IBM Content Navigator, Version 2.0.3     Supports:  Content Manager, FileNet P8, OnDemand, OASIS CMIS

Desktops

When you create a desktop, you determine what users can see and do when they log on to the web client.

Desktops are similar to teamspaces in that you specify what users can access when they are locating the content they need. For example, you can specify how the desktop functions by configuring the toolbars and menus that users can see and use to work with content. In teamspaces, you specify the folders and searches that users can access to find content. However, teamspaces provide a focused view of the relevant documents, folders, and searches that a team needs to complete tasks. Desktops can provide a broad view, but users might not be allowed to access specific features.

Access to the desktop from the mobile application

If you want to use IBM® Content Navigator from a mobile device, it is recommended that you configure some or all of the desktops in your environment to be accessed by the mobile application. When you configure a desktop to be accessed by the mobile application, you can specify which features users can access and which actions users can take. For example, you can prevent users from adding photos or documents from their mobile devices.

Repositories

You can specify which repositories users can access from the desktop. The repositories that you specify can affect the features that users can access, for example:
  • If you configure a desktop to access only IBM Content Manager OnDemand repositories, users cannot use teamspaces or browse for documents.
  • If you configure a desktop to access a repository that is not enabled for teamspaces, users cannot use teamspaces.
  • If you configure a desktop to access a repository that is not enabled for browsing, users cannot browse for documents.
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Layout

The layout of a desktop describes how the features of the desktop are arranged and the features that are available on the desktop. IBM Content Navigator includes a default layout; however, you can create plug-ins to define custom layouts.

When you configure the layout of the desktop, you can configure the features that are included in the desktop. The features that are available on each desktop depend on the following factors:
  • The repositories that are associated with the desktop
  • The features that are enabled on the repositories
  • The feature plug-ins that are registered and configured for the web client
  • The layout that is selected for the desktop

When you configure the layout, you can specify which features users can access from the desktop and which feature is open when users log in to the desktop. For example, if you do not want users to browse the repository, you can exclude that feature from the desktop. If you expect users to work with specific documents rather than running frequent searches, you can set Home as the default feature.

In addition, you can configure the view and some of the toolbars that are available on the desktop.

Tip: Some actions, such as allowing users to create searches and cross-repository searches are controlled from the General tab of the desktop configuration.
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Appearance

You can customize the appearance of the desktop by applying a theme to the desktop. A theme enables you to specify the colors and images that are specific to your organization. You can further customize the desktop for your organization by specifying:
  • The text that is displayed on the login page
  • Any special password rules that apply to your organization
  • The URL of your custom end user help system
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Menus

The menus for the different toolbars and context menus that users access from the desktop are defined in the default menus that are provided by IBM Content Navigator. The menus determine the actions that users can do when they are working with items from the desktop. For example, a context menu that is available from a document might include the following actions: open, preview, delete, and check out. You can customize the menus to include only options that users need. You customize the contents of the menus in the Menus section of the administration tool. You can also create new types of menus by creating a plug-in.

When desktops are assigned to multiple repositories, the context menu that is accessed from the global toolbar is synchronized with the repository that is being used. If users are in the Favorites, Teamspaces, or Work views, they must review the repository name to confirm that they are adding content to the correct repository.

IBM FileNet P8 workflows

When you configure workflows for a desktop, you select the Process Engine application spaces that users can access from the desktop. Application spaces contain the resources for a workflow, such as the roles of users that are participating in the workflow. Application spaces also identify the list of users who are members of the role and the in-baskets that provide a view of items in a work queue. You must use the Process Engine or Process Configuration Console to define application spaces.

By default, all of the application spaces that are defined for a repository are available to users from the desktop. When you specify an application space, only that application space is available to users from the desktop for a specific repository.

Parent topic: Defining desktops