Creating and Configuring WorkCenter Pages

This chapter provides overviews of WorkCenter pages, iScript and component-based pagelets, and the WorkCenter Page Development and Implementation process and discusses how to:

• Define page layout templates.

• Manage WorkCenter page configurations.

• Set pagelet area user preferences.

Understanding WorkCenter Pages

WorkCenter pages are a type of configurable PeopleSoft page that enable you to offer access to related transactions, analytics data, query results, and other PeopleSoft resources from one central location. You can organize the elements on WorkCenter pages based on processes, procedures, roles, or other business requirements that are specific to your organization. When carefully designed, WorkCenter pages bring together the PeopleSoft elements that your users access most when performing the tasks that compose their primary responsibilities. As a result, WorkCenter pages promote productivity by minimizing the time that users spend navigating between tasks.

WorkCenter pages can bring these different elements together because WorkCenter pages use a portal template that provides flexibility in the way that you access components and pages and also in the way the application displays these elements. The WorkCenter portal template differs from the standard portal template in two primary ways:

• The WorkCenter portal template partitions the browser window into an adjustable pagelet area and target content area.

• The two areas of the WorkCenter portal template are designed to interact by passing contextual information back and forth by using an event driven model. The actions in one area influence the content in the other.

When users access WorkCenter pages, they are presented with pagelets that contain links to components, analytics, query results, and other PeopleSoft resources. The WorkCenter pagelet area is designed to extract and leverage values that are necessary to complete the transaction in the target area. When users click a link, it triggers the appropriate transaction, starts a search process, and passes values from the pagelet area to the search process so that the application can display the appropriate content in the target content area or in a new browser window.

See Also

Template Pagelets

Developing Portal Templates

The Pagelet Area

The WorkCenter pagelet area consists of three parts:

• The header.

• The pagelet area.

• The footer.

In the header, the title, the Home button, and the pagelet area controls drop-down menu are visible. You click the Home button to return to the WorkCenter starting page. You click the pagelet area controls drop-down menu to access up to three links that enable you to reload, personalize, and configure the WorkCenter page.

The pagelets that you assign to the WorkCenter page appear in the main body of the pagelet area. Each pagelet you assign to the area is a self contained unit that you control independently of other pagelets. Pagelets appear one above the next either in an expanded or collapsed state based on your configuration. Expanded pagelets divide the available space evenly until the user resizes a pagelet by dragging the pagelet handle. The system automatically adjusts the size of remaining pagelets to fill the available space.

At the bottom of the pagelet area, the More drop-down menu appears in the footer. You can configure the WorkCenter page to hide any pagelet that is minimized instead of collapsing the pagelet into its header. The hidden pagelet is minimized to the More menu. When you click the drop-down button, the titles of the minimized pagelets appear in a list. Select a pagelet from the list and the systems restores the pagelet to its original size and positions it at the bottom of any other expanded pagelets in the pagelet area.

The pagelet area is adjustable in width and its configuration is flexible. You can organize the pagelet area by creating pagelet groups. Each group appears as a separate page. If you configure multiple pagelet groups, a tab appears at the top of the each page to identify the pagelet group and provide a familiar vehicle for accessing the pagelets. You can define options such as the initial size of the pagelet area, the pagelet group order, and the pagelet group that appears by default when you access a WorkCenter page. This sample WorkCenter pagelet area contains three pagelet groups:

After creating pagelet groups, you assign pagelets to the groups. You specify options such as the order of the pagelets, which pagelet receives focus by default, whether the pagelet is collapsed or expanded as its initial state, and the maximum number of pagelets that remain visible when in a minimized state. The pagelet area also supports user personalizations to the extent that you enable them.

Generally, pagelets that you assign to WorkCenter pages are narrow format pagelets that are specifically designed to appear in the resizable pagelet area. The pagelet area supports homepage and template pagelets that are registered in either the Pagelets or the Template Pagelets folder in the portal registry. You access these folders by selecting PeopleTools, Portal, Structure & Content and then clicking the Portal Objects link.

The pagelet area supports iScript-based pagelets, component-based pagelets, and even external URL-based pagelets. You can use Pagelet Wizard to create and publish iScript-based template and homepage pagelets such as those that use navigation collections and queries as data sources. You can also manually create and register component-based or other pagelets.

See Also

Understanding Pagelet Development

Using Pagelet Wizard to Create and Manage Pagelets

The Target Content Area

The primary purpose of the target content area is to display the transaction page, query results, analytics, or other resources that the application user requests as the result of clicking a link in the pagelet area. The target content area can display any type of content that a standard PeopleSoft transaction page can display. You use this area to search, view, edit, and complete your transactions. You can also set up and configure pages and pagelets to use interwindow communication, which enables pagelets to communicate in any direction: from pagelet area to target content area, from target content area to pagelet area, and even between elements that occupy the same section.

You can target resources to appear not only in the target content area, but to a new browser window or to a current browser replacing the entire WorkCenter page with the resource.

Example of Setting the Target to Open in a New Window

You can set the target to open in a new window when you need to view both the current page and the new page simultaneously. For example, an accounts payable representative is completing an invoice and needs to view customer history at the same time. You could design a pagelet so that the link opens the Customer History page in a new window.

Example of Setting the Target to Replace the Current Window

You can set the target to replace the current window entirely. For example, an account representative is reviewing her largest account and then wants to view a dashboard that shows all accounts in relation to one another. You could design a pagelet with a link that opens the Accounts Dashboard and replaces the current window.

Page Layout Templates

WorkCenter pages use an iframe-based portal template that supports four sections:

• The portal header and drop-down style menu.

• The pagelet area.

• The target content area.

• The related content frames.

The portal header and drop-down style menu, when enabled, appear at the top of the page above the pagelet and target content areas. The adjustable pagelet and target content areas occupy the middle of the page. The related content frames appear either below or beside the target content area when the current transaction page has related content configured.

You can change the layout of WorkCenter pages by using page layout templates. Page layout templates use Application class PeopleCode to determine the location of the pagelet area and target content area. WorkCenter pages deliver application class PeopleCode that renders the pagelet area on either the left side or the right side of the page.

Page Layout Template Examples

In this example, which uses the default page layout template, you see the drop-down menu, the pagelet area on the left, and the related content frame beneath the target content area on the right:

In this example, you see the pagelet area on the right side of the WorkCenter page:

Page Design and Processing Considerations for WorkCenter Pages

WorkCenter pages have different characteristics than standard PeopleSoft components and pages. This section discusses design and processing differences that you should consider when you work with WorkCenter pages and pagelets.

Page Design Considerations

When you create a WorkCenter page, consider the following differences and page design recommendations, which accommodate those differences:

• For WorkCenter pages, the initial page in the target content area is determined by the menu item associated with the content reference that you select when you create a new WorkCenter page.

  While the page that appears initially in the target content area can be any page, you might want to start with an informational page to acquaint users with the WorkCenter page functionality and layout. You can use the sample WorkCenter page that comes with all PeopleSoft applications, or create a page that you design specifically for use as a WorkCenter page.

• WorkCenter pages should not generate a search page or start the search process when the user clicks the content reference to access the page. The user should immediately see the initial page.

  Select a “dummy” record—one that has no keys or contains only one row of data—as the component search record on the Use tab.

  The INSTALLATION record is an example of a “dummy” search record.

• WorkCenter pages generally require no save functionality.

  Select the Disable Saving Page check box on the Use tab.

• Typically, the component should consist of only one page, but no tabs or page links should appear on the page.

  Deselect the Multi-Page Navigation check boxes on the Internet tab.

• The elements that make up the tool bar and page bar are not applicable and should not appear on the WorkCenter page.

  Select the Disable Toolbar and Disable Pagebar check boxes on the Internet tab.

Processing Considerations

Note these points about WorkCenter page processing:

• WorkCenter pages, like homepages and dashboards in your PeopleSoft applications, load pagelets in parallel by default. When a WorkCenter page uses parallel loading, each pagelet appears independently from one another. When the data for the pagelet has been loaded, the pagelet appears.

  WorkCenter pages and the assigned pagelets, however, perform better when the pagelets use deferred loading. When you configure pagelets to use deferred loading, no pagelet appears until after all data for all pagelets has been loaded. After all pagelet data has loaded, then the system displays the page and the assigned pagelets simultaneously as one unit.

• WorkCenter pages and assigned pagelets support interwindow communication. Use the Interwindow Communication page to configure interactivity among pagelets that share a WorkCenter page.

  See Configuring Interwindow Communication.

• WorkCenter pages can process contextual parameters that you include in the WorkCenter page URL. The WorkCenter template accesses the parameters and passes them to the pagelets, which use the values to determine the records to retrieve and display. For example, you can create a WorkCenter page with pagelets that display customer information. You can pass the customer ID to the WorkCenter page URL as a context parameter so that all pagelets retrieve and display information about the same customer.

  The context parameter, CONTEXTPARAMS, must use the NAME:VALUE format and be passed as a query string. Use this format when you build the WorkCenter page URL:

  http://appservername/psp/sitename/portalname/nodename/c/PTAL_ADMIN.PTAL_SAMPLE_PAGE.GBL? CONTEXTPARAMS=USERPROFILE:VP1& CONTEXTPARAMS=EMPLOYEEID:1242.

  Using the previous sample URL, the WorkCenter template retrieves the query string parameters, which it then sends to each pagelets in the following query string format ?USERPROFILE=VP1& EMPLOYEEID=1242.

  When you develop WorkCenter pagelets, use the %Request.getParameter( )PeopleCode function to retrieve and make use of the context parameter values.

Understanding iScript and Component-Based Pagelets

You can create iScript-based and component-based homepage pagelets and template pagelets for use with WorkCenter pages. You use Pagelet Wizard to create iScript-based pagelets. Pagelet Wizard pagelets can be based on many possible data sources, such as navigation collections, search records, HTML, and queries. You use PeopleSoftApplication Designer to create component-based pagelets that are based on PeopleTools definitions. This section presents overviews of pagelets based on these PeopleSoft elements:

• Navigation collections.

• PeopleSoft Query.

• Components.

See Also

Understanding Pagelet Wizard Data Sources

Developing iScript-Based Pagelets

Navigation Collection-Based Pagelets

Navigation collections are portal objects that you use to create your own groupings of existing folders and content references, which you can then deploy or publish to different users or groups of users. Navigation collections enable you to create links to content that you already have in the portal registry and to organize the links in ways that specifically address your users' business needs.

Navigation collection-based pagelets appear in the pagelet area as folders and links. When users click a folder, the folder contents appear in the pagelet. When users click a link, the resource opens in the target content area by default. Because navigation collections are designed as alternate menu structures, you navigate through folders to find links, which generally reference components. When users click the link, the component search page appears in the target content area unless the search record is configured so that the search page is bypassed. In such cases, the component requires no search parameters and immediately opens in the target content area.

In this example, you see the navigation collection-based Application Security pagelet in the pagelet area of the WorkCenter page.

Publishing Navigation Collection-Based Pagelets for Use With WorkCenter Pages

You create and maintain navigation collections using the navigation collections component. Using the pages in this component, you set the properties that determine the order in which the folders and links appear, and also the location where the target appears. If you decide to create pagelets based on navigation collections, you should review these properties to determine whether pages will open in the target content area, replace the current page, or in new browser windows.

You can use Pagelet Wizard to create pagelets based on any published navigation collection. At step two of the pagelet creation process in Pagelet Wizard, you must specify your navigation collection as the data source. Choose from any of your custom navigation collections or the PeopleSoft-delivered navigation collections. Continue through the process to step 6, where you specify Homepage Pagelet or Template Pagelet as a publishing option. When you save the pagelet, Pagelet Wizard creates the pagelet and you can then assign it to the pagelet area of a WorkCenter page.

Specific details for creating and publishing navigation collections and using Pagelet Wizard to publish them as pagelets are located in this PeopleBook.

See Creating or Editing a Navigation Collection.

See Selecting a Navigation Collection Data Source.

See Step 6: Specifying Pagelet Publishing Options.

PeopleSoft Query-Based Pagelets

PeopleSoft Query is a reporting tool that enables you to extract your data by using visual representations of your PeopleSoft database, without writing SQL statements. The queries that you create can be as simple or as complex as necessary. You can design queries that return basic lists of static text. You can also use more advanced features, such as drilling URLs. By configuring drilling URLs and associating them with query fields, the values that the query retrieves appear as links, which you click to access both internal and external content.

Query-based pagelets can take advantage of queries, whether they are simple or complex. You might base a pagelet on a query that retrieves informational text to display to the user. However, query-based pagelets also have access to the more advanced query metadata, such as the drilling URLs. If you link fields in query-based template pagelets to these drilling URLs, the values that the pagelet retrieves appear as links as they do in PeopleSoft Query. Unlike PeopleSoft Query, however, you can configure the links to open the resource in the target content area of the WorkCenter page.

Because you can configure the links so that the associated resources open in the WorkCenter page target content area, query-based pagelets that are configured to display the retrieved values as active links are ideal for using with WorkCenter pages. In the pagelet area of this WorkCenter page, the User Roles pagelet is based on the PT_SEC_USER_ROLES query definition, which returns the roles that are assigned to the current user. Each role name in the list is a link to the Roles component. When users click a role name such as Documentation Specialist, that role name value passes to the component as a search parameter. Using the value, the Roles component opens to the Documentation Specialist role.

Publishing Query-Based Pagelets for Use With WorkCenter Pages

You create and maintain queries using the Query Manager component.

You can use Pagelet Wizard to create pagelets based on any query. At step two of the template pagelet creation process in Pagelet Wizard, you must specify your query as the data source. At step 5, you use the link icon to access the Link Details page, where you can configure fields to use the drilling URLs and appear as links. At this step, you also specify whether a link appears in the target content area or a new window. Continue through the process to step 6, where you specify Homepage Pagelet or Template Pagelet as a publishing option. When you save the pagelet, Pagelet Wizard creates the pagelet and you can then assign it to the pagelet area of a WorkCenter page.

Specific details for creating and maintaining queries are located in the PeopleTools 8.52 PeopleBook: PeopleSoft Query.

Specific details for using Pagelet Wizard to publish queries as template pagelets are located in this PeopleBook.

See Also

Working with Advanced Query Options

Selecting a PeopleSoft Query Data Source

Specifying Data Link Details

Step 6: Specifying Pagelet Publishing Options

Component-Based Pagelets

Component-based pagelets are PeopleSoft component definitions that you create and configure in PeopleSoft Application Designer and then register in the PeopleTools portal as pagelets. With minor differences, the process that you use to create, configure, and assemble the definitions that compose this type of component definition follows closely the application development process. While the process is similar to that which you use to create standard component definitions, some definition properties are different. In addition to these definition properties, other portal-related differences can exist depending on whether you use an existing component or create a new one.

This section discusses the important differences in settings between standard component definitions and components that you use in component-based pagelets. All examples in this section use the component-based WorkCenter Component Links pagelet, which you see here in the pagelet area of the WorkCenter page:

Record Definition Settings

Record definitions that support component-based pagelets typically are not set to the SQL table record definition type because the pagelet area is not intended to write data to tables. Create or use record definitions with a record type of SQL View or Derived/Work.

See Setting Record Properties.

Page Field Definition Settings

All pagelets should be designed to produce interaction between the pagelet area and the target content area. When defining pages that are part of component-based pagelets, the page developer can most easily facilitate this interaction by inserting push button/hyperlink page controls and then configuring properties that are inherent to that type of control. The developer can also write PeopleCode programs that accomplish the same pagelet area to content area interaction.

The WorkCenter Component Links pagelet is based on the PTAL_DEMOPGLT page definition, which includes nine push button/hyperlink controls:

See Creating Page Definitions.

By setting the push button/hyperlink page control Type and Field Use properties at design time, the developer determines the resource that appears when the user clicks the link and also where that the resource appears, such as in the target content area, a modal window, or a new window. Secondary pages, PeopleCode, internal links and external links only are valid destination types for push button/hyperlink controls when you use them on component-based template pagelets.

The Push Button/Hyperlink Type properties specify an internal link type. The internal link properties specify the location of the CHANGE_PASSWORD page:

See Using Push Buttons and Links.

Component Definition Settings

Standard components and the components that you use as component-based pagelets have different purposes, which require that the developer configure the types of components differently. The following list describes the recommended property settings for components that you use as component-based pagelets on WorkCenter pages:

• WorkCenter pages should not generate a search page or start the search process when the user clicks the content reference to access the page. The user should immediately see the initial page.

  Select a “dummy” record—one that has no keys or contains only one row of data—as the component search record on the Use tab.

  The INSTALLATION record is an example of a “dummy” search record.

• Component-based pagelets generally require no save functionality.

  Select the Disable Saving Page check box on the Use tab.

• Typically, the component should consist of only one page, but no tabs or page links should appear on the pagelet.

  Deselect the Multi-Page Navigation check boxes on the Internet tab.

• The elements that make up the tool bar and page bar are not applicable and should not appear on the page.

  Select the Disable Toolbar and Disable Pagebar check boxes on the Internet tab.

Notice the settings of the PTAL_DEMOPGLT component in this example:

• The search record is INSTALLATION and the Disable Saving Page check box is selected:

• The Multi-Page Navigation check boxes are deselected and the Pagebar and the Toolbar are disabled:

See Setting Component Properties.

Registering Components as Pagelets for Use as WorkCenter Pagelets

After creating the component definition, you must register the component as a homepage pagelet or template pagelet in the PeopleTools portal. The PeopleTools portal stores content references based on their URL information. As a result, the combination of elements that make up the URL of every content reference in a portal must be unique. If a component is already registered as a content reference in the portal, then you must enter a “dummy” value in the Additional Parameters field when you register that same component as a template pagelet. Adding this field value ensures that the two content references are unique.

A sample value that works well is name1=value1, as shown in this example:

See Defining Content References, URL Information.

See Also

Main Application Development Steps

WorkCenter Page Development and Implementation Process Overview

This diagram presents an overview of the process for developing, implementing, and using WorkCenter pages:

Note. You do not have to create new component-based pagelets. You can convert existing components or homepage pagelets to the WorkCenter template.

See Selecting the WorkCenter Starting Page.

Prerequisites

This table lists the prerequisite steps that you must perform and references the corresponding documentation that you should review before you configure WorkCenter pages.

Defining Page Layout Templates

This section discusses how to define layout templates:

Page Used to Define Page Layout Templates

Configuring WorkCenter Page Layout

Access the Define Page Layout Templates page (Select PeopleTools, Portal, WorkCenter Pages, Define Page Layout Templates.)

Layout Template	View the template ID, which is the name as entered on the Add New Value page. This field is display-only.
Description	Enter text that briefly describes the purpose of the layout template. You can enter up to 30 characters.
Active	Select to enable the template. If you select this check box, you must enter the supporting application class. This check box is disabled if the template is designated as the default template because the default template must be active.
Default	Select to specify the template as the default template for all new WorkCenter pages. If you select this check box, you must designate the template as active. The application allows only one default template. To replace the current default template, you must create a new template and designate it as the active, default template. When you save the page, the application makes the Default and Active check boxes display-only.

Supporting Application Class

After you define the application class that creates the WorkCenter template in PeopleSoft Application Designer, you enter the class-identifying information in these fields:

Note. If the combination of the preceding fields creates an invalid application class path when you attempt to save the component, then the application displays an error message and prevents you from saving an invalid template. The error message specifies alternatives that you can take to eliminate the condition that causes the error.

Managing WorkCenter Page Configurations

This section discusses how to:

• Create and manage WorkCenter pages.

• Select the WorkCenter starting page.

• Assign pagelets to WorkCenter pages.

Pages Used to Manage WorkCenter Page Configurations

Administering WorkCenter Pages

Access the Manage WorkCenter Pages page. (Select PeopleTools, Portal, WorkCenter, Manage WorkCenter Pages.)

If you have not configured any WorkCenter pages, this page appears:

Create New WorkCenter Page

Click to access the Select the WorkCenter Starting Page page and begin the process of creating a WorkCenter page.

If you have configured at least one WorkCenter page, your page will look similar to this one:

Content Reference	Displays the content reference name as an active link. Click to access the content reference and view the WorkCenter page.
Edit Configuration	Click to access the Configure WorkCenter Page page.
Remove Configuration	Click to delete the WorkCenter page, all pagelet groups, and all pagelet configurations associated with the content reference. Note. Removing WorkCenter page configurations does not delete the content reference upon which it is based nor does it delete the pagelets.

Selecting the WorkCenter Starting Page

Access the Select the WorkCenter Starting Page page. (Select PeopleTools, Portal, WorkCenter, Manage WorkCenter Pages. Then, click the Create new WorkCenter Page link.)

The Select the WorkCenter Starting Page page appears when you are creating new WorkCenter pages only. If you are editing an existing WorkCenter page, the Configure WorkCenter Page page appears.

All content references to which you have been granted access in the current portal appear in the tree, including both local and imported content . Select the menu item that you want to convert to a WorkCenter page.

To select the WorkCenter starting page:

1. Click an upper-level folder to begin navigating through the menu structure.

2. Continue clicking folders and traversing the menu structure until you find the WorkCenter starting page.

3. Click the content reference.

   The Configure WorkCenter Page page appears. If the selected content reference is already a WorkCenter page, the Configure WorkCenter Page page displays the page layout options, pagelet groups, and pagelets that are associated with the content reference.

Configuring WorkCenter Pages

Access the Configure WorkCenter Page page by using one of these navigation paths:

• Select PeopleTools, Portal, WorkCenter, Manage WorkCenter Pages. Click the Create a New WorkCenter Page, link and then select a content reference.

• Select PeopleTools, Portal, WorkCenter, Manage WorkCenter Pages. Click the Edit Configuration button.

• In the WorkCenter pagelet area, click the pagelet area controls drop-down button.

Configure WorkCenter Page

Starting Page

Page Layout Options

Use these options to change the appearance and character of the WorkCenter page.

Changes that you make to the page layout options are visible after you save the page and click the Refresh button on your browser.

Pagelet Groups

Use the fields in this scroll area to organize the pagelets in the pagelet area into tabbed groups.

Note these points about pagelet groups:

• If you create only one pagelet group, no tab appears to the end user.

• If you delete a pagelet group, the application deletes all subordinate pagelet data and personalizations.

Pagelets

Use the fields in this grid to assign the pagelets to the group.