PeopleSoft Applications Portal 9.1 PeopleBook: Collaborative Workspaces

Creating Collaborative Workspaces

This chapter provides an overview of workspace creation and discusses how to:

Create root-level workspaces.
Create child workspaces.
Create and update workspaces in batch mode.

Understanding Workspace Creation

In Oracle’s PeopleSoft Applications Portal, when you create a collaborative workspace, you can create the workspace at the root of the workspace hierarchy or as a child of any existing workspace. When you create a root-level workspace, you typically use the five-step workspace creation wizard to guide you through the process of selecting a template, selecting workspace modules, and so on. When you create a child workspace, it inherits many of the characteristics of the parent workspace by default, and only one step is required to name the workspace and select a template.

The following example of the Workspaces - Hierarchy page shows four root-level workspaces. One of the root-level workspaces, Wiki WS, has a child workspace:

You can create and update collaborative workspaces in batch mode. When you create or update workspaces in batch mode, you specify the workspace attributes to create or update in XML following the specifications of the workspace DTD.

You can create a workspace from each of the following locations:

Workspaces - Search page

From this page, you can create only root-level workspacees.
Workspaces - Hierarchy page

From this page, you can create root-level workspaces or child workspaces.
Create Workspace menu item

From this menu item, you can create only root-level workspaces.
My Workspaces pagelet

From this pagelet, you can create only root-level workspaces.
Batch Create Workspaces page

From this page, you can create only root-level workspaces.
Related Links service

If you added the Related Links related content service to the transaction page, you can create workspaces directly from the PeopleSoft application transaction for which you are creating the workspace.

From this service, you can create only root-level workspaces. The benefits of creating a workspace from the Related Links service include:
- The workspace automatically includes a link back to the PeopleSoft application transaction in the Links module.
- If the option is selected when the workspace is created, the workspace can include discussions related to the PeopleSoft application transaction.
Related Workspaces pagelet

If you assigned the Related Workspaces pagelet to the transaction page using Context Manager, you can create workspaces directly from the transaction for which you are creating the workspace.

From this pagelet, you can create only root-level workspaces. The benefits of creating a workspace from the Related Workspaces pagelet include:
- On the Select a Workspace Template page, the workspace creation wizard prompts you with any available, recommended, workspace templates associated with the transaction.
- On the Relate Workspace to a Transaction page, the workspace creation wizard populates applicable contextual data fields with values from the selected transaction.
- The workspace automatically includes a link back to the transaction page in the Links module.

Note. The Workspaces - Search page and the Workspaces - Hierarchy page are also available through the Browse Workspaces module of each workspace.

See Also

Working with the My Workspaces Pagelet

Creating and Using Links with the Related Links Service

Working With the Related Workspaces Pagelet

Using the Browse Workspaces Module

Creating Root-Level Workspaces

This section discusses how to use the workspace creation wizard to create root-level workspaces by:

Selecting a workspace template.
Relating a workspace to a transaction (if applicable).
Naming and describing a workspace.
Selecting workspace modules.
Adding workspace members.

Pages Used to Create Root-Level Workspaces

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Select A Workspace Template	EPPCW_WIZ_TMPL	Browse Workspaces Click the Create Workspace button. Browse Workspaces Select the Workspaces - Hierarchy page. Click the Create Root Workspace button. Portal Administration, Workspaces, Create Workspace Click the Create Workspace link in the My Workspaces pagelet. Click the Save button on the Create and Link Workspace page in the Related Links service. Click the Create Workspace link in the Related Workspaces pagelet. Click the Select a Template button on any page in the Create A Collaborative Workspace wizard.	Select the template on which you want to base the new workspace.
Relate Workspace to a Transaction	EPPCW_WIZ_KEYS	Click the Next button on the Select A Workspace Template page. Click the Relate Workspace button on any page in the Create A Collaborative Workspace wizard.	If the workspace template on which you are basing the creation of your workspace contains contextual data, you can use this page to relate the workspace to specific data about a transaction; otherwise, the system skips this page during workspace creation.
Name and Describe Workspace	EPPCW_WIZ_DESCR	Click the Next button the Relate Workspace to a Transaction page. Click the Name and Describe Workspace button on any page in the Create A Collaborative Workspace wizard.	Enter a name, description, and category to help identify the workspace.
Select Workspace Modules	EPPCW_WIZ_MOD	Click the Next button on the Name and Describe Workspace page. Click the Select Workspace Modules button on any page in the Create A Collaborative Workspace wizard.	Select the modules you want to include in the workspace.
Add Members (Optional)	EPPCW_WIZ_MBR	Click the Next button on the Select Workspace Modules page. Click the Add Members button on any page in the Create A Collaborative Workspace wizard.	Select and invite members to participate in the new workspace.
Create User Account	EPPCW_WIZ_EXTMBR	Click the Create Account button on the Add Members (Optional) page.	Create a system account and ID to allow an external user to access this workspace.

Step 1: Selecting a Workspace Template

Access the Select A Workspace Template page (Browse Workspaces and then click the Create Workspace button on the Search page or Browse Workspaces, select the Hierarchy page, and then click the Create Root Workspace button).

Template

Select the template on which you want to base your workspace.

If you accessed this wizard directly from the transaction for which you are building this workspace and the transaction is already associated with a workspace template, then the system selects a recommended template by default. You can override this template.

Description

The system displays a description of the selected template.

Contextual Data

If you selected a template and contextual data is already defined for the template, then the labels of the key fields selected to supply contextual data appear here.

See Also

Creating Workspace Templates

Step 2: Relating a Workspace to a Transaction

Access the Relate Workspace to a Transaction page (click the Next button on the Select Workspace Template page).

Note. If no contextual data is required for this workspace, then the system skips this step and displays Step 3 automatically.

Contextual Data

If contextual data is defined for the workspace template, then the key fields selected to supply contextual data appear here. In addition, if you accessed this component directly from the transaction for which you are building this workspace, then applicable values appear in the key fields. If you did not access this component directly from a transaction, then you can enter your own values in the key fields.

For example, if you tied a template to a customer profile transaction with a key of customer ID, you could create a workspace that is contextually tied to a customer. Another example could involve a template tied to a help desk transaction with a key of case ID. You could create a workspace that is contextually tied to a specific case.

Note. While you can manually enter data on this page, we recommend that you populate these fields by creating a workspace directly from a transaction.

See Also

Defining Contextual Data for Templates

Step 3: Naming and Describing a Workspace

Access the Name and Describe Workspace page (click the Next button on the Relate Workspace to a Transaction page).

Name

Enter a name for the workspace. The name of the workspace appears in the header on the workspace homepage, at the top of the workspace menu, and anywhere workspaces are listed. For example, the name can appear on pages used to search for or manage workspaces, in pagelets, in search results, and so on.

Description

Enter an optional description for the workspace.

This description becomes the default welcome text, which appears in the Welcome module if that module is configured for this workspace.

Category

Select a category for the workspace.

If a category is defined for the workspace template, then the category appears by default. You can select a different category if the template definition specifies that the category can be overridden.

You can also use the Administration - Properties page, which you access from the workspace, to modify the workspace name, description, category, and other attributes.

See Also

Administering Workspace Properties

Step 4: Selecting Workspace Modules

Access the Select Workspace Modules page (click the Next button on the Name and Describe Workspace page).

Modules selected in the workspace template are selected by default on this page. You can select or remove modules as appropriate to your workspace. Removing a module simply hides the link to the module. Data is preserved and no activity in the module is deleted. If you select to include the module in the workspace in the future, all data present prior to its removal will still be available.

If you selected the Base Workspace Template, then the Member, Administration, and Welcome modules are required and cannot be deleted from the workspace. If you selected the Base Workspace Template Wiki, then the Member, Administration, and Wiki Content modules are required and cannot be deleted from the workspace.

You can also use the Administration - Modules page, which you access from the workspace, to add and remove workspace modules.

See Also

Administering Workspace Modules

Step 5: Adding Workspace Members

Access the Add Members (Optional) page (click the Next button on the Select Workspace Modules page).

You can add members and create a user account using this page when you create the workspace. If the workspace template contains definitions for default members, those member names will appear on this page. You can also use the Administration - Members page, which you access from the workspace, to add and remove members.

See Administering Workspace Members.

Members

Send Invite	Select to send a notification to selected members alerting them that they were added as members to the workspace. The system uses default notification text that includes a link to the workspace homepage. Alternatively, you can send notifications after the workspace is created, which also allows you to modify the notification text on the Set Invitation Message page. See Sending Invitations to Workspace Members.
Type	Select the type of member you want to add to the workspace. To be able to select Administrator or Owner in the Privilege Set field, you must select the User value here. Available values include: Role: Select to be able to select a role in the Member Name field. Available roles are derived from PeopleSoft roles defined on the Roles page. See PeopleTools 8.52: Security Administration PeopleBook, “Setting Up Roles.” User: Select to be able to select a user in the Member Name field. Available users are derived from PeopleSoft users defined on the User Profiles page. See PeopleTools 8.52: Security Administration PeopleBook, “Administering User Profiles.”
Member Name	Select a name from the list of roles or users.
Privilege Set	Select a privilege level you want to assign to the member. To be able to assign the Administrator or Owner privilege level to a member, you must have selected User in the Type field. Available values are: Administrator Approver Contributor Moderator Owner Viewer See Understanding Workspace Privilege Sets.
Add Workspace Member	Click to add another member to the workspace.
Create User Account	Click to access the Create User Account page, which enables you to enter a new user name and email account for an external member. Note. The Create User Account button appears only if the Enable External Users option is set on the Installation Options page. See Setting System Options for Workspaces.
Finish	Click to finish workspace creation and access the workspace homepage.

Creating an External User Account

Access the Create User Account page.

Use the Create User Account page to create an account to allow an external user to access this workspace. The system user ID is based on the email address that you enter. The system will use this name as the description in the PeopleTools user profile. A dynamically created password will be mailed to the user enabling access to the workspace. When the external user logs in to the workspace for the first time, the Change Password page appears and the user is asked to change the password that was sent in the invitation.

Email	Enter a valid email address. The system will truncate the system user ID generated from this email address at the @ symbol. For example, an email address of first.last@xyz.com will result in a user ID of FIRST.LAST.
Name	Enter a description for this account. The system will use this value as the description in the PeopleTools user profile.
Matching Accounts	After you enter a valid email address and exit the Email field, if the system finds a matching email address, then the Matching Accounts group box appears, displaying the matching accounts.
Create Account	Click the Create Account button to create a new external user account and return to the Add Members (Optional) page.
Cancel and Previous	Click either button to return to the Add Members (Optional) page without creating an external user account.
Finish	The Finish button is not active on this page. Click the Create Account or Cancel button.

You can access and manage external user information from the Manage External User page.

See Managing External User Accounts for Workspaces.

Creating Child Workspaces

This section discusses how to create a child workspace.

Page Used to Create Child Workspaces

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Create Child Workspace	EPPCW_WS_CREATE	Browse Workspaces Select the Workspaces - Hierarchy page. Select a parent workspace. Click the Create Child Workspace button.	Create a child workspace of the selected parent.

Page Name

Definition Name

Navigation

Usage

Create Child Workspace

EPPCW_WS_CREATE

Browse Workspaces

Select the Workspaces - Hierarchy page.

Select a parent workspace.

Click the Create Child Workspace button.

Create a child workspace of the selected parent.

Creating a Child Workspace

Access the Create Child Workspace page (select a parent workspace and click the Create Child Workspace button on the Workspaces - Hierarchy page).

Use the Create Child Workspace page to create a child of the parent workspace. As an alternative to the five steps of the workspace wizard, this page allows you to specify the name, description, template, and default members in one step. If the child workspace uses the same template as the parent, then the default option is to copy workspace members from the parent. If the child workspace uses a different template, then the default option is to copy workspace members from the template.

Name	Enter a name for the workspace. The name of the workspace appears in the header on the workspace homepage, at the top of the workspace menu, and anywhere workspaces are listed—for example, on pages to search for or manage workspaces, in pagelets, in search results, and so on.
Description	Enter an optional description for the workspace. This description also becomes the default welcome text, which is displayed in the Welcome module if that module is configured for this workspace.
Template	Select the template on which you want to base your child workspace. The template used by the parent workspace is selected by default, but can be overridden.
Copy Members Option	Select the copy option: Copy From The Workspace — Copies the members from the parent workspace. Note. When the child’s template is the same as the parent’s, this option is selected by default. Copy From The Template — Copies the members from the template. Note. When the child’s template is different from the parent’s, this option is selected by default. Do Not Copy Members — No members are added to the workspace by default.

Creating and Updating Workspaces in Batch Mode

This section discusses how to run the process to create and update workspaces in batch mode.

Pages Used to Create and Update Workspaces in Batch Mode

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Batch Create Workspaces	EPPCW_IMPORT_RUN	Portal Administration, Workspaces, Batch Create Workspaces, Batch Create Workspaces	Specify the XML and other parameters for the workspace batch process.
Document Type Definition (DTD)	EPPCW_IMPRTDTD_SBP	Click the View Document Type Definition (DTD) link on the Batch Create Workspaces page.	Review the DTD that provides the specification for the XML for the workspace batch process.
Sample XML File	EPPCW_IMPRTXML_SBP	Click the View Sample XML File link on the Batch Create Workspaces page.	View example XML that can be copied and modified to be the input to the workspace batch process.

Running the Process to Create and Update Workspaces in Batch Mode

This section discusses how to:

Create and update workspaces in batch.
Review the DTD.
View the example XML.
Modify XML attributes for workspace creation and update.

Creating and Updating Workspaces in Batch

Access the Batch Create Workspaces page (Portal Administration, Workspaces, Batch Create Workspaces, Batch Create Workspaces).

Use the Batch Create Workspaces page to specify XML and other parameters for the workspace batch process (EPPCW_IMPORT). The EPPCW_IMPORT Application Engine program returns a standard processing log for the job and an XML file of any workspaces that had errors and were not created by the process, for example, workspaces that had blank values for required elements. You can correct the XML blocks and resubmit them for processing.

Report Manager	Click to access the Report Manager module to view report results. See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleSoft Process Scheduler PeopleBook , “Using Report Manager.”
Process Monitor	Click to access the Process Monitor to view the status of job requests. See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleSoft Process Scheduler PeopleBook, “Using Process Monitor.”
Run / Schedule	Click to schedule and run this process. Process Scheduler runs the EPPCW_IMPORT process at the user-defined time. See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleSoft Process Scheduler PeopleBook, “Submitting and Scheduling Process Requests.”
View Document Type Definition (DTD)	Click to review the DTD that provides the XML specifications for the workspace batch process. See Reviewing the DTD.
View Sample XML File	View example XML that demonstrates how to create and update workspaces. Copy and modify this XML to be the input to the workspace batch process. Save the XML as a file, or paste the modified XML directly into the text box. See Viewing the Example XML.
Select File	Click to browse to a local file that you want to use to create or modify workspaces in batch mode.
Upload	Insert the XML that defines the workspaces to be created or updated. See Modifying XML Attributes for Workspace Creation and Updating.
Notify Workspace Owners	Select this check box to send an email to the owner of each workspace indicating that the workspace was created or modified.

The output file is named EPPCW_BATCH_ERROR.xml and is written to the application server. Use the Process Monitor to access the log file.

Reviewing the DTD

Access the Document Type Definition (DTD) page (click the View Document Type Definition (DTD) link on the Batch Create Workspaces page).

Use the Document Type Definition (DTD) page to review the DTD, which provides the XML specifications for the workspace batch process. The workspace DTD is included here for reference:

<!DOCTYPE WORKSPACES [ 

<!ELEMENT workspaces (workspace+)>
<!ELEMENT workspace (portalname, description, welcometext, invitationtext,⇒
 category, template, validfrom, validto, members, keys)>
<!ELEMENT members (member+)>
<!ELEMENT keys (key+)>
<!ELEMENT portalname (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT description (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT welcometext (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT invitationtext (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT category (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT template (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT member (name, type, privilege)>
<!ELEMENT key (recname, keyname, keyvalue, keydescr, keyshow)>
<!ELEMENT name (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT type (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT privilege (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT recname (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT keyname (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT keyvalue (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT keydescr (#CDATA)>
<!ELEMENT keyshow (#CDATA)>

<!ATTLIST workspace mode (ADD|UPDATE)>

]>

Viewing the Example XML

Access the Sample XML File page (click the View Sample XML File link on the Batch Create Workspaces page).

Use the Sample XML File page to view example XML that demonstrates how to create and update workspaces. You can copy and modify this XML to be the input to the workspace batch process. Save the XML as a file or paste the modified XML directly into the text box on the Batch Create Workspaces page.

See Modifying XML Attributes for Workspace Creation and Updating.

Modifying XML Attributes for Workspace Creation and Updating

Copy the delivered sample XML and modify it to create or update specific workspaces. To create or update multiple workspaces, copy and modify the block of XML for each workspace you are modifying or creating.

The workspace DTD specifies the following XML elements:

<workspaces>	Requires at least one <workspace> element.
<workspace>	Each <workspace> element corresponds to a workspace and has two attributes: title = Enter the name of the workspace. This attribute is required for ADD mode only. mode= Enter ADD or UPDATE. If you are updating the workspace, then the portal name becomes a required attribute.
<portalname>	Enter the name of the portal. This attribute is required for UPDATE mode only.
<description>	Optional attribute. Enter a text string describing the workspace.
<welcometext>	Optional attribute. Enter text that you want to appear as a welcome message in the Welcome pagelet.
<invitationtext>	Optional attribute. Enter the text that is sent out in an email as an invitation to participate in the workspace.
<category>	Optional attribute. Enter the name of the category you want to assign to the workspace.
<template>	Optional attribute. Enter the template name for the workspace.
<validfrom>	Optional attribute. Enter the date that the workspace becomes valid.
<validto>	Optional attribute. Enter the date that the workspace is no longer valid.
<members>	Each <workspace> element requires a <members> element, which in turn requires at least one <member> element.
<member>	Each <member> element corresponds to a workspace member and has three required elements: <name> Displays the user ID or role name of the workspace member. <type> Enter USER or ROLE. <privilege> Enter one of the following values: EPPCW_OWNER EPPCW_ADMIN EPPCW_APPROVER EPPCW_VIEWER EPPCW_MODERATOR EPPCW_VIEWER
<keys>	The <keys> element is optional and is only valid when the workspace template defines contextual keys. If used, you must define at least one <key> element.
<key>	Each <key> element corresponds to a contextual data key for the workspace and has four required elements: < recname> Displays the name of the record name. <keyname> Displays the name of the contextual data key. <keyvalue> Displays the value of the contextual key. <keydescr> Displays the custom label for the contextual data key. <keyshow> Enter Y or N to indicate whether the key appears in the workspace menu on the homepage. Note. The <keyshow> parameter is equivalent to the Display option on the Administration - Contextual Data page.