WEBCON BPS 2019 – Application Export & Import

Applies to version: 2019.1.x and above; author: Kamil Nędza and Mariusz Burek

Introduction

WEBCON BPS 2019 introduces the concept of applications – defined as logically connected business processes that share a presentation layer. This helps to create applications for specific needs in a comprehensive manner. Introducing this new approach in organizing processes also meant that changes needed to be made in the export/import mechanism. The following article presents the new features in the Export-Import mechanism, and how it treats applications.

Presentation layer of BPS Portal 2019

WEBCON BPS Designer Studio in version 2019 now has a new node which is responsible for the presentation layer. This node encompasses presentation elements such as starter buttons, reports, and dashboards. Export-Import mechanism fully supports moving presentation layers between DEV/TEST/PROD environments. In other words – if BPS Portal presentation layer elements will be created or modified within the application, they can be automatically moved to the target environment together with processes and applications.

Application export

Exporting is done in the same manner as before – by right-clicking on an application or a process (which is a part of an application) and then choosing „Export”. You can also use the shortcut: Ctrl+E after selecting the desired application/process to be exported.

Fig.1. Application export

The Export wizard will appear to guide you through the export process. First, choose the path where the export package should be saved. You can enter a package description if you wish.

Fig. 2. Export wizard information window

In the next step, the wizard verifies the exported application. In case of any irregularities, the system will provide information about them (click on the red icon) and will not allow you to include the specific element in the package. In such a case, it is needed to close the wizard, fix the problem, and start export wizard once again.

Fig.3.  An example of application export with incorrect process configuration

After a successful application verification, choose which application components should be included in the export package. Apart from components directly related to the process configuration, and processes related to the application, there is an option to choose specific WEBCON BPS Portal presentation layer elements, such as starters, reports, and dashboards.

Fig.4. Selection window of application elements which are going to be exported

After choosing elements and moving to the next step, the wizard will automatically start the export. After it ends, an appropriate message will be displayed.

Fig.5. Summary window

Application import

First it is required to copy the exported package to the target environment. Then in Designer Studio go to the “Actions” tab and choose “Import application”.

Fig. 6. Application import wizard starting icon

Choose the package which will be imported (file copied to the target environment). This will launch the import wizard. The first step displays information about the imported package.

Fig.7. Basic package info

Next, as in the export wizard, the user can choose elements which should be imported. Elements which are absent on the target environment will be created and those who are already there will be updated in a differential manner.

Fig.8. Import elements choice window

After the elements are chosen, you need to decide about the data source and global ‘System settings’ configuration elements. For each of these elements, the system asks if they should be overwritten by the configuration from the source environment. Important: system always overwrites the configuration of connections with settings from the source environment, even if all the data sources were unchecked. It is important – before application export – to correctly fill in DEV/TEST/PROD tabs for connections on the environment from which the application is exported.

Fig.9. Window in which elements to import are chosen

Before the import starts, a summary will be displayed. Clicking next will result in application import.

Fig.10. Summary window

When import is finished a report will be displayed.

Fig.11. Import report

Summary

WEBCON BPS 2019 has an even more complex Export-Import mechanism. The presentation layer of WEBCON BPS Portal is migrated together with the application. If the application uses WEBCON BPS Portal as the user interface, the administrator does not need to worry anymore about moving SharePoint websites and modifying them during process and application update on the target environment.