Customizing an IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records solution

This topic summarizes the ways in which an administrator can customize IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records and provides links to additional information. For information on how IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records can be customized by a developer, see Help for IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records Development.

Customizing classes and properties

IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records supports subclassing some entity classes. You can add subclasses of these classes:

Reasons for creating subclasses include needing additional (custom) properties that would apply to only a subset of a classes supplied by IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records, or needing to operate on only a subset (such as subscribing to events or audit events for your subclass).

You can also add custom properties to existing classes, and you can modify the way in which properties display in the IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records application (for example, you can modify a property's display name and you can specify predefined property values). For information, see Create subclasses, Add properties to classes, and Customize the display of properties.

Customizing workflows

IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records provides workflows that automate the flow of work to accomplish records management tasks, such as reviewing entities before they are destroyed. You can modify these workflows, customizing them for your organization's processes. For example, you can add a new step, delete an existing one, or modify the sequence of events in a workflow by modifying the definition of that workflow. If your organization's business processes require workflows other than the ones included with IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records, you can create new workflows. For information, see Create and modify workflows.

Customizing record declaration entry templates

To make the process of declaring records more efficient, you can create entry templates for declaring records. Templates can specify default information (such as record classes, file plan location, and properties) as well as hide some wizard pages to speed up the entry process or to prevent users from seeing preset values. IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records includes an entry template for declaring physical records. You can modify this template, and you can create new templates for declaring physical records as well as for declaring electronic records. When you save an entry template for declaring physical records, be sure to locate the file in the <FPOS>\RecordsManagement\Templates folder so that the template is visible in the IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records application. See Create an entry template to declare physical records and Create an entry template to declare records.

Customizing searches

The IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records application includes the Search tab that provides a quick way for users to find entities within a file plan. However, you can create both stored searches and search templates that help end users perform more complex searches. Stored searches are complete searches that automatically run when selected by a user. Search templates are partially-completed searches that allow user interaction. IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records provides a search template that includes search criteria for some common characteristics that are specific to IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records for an entity. For more information on creating stored searches and search templates, see About Search Designer in the Help for Search Designer. When you save a stored search or search template to be used in IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records, be sure to set the value for the Application Name property to RM.

Customizing reports

IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records includes a number of reports that provide a statistical view of different activities performed using IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records. You can customize these reports (for example, you can add and delete fields or modify the report parameters) and you can create new reports that display in the IBM InfoSphere Enterprise Records application. For more information, see Customize a report and Create a report.