Archer Archer-Expert - Archer Certified Administrator-Expert

Mail Merge Templates are the specific feature in Archer designed to bridge the gap between Archer record data and Microsoft Office documents. According to the Archer Administration II curriculum, these templates allow administrators to upload a Word .docx file containing "mail merge tags" that correspond to Archer field aliases.

When a user triggers the mail merge (via the Export button on a record), Archer dynamically replaces those tags with the actual data from the record and generates a finished document. This is the standard method for producing formal reports, certificates, or letters that require specific corporate branding and formatting that cannot be achieved with a standard CSV or PDF export. On Demand Notification Templates (Option C) are for emails, and Scheduled Report Distributions (Option B) are for sending saved Archer reports on a timer, not for creating formatted Word documents based on a single record's context.

Dynamic Filtering is a sophisticated feature that allows Archer to filter data based on the context of the current record or the current user. In Archer Administration II , this is highlighted as a tool for improving the user experience by reducing "data noise."

Record Lookup (A): Allows you to filter the available records in a lookup based on a value in the current record (e.g., only show "Users" that belong to the "Department" selected on the form).

Calculated Cross Reference (B): Uses dynamic logic to automatically link records based on matching field values.

Report Object (C): When a report is placed on a record as a "Record-Level Report," Dynamic Filtering ensures the report only shows data related to that specific record (e.g., showing only "Findings" related to "Asset A" when viewing Asset A).

Advanced Search (D) does NOT support Dynamic Filtering in the same "contextual" sense; Advanced Searches use static filters or "Current User" filters, but they do not dynamically react to field values in a specific source record during the search build process like the other three objects.

In the Questionnaires and Assessment Maintenance curriculum, the Question Library acts as a "blueprint" for the final assessment. When you add a record to the Library, you aren't just adding text; you are defining the metadata for a future field.

The Question Type (e.g., Numeric, Values List, Text) and Display Format (e.g., Radio Buttons vs. Dropdown) are mandatory because they tell the Archer platform how to dynamically generate the user interface when a Questionnaire is launched. When a target record is created from a template, Archer looks at these library fields to determine which database column types to use and how the web browser should render the interaction. Without this information, the system would not know whether to provide a text box for a comment or a list of "Yes/No" options for the respondent.

The Mail Merge functionality in Archer allows administrators to take record data and push it into a pre-formatted Word or PDF template. This is a common requirement for generating formal "Exception Letters" or "Audit Reports."

As taught in the Archer Administration II curriculum, when a user is viewing a record and wishes to generate one of these documents, they must click the Export button. Upon clicking Export, the user is presented with several options: standard exports (like CSV or Rich Text) and any Mail Merge Templates that have been associated with that specific application and made available to the user's role. Option B (Email) is used for sending on-demand notifications, not for generating formatted document templates based on Word/PDF layouts.

The manual Data Import tool has specific structural limitations compared to the more robust Data Feed Manager. As taught in Archer Administration II , Data Imports are designed to handle standard Applications and their associated Sub-Forms .

When importing into an application that contains a sub-form, the administrator can map source columns to the sub-form fields to create multiple sub-form line items for a single parent record. However, Questionnaires (Option A, B, and D) cannot be populated via the standard Data Import tool. Questionnaires utilize a unique "Target/Assessment" architecture that requires either manual launching via a Campaign or the use of the Data Feed Manager with a specialized "Questionnaire" transporter. Because the Data Import tool lacks the ability to handle the complex relationship between the Question Library, the Questionnaire Template, and the Target record, it is restricted to standard application and sub-form data ingestion.

In Archer, not every field created in an application is automatically indexed for searching. Within the Field Properties (General Tab), there is a checkbox titled "Searchable." As taught in Archer Administration II , if this option is unchecked, the field will be invisible to the Advanced Search tool.

This is often done by administrators to improve system performance or to hide technical "helper" fields (like those used in calculations or DDEs) that have no business value for end-user reporting. If a field is missing from the "Available" list in the search builder, the administrator must go back to the Application Builder, edit the field's properties, and ensure the "Searchable" checkbox is enabled. Option B (Key Field) would actually make the field more prominent, and Options C and D do not control the visibility of fields within the Advanced Search interface.

Actions by E-mail (ABE) is a feature designed to allow executives and busy stakeholders to progress a workflow without logging into the Archer UI. According to the Advanced Workflow Beyond the Basics course, ABE notifications include specific "action buttons" (e.g., Approve, Reject, Needs More Info).

When a user clicks a button, a new email is generated with a unique encoded string. If the user types a message in that reply email, the Archer Mail Processing Service parses the response. It not only moves the record to the next node based on the button clicked but also captures any text the user typed and appends it to the Workflow Action History (or a designated "Comments") field. This ensures that the rationale for the decision is audited within the record. Option A is incomplete because it ignores the comment-capturing capability, and Option C is incorrect because ABE does not support complex UI elements like drop-down menus within the email client.

The Archer Web Services Transporter is used for "Archer-to-Archer" data feeds. For the "Load Fields" button to work, Archer must be able to successfully authenticate and connect to the source instance's API to retrieve the report metadata.

As detailed in the Archer Administration II Data Feed module, if no fields appear, it almost always indicates a communication failure between the Feed Manager and the Web Service. The Transport Configuration section (found on the Source Connection tab) contains the critical connection details: the Base URL, the Instance Name, and the User Credentials. If the credentials are incorrect, the URL is mistyped, or the "Session Token" cannot be generated, Archer cannot "see" the source report's structure, and thus the field list will remain empty. Checking the connection settings is the primary troubleshooting step before looking at filters or target mappings.

In the Advanced Workflow Beyond the Basics curriculum, the Wait for Content Update node is identified as the primary tool for time-based automation. While its name suggests it is waiting for a user to change a field, its secondary function is to act as a SLA (Service Level Agreement) timer .

Within the node configuration, an administrator can define an "Escalation" or "Timeout" path. You can set a specific duration (e.g., 5 days). If the expected content update does not occur within that timeframe, the node "times out" and automatically reroutes the record down a secondary transition path—typically to a manager's review or an automated notification. While a User Action node (Option B) can have a "due date," it does not automatically move the record to a different path solely based on time without the Wait for Content Update node logic. Update Content (Option D) and Send Notification (Option A) nodes are instantaneous actions and do not possess the ability to "pause" and monitor for duration.