1. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Business Objects for the
Techies
Kye Hittle, Director of IT
Beta Theta Pi Foundation
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
REVOLUTION 2012

2. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
ASI Image
• Remote desktop
• host: <your specific instance
name>.compute-1.amazonaws.com
• login: administrator
• pass: Q12P04%6
• domain: <your specific instance
name>
• imis: MANAGER/manager
REVOLUTION 2012

3. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
What are
BUSINESS OBJECTS?
REVOLUTION 2012

4. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
What is the Biz Obj concept?
Every entity in the system,
representing the human-world object
which the system is expected to
interact with is a business object.
<separate>
This is opposed to the objects and
logic being part of the
implementation details.
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3273800/what-are-business-objects-and-what-is-business-logic
REVOLUTION 2012

5. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Biz Obj Definition
Business Name: The term used to classify a business object.
Business Definition: Statement of the meaning and purpose of
the business object.
Attributes: Facts relating to the purpose of the business object.
Behavior: The activities that a business object engages in such as
interacting with other objects, recognizing events and changing
attributes accordingly.
Relationship: The association between business objects that is a
reflection of the inter-relationships between their business
purposes and the interactions therein.
Business Rules: The rules by which the behavior, relationships
and attributes of a business object must abide.
http://www.techopedia.com/definition/25982/business-object-bo
REVOLUTION 2012

6. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
What is the Biz Obj
• Encapsulation
• Additional functionality can be be added
without requiring changes to other
objects
• Protects iMIS code and database
http://www.techopedia.com/definition/25982/business-object-bo
REVOLUTION 2012

7. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
iMIS’s Definition of Biz Obj
A business object is an iMIS system
construct representing the data
elements and business rules of a
business concept like a contact; it is
implemented using a combination of
business rules, a schema definition
that describes the data structures of
the object’s properties, and a database
view.
REVOLUTION 2012

8. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Benefits & Future of iMIS Biz
• .NET Accessible for developers, uses
standard classes
• Uses XML standard
• Standardized security
• New types of objects (user-defined tables,
forms, etc.)
• New columns extend product, order,
referrals, etc.
• Standard interface for all objects (queries,
REVOLUTION 2012

9. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Where do Biz Objs live in
• Stored in iMIS Document System
• Schema definitions & Views are
created by iMIS in the database - do
not edit
• Create/Edit in Tools module (requires
SysAdmin role)
REVOLUTION 2012

10. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
What are Biz Objs used for?
• IQA (e.g. Cs... objects)
• Business Rules (security) - do not
modify
• Module-specific (Process Manger,
Campaign Management, Segmentation,
RFM, Content Management)
REVOLUTION 2012

11. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Biz Objs vs. IQA
• An IQA can use a Biz Obj as a Source
• A Biz Obj can use an IQA as a Values
Query
REVOLUTION 2012

12. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Exploring
BUSINESS OBJECT DESIGNER
REVOLUTION 2012

13. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
In-Class Exercise #1
• Pick a biz obj that you are familiar with
and examine it in Biz Object Designer
REVOLUTION 2012

14. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Business Object Designer
• Allows you to create/modify Business
Objects
• Located under Tools or iSA tab
REVOLUTION 2012

15. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Explore/Edit an existing Biz
1.Find the Biz Obj in the Document
System and double-click or press Edit
2.Click on Database tab to determine
what tables and/or views are used
along with how they are related
(joined)
REVOLUTION 2012

16. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Database Tab
• Tables contains tables and/or views
• Used & Available Columns contain
fields
REVOLUTION 2012

17. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Database Tab
• Filter must use qualified field names
(table.field) if more than one table/
view present
REVOLUTION 2012

18. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Database Tab
• BOD only allows inner joins
REVOLUTION 2012

19. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Properties Tab
• Allows you to edit each column (field)
listed in “Used Columns” on the
Database tab
REVOLUTION 2012

20. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Properties Tab
• Allows you to edit each column (field)
listed in “Used Columns” on the
Database tab
REVOLUTION 2012

21. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Properties Tab > Definition
• Exposes the Database Table (or View)
and Column (field) name
REVOLUTION 2012

22. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Properties Tab > Definition
• Automatically Include in Queries
determines if column is automatically
added to IQA Display tab when Biz Obj
is added as a Source
REVOLUTION 2012

23. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Properties Tab > Display
• Prompt for Field is the friendly name
IQA uses in Display tab
REVOLUTION 2012

24. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Properties Tab > Display
• Display Control specifies which form
control is presented to the user when
filter is displayed
REVOLUTION 2012

25. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Properties Tab > Display
• Display Mask provides formatting for
certain data types (e.g. datetime)
REVOLUTION 2012

26. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Properties Tab > Values Sub-
• Default Value does not carry over to
IQA Filters
• Values Come From is set to Freeform
data entry by default
• Value List is a hardcoded list:
REVOLUTION 2012

27. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Properties Tab > Values Sub-
• Values Come From is set to Freeform
data entry by default
• Query Object is an existing IQA:
$/Common/Queries/Value Lists/ contains many common lists, also a good place to store your own
REVOLUTION 2012

28. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Save any changes
1.Press Save
2.Press Compile
3.Press Publish
4.Changes are available to IQA and the
rest of iMIS
REVOLUTION 2012

29. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Biz Obj Status
• Working status has not been
published
• Status must be Published before it is
available to IQA
REVOLUTION 2012

30. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Creating a new Biz Obj
1.In BOD click New > Design Business
Definition
REVOLUTION 2012

31. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Creating a new Biz Obj
2.Give your Biz Obj a Name, Description
and click Create Object
REVOLUTION 2012

32. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Default Relationships
• iMIS 10: defined via Related tab of Biz Obj
• iMIS 15: defined via db foreign key (FK)
relationships
– Cs... objects use hardcoded relationships for
Omnis compatibility - cannot be modified
– DO NOT add FKs to any iMIS standard table!
Default
Relationshi
ps
http://docs.imis.com/15.2/#!
REVOLUTION 2012

33. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Finding FKs on iMIS tables
• In SQL Server Management Studio:
REVOLUTION 2012

34. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Finding FKs on iMIS tables
• In SQL Server Management Studio:
REVOLUTION 2012

35. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Adding FKs to Custom Tables
• Do NOT add FKs to standard iMIS
tables!
REVOLUTION 2012

36. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Adding FKs to Custom Tables
• The new FK must include ON DELETE CASCADE
• When iMIS deletes records from the referenced
table, the corresponding record is also deleted from
the custom table
• To specify in Management Studio:
REVOLUTION 2012

37. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Reverting to a previous
• Select the Biz Obj
• Click Versions
• Select version to revert to
• Click Revert - status will become
Working
• Publish the object
REVOLUTION 2012

38. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Create Business Objects for all
User Defined Tables
1. Tools > Task Area (left) >
2. Utilities > User defined
tables
3. Click Build All (to the far
right)
REVOLUTION 2012

39. SHARE, COMPARE, BECOME MORE AWARE
Thank you!
REVOLUTION 2012