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About Siebel Tools

Siebel Tools is a Windows-based, integrated environment for configuring Siebel applications. You use Siebel Tools to modify standard Siebel objects and create new objects to meet your organization's business requirements. For example, you use Siebel Tools to extend the data model, modify business logic, and define the user interface. Siebel Tools is also a way to integrate programs written using Siebel scripting languages.

A standard Siebel application provides a core set of object definitions that you can use as a basis for your own tailored application. Siebel Tools object definitions are grouped into four layers, each with a different purpose:

• Physical user interface (UI) layer. Templates and tags that render the UI in the client.
• Logical user interface objects layer. Presentation of data (UI).
• Business objects layer. Objects that extract defined information from the database or provide a defined service.
• Data objects layer. Database interface objects and table definitions.

Object types in a given layer depend on definitions in the next lower layer, and are insulated from other layers in the structure. You can make certain kinds of changes to a Siebel application without changing the underlying database structure. Similarly, you can extend the Siebel database schema without affecting the Siebel application. In many cases, configuration changes are made in concert across multiple layers in order to achieve the desired business functionality.

For information about using Siebel Tools, see Configuring Siebel Business Applications, Using Siebel Tools, and other guides. For Siebel Tools installation instructions, see the Siebel Installation Guide for the operating system you are using.