New

Next-generation data workbench v. 2 with better performance

Faster data handling. The data workbench implementation has been completely redesigned, delivering significant performance improvements across the application. Data loads are faster, and updates to data are processed more efficiently, resulting in a more responsive user experience.

Enhanced bulk update processing. The bulk update functionality has been refined to improve performance and scalability when working with large object selections:

• If 40 objects or less are selected, the dedicated bulk update editor will open and the uses can make the needed changes.
• If 41 to 300 objects are selected, a message is displayed describing the number of objects and extent of the changes that will be executed asynchronously. Users can continue working without waiting for all background activity to complete.
• If more than 300 objects are selected, bulk update in the user interface is not available. In such cases, a warning message informs the user that the maximum number of objects allowed for a simultaneous update has been exceeded and update via ADIF is recommended.

Targeted focus on new objects. When a new object is created, focus in the data workbench automatically shifts to make the object visible in the data workbench. Newly created objects are no longer displayed at the top of the visible object list.

MCP server for AI-driven access to enterprise architecture data

The new Alfabet MCP Server provides secure AI-driven access to enterprise architecture data through natural language, eliminating the need for specialized query knowledge and reducing dependency on architecture teams. Alfabet's MCP Server translates AI requests into structured REST API calls and provides flexible, on-demand reporting across applications, technologies, projects, business capabilities, and related data.

Built-in authentication ensure secure access, supporting both username/password and OAuth authentication. The MCP Server is read-only and prevents any modifications to repository data. Access is restricted to users with explicitly configured permissions for the relevant REST services.

The MCP Server is currently available as a beta feature for administrative users only. User interface visibility rules are not yet enforced, which may allow users to access information about objects that are not visible in the standard UI. Access should therefore be granted only to trusted users with appropriate permissions.

Data-triggered actions for user-initiated changes

Data-triggered action rules for user interactions in standard views. Stereotypes have been introduced for data-triggered action rules. The View-Based Data-Triggered Action Rule rule type enables the execution of data-triggered actions in standard views in response to button and inline editing interactions. For button-based actions, the data-triggered action is executed in the context of the object on which the button operates. For inline editing scenarios, the action is executed in the context of the base object of the class-based content area in which the view is embedded. This enhancement enables automated processing and validation logic to be applied directly during user-driven data changes.

Restrict access to shared links

Links to the user interface are included in email notifications when tasks are assigned to users. Users can also generate links to specific views for sharing with colleagues or embedding in third-party applications. To enable access, these links rely not only on information contained in the URL but also on data stored in the database. As a result, links do not expire by default.

To support security and compliance requirements, access via existing links can now be revoked. A new Web Message and Link Administration (Admin_AlfaWebMessages) view allows administrators to deactivate previously generated links, preventing access through outdated or no longer authorized links. This provides greater control over shared content and helps customers enforce link access policies.

Enhanced role type configuration and access management

Role type configuration has been enhanced to provide greater flexibility and control at the object class level. Administrators can now override role type settings through class settings, allowing role behavior to be tailored for specific combinations of object classes and user profiles. This makes it possible to define how roles are assigned and managed on a per-class basis rather than relying solely on global role type definitions.

Greater flexibility in access management. Access management settings support more advanced configuration options. Alongside general editability and visibility settings, administrators can define conditions that determine whether a role is editable or visible. These conditions can be based on property values of the object for which the role is defined or on characteristics of individual users, enabling more granular access control.

Class setting-based role type assignment. Role type assignments to property groups can be configured via class settings. When a property group assignment is defined both in the Role Type and in class settings, the class-specific configuration takes precedence. Configuring property group assignments in class settings provides the additional benefit that the assigned role types participate in the property group ordering defined within the same class configuration.

Further customization options have been added for role types:

• Modify the caption and hint text displayed for a role type.
• Enable or disable the Advanced Search functionality in the selector to select users or organizations for a role. The underlying selector type for Advanced Search can be changed for role types defined to create roles for organizations only or users only.

A new consistency check has been added to the class settings configuration to simplify the management of role type overwrites. The validation automatically detects whether role types configured in the class settings are no longer available because they have been deleted or removed from the object class. When such a configuration issue is detected, a warning icon is displayed on the affected role type node, helping administrators quickly identify and correct invalid configurations before they cause unexpected behavior.

In addition, a new Check Consistency action is available on the class settings node. The consistency check validates the role type configuration and displays all detected inconsistencies in a validation dialog, enabling administrators to identify and resolve configuration issues more efficiently.

Control property editability using conditions

The editability of object class properties can now be controlled through conditions. Users can be explicitly granted or denied permission to edit data based on criteria such as their role for an object or their membership in a user group. Conditions can also be used to make a property read-only depending on the value of another object class property. Editability conditions are configured in the same way as the existing visibility conditions and can be defined using the new Editability Conditions attribute in the object class property configuration within the class settings.

Editability conditions cannot grant edit access to object class properties if Read Access or No Access is specified in the Access in User Interface attribute of the property. They can only further restrict editing of properties configured if the attribute is set to Write Access.

Extensions to generic operations

Configurable copy, version, and variant creation of objects. A new generic operation type Create As Copy enables customers with access to Alfabet Expand to configure buttons for the user interface to create copies, versions, and variants of objects for any object class.

The generic operation determines which object properties and relationships are transferred from the source object to the newly created object. During the copy process, property values can also be updated automatically from the target object back to the source object. For example, when creating a new version of an object, a property on the original object can be updated to reference the newly created successor version.

The operation supports flexible handling of relationships to other objects:

• Copy relationships only by creating equivalent references from the new object to the existing related objects.
• Copy related objects as well and automatically establish relationships between the copied objects and the newly created objects. In addition, you can configure which object class properties of related objects are copied when new related objects are created.

Amazon Bedrock Guardrails support for connections to the text generation AI

Amazon Bedrock Guardrails® blocks harmful content and protects private data in generative AI applications. The AI text generation feature available in Alfabet has been amended with the optional ability to protect requests to the AI service via Guardrails. Responses are directly routed back to the Alfabet application. Customers using the AI service provided by Alfabet on premise must update the server variable configuration with a new server variable provided by Bizzdesign B.V.

Customers using a connection to their own AI service account on Amazon Bedrock can access Alfabet Expand to configure the XML object AIServicesConfig to use Guardrails. Customers must have a Guardrails configuration in Amazon Bedrock for the AI service they want to use.