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Factors That Determine Which Data a Siebel CRM Desktop User Can Access

A Siebel user can typically access only a subset of data that is available in the Siebel database. This topic describes that factors that determine which data a Siebel CRM Desktop user can access. How you configure Siebel CRM Desktop determines many aspects of which data Siebel CRM Desktop synchronizes. For example:

• Synchronization objects that are configured
• Internal filters that are applied
• View modes that are configured on each object
• Security and other configuration that exists on the Siebel Server

You define this configuration before you deploy Siebel CRM Desktop to your users. In the First Run Assistant, the user can choose presets for a predefined filter and define personal filters. The internal filters and server application metadata configuration always restricts access to some data, and the user filters apply a second layer of filtering. Siebel CRM Desktop applies these filters during initial synchronization and incremental synchronization.

Filters Reduce the Number of Siebel CRM Records That Are Available in Siebel CRM Desktop

Figure 9 illustrates how the number of Siebel CRM records that are available to the Siebel CRM Desktop Client reduces as these records encounter each set of filters.

Figure 9. How Filters Reduce the Number of Siebel CRM Records That Are Available in Siebel CRM Desktop

The following filters reduce the number of Siebel CRM records that are available in Siebel CRM Desktop:

1. Siebel visibility filters. Visibility rules that are configured in the Siebel repository and that the Siebel Server applies affects data access. Because Siebel CRM Desktop integrates with the Siebel Server through the Web service interface, security, search specifications, and other logic that is configured at the integration or business object layer limits the data that Siebel CRM Desktop synchronizes to the client.

   The user interface configuration does not affect the results of queries or other operations that Siebel CRM Desktop performs.

2. Preset filters. Internal synchronization filters that are configured in the client application metadata determine which Siebel CRM data Siebel CRM Desktop synchronizes to the client. Although search specifications on the Siebel Server and security settings in the Siebel repository establish the first level of filtering, a set of filters that reside on the client can also restrict data that Siebel CRM Desktop downloads to the client.
3. User synchronization filters. The user configures synchronization filters when the user runs First Run Assistant. These filters affect which objects Siebel CRM Desktop enables for synchronization. They are determined by preset filters the user chooses or by filters that the user defines in the Filter Records Tab of the Synchronization Control Panel. To determine which data to synchronize, Siebel CRM Desktop uses this information in addition to the application configuration.

   Depending on relationships in the data, Siebel CRM Desktop might synchronize an object that is disabled for synchronization through the Filter Records Tab. For example, if the opportunity object is enabled but the account object is not enabled, then Siebel CRM Desktop still downloads any account data that the opportunity references. This download is required to make sure the data is complete. Also, Siebel CRM Desktop might still upload changes that the user makes in the client to the Siebel Server even if an object or synchronization filter is disabled. For example, if the user disables the account object and then creates an account in Microsoft Outlook, then Siebel CRM Desktop uploads the account to the Siebel Server. For more information, see the following topics:

   • Customizing How First Run Assistant Performs the Initial Synchronization
   • Controlling the Object Types That Siebel CRM Desktop Displays in the Filter Records Tab.
   • Controlling the Fields That Are Available in a Filter.

Objects That Are Enabled for Synchronization

Depending on the configuration that Siebel CRM Desktop downloads for the user, a set of objects that are enabled for synchronization determine the data that Siebel CRM Desktop can synchronize. These objects are defined in the application metadata that you deploy through the customization package that is available to the user. If an object is not defined in the application metadata, then Siebel CRM Desktop does not synchronize it. Application metadata also defines the field mappings that Siebel CRM Desktop uses in the synchronization. These mappings specify how Siebel CRM Desktop synchronizes objects in Microsoft Outlook and the Siebel Server. For more information, see Customizing How Siebel CRM Desktop Maps Fields.

View Modes That Are Configured in the Client

The view modes that are configured in the client application metadata affects data access. You can configure each synchronization object with a different level of data access. This configuration is implemented as a view mode argument that Siebel CRM Desktop passes to the EAI Siebel Adapter business service during synchronization. This configuration establishes basic access control in the client. For example, data about opportunities is available to the sales representatives who are on the team for the opportunity. To implement this functionality, the default configuration for Siebel CRM Desktop specifies that the opportunity synchronization object use the sales representative view mode. Several view mode arguments are available. For example, All, Organization, Sales Rep, or Personal. For more information, see About the EAI Siebel Adapter Business Service.