The Application Configuration Packages functionality provides means to package, export and install certain application-wide configurations such as Custom Objects. They also provide basic lifecycle functionality with the purpose of assisting development and maintenance of such configurations.
Application-wide configurations for an installation of IFS Applications can be developed by different parties. They can be developed internally in the organization using the installation, but can also be provided from IFS or other party. Application Configuration Packages assist in separating ownership of Custom Objects configurations and facilitates a basic development lifecycle for those.
Usually the configuration is developed in some kind of development environment, in order to be delivered and installed in a production environment when the configuration satisfies requirements. Often, it makes sense to install the configuration in a test environment for verification purposes first.
Application Configuration Packages make it possible to add a configuration to a package, or make some changes to existing configurations in a package, then export those for installation in another environment. Before installing, a validation is carried out of the delivery with respect to the target environment in order to check for potential problems.
When developing an Application Configuration Package there are several ways to add Custom Objects to a package. The reason for that is to support a number of different scenarios for under which the package is developed. A package can be developed related to a concept, functionality, business process or practically ad-hoc.
Read about how to Develop a Package.
A package can be developed for different purposes, but also for different kinds of installations. An exported Application Configuration Package contains configuration items, and the package info, including information about when the package was exported. When exporting the package, also free-text information about the version can be provided.
Read about how to Export a Package.
There are two ways to install an Application Configuration Package. One way is to install it using IFS Solution Manager. The other way is to use IFS Installer.
Before installing configurations in a target system, it's good to know if this could result in any problems. Before importing configurations, validation is made so that a decision can be made if the installation should continue. Using Solution Manager you can import one package at a time and for each package manually decide to continue or abort the installation based on the validation result. Using IFS Installer, several packages can be imported simultaneously. Those are validated together resolving any dependencies between the packages and items. IFS Installer will only proceed with the installation if there are no validation errors.
Read about how to Install a Package using IFS Solution Manager.
Read about how to Install a Package using IFS Installer.
In some scenarios there is just too much administration to create a package in order to export and install configurations. Within the concept, there is also functionality to work with single items.
Read about Single Item Export and Single Item Import.
Configurations are dependent on the business logic and can also depend on other configurations. After an upgrade or update of IFS Applications, it is crucial to check the status of existing configurations against the current business logic. The Validate functionality can be used for this to minimize runtime errors.
Read about how to Validate Application Configuration Package.
There is a number of application-wide configuration concepts not handled within Application Configuration Packages. There are also some limitations concerning the supported concepts.
Read about Known Limitations.
When configurations are exported from one environment to another they will be visible for the user after being added to the User Profile. It is possible to prepare this step by configuring the User Profile in the source environment and have that exported and imported to the target environment, together with the configurations to get the configurations in place. Importing profiles can be done in several ways, either as a new profile or by merging content into an already existing profile.
Read about Manage User Profiles.