you uploading documents to SharePoint? Make sure the file name characters are valid.
Full screen mode
You don’t see enough? Open the workflow instance in full screen mode.
Dynamic form layout change
Dynamically changing the form layout in WEBCON BPS 2025
SharePoint Online certificate authentication
Extending WEBCON BPS 2025 with certificate authentication.
SharePoint Online REST API integration
Setup an App Registration and accessing SharePoint REST API
Future ‘proof’ customizations (JS/CSS)
Oh, my customization is broken in the new version, where have I been using it?
Reduced item list size (width)
Tired of scrolling to the right? This may be an alternative for you.
2024
VS Code: Execute default search & replace with a key
RIP: Code formatting brakes variables in VS Code
Is field value unique
A business rule which checks whether a field value is unique.
BC OData transactional $batch requests limitation
If this would only be true in all cases: Transactional $batch requests are useful in scenarios where a single business operation spans multiple requests, bec...
Dynamics CRM style tabs
Custom tab logic which provides more flexibility for rendering of the groups inside a tab.
Updated ‘user experience improvements’ for WEBCON BPS 2025
The most common ‘user experience improvements’ have been updated for WEBCON BPS 2025: Breadcrumb, Colorize paths, Missing comment handler, Modal dialog, Unif...
Update database compatibility level
The compatibility level needs to be updated for existing databases manually.
Info panel extensions
Additional information: Has the user viewed the task, start a Teams chat, hover over a group to view it’s members.
WEBCON BPS 2025 Change log excerpt and thoughts
This is an excerpt of the change log and my thoughts on it.
Start Teams chat with support
Start a chat with the support team from a form. :)
Start Teams chat from user fields
Do you need to call/chat with a person mentioned in a workflow? Just click on the field. :)
Start Teams chat with assigned users
Do you need to chat or call a task owner via Teams? Just click on it.
Show all attachments with collapsed folders
Describes how showing related attachments work and how to display those by default with collapsed folders.
Show comments in reports
WEBCON BPS 2024 added the option to view the last comment. We can achieve a similar result in earlier version, too.
Custom user icon for new tasks
Returning from vacation and you have no idea, whether someone has even looked at their assigned tasks? Let’s change the icon in the info panel.
Conditional editing/deleting of item list rows
If you have an item list in which some rows shouldn’t be deleted, this post is for you.
Import applications using an application
Why should we import an application with a process? It’s not only because we can.
Import application using PowerShell and REST API
WEBCON BPS 2024 added public APIs to import application packages. Here you find the documentation of my PowerShell based solution.
WEBCON BPS 2024 Change log excerpt and thoughts
This is an excerpt of the change log and my thoughts on it.
Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate and IIS
Creating a checklist to define which artifacts need to be copied from on configuration database to another.
Checklist for copying artifacts to another config database
Creating a checklist to define which artifacts need to be copied from on configuration database to another.
Change service account
Changing the service account can be done using ‘Tools and application management’.
Handling translations in WEBCON BPS
An overview of the different to provide translations for user interface (custom and default), data and SDK.
Ask me Anything: 14th May
Announcement of my first Ask me anything WEBCON BPS YouTube live event.
Automated UI Tests for WEBCON BPS - Part three data generation
The topic of the third post is about generating the form data which should be used for a step. A side project was to generate classes from the swagger.json.
Automated UI Tests for WEBCON BPS - Part two
The second post of my series of using Playwright from Microsoft for WEBCON BPS.
Automated UI Tests for WEBCON BPS - First steps
This is the starting post for automated UI test of WEBCON BPS using Playwright from Microsoft.
Graphical cues
Text is good, colors and icons are better. Ideas for using existing and extended graphical cues to enhance the user experience..
Get current comment
How to get the current comment, and not only the latest comment.
Related workflows
This is an overview of my approach to work with related workflows.
Delete complex workflows
This is a short overview, of the easiest way to delete a complex application I found.
Adding a help page
How would I add a help page to a process”. This post answers the question with a reusable approach.
Space horizontal fields in groups evenly
By default the horizontal fields are spaced depending on the content. This may result in not ideal styling.
Displaying HTML elements only in admin mode
Display HTML elements like Statistics only in admin mode using CSS variables or form rules.
Ask me Anything: 23rd January
Announcement of my first Ask me anything WEBCON BPS YouTube live event.
Limit number of item list rows
Limit the number of rows which can be added to an item list.
2023
WEBCON BPS 2023 R3 webinar notes
These are my notes I have taken during the webinar on 2023-12-12.
Setting target fields with a drop down
Use case depending alternative for setting target columns in an item list via a drop down. This can drastically improve performance.
I 💗 WEBCON BPS series: Conclusion
This post is the conclusion of my LinkedIn post series I 💗 WEBCON BPS.
I 💗 WEBCON BPS series: Part 13-16
This post contains part 13-16 of my LinkedIn post series I 💗 WEBCON BPS.
I 💗 WEBCON BPS series: Part 09-12
This post contains part 09-12 of my LinkedIn post series I 💗 WEBCON BPS.
I 💗 WEBCON BPS series: Part 05-08
This post contains part 05-08 of my LinkedIn post series I 💗 WEBCON BPS.
I 💗 WEBCON BPS series: Part 01-04
This post contains part 01-04 of my LinkedIn post series I 💗 WEBCON BPS.
Unicode formatted text to ascii
An PowerShell version to convert Unicode characters to ascii.
Copy a database
A checklist on how to copy/restore a WEBCON process database. The process database was formerly known as content database.
Adding grid to form tables
Adding a grid to item list / data table can improve readability.
Revised changing left/right layout
This is an easier and more flexible approach to change the form layout.
Hide navigation elements with ‘global’ JS
A proof of concept for injecting global JavaScript which hides navigation elements.
Where’s my log
This post provides information where you can find which log information.
UX form rules revised / 2023 R2 compatible
This post describes the changes necessary for BPS 2023 R2 while reflecting the gained inside in the ‘Bandwidth usage’ post.
Bandwidth usage
This post attempts to raise the awareness of how you can reduce the bandwidth consumption.
Password field
I’ve created a plugin for using a single line of text field as a password field. The value is encrypted on the server before it’s stored in the database. The...
Complete fields with errors
You forgot to fill out two required fields in some groups/tabs? Simply tab through them.
Simplification of entering a missing comment
You forgot a comment? There’s no longer a need to leave the error dialog. Enter it and continue.
Has field value changed rule
Do something, if the value of a field has actually been changed.
Copy an attachment to another workflow
This post covers the REST option to copy an attachment from the current workflow to another.
Updated ‘user experience improvements’
An overview about changes to ‘user experience improvements’ after moving to WEBCON BPS 2023.
Updating to BPS 2023
This post is a summary of all the changes we had to implement after updating to WEBCON BPS 2023.
Migrating field values
This post may help you, if you need to migrate a field value from one type to another. Or if you need to copy a ‘local’ field to a global field.
A breadcrumb for navigating workflow hierarchy
An alternative navigation between a workflow hierarchy using a breadcrumb
Comments to data table and PDF
An example on how to display comments of multiple workflows in one place and printing them to a PDF report.
Searching 317,000 files with PowerShell in 9 seconds
Developer hell: 101,509 folders with 797,422 files and no way to search them using a simple string…
Freeze item list column
This is a short post about how to freeze an item list column when scrolling right.
Revised uniform path button styling
This is a revised, simplified version to create a unified path styling across all applications.
2022
Modal dialog v3
Third approach to for a modal dialog to start workflows, use wizard steps and creating new picker field entries.
Delete selected workflows
With this template you can define workflows which should be deleted. Each child is retrieved, can be reviewed and than everything will be deleted after confi...
Open Designer Studio in a specific version
An easy option to create version specific Designer Studio shortcuts to target different environments.
Debug a web service data source alternative
This post shows an alternative option to inspect web service communication from WEBCON BPS with other system. It will also work with WEBCONAPPS.
Debug a web service data source
How to view web service communication from WEBCON BPS with other systems. Business Central is used as a data source with filter mode ‘web service’.
Remove item list rows
Description of the custom SDK action to remove specified rows from an item list.
Adding a new choice field value without leaving the page
An approach for creating a new choice field value, without navigating to another page. Works on a mobile, too.
Testing WEBCON BPS updates
An approach on how to test the most basic functionalities after installing a new WEBCON BPS version.
Update log4j using a PowerShell script
A short explanation of a PS script which can be used to automate the update of log4j files used by SOLR.
2021
Little excel helpers for WEBCON BPS
A description of a few helpers to speed up some SQL commands for WEBCON BPS.
Unified save experience
A how to about always displaying a save button in the top toolbar as well as a a save button in the ‘Available paths’ area.
JavaScript form rule execution on page load
This posts describe an approach to hide standard elements on page load which can not be hidden with the provided form rules.
Unattended OnPrem license deployment to multiple server instances
If you are staying up late, to deploy a new BC license outside working hours you should read this post.
Custom template for generated process documentation
This is a post about creating a template so that the generated process documentation follows the corporate design.
Retrieving a value from a PowerShell action
A short explanation on how to retrieve a value from a PowerShell action.
Deploying assemblies to GAC
This post describes an approach to deploy assemblies to the GAC.
Deploying database scripts
This post describes an approach to transfer database artifacts, which are not part of the application package.
Subscribing to reports
Receive a report on a schedule by mail.
Quickly search a website using a search engine
Quickly search your current (public) website using your favorite search engine.
OBSOLETE - Bring erroneous fields to the front
Default behavior in later WEBCON BPS versions. Options are explained to display fields that have triggered an error to the user. Even if they are located on ...
Reusable feedback mail
An example on how to create a feedback button which opens a mail and can be reused across all applications.
Virtual meeting pause countdown
A short explanation of the PowerShell script to display the left time of a pause in a browser.
Business Entities (Companies/Subsidiaries) in WEBCON BPS
How the same workflow can be used by multiple Business Entities (Companies/Subsidiaries) in WEBCON BPS.
Transfer Microsoft To Do tasks from one account to another
A How To of transferring Microsoft To Do task between accounts.
Uniform path button styling
This post describes a way to define path button style in way that it can be reused across all applications.
Building Business Processes with WEBCON BPS – an expert guide: Part 7 - Parent Workflow - Starting sub workflows & monitoring column
A multi-part blog post to share expert information based on the creation of a business process.
Building Business Processes with WEBCON BPS – an expert guide: Part 6 - Sub Workflow - User assignment task
A multi-part blog post to share expert information based on the creation of a business process.
Building Business Processes with WEBCON BPS – an expert guide: Part 5 - Parent Workflow - Getting translations & supervisor
A multi-part blog post to share expert information based on the creation of a business process.
Html 5 Video play control without extension
Loading a html5 video play control without extensions
Building Business Processes with WEBCON BPS – an expert guide: Part 4 - Parent Workflow - Identify workflows by selected user
A multi-part blog post to share expert information based on the creation of a business process.
Building Business Processes with WEBCON BPS – an expert guide: Part 3 - Parent Workflow - Prototype changes and task retrieval
A multi-part blog post to share expert information based on the creation of a business process.
Building Business Processes with WEBCON BPS – an expert guide: Part 2 - Prototype implementation via Designer Desk
A multi-part blog post to share expert information based on the creation of a business process.
Building Business Processes with WEBCON BPS – an expert guide: Part 1 - Introduction and Use Case
A multi-part blog post to share expert information based on the creation of a business process.
How to populate an item list from an XML file
This post describes an SDK Custom Action which populates an item list with data read from an XML attachment.
2020
Yet another simple punch clock
A punch clock which is triggered by a simple click in the notification area.
Internal server error after installation
Invalid web.config line -1 error after installation BPS Standalone