Create an application

The Application Browser page helps John create and change applications and application level policies used by his team of business users for the Policy Renewal project initiative. He can also create and change services and vocabularies needed by the application.

John will use the Fabric Application browser to configure new or existing business applications. The Application widget embedded in the browser requires him to either enter a new application name or add an application from the Fabric repository to the current business space.

To create the Policy Renewal application for JK Insurance in the Fabric repository, he performs the following steps:

  1. Log into Business Manager.
  2. Access the JK Policy Renewal business space that he has already created.
  3. Select the Application Browser page The Application Browser page is loaded and John sees an Application Browser widget embedded in this page.
  4. From the Actions menu, select Create a New Application and click OK. A window requesting the application name, description, and tags opens.
  5. Enter the name of the new business application, in this case Policy Renewal, a description of the application, and any tags that he wants associated with the Policy Renewal application. Click OK. An overview of the new business application opens. The application is now created in the Fabric repository, added to the business space, and is displayed in the Application Browser widget.
  6. To add an existing application, select Add Application to space from the Actions menu. Click OK.
To view or modify any detail in the Policy Renewal application, after entering the new application name, Policy Renewal click the hyperlink on the Name field of the application in the Application Browser widget. A new page called Application Details is automatically generated if it is not already in the space and the selected application, Policy Renewal, is displayed in the widget.
Note: If customer requirements changes while John is authoring and he does not want the newly created Policy Renewal application anymore, he has the option of clicking the Cancel button. The application is not created in the Fabric repository anymore and John is returned to the Application Browser widget.

Sharing a new application across other business spaces

John can share the newly created Policy Renewal application with other business spaces.
To analyze JK Insurance's business performance, imagine that an authorized user or business analyst of another business space needs access to John's newly created application, which John provides by following this procedure:
  1. Log in to Business Space.
  2. Access the Fabric Authoring business space.
  3. Select the Application Browser page. Now John can see the embedded Application widget.
  4. Select the Application Details page and then select Overview in the General section of the left navigation. The Overview page is loaded and John can see the information in the right panel.
  5. Click Edit, which is at the top of the right panel. The right panel changes to the edit mode and John can modify some of the fields.
  6. Select Public, which is near the Access field.
  7. Click Save, which is at the top of the right panel of the Application Details widget. The updated value is saved to the Fabric repository. The Application can now be added to another business space.

Adding an external link to the application

John can also create an external link to the application by completing the following steps:
  1. Access the Application Details page. Select Overview in the General section of the left navigation. The Overview page is loaded and you can see the information in the right panel. In the External Link section, two columns are visible: Name (hyperlinked) and Description.
  2. Click Edit. The toolbar at the top of the right panel contains Save and Cancel buttons as well as a change set selection field. The right panel switches to edit mode and John can modify some of the fields. In the External Link section, three columns are visible: Name, URL, and Description.
  3. From the Actions menu, select New External Link. An empty row is displayed in the External Links section.
  4. Enter the name, URL, and description.
  5. Click Save in the top of the right panel of the Application Details widget. The new external link is saved to the Fabric repository, the information in the Overview page is reloaded, and the new link appears in the External Links section. The toolbar at the top of the right panel contains an Edit button. The right panel is returned to read-only mode. In the External Link section, two columns are visible: Name and Description.

Adding a channel to the application

John can now add a channel to the application flow by completing the following steps:
  1. Open the Application Details page.
  2. Select Application Flow in the General section of the left navigation The Application Flow page is loaded and John can see the current application flow in the right panel. No controls are editable in the right panel. The toolbar at the top of the right panel contains an Edit button.
  3. Click Edit. A blue start node appears at the bottom of the application flow, on the left side of the screen.
  4. Click the hyperlink. The New Channel window opens.
  5. Select the channel and click OK. A green node appears beneath it to indicate that John can add another channel later.
  6. Click the add new channel button on the lowest blue node. A New Channel window opens.
  7. Select the Channel and click OK. A green node appears beneath it to allow the user to add another channel later.
  8. Click Save in the top of the right panel of the Application Details widget. The application flow is saved to the Fabric repository, the information in the Application Flow page is reloaded and the newly added channels display in the Overview page of the General section.

Adding a business service to the application

John can add a business service to the application flow by completing the following steps:
  1. Open the Application Details page.
  2. Select Application Flow in the General section of the left navigation The Application Flow page is loaded and John can see the current application flow in the right panel. No controls are editable in the right panel. At at the top of the right panel contains an Edit button.
  3. Click Edit in the toolbar at the top of the right panel. A blue start node to add new channels is added at the bottom of the application flow, on the left side of the screen.
  4. Click the new Business Service icon that displays in the square attached to a channel node. A Select Business Service window opens.
  5. Select a business service and click OK. A business service node is now between the channel and end flow nodes.
  6. Click the new Business Service icon that is in in the square attached to the new business service node. A Select Business Service window appears.
  7. Select a business service and click OK. A business service node displays between the original business service and end flow nodes.
  8. Click Save at the top of the right panel of the Application Details widget. The application flow is saved to the Fabric repository, the new business services display in the Business Services section of the left navigation toolbar.

Adding a role to the application

John can add a role to the application flow by completing the following steps:
  1. Open the Application Details page.
  2. Select Application Flow in the General section of the left navigation The Application Flow page is loaded and John can see the current application flow in the right panel. No controls are editable in the right panel. The toolbar at the top of the right panel contains an Edit button.
  3. Click Edit. A green start node to add new channels is added at the bottom of the application flow.
  4. Hover over the new business service icon that is now in the bubble attached to a channel node. A toolbar will expand in the bubble, showing an X icon and a role icon.
  5. Click the role icon. A role specification window appears.
  6. Select a role name and click OK. A role name displays below the selected business service node.
  7. Change the role name and click OK. The updated role name appears below the selected business service node
  8. Click Save in the top of the right panel of the Application Details widget. The application flow is saved to the Fabric repository, the new business services appear in the Business Services section of the left navigation toolbar.

Creating a new application policy

John now creates a new Application Policy by completing the following steps:
  1. Access the Application Details page.
  2. Click Add, which is in the Application Policies category header of the left navigation. The New Policy window opens.
  3. Enter a value for the Name and Description fields. Set the value for the Business Service field to None. or to one of the business services. Click OK. A new application policy is created and is saved to the Fabric repository. The new policy is added to the Application Policies category of the left navigation and is loaded in the right panel.