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Browsers

Introduction​

A Browser is a navigation bar component that organizes access to records through views grouped by headers. Unlike portals that display widgets, the browser presents filtered record lists and allows creating new records.

The browser is the main structure for providing access to web application data.

Anatomy of a Browser​

A browser consists of 3 main elements:

Browser "Customer Complaints"
├─ Header 1: "Customer Complaints" 🗂️
│  ├─ View "All"
│  ├─ View "In Progress"
│  ├─ View "Validated"
│  └─ View "Rejected"
│
├─ Header 2: "My Complaints" 🗂️
│  ├─ View "To Process"
│  └─ View "Created by me"
│
└─ Available forms ("Create" button)
   ├─ ✅ Customer Complaint
   └─ ✅ Action

1. Headers​

  • Role: Visual categories organizing views.
  • Icon: Each header can have a custom icon.
  • Display: Appears in the left menu of the web application.

2. Views and Custom Content​

In a browser, each header can contain different types of content:

A. Classic Views (Standard Mode)​

  • View: Lists of views configured from Process Studio.
  • Title: Name displayed in the browser (can differ from the view name).
  • Parameters: Allows passing a parameter to the view to filter records.
  • Type: Standard view, Public view (placeholder), Private view (placeholder).

B. Standard Actions (Advanced Mode)​

Provides direct access to predefined system functionalities.

  • Examples:
    • User management
    • Role and profile management
    • System settings
    • Administration tools
  • Configuration: Enable advanced mode + select action from list.

[!NOTE] Standard actions are administration pages provided by the platform. They allow access to system tools without creating custom views.

C. Custom Pages (ASPX) (Advanced Mode)​

Allows integration of custom web pages developed in ASP.NET.

  • Usage: Specific interfaces not covered by standard views.
  • Configuration:
    • Enable advanced mode
    • Enter path to .aspx page
    • Example path: ~/CustomPages/MyInterface.aspx

Use cases:

  • Custom dashboards with complex business logic
  • Data import/export interfaces
  • Advanced reporting pages
  • Integration with third-party systems

[!WARNING] Using ASPX pages requires ASP.NET development skills. Consult a developer or your technical contact to create these pages.

3. Available forms​

Allows listing forms that users can create via the "Create" button.

  • Start-up: By form (save directly) or by workflow (goes through the first step).

Creating a Browser​

To create a browser in Process Studio, follow the dedicated guide:

📄 Complete Guide: Creating a Browser

This guide details the 7 creation steps:

  1. Interface access
  2. General properties (Name, Description, Category)
  3. Header management (View sets vs Folders)
  4. View management (Standard, Public, Private)
  5. Available forms
  6. "Display workflow name" option
  7. Save

Integration into a Navigation Bar​

To make a browser accessible to users, it must be integrated into a navigation bar.

Procedure​

  1. Go to Navigation → Browsers.
  2. Click New → New navigation bar.
  3. Configure the bar:
    • Name, Description, Category.
  4. In the Headers section, click Add (Add header).
  5. Configure the tab:
    • Title: Name displayed in the bar (e.g., "Complaints").
    • Content type: Select Browser (not "Portal").
    • Application: Select the application (default: current application).
    • Browser: Select the created browser (e.g., "CustomerComplaints").
    • Number of columns: Number of columns to display views on hover (1, 2, or 3).
  6. Associate the bar with user profiles.
  7. Save.

Result: Users with the associated profile see the "Complaints" tab in their navigation bar.

Use Cases​

Case 1: Simple Browser (Customer Complaints)​

Objective: Allow users to view and manage customer complaints.

Configuration:

Browser: CustomerComplaints

Header 1: "Customer Complaints" 🗂️

  • View "All" (QIMComplaintsAll)
  • View "In Progress" (QIMComplaintsInProgress)
  • View "Validated" (QIMComplaintsValidated)
  • View "Rejected" (QIMComplaintsRejected)

Available forms:

  • ✅ Customer Complaint (Start by workflow)

Result:

  • User clicks on "Complaints" tab.
  • They see "Customer Complaints" header with 4 views.
  • They click "In Progress" → List of complaints in progress.
  • They click "Create" → New "Customer Complaint" form (workflow starts).

Case 2: Browser with Public and Private Views​

Objective: Allow users to create their own custom views.

Configuration:

Browser: Quality

Header 1: "Quality Records" 🗂️

  • View "All records" (Type: Standard view)
  • View "Pending validation" (Type: Standard view)
  • View "Public views" (Type: Public view) ← Placeholder for shared views
  • View "My views" (Type: Private view) ← Placeholder for personal views

Available forms:

  • ✅ Non-Conformity Record
  • ✅ Action Plan

Result:

  • A user creates a private view "My urgent NCs" (filter: Severity = Urgent).
  • This view appears only in their "My views" placeholder.
  • A manager creates a public view "Quality dept NCs" (filter: Department = Quality).
  • This view is shared and appears for everyone in "Public views".

Differences between Browser and Navigation Bar​

Common confusion: Some designers confuse browser and navigation bar.

ElementDescriptionWhere to createWhere to use
BrowserContainer of headers and views.Process Studio → Navigation → Browsers → New BrowserIntegrated into a navigation bar.
Navigation BarAssembly of tabs (browsers or portals).Process Studio → Navigation → Browsers → New Navigation BarAssociated with user profiles.

Analogy:

  • Browser = Chapter of a book (contains sections/views).
  • Navigation Bar = Table of contents of the book (list of accessible chapters/tabs).

Troubleshooting​

Problem: The browser doesn't appear in the web application​

Solutions:

  1. Check that the browser is properly integrated into a navigation bar.
  2. Check that the navigation bar is associated with the correct user profile.
  3. Log out and log back in to refresh the cache.

Problem: Views are empty​

Solutions:

  1. Check that the views exist and are correctly configured (Selection tab → forms and fields).
  2. Check the view conditions (filters too restrictive).
  3. Test the view directly from Process Studio (right-click → Open).

Problem: "Create" button doesn't display forms​

Solutions:

  1. Check that forms are checked in the "Start-up" section.
  2. Check that the user has rights on these forms (form Security tab).

Problem: Public/private views don't work​

Solutions:

  1. Check that the view Type is indeed "Public view" or "Private view" (not "Standard view").
  2. The view selected in the configuration should serve as a template (custom views will be based on it).

Frequently Asked Questions​

Q: How many browsers can we create?
A: There's technically no limit. However, organize your browsers by theme to facilitate maintenance (5-10 browsers per application is reasonable).

Q: Can I use the same browser in multiple navigation bars?
A: Yes! A browser can be reused in multiple bars. For example, the "Complaints" browser can appear in both the "User" bar AND the "Manager" bar.

Q: What's the difference between "Start by workflow" and "Start by form"?
A:

  • By workflow: The created record goes directly through the workflow's first step (e.g., "Draft"). Used for business processes.
  • By form: The user directly saves the form without going through a workflow. Used for reference data (e.g., Product Record, Customer Record).

Q: How to rename a browser?
A: Open the browser in Process Studio, modify the "Name" field, then save. The change will be visible immediately.

Q: Can users create their own browsers?
A: No. Only designers (Process Studio) can create browsers. Users can only create private views in designated placeholders.

Q: Can I delete a browser used in a bar?
A: Technically yes, but the bar will display an error. First remove the browser from all bars before permanently deleting it.

See also: