When creating and editing workspaces, what are controls used for?

Environment:

Workspace Control Items

Resolution:

When configuring workspaces, controls allow you to add items that affect the layout of items in your workspace. This includes adding features such as tab sets, spacers, tables, title bars, panels, and reports. 

Different types of controls have different type of properties associated with them. For example, when you drag a title bar control into the workspace, you can add the title in the control.  You can also control the appearance of the text, including the color, height, and column span.

For more information on editing workspace properties, refer to Answer ID 2518: Setting Properties in Workspaces.

Types of controls:  The controls listed below can be added to any type of workspace. The control options do not vary for the different types of workspaces available.

	Browser: Lets you add a browser window to the workspace. Using the Properties options, you can define the URL for the browser that appears in the workspace.
	Panel: Lets you group fields or items together in a specific section of the workspace. You can nest a panel within a table and then add multiple fields to the panel, using a scroll bar to view all fields.
	Report: Inserts a report you select into the workspace. The report uses the current record and must contain at least one fixed filter for the primary identification types for the workspace type. For example, reports used in an incident workspace must have a fixed filter on incident ID, contact ID, or organization ID.
	Spacer: Used to add white space, fill gaps within a workspace, or hold a place for a field you want to insert later. When you create a workspace, spacers have a light gray background to let you know where they are. When a staff member opens a record, the spacers are not visible because they are the same color as the background. You can move or delete a spacer just as you can move and delete other fields and controls.
	Tab set:  Lets you add multiple tab sets or nested tab sets to your workspace.
	Table:  Lets you add a table to form a grid for the workspace or nest one table in another.
	Text:  Adds a text block. Using the Properties options, you can define the background color, text alignment, and content. The text control is similar to the title bar, except that its default background color and font match the workspace it is used on rather than the heading style used by the title bar.
	Title Bar:  Adds a text block that can be used for headers or sections within tabs, panels, or tables. Using the Properties options, you can define the background color, text alignment, and content. By default, the title bar control uses a heading style font and a different background color than the rest of the workspace.

Important: Deleting controls or moving controls to another location can cause vertical or horizontal collapse. If the control is the last field in a row, if you remove the item, the row is deleted and vertical collapse occurs. Similarly, if the control is the last field in a column, horizontal collapse occurs, which deletes the column.

To modify controls in a workspace:  Open the workspace for editing. From the Common Administration Items, select Application Appearance > Workspaces. Then, in the right frame, right click on the workspace and click Edit.

To customize a standard workspace, you must first copy the standard workspace and edit the copy. Then, you must update the appropriate staff profiles to use your newly-created workspace.

• To add a control to a workspace: Click the Insert Controls tab from the ribbon and drag and drop the control onto the workspace 
  
  
• To move a control: Select the control you want to move, keeping the left mouse button depressed, and drag the control to its new location.  Release the mouse button to position the control in its new location.
  
  
• To remove a control: In the workspace, click on the control you want to delete and press Delete or right-click the control and select Delete.
  
  
• To resize a control, use the Size menu in the ribbon (when available).