An Action is the verb on a panel. Where a Field shows or stores a value, an Action moves the user, runs a query, stamps metadata across the selection, or opens a URL. Every Action is rendered as a button the user clicks.
This article is the reference for every Action type and every option. For the conceptual material on Actions, see 02b — Component types. For the full visual treatment of how to build a button into a panel, see 03c — Your first panel and the worked examples in section 11.
Options shared by every Action type
Every Action type shares a baseline set of options. Each type-specific section below adds to this set.
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Display name | The label on the button. Be explicit about what happens when the user clicks |
| Always on | When on, the button is enabled even when no asset is selected. Use for navigation and global actions; leave off for actions that operate on the selection |
| Disabled | When on, the button is permanently disabled. Acts as a hard override |
| Disable condition | A Lucene query against the selected asset’s metadata. When true, the button is greyed out |
| Disabled message | Text shown under the button when it is disabled. Always set this — a silent disable confuses users |
| Confirmation popup | When on, a confirmation dialog appears before the action runs |
| Confirmation message | The dialog text. Make it specific — what the action will do, and why it cannot easily be undone |
| Applies to (visibility checklist) | The asset kinds for which the button appears |
Note: Confirmation popup is the cheapest insurance against destructive mistakes. Always turn it on for actions that change data on assets, including Metadata stamper actions. The cost is one extra click; the benefit is a stop-and-think moment before the change runs.
Navigate to folder
Changes the current Assets folder to a specified path. Useful for “jump to the briefs folder” or “open the approvals queue” buttons that orient users in your folder structure.
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Folder path | The destination folder, written from the Assets root. Example: /Projects/WIP and Final
|
| Include subfolders | When on, the navigation includes subfolders in the listing |
Note: The folder path is not validated by the Configurator — a typo gives you a button that takes the user to a folder that does not exist. Test by clicking the button as a real user before publishing.
Query assets
Runs a Lucene query against Assets and shows the results. The defining Action of any “find related assets” workflow.
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Query | The Lucene query the button runs. Supports {fieldName} substitution from the currently selected asset’s metadata |
| Sort field | Optional. The Assets metadata field used to sort results. Defaults to the Assets default if blank |
The full vocabulary of substitution patterns is covered in 02d — How conditions work. The most common shape is:
ancestorPaths:"/Projects/WIP and Final" AND isbn:{isbn} AND type:"research brief"This query, on a button labelled Show all files with same ISBN, returns every research brief in the WIP folder that shares the currently selected asset’s ISBN.
Note: The query string is not validated by the Configurator. Test it in Assets directly (paste it into the Assets search bar) before pasting it into the Query option. Most Query-button bugs are typos in field names — the Configurator cannot catch them.
Metadata stamper
Updates one or more metadata fields on every selected asset in a single click. This is the engine behind the Approve / Reject pattern, the “Mark final” button, and any other one-click status change.
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Metafields | A list of metadata field-name and value pairs to set. The values can use {user}, {today}, and {fieldName} substitutions |
| Move path | Optional. After stamping, move the asset to the folder at this path. Example: /Approved
|
A typical Approve / Reject pair, expressed as the Metafields list on each button:
| Button | Metafields it stamps |
|---|---|
| Set Approved |
status: Final, approvalComment: Approved by {user}, folderPath: /approve-path
|
| Set Rejected |
status: Correction, approvalComment: Rejected by {user}, assetProblems: {today}
|
The {user} substitution is replaced with the signed-in Assets user; {today} with the current date. Other {fieldName} substitutions read from the currently selected asset.
Tip: Always pair a Metadata stamper with a Confirmation popup, especially when it operates across multiple selected assets. The undo is a manual edit per asset; the cost of a misclick scales with the size of the selection.
Navigate to URL
Opens an external URL in a new browser tab. Use it for links to specifications, supplier pages, or related systems.
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| URL | The URL to navigate to. Must be a full URL including http:// or https://. Supports {fieldName} substitution |
The URL is not validated by the Configurator. Test before publishing.
Tip: A URL with substitution is a low-effort way to link an asset to an external system. Example: a View this product on the public site button with URL https://example.com/products/{cf_skuCode} jumps directly to the product page for the selected asset’s SKU.
Generic buttons
The Configurator also supports a generic button type for a few specialised use cases — most often Stamp configuration buttons used as user-defined metadata stamps. The generic button takes the same shared options plus a button-key identifier.
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Button key | A short identifier used to reference the button in user-defined stamp configurations |
| Configure folder location | Optional. The folder where stamp configurations are stored. Defaults to /User if blank |
Generic buttons are an advanced feature — most panels do not need them. If you do, the Metadata Stamp widget (covered in 05d — Widgets reference) offers a higher-level interface to the same capability.
Disabling Actions: practical patterns
Disabling an Action gives the user feedback when their selection is wrong. Three patterns recur:
| Pattern | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| Lock during review | The action should not run while the asset is in a review state |
Disable condition: status:"Awaiting review". Disabled message: This asset is in review and cannot be re-approved until review ends.
|
| Block on missing field | The action should not run until a required field is filled |
Disable condition: NOT credit:*. Disabled message: Add a credit before publishing.
|
| Restrict to a folder | The action should only run for assets in a particular folder |
Disable condition: NOT ancestorPaths:"/Project/WIP and Final". Disabled message: This action only applies to assets in the Project / WIP and Final folder.
|
Always pair the condition with a Disabled message that explains what is wrong. A silent disable forces the user to guess.
Cross-references
- 02b — Component types — Action is one of three component types
- 02d — How conditions work — Lucene primer for Disable condition and Query option
- 04b — Patterns and anti-patterns — Approve / Reject pattern and the Confirmation-popup habit
- 05a — Fields reference — for the data layer the Actions read and write
- 05c — Notifications reference — pair Notifications with disabled Actions for clear user feedback
- 05d — Widgets reference — turn-key Action-bearing components
Revisions
- 8 May 2026: First publication of the manual
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