How To Topic

Creating a Client Interview

To gather data from an external client, you send a client interview. When you create a client interview, Advance generates a personal link to the interview to send to your external user.

The steps depend on the user interface your work group uses. Work groups that an administrator has configured for multi-template work items use the new UI. All other work groups use the classic UI, in which Advance also opens an email containing the link.

You can only create a client interview if a Site Administrator has enabled this feature.
You can only use passphrase authentication if a Site Administrator has enabled this feature.
You can only use SMS authentication if a Site Administrator has enabled this feature.

To create a client interviewNew UI

1. Open the work item you want to send a client interview for. To create a new work item, see Creating a work item.
2. Click Client interview.

   The Client interview button is available only if a Site Administrator has enabled client interviews. It is disabled while another interview is open or in progress on the work item, and it is hidden while a client interview is active.

3. If the work item has more than one template, select the template to send to your client, and then click Next. If the work item has one template, Advance skips this step.
4. Select the client, and then click Next. If a client is already assigned to the work item, for example because you revoked a previous client interview, Advance skips this step.
   • To send the client interview to an existing client, select Existing client and select the client from the drop-down list. The list shows the first 50 clients. Type in the field to search.
   • To add a new client, select New client and enter the client's details:
     • Title (optional)
     • First name (required)
     • Last name (required)
     • Email address (required)
     • Mobile region and Mobile number (optional, but required for SMS code authentication)
5. If your Advance site has client interview authentication enabled, choose the authentication method, and then click Next:
   • SMS code - available if a Site Administrator has enabled SMS code authentication. Advance displays the client's mobile number next to the option. If the client does not have a mobile number, you cannot continue with this option. Add the number in Manage clients.
   • Passphrase - enter a passphrase for the client interview. Passphrase authentication is the default method when it is enabled. The passphrase cannot be blank or contain the < or > characters. Advance removes any spaces at the start or end of the passphrase.
   • No authentication - the client can open the interview without entering a passphrase or code.
6. Review the details, and then click Create link.

Advance creates the client interview and displays the client interview banner on the work item. If you entered a new client, Advance creates the client first. If Advance cannot create the client, the dialog stays open and displays an error at the top.

To send the link to your client:

1. In the client interview banner, click Copy link. Advance displays a notification to confirm that the link is copied.
2. Paste the link into an email or other message to your client.

In the new UI, Advance does not send the link or open your email client for you. If you chose passphrase authentication, you must let your client know the passphrase separately, e.g. in a telephone call. Do not include the passphrase in the same email as the link.

To create a client interviewClassic UI

You can also create a client interview from an existing work item. In the work item details pane, click Client Interview.

1. From the Work groups section, select a Work group.
2. In the upper-right corner of the screen, click  Create new work item.
3. Type a new work item Name.
4. In the Template drop-down list, click a template.
5. (Optional) Select the sharing settings of your work item.
6. (Optional) Upload an answer set to use as a set of initial answers for the new work item.
7. Click Save.
8. Click Client interview.
9. Enter the client's details:
   • If you are sending a client interview to an existing client:
     1. In the Existing client tab, select an existing client's details from the drop-down list. Type in the field to search.
   • If you need to add the client's details:
   1. 1. In the New client tab, enter the following client details:
         • Title (required)
         • First name (required)
         • Last name (required)
         • Email address (required)

         • Cell/mobile number and region (required for SMS authentication)

10. (Optional) If your Advance site has client interview authentication enabled, you can select the kind of authentication you require of the user:

    1. Click Next.
    2. Choose the authentication method:
       • SMS code
       • Passphrase authentication
       • No authentication needed
    3. If choosing SMS code authentication, ensure you have entered the client's telephone number. Either click Back to return to the client details window, or use the Manage client page to edit an existing client.
    4. If choosing passphrase authentication, enter a passphrase for the client interview.
       • You must let your client know this passphrase, e.g. in a telephone call, so they can access the interview.
       • If you do not provide a passphrase, the client will not be prompted to enter a passphrase on clicking the link.
11. Click Email.

Your email client opens displaying a template email with a link. You can edit the email text before sending; do not edit the link.

• • Alternatively, you can choose to copy the link into another email or document:
    1. In the work item action bar, click Copy link.

The link is copied to your clipboard.

Advance creates a client interview.

While a client interview is active, the launch interview buttons on template rows are disabled. Hovering over a disabled button displays the tooltip "Cannot access interview while client interview exists." The buttons are re-enabled after you revoke the client interview.

The link expires, if not clicked, after 96 hours by default. Edit the Site Settings to change the default expiry time.

Workflow for the external client

The external client:

1. Receives the link, for example in an email, and clicks it.

2. (Optional) If client interview authentication is required:

   1. Enters the passphrase.

3. or

   1. Enters the last 4 digits of their cell/mobile number.

   2. Enters the code sent via SMS to their device.

4. Opens the interview in their browser.
5. Inputs data using a simplified version of the Advance user interface.
6. (Optional) Saves progress without submitting:
   1. Clicks Save progress.
7. Clicks Submit.

Advance submits the interview answers and generates a document.

The client's details show in the Updated field in the details pane.

You cannot access the data until the external user submits their interview.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Your email does not openClassic UI

When you click Email, your email does not open, or opens in the wrong programme.

Solution:

Ensure you have the correct default email client selected on your computer.

Problem: A "Client interview limit reached" message is displayedNew UI

When you click Client interview, Advance displays a message that you have reached your client interview limit and does not let you create a client interview.

Solution:

You have used your allowance of client interviews for the current billing period. The message shows the date and time your allowance resets. You can create client interviews again after that time. Contact your Site Administrator if you need more client interviews. See Billing.

Problem: A message says your site does not have an active client interview subscriptionNew UI

When you create a client interview, Advance displays a message that your site does not have an active client interview subscription.

Solution:

Your site's client interview subscription does not exist, has expired, or has not started yet. Contact your Site Administrator.