About the Dashboard Services Hierarchy

Aptify stores data related to dashboards in nine services. Aptify automatically creates records in each of these services as necessary when a user designs a dashboard using the Dashboard Options dialog (see Creating a Personal Dashboard for more information). These services interact as described below:

• Dashboards: This is the top level record for the dashboard container. This record stores the name of the dashboard, its scope, its rank, and other values. Each dashboard is comprised of one or more areas, which is in turn comprised of one or more parts. Note that when you delete a Dashboard's record in the Dashboards service, Aptify automatically deletes its corresponding areas and parts as well.
• Dashboard Areas: This service stores information about each dashboard area, including area's default size and location. Each area is linked to one parent Dashboards record. An area is a container for one or more parts.
  • When a user modifies an area's dimensions for a global or group level dashboard, the user's personal settings are saved in a Dashboard Area User Values record. Note that this service is not associated with an application by default.
     
• Dashboard Parts: This service stores information about each dashboard part, including the component and input map parts used to display the desired information on the dashboard and the part's default size and location with the area. Each part is linked to one parent Dashboard Areas record.
  • When a user modifies a part's appearance in a global or group level dashboard, the user's personal settings are saved in a Dashboard Part User Values record. Note that this service is not associated with an application by default.
     
• Dashboard Components: This service stores the components that can be used by a dashboard part, and each component's input properties (which flow down to a part's input map). These components are reusable and include the Microsoft Outlook components, the View Container, and the Button Bar. See Configuring Dashboard Part Components for information on the standard components provided with Aptify.
  • Dashboard Components can be grouped by category. The standard system includes one category (General) but you can add additional categories as -necessary. These categories are stored in the Dashboard Component Categories service.
     
• Dashboard Button Bars: When a user creates a dashboard part that uses the Button Bar component, Aptify automatically creates a Dashboard Button Bars record that stores general information about the button bar's appearance and default button behavior. Each button bar has one or more buttons.
• Dashboard Buttons: This service stores information about each button that appears in a button bar, including the button's action type and properties that determine what system operation is performed when a user clicks the button. See Configuring the Button Action Types for information on the standard button action types provided with Aptify. Each Dashboard Buttons record is linked to one Dashboard Button Bars record.