Archibus Web Central
Archibus Smart Client
The Navigator
The Navigator organizes the data development and reporting tasks of a particular facilities management business area. Use the Navigator to access the data development tasks, reports, charts, and floor plans required for your particular role in the organization.
The Navigator is available in Web Central, Smart Client, and the Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD, although the appearance varies in each program. In all programs, it presents a hierarchy for accessing data and tasks.
Within each environment, the Navigator displays a set of tasks unique to that environment. For example, the Smart Client Navigator focuses on data entry, and the Web Central Navigator includes both data entry and reporting tasks. Similarly, the Navigator in CAD includes common CAD commands and tasks for working with asset symbols.
Administrators can customize the content of the Navigator by working with the tables that define the Navigator, such as afm_ptasks. For information, see Navigator Tables (System Management Help).
This topic has the following sections:
- Web Central
- Smart Client and Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD
- Task Hierarchy
- Role-Based
- Loading Tasks to Access Views into the Data
- Hiding the Navigator
- Online Help
Web Central
In Web Central, the Navigator resides in the side-bar navigation panel, which also houses a Search feature and Favorites list.
You move through the hierarchy to select processes and tasks by selecting items from slide-out drawers. For information on the hierarchy, see the below Task Hierarchy discussion.
In Archibus Cloud, the Navigator appears as follows:
In the full software offering, the Navigator shows the Domain level in the far left pane, and then subsequent panels show applications, processes (roles), and tasks.
Smart Client and Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD
In Smart Client and the Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD, the Navigator appears as a tab within the Explorer window. You drill down vertically through domains, applications, and processes (roles) to reach tasks.
In the Navigator in CAD, note that tasks do not load views; instead, the Navigator presents as tasks the asset commands and CAD commands that you will find convenient for working with asset symbols in CAD plans. For example, the Navigator for the Room Inventory process lists commands for working with polylines and converting them to asset symbols.
The below image shows how the Navigator presents the hierarchy for the Room Inventory process in both Smart Client and Smart Client CAD.
Task Hierarchy
When you work with the Navigator, you move through the following hierarchy:
- Domains
- In the Archibus Full Software Offering, domains are areas of practice organized by the building lifecycle: Real Property, Capital Projects, Space, and so on. Each domain consists of a series of applications.
- Archibus Cloud does not use domains; instead, modules are the top level. The above image of the Navigator in Web Central illustrates this.
- Applications or Modules
- Applications or modules represent discrete business functions or automation goals with a defined outcome or business benefit. For instance, you may wish to implement the Sustainability Assessment application to track your green initiatives, or implement the Leases module to manage your leases.
- In Archibus Cloud, a module is the equivalent of an application.
- Processes or Roles. Each application or module, in turn, consists of a series of processes or roles that correspond to deployment responsibilities. Roles and processes are at the same level and provide a means for organizing tasks.
- Tasks. The task is the actual selection that a user makes to perform an action, such as editing a floor plan drawing, examining a report, editing a database record, and so forth. For example, a user might select the "Define Rooms by Buildings " task and enter data in the resulting grid to develop room records.
Hiding Parts of the Hierarchy
The Navigator in Web Central minimizes mouse clicks and hides parts of the hierarchy when appropriate.
For example, If you are assigned only one process, the Navigator displays a panel with your tasks as soon as you select the module or application; since you have only one assigned process, the Navigator does not need to display the list of processes. For an example of this, sign in as AFM-CLI.
Likewise, if you are assigned only one task, the Navigator immediately loads the task when you select the module or application. For an example, sign in as AFM-CLI and select the Maintenance module.
In the full software offering, the System domain has only one application, the System application. Therefore, the Navigator does not display the application panel; instead, it displays the System domain in the far-left panel and then you immediately move to the process.
Role-Based
The Navigator provides a structure for developing and presenting data in an organized, easy-to-follow manner, based on your role within the company. Typically an administrator will configure the Navigator so that it presents only tasks that are appropriate to your role within the organization. For example, the Navigator in the Smart Client Extension for AutoCAD presents only tasks for the CAD specialist role, such as tasks for setting drawing layers, highlighting drawings, and generating enterprise graphic files.
The above image of the Navigator in Web Central illustrates the use of roles:
- The Space module divides tasks appropriate for Move Requestors, Move Coordinators, and Space Managers into separate selections.
- The top image shows all processes and roles for the Space module because the current user (sample user AFM-MOD) has access to all roles and processes. However, through security, you can configure Archibus so that when a user signs in, they see only the tasks appropriate for their role. For example, the Move Requestor sees only the Move Requestor selection and its tasks. This approach simplifies the software, increases data security, and reduces training.
Your Navigator typically include different processes and tasks than that of your co-workers. This approach helps you focus on just the tasks required for your job or role, providing an efficient environment for data development and management.
Loading Tasks to Access Views into the Data
To access a particular task, drill down through the Navigator and click on the domain, application or module, the process (or role), and then the task. If you have only one application or process, the program will select it automatically for you. Clicking on a task loads the form or report you need; this is also known as a view into the data. For information, see Loading Tasks (Views) from the Navigator.
Hiding the Navigator
Once you load a task from the Navigator, you can reclaim the screen space that the Navigator occupies.
Web Central
Once you select a task, the Navigator loads the view, collapses the drawers, but retains the side-bar navigation panel. For example, in the below image the user moved through the Navigator to select the Space / Space Manager / Show Departmental Analysis Chart task.
You can minimize the side-bar navigation panel using the "less than" symbol (<) located at the bottom of the side-bar navigation panel.
Smart Client Programs
You can hide the Explorer window, which houses the Navigator, by click the "x" button in the upper right corner of the Explorer pane.
Redisplay it by choosing the Show button from the Navigator ribbon.
Process-Based Online Help
From the Role or Process level, you can access help topics specific to this role or process. For complete information, see Using the Help System.
- Right-click on the process or role.
- Select the Help command that appears in the fly-out menu. This opens the Help topic overview for that process or role.
- From this overview topic, you can jump to other topics for performing a specific task.