Getting started with FileNet Business Activity Monitor (BAM)

Once your system is properly installed and configured, you can import the basic FileNet BAM objects included with the system, then start exploring the FileNet BAM software.

Configure the data stream

FileNet BAM retrieves its data from the Process Analyzer database, which, in turn, receives its data from the running workflows. Therefore, the following FileNet P8 modules must be running and communicating with each other:

To confirm that Process Analyzer is correctly retrieving data from the running workflows

  1. From Workplace, launch one or more workflows with at least one user step and a work queue step. Be sure to have at least some active workflows (not completed) to see data from work in progress.
  2. Start Process Analyzer and check one of the workflow-related charts, such as Current Number of Workflows. If the values appear to be correct, you are ready to start exploring the FileNet BAM software.

    Otherwise, check Process Configuration Console to confirm a default event log.

Import the pre-configured FileNet BAM projects

FileNet BAM software provides optional pre-configured BAM objects to access the workflow and work item data stored on Process Analyzer, as well as additional objects for more advanced activity. To use these objects, you must first import them into FileNet Application Workbench. Then you can use them as is or modify them.

Explore FileNet Operational Dashboard

A Dashboard contains one or more charts or reports to graphically display selected data. If you have imported the optional BAM projects, you can view pre-defined dashboards and dashboard objects (charts) that display the data from the running workflows and work items. See Using FileNet BAM Dashboard for a detailed description of FileNet Operational Dashboard.

Use the following steps to examine the various dashboard objects

  1. If you have not already done so, log on to FileNet Application Workbench, then import the OOTBConfiguration project.

    We suggest that you import only the OOTBConfiguration project, leaving the Buckets and Thresholds projects until later.

  2. If you have not already done so, configure the JDBC Agent appropriate for your system.

    The JDBC Agent provides a connection to your Process Analyzer database to retrieve the data for the BAM events.

Explore the Dashboards specified in OOTBConfiguration

  1. Log on to FileNet Operational Dashboard.
  2. In the Navigational Tree, open Dashboards and select Work Items to display the dashboard objects (charts) for the running work items.
  3. On the Number of active work items bar, click the menu button , then click Go to Detail View.

    At this point, we can modify the dimension for the X-axis, or specify a filter to display only items that meet specific criteria.

  4. Under Change Categories (X-Axis), click Select a New Dimension and click User Dimension.
  5. Click Select a Dimension Level and click User.
  6. Click Change to change the dashboard object to display the work items for each user.

Look at the Dashboard objects

  1. In the Navigational Tree, open Dashboard Objects.
  2. Note that Number of active work items is listed.

Explore FileNet Application Workbench

FileNet Application Workbench is where developers define the queries to retrieve data from the Process Analyzer database, define views of that data, and specify rules and alerts that provide the data for the dashboard objects. If you have imported the optional BAM projects, you can view how these objects are defined. See Using FileNet BAM Workbench or FileNet BAM Server Reference for a detailed description of FileNet Application Workbench and the related BAM objects, respectively.

  1. Log on to FileNet Application Workbench
  2. In the Navigational tree, explore the events, contexts, views, dimensions, and cubes related to the pre-configured BAM projects.