IFS Enterprise Explorer User Interface

[Using IFS Enterprise Explorer Clients] [To Using IFS Enterprise Explorer Clients]

Explanation

IFS Enterprise Explorer is the user interface for IFS Applications. It is started like a web browser and displays the IFS Applications forms in pages. It has several navigation options which you use to explore IFS Applications and find the pages and functions you want to work with.

Figure 1: IFS Enterprise Explorer User Interface, example with Welcome page

IFS Enterprise Explorer is divided into panes which include different functions:

• Navigator Pane. This pane includes the Navigator Filter, the Shortcut panel, the Navigator and the Stream panel. See 1 in the figure below.

• The Navigator filter is placed above the Shortcut panel. Place the cursor in the filter to display the Navigator structure. The Navigator is used to navigate in IFS Applications, read more about all navigation possibilities in Navigating
• The Shortcut panel contains shortcuts which give quick access to pages and tools you want to work with on a frequent basis. Read more about Using Shortcuts.
• The Stream panel contains notifications based on your subscriptions, tasks etc. Read more about Using Streams Panel.

• Context Pane. Is a place holder for functions that are contextual to the data shown in the currently open page, See 4 in the figure below. Read more about Configure Context Pane. Examples of available context panels:

• Tasks. Shows all your tasks, read more about Using Tasks.
• Output. This is where you configure your Output Channels, read more about Configure Output Channels.
• Attachments. This is where you view attachments, e.g. documents, etc, connected to the object you are currently working with. Read more about Using Attachments
• Help. This is where you can access the IFS Online Documentation and view field help. Read more about Using Help.
• In the far right of the context pane are the following buttons:
  • New Window. Opens a new IFS Enterprise Explorer window
  • Show File Menu. Opens the File Menu, useful when using a tablet/touch screen
  • Touch Keyboard. Opens the touch keyboard, useful when using a tablet/touch screen that does not have a touch keyboard
  • Full Screen. Expands the IFS Enterprise Explorer window to full screen

• Top Pane. Contains functions to navigate, Enterprise Application Search etc., see 2 in figure  below.
  • The Explorer Toolbar contains icons you use to navigate in IFS Applications, e.g. Back/Forward, Home etc. Read more about Using the Explorer Toolbar.
  • The breadcrumbs is one of several navigation options, read more about  Using Breadcrumbs.
  • The Enterprise Application Search bar is used to perform a "google-like" free text search within IFS Applications. Read more about Application Search.
  • Application Options. This is where you can define different settings. Read more about Application Options.

The Work Area, 3 in the figure below, is where you work with pages, IFS Application pages and other pages. Usually you work with one page at a time and use Recent Screens or the Back/Forward buttons on the Explorer Toolbar to jump between the pages you are working with. If you need more than one page open you open it in a new window, read more about Working in Several Windows.

Figure 2: Areas in IFS Enterprise Explorer

Menu Bar

From the Menu Bar you can reach different functions/settings. The Menu Bar is hidden by default, make it available by pressing the Alt key and it will be visible above the Navigator pane.

Figure 3: Menu Bar

The functions/settings in the Menu Bar are organized in File, View, Tools, Window and Help.

File

The File menu provides access to different actions you use when working in an IFS Application page. The actions are enabled/disabled depending on what you are currently working with. E.g. Save is enabled when you have made data changes. You can also reach these actions from the Page toolbar and by using function keys. The File Menu also includes other type of actions such as change password and exit from the Applications.

The File menu includes the following actions:

• Populate:  Populates the current page with all objects. Note that if there are many records the population might take a long time.
• Search: Opens the Search dialog where you enter search conditions to find the information you need. Read more about Using Search.
• Search in Context...: Opens Search dialog depending on where the cursor is focused. E.g. if you are working in a master/detail page and if the focus is on the detail part this will then open the Search dialog box for detail part.
• Save: Saves your changes in the database.
• Save as Draft...: Saves your changes as a draft. Read more about Using Drafts.
• Drafts...: Opens the Draft dialog where you can see the drafts you have created for current page. Read more about Using Drafts.
• Save as Template: Saves your changes as a template. Read more about Using Templates.
• New: Prepares the current page for entry of a new record.
• Duplicate: Creates a new record copied from current record.
• New From Template: Prepares the current page for entry of a new record with values fetched from chosen template. Read more about Using Templates.
• Delete: Prepares the current record to be deleted. Click Save button or chose Save from the Menu to save the changes in the database.
• List of Values...: Shows a list of valid values for current field. This is available for fields that are connected to basic data.  Read more about List of Values.
• Zoom...: Opens up the basic data page connected to the current field. E.g. when entering a customer order and you want to change or create customer basic data, use Zoom in the Customer No field and the Customer basic data page will open in a new window.
• Send To: Includes two options, Send to Colleague and Send to Mail Recipient. Read more about Using Send to
• Close: Closes the active window. Note: This command does not close or exit the application, but If the active window is the only window, the application will be closed.
• Switch User (Restart): Allows you to log on to IFS Applications as a different user. The current session will be closed and the Login dialog will be displayed again. Read more about Switch User.
• Change Password: Allows you to change password. The Change Password dialog is displayed where you enter your old password and the new password. IFS Applications is restarted and you login using the new password.
• Exit: Closes down IFS Applications and all open windows. If you have unsaved changes, you are asked to save before exiting.

Figure 4. File menu

View

The View menu provides access to different settings, how to display panels etc. Most of these setting can also be controlled by keyboard shortcuts/function keys. It includes the following:

• Menu Bar: Shows/hides the Menu Bar.
• Address Bar: Shows/hides the Address bar. The Address bar displays the address of the current page, e.g. IFS Applications page or any web page.
• Context Panes: Shows a drop-down list with all available Context panels. Select which panel to open.
• Go To: Provides options to go back/forward between pages, to the Home page and to Recent Screens. It also shows a list of pages you have worked with and you can select one of those pages to open it.
• Abort: Terminates current server activity. E.g.  if you have populated a page by mistake or it takes too long you can terminate the population.
• Refresh: Refreshes the data on current page. This is useful when you want to see the latest updated data, e.g., you have had the page open for some time and maybe a colleague has made changes to the data.
• Next Block: Moves to the next table or tab. Complement to the tab key to move in or out of a child table.
• Record History: Opens the History Log window showing the update history for the current object.
• Toggle Full Screen: Hides Top, Context and Navigator Panes.
• Full Screen: Closes all panes, e.g. expands the work area to use the complete window area. Select Full Screen again to show the panels again.

Figure 5: View Menu

Tools

The Tools menu provides access to the Application Options dialog and to the Debug Console.

• Options: Opens the Application Options dialog where you can change the applications appearance and behavior. Read more about Applications Options.
• Debug Console...: Opens the debug console. This is an analysis tool assisting developers and support teams to debug IFS Enterprise Explorer. Read more in the Technical Documentation.

Figure 6: The Tools menu.

Window

The Window menu contains different options to arrange the windows you currently have open in your session. It includes the following:

• New Window: Opens a new IFS Enterprise Explorer window
• Tile Horizontally: Organizes all active windows in a tiled horizontal format.
• Tile Vertically: Organizes all active windows in a tiled vertical format.
• Cascade: Organizes all active windows on top of each other.
• Minimize All: Minimizes all open IFS Enterprise Explorer windows.
• Restore All: Restores all minimized windows to their previous size and position.
• Close Other Windows: Closes all Enterprise Explorer windows except the current window.

At the bottom of the list all currently open windows are displayed with the page name. Select a window to switch to it.

Figure 8:The Window menu.

Help menu

The Help menu provides access to the different type of help available for IFS Applications. Note that some options are also available via shortcut keys/function keys. Read more about Using Help in IFS Enterprise Explorer.

The Help menu includes the following:

• IFS Enterprise Explorer Help. Opens the IFS Online Documentation with the section Using IFS Enterprise Explorer Clients open.
• IFS Applications Help. Opens the IFS Online Documentation with the section presenting IFS Applications process models open.
• Tips & Tricks. Opens a web site where a number of IFS Enterprise Explorer Tips & Tricks videos are available.
• Help. Opens the IFS Online Documentation with information about current page.
• What's This. Gives access to the field help. The cursor is changed to a question mark, place it on the filed/column you want more information about and a What's this text will be displayed.
• Shortcut Keys Map. Opens a page displaying a list of all shortcut keys/function keys. The shortcut keys/function keys you can use in current context are highlighted in white text.
• IFS Online. Opens the IFS Online Documentation.,
• openIFS Community. Opens the openIFS Community web site.
• IFS Portal. Opens up the IFS Web site.
• About. Opens up a dialog which shows version information about IFS Applications.

Figure 9: The Help Menu

Page Toolbar

When working in an IFS Applications page different actions/functions are available in the page tool bar, e.g. Populate, Search, Save, New, Delete, List of Values, Zoom Hover over the button to see the function it will execute. Read more about Using Page Toolbar

Figure 12: Page Toolbar

Keyboard Shortcuts

Many actions and functions can be performed by using shortcut keys/function keys instead of the mouse. The following are available:

Tool Tips

A tool tip is a short description of what a toolbar button does. The tool tip appears when you hover on e.g. a button, the tip is displayed in a small box next to the cursor.

Figure 17: Tool Tip