Re: Using scripting block to reformat/compile data into a text output

Ross_Collins · ‎Mar 04, 2020

Now that the scripting block is available I’ve been trying to learn how it could fit into our workflow. We are building loads for delivery drivers to pick up and deliver.
This screenshot is stripped down to just the information that we send the drivers and is a small data set for a visual. (Normally it would involve 4-5 drivers with 2-3 loads each)
After orders(records) are grouped into loads, a driver and a farm are assigned. Then someone manually text messages the information to the drivers in the format shown in the word document on the right side of the screenshot.
I feel like there must be a way to use a script to reformat the table data into the text message ready format. Totaling pallets for each load and showing which farm to go to. Then showing the destinations under that with their respective quantities.

Bonus would be an SMS service to just send the driver the information in the new format.

Is this possible? reasonable? Alternate route?

Thank you.

Bill_French · ‎Mar 04, 2020

Absolutely - Script Block can handle all of this and the SMS interface as well.

Creating nicely formatted text extractions are pretty straightforward with javascript and calling into Twilio or another SMS platform is a simple matter of HTTPS POSTs.

I don’t mean to make it sound simple, but just to suggest that this would be a good strategy as long as you are comfortable with people running the script as opposed to a fully automated process which will eventually/likely be possible too.