The design of the workflow of these tasks is as follows:

• First, a contact will be entered into the loan system for the potential borrower. A Work Packet will be entered onto that contact. This is the Loan Origination work packet. It will contain visual basic scripting code that will automatically generate an Originate Loan task. This task will have its own code to generate a Loan Application task.
• The Loan Application task will contain user-defined fields that will allow the Loan System user to track the status of the application, and when the task has been modified to show that the application has been completed, the task will create three new tasks: Verify Employment, Verify Deposit, and Verify Credit.
• The code of each of these tasks is designed so that no further automated action will be taken until all three tasks have been completed. Once the borrower’s employment has been satisfactorily verified, and the borrower’s bank account has also been verified, and the credit report has been acquired, the next automated action will occur and will depend on the results of the credit score that was entered on the Verify Credit task.
• If the credit score is less than 650, a Loan Denied task will be generated. This task will require a system user to generate the denial letter and close out the application.
• If the credit score is greater than 750, a Loan Approval task will be generated. This will automatically generate another task that will require the creation of loan documents so that the loan may be created and funded.
• If the credit score is between 650 and 750, a task is automatically generated called “Loan Committee.” On this task there is a user-defined drop down field that will allow an NLS user to enter the decision of the Loan committee. Based on the decision entered in this field, either a Loan Denied or a Loan Approval task will be created.

The following sections will illustrate how to set up some of the work packet and task templates for these tasks.

Configuring the Work Packet Template

We begin by configuring a template for the work packets that will contain all of the tasks for the loan application and approval process.

First, we add a new work packet template called LOAN ORIGINATION. Since this work packet will only be added to contacts, we select the contact template type.

The Work Packets that are created by this template will be used only to hold the tasks that will be under it, so none of the data fields on the Work Packet will be populated. Therefore, we can check the “Hide” parameter on all of the user-defined fields for this work packet template.

When added to a contact, Work Packets that are created by this template will automatically create a task called ORIGINATE LOAN. The scripting to create this task is set to execute “After Create.”

The After Create Script

Set Task = nlsApp.Tasks.New(1)
nlsApp.Tasks.BeginTransaction
Task.WorkPacketRefno = current_work_packet_refno
Task.StatusCodeID = 1
Task.NLSRefno = nlsApp.GetField("CIF_REFNO")
If (Task.Save = -1) Then
    nlsApp.Tasks.RollbackTransaction
Else
    nlsApp.Tasks.CommitTransaction
End If

Script Explanation

The Originate Loan Task Template

The Work Packet Template for Loan Origination automatically creates a task using the Originate Loan Task Template. If it attempts to do so before that task has been configured, it will cause an error.

First, we add a new task template called ORIGINATE LOAN. Since this Task will only be added to contacts, we select the contact template type.

We set the Label for User-Defined Field #1 to “Loan Status.” Make the Default Value “Needs Application.” Make the field type a Drop-Down Field. In the items list for this field, we create the options: Needs Application, Application Complete, Pending Verification, In Committee, Loan Denied, and Loan Approved. The value of this user-defined field will be automatically updated by the other tasks in the workflow as appropriate.

That is the only user-defined field needed for this task, so the rest are set to hidden.

This task is supposed to stay open during the entire loan approval process. Another task, just for the application must be created, so we place scripting on this task to do so. This script is also set to “After Create.”

The After Create Script

Set Task = nlsApp.Tasks.New(2)
nlsApp.Tasks.BeginTransaction
Task.WorkPacketRefno = current_work_packet_refno
Task.StatusCodeID = 1
Task.NLSRefno = nlsApp.GetField("CIF_REFNO")
If (Task.Save = -1) Then
    nlsApp.Tasks.RollbackTransaction
Else
    nlsApp.Tasks.CommitTransaction
End If

This script is identical to the one on the Loan Origination Work Packet except that the task created by it uses task template #2 (Loan Application) instead of task template #1 (Originate Loan).

The Loan Application Task Template

The task template for the Loan Application tasks must be configured prior to adding the work packet on any contact, as the work packet will automatically set up an Originate Loan task, and the Originate Loan task will automatically set up a Loan Application Task. If the Loan system tries to set up a task using this template before the template is configured, an error would result.

First, we add a new task template called LOAN APPLICATION. Since this Task will only be added to contacts, we select the contact template type.

We set the label for User-Defined Field #1 to App Status. Make the Default Value “Send App.” Make the field type a Drop-Down Field. In the items list for this field, we create the options: Send App, App Sent, App Received, App Incomplete, and App Complete. The value of this user-defined field is to be updated by the NLS users as the application status changes. When they set the status to “App Complete” the scripting will automatically create the tasks for the next phase.

That is the only user-defined field needed for this task, so the rest are set to hidden.

When the Application Status is set to “App Complete,” and this task is marked as finished, the tasks to verify employment, deposit, and credit score will be automatically created by the scripting on this task, which is set to “After Save” since it must be run any time a modification is made to this task.

The After Save Script

SET CurrentTask = nlsApp.Tasks.Open(current_task_refno)
IF (CurrentTask.UDF1 = "APP COMPLETE" AND CurrentTask.StatusCodeID <> 2) THEN
    nlsApp.Tasks.BeginTransaction
    Error_Found = 0
    SET Task = nlsApp.Tasks.New(3)
    Task.WorkPacketRefno = current_work_packet_refno
    Task.StatusCodeID = 1
    Task.NLSRefno = CurrentTask.NLSRefno
    IF (Task.Save = -1) THEN
        Error_Found = 1
    END IF
    SET Task = nlsApp.Tasks.New(4)
    Task.WorkPacketRefno = current_work_packet_refno
    Task.StatusCodeID = 1
    Task.NLSRefno = CurrentTask.NLSRefno
    IF (Task.Save = -1) THEN
        Error_Found = 1
    END IF
    SET Task = nlsApp.Tasks.New(5)
    Task.WorkPacketRefno = current_work_packet_refno
    Task.StatusCodeID = 1
    Task.NLSRefno = CurrentTask.NLSRefno
    IF (Task.Save = -1) THEN
        Error_Found = 1
    END IF
    CurrentTask.CompletionDate = NOW
    CurrentTask.StatusCodeID = 2
    IF (CurrentTask.Save = -1) THEN
        Error_Found = 1
    END IF
    IF (Error_Found = 1) THEN
        nlsApp.Tasks.RollbackTransaction
    ELSE
        nlsApp.Tasks.CommitTransaction
    END IF
END IF

Script Explanation

Remaining Task Templates

The rest of the required task templates for the example we have described are configured with their appropriate scripting code.

Once all of the tasks have been completely configured and all of the necessary scripting has been added, these tasks and work packets may be used. The use of these tasks is entirely driven by the scripting that has been entered on them, so our example will continue with the Loan Origination tasks.

Since the Work Packet and Task templates that we have added are configured as Contact only templates, we must add the Contact for our potential borrower first.

Click under in the ribbon bar and select Add Work Packet once the contact has been added. If the Loan Origination Work Packet is the only one on the system, it will come up automatically. Otherwise, you will need to pick from the various work packet templates that you have configured.

The entire bottom section of the Work Packet is blank because we have configured the Work Packet Template to have all of its user-defined fields hidden, since they were not needed.

Click OK to add the work packet to the Contact.

Once the Work Packet has been added to the Contact, it may be viewed from two different places.

The Task tab of the Contact toggles between Work Packets that are on that Contact and Tasks that are on that Contact. To view the Work Packet from here, query the Contact, click the Task tab, and then click Work Packet.

You may bring the screen for the individual Work Packet back up by double clicking the Work Packet in the list.

The second place from which the work packet may be accessed is the Inbox . In the tree of the Inbox, click on Work Packets. Then click to bring up the list of all currently existing Work Packets.

By clicking on next to a work packet, we can see any tasks that exist under this work packet.

Double click the work packet to view the work packet.

This task has a field for application status that is designed to allow the NLS user to track the loan application through various phases. First, the status shows that an application needs to be sent to the customer. Once it has been sent, the status is changed to reflect that fact. When the application has been returned from the customer and deemed to be complete, the change of its status to reflect this causes three new tasks to be automatically created.

Change the App Status to APP COMPLETE, and click . This will cause the scripting behind this task to be executed, and that scripting is (in this case) designed to create three new tasks.

Do a new query of the Inbox to view the new tasks that have been created.

This concludes our example of Configuring and using Work Packets and Tasks.

For help on configuring your own tasks, call Nortridge Software Customer Support.