PerfectApps™ Help Guide

App Instances list

Edit Apps > Overview

Displays a complete list of app instances that exist for your apps. To filter based only on one specific app, choose an app from the drop-down.

App Instances list

Edit Apps > App Details

Provides access to app instances for that app. This is only available to the app owner.

App Instances node

Edit Apps tree

Displays in the tree view all app instances that the user is involved in.

App is Active check box

Edit Apps > App Details

The app owner can inactivate the app entirely by un-checking the Active box. This will prevent anyone from accessing both the app design and app instances, without the dangers of deleting an app and its instances all together.

Clear Lock Button

Edit Apps > Open/Closed instance details

The Clear Lock button can be used to unlock an app instance. Instances are locked when a user opens it and will remain locked if the instance is closed abnormally; usually by closing the browser window.

Create New App Button

Apps Workspace

This button will create a new app either from scratch or from one of the available templates.

Data History button

Edit Apps > App instance details

The Data History button displays an audit record containing data snapshots at the point of each data submission for the app. See Accessing the Data History of an App Instance.

Delete app button

Edit Apps > App Details

This will present you with the option to delete the app in its entirety, delete the mobile design, delete only the previous versions of the app (while keeping the current version), delete previous mobile versions, or delete all draft instances of the app.

Delete instance button

Edit Apps > Open/Closed instance details

This button will allow you to delete an individual, or group, of instances for an app. Note that instance may also be deleted directly from the Edit Apps view using delete from your keyboard or the Delete button.

Design button

Edit Apps > App Details

Click the Design button to edit the app in the App Designer.

Details button

Edit Apps > Open/Closed instance details

Click the Details button to view the app instance details (notifications, submission dates, stages and more) for the app instance selected in the list.

Favorites

Edit Apps > Overview

Double click on an app in the favorites list to view the details for that app.

Import button (Apps)

Apps Workspace & Overview

To import a PerfectApps app (.PA or .PF), click the Import button under the Apps Workspace. Locate the .PA or .PF file on your PC. This will be uploaded and added into your Private or Shared Apps folder. You can upload apps that have been exported from another account or downloaded from the PerfectApps Web site.

Latest Version and Published Version  

Edit Apps > App Details

Even after publishing an app you will often find that you need to make changes to the app to accommodate changes to your business process or data collection requirements. Once an app is deployed and you have started to fill in apps, you still have the ability to make changes to the app without invalidating previously completed app instances.

For a complete explanation of version control options, see Publishing and Deploying Your App.

Link button

Edit Apps > App Details

This provides URL and HTML links to a published app. For a complete explanation of the Link button options, see Publishing and Deploying Your App.

Map Versions

Edit Apps > Open/Closed instance details

Click this button to point app instances created under one published version of an app to another version. For more information, see Mapping App Instances to Another Version of the App.

Migrate button

Edit Apps > App Details

This will load a dialog that allows you to import an app file (.PA or .PF), export your app design, export app data to a local file or transfer ownership of your app to another designer. See Exporting Apps and App Data.

Migrate button

Edit Apps > App Details > Data History

For Data History, the Migrate button allows you to save the data history in CSV or XML format locally.

Mobile App is active

Edit Apps > App Details

The app owner can inactivate the mobile version of the app, if one exists, by un-checking the Mobile App is active box. This will prevent anyone from accessing the mobile version of the app but will not affect the standard, non-mobile, version.

See Mobile Design for more details.

Name

Edit Apps > App Details

The name of the app as shown in the tree in the left panel and elsewhere. It can be changed here as well as in the App Designer. It must be unique within all apps owned by that user but it can have the same name as an app created by another user.

New button

Apps Workspace & Overview

In the Apps Workspace, clicking the New button displays a drop-down menu that shows app-related actions including New App and New Folder. Selecting New > App will launch a new blank app in the App Designer. Selecting New > Folder creates a new folder in the selected node of the Apps tree.

New Instance button

Edit Apps > App Details

This will create a new (and real) instance of the app. The button will only be enabled once the app has been published.

Draft instance of a 'minor version' app can be used for testing. See Testing Your App Using Draft Instances.

Permissions section

Edit Apps > App Details

Allows the owner to specify who is able to create new app instances. If it is a shared app, it also allows further permissions (editing, reporting etc.) to be set.

For a complete explanation of permissions options, go to Granting App Permissions.

Private Apps node

Shared Apps node

Edit Apps tree

When you create a new app, it is only visible and editable by the user who created it. However, you can share the app by selecting it from the tree or the recently edited list and then clicking the Share button at the bottom of the App Details area.

Once an app is shared, it will be moved from the Private Apps top level node of the tree to the Shared Apps top level node. Within the Shared Apps node are the names of any users who have shared apps. A shared app will be moved into the tree node with the name of its creator. A shared app can be returned to the Private Apps node by clicking the Unshare button.

See Allowing Others to Edit Your App

Publish button

Edit Apps > App Details

This publishes a production version of the app. Once the app has been published, it can be deployed and accessed by respondents.

Recent Edits list

Edit Apps > Overview

Click on an app in the recently edited list to view the details for that app.

Related

Edit Apps > App Details

The related section lists associated items within the PerfectApps account. Related items will include connections and any apps or reports linked using the ‘Show App,’ ‘Show Report,’ ‘Get field from other instance,’ or ‘Set field in other instance’ behavior commands.

If there are no related items, this section will not appear.

Search (by App Name)

Apps Workspace & Edit Apps > Overview

Enter search criteria to find a specific app. Use this search if you want to locate a specific app by its name.

Partial name searches are supported.

Share/Unshare button

Edit Apps > App Details

Toggles an app between Shared and Private permission settings. Once an app is shared, it will be moved from the Private Apps top level node of the tree to the Shared Apps top level node. Within the Shared Apps node are the names of any users who have shared apps. A shared app will be moved into the tree node with the name of its creator. A shared app can be returned to the Private Apps node by clicking the Unshare button.

Status (Filter)

Apps Workspace

Filter the list of apps by their status.

Choose from: Published, Draft.

To clear an existing filter, click it again from the list.

Update Date (Filter)

Apps Workspace

Filter the list of apps by their last updated dates.

Choose from: Last Week, Last 30 Days, Last 3 Months, Last 6 Months, Last Year.

To clear an existing filter, click it again from the list.

Version Section

Edit Apps > App Details

To revert to a previous version of the app, select the desired version (Latest, Published or Draft) from the Version section.

For a detailed explanation of version control options, see Working with Versions.

View button

Edit Apps > Open/Closed Instance details and App Instance details

Click the View button to see the actual app instance.

Create New Report

Reports Workspace

This button will create a new report.

Edit Recent list

Edit Reports > Overview

Click on a report in the recently edited list to view the details for that report.

Edit Reports node

Edit Reports tree

Displays all reports available for editing according to the user's permissions.

Favorites

Edit Reports > Overview

Double click on a report in the favorites list to view the details for that report.

Import button

Reports Workspace

To import a PerfectApps report (.PA or .PF), click the Import button under the Reports Workspace. Locate the .PA or .PF file on your PC. This will be uploaded and added into your Private or Shared Reports folder. You can upload reports that have been exported from another account or downloaded from the PerfectApps Web site.

Migrate button

Edit Reports > Report details

This will load a dialog that allows you to import a report file (.PA or .PF), export your report design or transfer ownership of your report to another designer.

New button

Reports Workspace

In the Reports Workspace, clicking the New button displays a drop-down menu that shows report-related actions including New Report and New Folder. Selecting New > Report will launch a new blank report in the Report Designer. Selecting New > Folder creates a new folder in the selected node of the Reports tree.

Related

Edit Report > Report details

The related section lists associated items within the PerfectApps account. Related items will include connections and any apps or reports linked using the ‘Show App,’ ‘Show Report,’ ‘Get field from other instance,’ or ‘Set field in other instance’ behavior commands.

If there are no related items, this section will not appear.

Search (by Name)

Reports Workspace & Edit Reports

Enter search criteria to find a specific report. Use this search if you want to locate a specific report by its name.

Partial name searches are supported.

Status (Filter)

Reports Workspace

Filter the list of reports by their status.

Choose from: Published, Draft.

To clear an existing filter, click it again from the list.

Update Date (Filter)

Reports Workspace

Filter the list of reports by their last updated dates.

Choose from: Last Week, Last 30 Days, Last 3 Months, Last 6 Months, Last Year.

To clear an existing filter, click it again from the list.

View Recent Reports section

Reports Workspace

Click on a report name in the list to run and view the report.

View Reports node

View Reports tree

Displays all reports available for viewing according to the user's permissions.

Attention Needed node

Notifications Dashboard

Displays notifications to the user of their app instances that require attention.

No Attention Needed node

Notifications Dashboard

Displays notifications to the user of their app instances that require no attention.

Notifications Needing Your Attention  

Notifications Dashboard

Overview of notifications on app instances requiring attention. Click an item to view the notification details.

Search Notifications shortcut

Notifications Dashboard

If you need to search for notification titles, then in the details area, enter the title of the notification in the Search field and click the Search button. This will then display the Search Notifications area where you can filter or change your search criteria and/or results. If you want to locate a specific app instance by its app instance name rather than the notification title then you should go to the Apps Dashboard (see the Apps Dashboard topic) and view it from there.

Connection Type

Connections Dashboard

Each connection type displays a list in the tree of any defined connections of that type.

Import button

Connections Dashboard

You can migrate connections and their associated connection actions. If an app contains lookups or other functionality and you want to import/export it, you will need to import/export the connection that app uses as well. To learn about connections and integration, see the Integrating PerfectApps topic.

New button

Connections Dashboard

Click this button and a drop-down menu will display showing the various connection types to choose from. Choose the connection type you want to create. See Administering Connections and Integration.

Contacts

Account Settings tree > User details

Enter contact information for users associated with this account (i.e. e-mail address).

License

Account Settings tree

Edit user licenses in the detail area. For more information, see Administering Users, Groups and Positions.

New button

Settings Dashboard

Click this button and a drop-down menu displays showing the various account-related actions from which you can choose. Here you can create a new User, User-Group, Position, List or E-mail Server. See the Settings Dashboard topic for additional detail.

Personal Details

Personal Settings tree

Click this option to view and edit your account details. See Creating and Managing an Account.

Positions node

Account Settings Tree > Users tree

Contains a list of positions created and managed by this account.

Refresh Storage button

Account Settings tree > License

Click this button to refresh the page and get up-to-date storage details for the account.

Settings

Account Settings tree

Edit the account settings in the detail area. For more information on administering account settings see the Administering Account Settings topic.

Upgrade the account button

Account Settings tree > License

Click this button to go to the of the PerfectApps Web page that allows you to purchase an upgrade to your On-Demand account.

User-Groups node

Account Settings tree > Users tree

Contains a list of user-groups created and managed by this account.

Users node

Account Settings tree > Users tree

Contains a list of user accounts managed by this account.