New

A new guided data entry is introduced to help users create and edit assets so that they can be sure the most critical data is complete and accurate. The guided data entry feature is available as a button in content areas for which the guided data entry has been configured. Triggering the Guided Data Entry button overlays the content area with the fields and views that are necessary to meet data requirements. A panel on the right lists the relevant areas of data input including the number of violated data quality rules for each area. For example, a guided data entry for an application might include that data is required for the areas Basic Data, Description, Lifecycle, Architecture, and Information Flows. Users can click any section in the list to move the focus directly to the fields/views where the required data can be entered. Whenever a data rule violation is resolved, the number of data quality rule violations is updated. In this way, users can easily resolve all data input issues for the assets they are responsible for.

Users with access to Alfabet Expand can define guided data views for object classes via Presentation > Guided Data Views. Guided data view configuration includes an ordered list of object class property groups, data workbenches, standard views and configured reports. Visibility conditions can be specified for each element added to the guided data view. The guided data view must be specified for the relevant class setting via the Guided Data View attribute.

Users can specify external links for an asset in the repository, thus making additional relevant information for the asset easily available. The external link can be defined by users in data workbenches and content areas for properties of the type URL via inline editing. The link must start with the protocols http or https and can include a title to display instead of the URL. In native SQL reports, only the link text is displayed but no link functionality is available. The JoinURL report instruction can be used for SQL reports if needed to display a link. Additionally, the protocol mailto can be used to define an email address, thus making it easy to provide contact information and enhance communication. In this case, clicking the link will open the user’s default email program with the specified email address in the To: field.

Server variables can be specified for URLs in the server alias. Part or all of the link target can be defined with the syntax $VariableName.

Workflows to create a new object can be triggered via the orange New button in the masthead as well as the New button in the respective data workbench. In this case, the workflow will open instead of the editor. Solution designers with access to Alfabet Expand can specify the workflow in the new New Object Workflow attribute of class settings.

Solution designers with access to Alfabet Expand can create data workbenches showing related objects on multiple levels of expandable data tables. The hierarchy can show one object class per level with four additional expandable levels below. For example, an expandable data workbench may include applications, components, and local components, or an organization hierarchy with parent organization and 3 subordinate levels of organizations in the organization hierarchy. Users can edit inline and add, remove, and sort columns in the data workbenches in the hierarchical data workbench.

The hierarchical data workbenches are currently only available in a beta version. Further development will address visualization capabilities, data export, bulk editing, and filtering.

External source synchronization with LDAP and Microsoft® Access ® databases and the support of user authentication and authorization via LDAP is available. The functionality available in Alfabet 10.15.x has been re-implemented for Alfabet 11.8.

The link Click here to start a new session displayed when a user logs out of Alfabet or a session expires can be hidden via the XML attribute ShowBacktoAppLinkonLogout in the XML element AlfabetRuntimeConfig in the alfasettings.json file of the Alfabet Web Application.