Apps

Use the Apps page to create, maintain, and run Stratus apps. Stratus apps enable tenant members to make a URL available to other members. When run, a Stratus app executes the URL defined in the app. Depending on the app type and its configuration, an app can simply open a web page. Other app types can open a form specified in a Stratus workflow, enabling a user to submit form data into the workflow and create a Stratus job - all without actually accessing the workflow or having any detailed knowledge of it.

Creating Stratus apps requires no programming expertise, and can be completed in minutes. Once created, Stratus apps appear on the creator’s Apps page, restricted to a selected app type. The creator can then share the app with other tenant members. Access to the Apps page is restricted to users with one or more Apps permissions.

Apps Page

The Apps page lists all of the logged-on user’s Stratus apps, organized by app groups. App groups appear in separate tables, and each table view can be restricted by app type. App tables have two view options: Grid and Tabular. The above illustration shows the Grid view. The following illustration shows the Tabular view:

The following apps appear for the logged-on user:

• Apps owned by the user - An app’s creator is the owner of the app.

• Apps currently shared with the user - Sharing an app provides the recipient with Use permission only.

The information bar at the top of the page provides the following options:

• Search - Restrict the apps that display to a specified text string. The restriction applies to all app groups.

• Create New App - Accesses the Create New App window.

• Create App Group - Accesses the Create App Group window.

App Groups

You can create app groups in which to organize your apps. The My Apps group is the default group. You cannot delete this group, and all new apps are added to this group. Once you create your own app groups, you can move apps from the default group into any other group.

App Group Tables

Each app group appears on the Apps page in the form of a table containing all the apps in the group. Each table provides the following information about its apps:

• Icon - If the app creator specified an icon image during app creation, it appears here. Otherwise, Dispatcher Stratus displays a default app icon based on the app type. Note that for workflow apps, if the app was auto-created, the app uses the node icon (if any) specified in the associated workflow.

• Type - An icon representing the app type displays.

• Name - The user-defined app name displays.

• Description - The user-defined app description displays.

• Actions - Icons for the actions available for the app display.

Each table provides the following configuration options:

• Table header bar

  • Group name - Appears on the left of the bar. To edit the group name:

    • Select the Pen icon next to the name.

    • Modify the name in the field that appears.

    • Select [Enter].

  • App Type filter - Use this dropdown field to restrict the display of an app group table to a selected app type, or you can display all app types.

  • View - Each table provides a Grid view and a Tabular view.

Create New App Group

To create a new app group, do the following:

1. On the Apps page, select Create App Group. The Create New App Group window appears.

2. Specify a name for the group.

3. Select OK. You return to the Apps page, where the new group is added to the bottom of the page.

App Actions

For each app on the Apps page, one or more action icons appear, depending on the app’s type and the user’s permissions in the tenant. The following illustration shows the actions available for an Internal app for a user with full Apps permissions.

The following table describes the Action icons:

Icon	Name	Description
	Paper Clip	Copies the app URL to the clipboard.
	Play	Launches the app. For Internal apps, the form opens within the Dispatcher Stratus environment. For External and Generic apps, the form opens outside of Stratus.
	Share	Accesses the Share Apps window, where the app can be shared with users and user groups.
	Pen	Accesses the Edit App window.
	Trash	Deletes the app.

Launching an App

You can launch an app in either of the following ways:

• Select the app’s Play button on the Apps page.

• Select the app’s Copy Link button, then paste the link into a browser window.

To launch an app, note the following:

• If an app does not appear on a user’s Apps page, the app has not been shared with the user.
• If an app type does not appear for an app on the Apps page, the user does not have Use permission for the app type.

Sharing an App

Stratus Apps are initially available only to their creator. To share apps with other tenant members, use the Share App feature:

Notes:

• Apps can be shared only within the tenant.
• Sharing an app gives the recipient View/Use access only.

To share an app, do the following:

1. On the Apps page, select the Sharing icon associated with the app you want to share. The Share App window appears.

2. In the left panel, select either Users or User Groups. The Available Users and Shared Users panels populate accordingly.

3. In the Available panel, select the users with whom you want to share the app.

4. Select the right-facing chevron. The Shared Users panel populates with your selections. Use the left-facing chevron to return any selections to the Available panel, if desired.

5. When the Shared Users panel includes your desired selections, select Share and Close. The app will now appear on the Apps page for the selected users, with View/Use access.

Creating Stratus Apps

Stratus apps are one of the following types:

• Internal - A “workflow” app in which you specify an URL that opens a form specified in an Internal Form node in a Stratus workflow.

• External - A “workflow” app in which you specify an URL that opens a form specified in an External Form node in a Stratus workflow.

• Generic - A simple app in which you specify an URL for any destination you want to make available to other tenant members.

Note: You can also create a Stratus app automatically via the Create App on Save field in the Internal Form and External Form nodes.

To create a Stratus app, do the following:

1. On the Apps page, select Create New App. The Create New App window appears:

   

2. At the App Type field, select an app type from the dropdown list. The fields in the window update based on your selection.

3. In the next three fields, enter “identifying” information about the app:

   • App Name - A text field in which to name the app.
   • Description - A text field in which to enter a description of the app.
   • Upload App Icon - A field in which to upload an image to serve as the app’s icon. If you don’t upload an app icon, Dispatcher Stratus applies a default app icon based on the selected app type.

4. The remaining fields vary based on your selection at the App Type field:

   • Internal

     • Workflow - The dropdown lists the workflows to which you have access. Select the workflow containing the form you want the app to open.

     • Form Node - The dropdown lists the Internal Form nodes in the selected workflow. Select the node containing the form you want the app to open. If the selected workflow contains no Internal Form nodes, you cannot select a form node and you cannot save the app.

   • External

     • Workflow - The dropdown lists the workflows to which you have access. Select the workflow containing the form you want the app to open.

     • Form Node - The dropdown lists the External Form nodes in the selected workflow. Select the node containing the form you want the app to open. If the selected workflow contains no External Form nodes, you cannot select a form node and you cannot save the app.

     • URL for Access:

       • Stratus Node URL - To make the form available via a URL generated by the form node, select this option.

       • URL where form is embedded - To make the form available on a third-party site, select this option and specify the URL.

   • Generic URL

     • URL - Specify the URL of the page you want the app to display.

App Types

When you create an app, you first define the app type. The app type determines the app’s functionality and its configuration options in the Create New App window. App types include:

Icon	Name	Description
	Internal	Use with the Internal Form input node in a selected workflow.
	External	Use with the External Form input node in a selected workflow.
	Generic	Links to any web page; no workflow associated.

Note: You can restrict the Apps page to only a selected app type, or display all app types, via a dropdown menu on the header bar.

Stratus apps belong to one of the following general categories:

• Generic - These apps can contain any valid URL, for example, a company website or third-party page such as Weather.com. Running the app simply opens the link destination.

• Workflow - These apps enable a user to input form data into a workflow from outside the workflow. Running the app executes a link that opens the form defined in the workflow’s input node. The link destination opens outside of the workflow, so the user does not need to run the workflow or have access to it in order to edit and submit the form. The information from the form is then fed back into the workflow. Workflow apps are of two types:

  • Internal - Points to an Internal Form node within a selected workflow. Internal apps:

    • Use a URL generated by Dispatcher Stratus (via the Internal Form node).

    • Open the form within the Dispatcher Stratus environment (that is, “internally”).

  • External - Points to an External Form node within a selected workflow. External apps:

    • Provide the option use either a custom URL (Page URL) or the URL generated by Dispatcher Stratus via the External Form node (Node URL).

    • Enable you to make the form available outside of the Stratus environment (that is, “externally”) if you select the Page URL option.

Internal Apps

Internal apps are workflow apps that you associate with a Stratus workflow in order to make a Stratus form within the workflow available outside the workflow, for example for users who do not have access to the workflow. Dispatcher Stratus generates the URL in the Internal Form node contained in the workflow you selected when creating the app.

Running the app executes a URL that opens the form defined in the workflow’s Internal Form node. The URL opens a web page outside of the workflow, but within the Dispatcher Stratus environment (internal), so the user does not need to run the workflow or have access to it in order to edit and submit the form. The information from the form is then fed back into the workflow, creating a Stratus job.

Once you specify the app’s identifying information, do the following:

1. At the Workflow field, the dropdown lists the workflows to which you have access. Select a workflow containing an Internal Form node. The node should contain the form you want your app to open.

2. At the Form Node field, the dropdown lists the Internal Form nodes in the selected workflow. Select the Internal Form node containing the form you want your app to open. If the selected workflow contains no Internal Form nodes, no selection options are available at this field.

External Apps

External apps are similar to Internal apps, with the following exceptions:

• They interact with an External Form node and not an Internal Form node.

• They provide the option to specify a custom URL that will open the form in a third-party site, “external” to the Dispatcher Stratus environment.

Once you specify the app’s identifying information, do the following:

1. At the Workflow field, the dropdown lists the workflows to which you have access. Select a workflow containing an External Form node. The node should contain the form you want your app to open.

2. At the Form Node field, the dropdown lists the External Form nodes in the selected workflow. Select the External Form node containing the form you want your app to open. If the selected workflow contains no External Form nodes, no selection options are available at this field.

Generic URL Apps

In addition to the app identification fields described above, the Create New App window displays the following field for Generic app types.

• URL - A user-defined URL for a third-party website.

Running a Generic app opens a user-defined link destination. Unlike workflow apps, Generic apps cannot be associated with a Stratus workflow.