Add-Ons

Customize Security Using Add-Ons

An Administrator can use Add-Ons to create custom security for delivered WebApps or custom WebApps. By creating custom WebApp groups, users can easily customize access for pages depending on any organizational need. For example, WebApp groups could be created for departments, to group pages that are used to perform certain tasks, or to grant access to a page to a limited number of users.

NOTE: To access Add-Ons, the user must be logged in with the Administrator account.

To customize security with Add-Ons at a high level:

  1. Add a WebApp group to a delivered or custom WebApp.

    NOTE: Users can only access WebApps to which they have been assigned through security.

  2. Add pages from the WebApp to the WebApp group using one of these methods:

    • Copy a WebApp group to use the pages and page permissions (the ability to view, add, update or delete records on a page) as the basis for the new WebApp group.
    • Use Excel Integration on the Group Pages page to import a spreadsheet of pages and permissions for the new WebApp group.
    • Manually add pages and permissions to the new WebApp group.
  3. Assign security roles to the WebApp group in Add-ons.
  4. Publish the WebApp group.

    NOTE: WebApp groups must be published before they can be used by the Stewardship Tier.

  5. Assign users who should access the pages using the WebApp group to the security role.

Custom WebApp groups created using Add-Ons can be updated after they are published. After the group is published, the Administrator user can:

  • Assign new pages to the WebApp group
  • Delete pages from the WebApp group
  • Change page permissions
  • Change security roles assigned to the WebApp group
  • Rename the WebApp group
  • Delete the WebApp group

Create a WebApp Group by Copying a WebApp Group's Pages and Page Permissions

To create a WebApp group by copying pages and page permissions:

  1. Click Add-Ons in the Navigation pane.
  2. Click the Web App Groups icon for a WebApp.

    NOTE: If no records exist, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    View the field descriptions for the Groups page

  1. Enter a descriptive name for the WebApp group in the GROUP NAME field.

    NOTE: This could be the name of a department, such as Sales or HR.

  2. Click Save.
  3. Click the Copy From Group icon on the Page toolbar.
  4. Click Edit.

    View the field descriptions for the Copy From Group page

  5. Select the WebApp group from the Copy From Web App Group ID list box.
  6. Click Save.
  7. Click the Copy icon.
  8. Click OK to the confirmation message.

    NOTE: This action can be performed one time per WebApp group. After a WebApp group has had pages and page permissions copied to it, the Copy From Group icon is dimmed.

  9. Click the Pages icon on the Groups page to view the pages and permissions.
  10. Update the permissions on the Group Pages page by checking or unchecking the appropriate check boxes.
  11. Click Save.
  12. Click the Security Roles icon on the Groups page.

    NOTE: If no records exist, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    View the field descriptions for the Security Roles page

  1. Select the security role from the ROLE ID list box.

    NOTE: Security roles installed with the Stewardship Tier and custom security roles display. Refer to Create Security Roles for more information.

    NOTE: The page remains in add mode to simplify adding multiple security roles to the WebApp group. When all roles have been added, click Cancel.

  2. Click the Publish To Framework icon on the Page toolbar of the Groups page. The WebApp group is then assigned to the security role, and all users assigned to that security role can access the pages in that WebApp group.
  3. Assign users who should access the pages using the WebApp group to the security role. Refer to Assign Users to Security Roles for more information.

NOTE: These WebApp groups are then active, and the users assigned to the security roles can access the pages as determined by the WebApp group settings.

NOTE: Custom WebApp groups created with Add-Ons can be republished to the framework if changes are made. When upgrading the Stewardship Tier during an installation, these WebApp groups are not overwritten.

Create a WebApp Group Using Excel Integration

To create a WebApp group using Excel Integration:

  1. Click Add-Ons in the Navigation pane.
  2. Click the Web App Groups icon for a WebApp.

    NOTE: If no records exist, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    View the field descriptions for the Groups page

  1. Enter a descriptive name for the WebApp group in the GROUP NAME field.

    NOTE: This could be the name of a department, such as Sales or HR.

  2. Click Save.
  3. Click the Pages icon for the new WebApp group.
  4. Click the More Actions (small gear) icon on the Group Pages page and select Excel Integration.
  5. Refer to Use Excel Integration for steps to import the file.
  6. When import is complete, click the Security Roles icon on the Groups page.

    NOTE: If no records exist, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    View the field descriptions for the Security Roles page

  7. Select the security role from the ROLE ID list box.

    NOTE: Security roles installed with the Stewardship Tier and custom security roles display. Refer to Create Security Roles for more information.

    NOTE: The page remains in add mode to simplify adding multiple security roles to the WebApp group. When all roles have been added, click Cancel.

  8. Click the Publish To Framework icon on the Page toolbar of the Groups page.

    NOTE: The WebApp Group is copied from the Add-Ons database to the CranSoft database and assigned to any roles specified in Add-ons. The WebApp Group is then available from within System Administration to assign to any role (like any standard WebApp group). The assignment of custom WebApp Groups to roles does not have to be done via Add-ons

  1. Assign users who should access the pages using the WebApp group to the security role. Refer to Assign Users to Security Roles for more information.

NOTE: These WebApp groups are then active, and the users assigned to the security roles can access the pages as determined by the WebApp group settings.

NOTE: Custom WebApp groups created with Add-Ons can be republished to the framework if changes are made. When upgrading the Stewardship Tier during an installation, these WebApp groups are not overwritten.

Create the WebApp Group Manually

To create the WebApp group manually:

  1. Click Add-Ons in the Navigation pane.
  2. Click the Web App Groups icon for a WebApp.

    NOTE: If no records exist, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    View the field descriptions for the Groups page

  3. Enter a descriptive name in the GROUP NAME field.

    NOTE: This could be the name of a department, such as Sales or HR.

  4. Click Save.
  5. Click Pages.

    NOTE: If no records exist, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    View the field descriptions for the Group Pages page

  6. Select the name of the page in the selected WebApp to assign to the WebApp group from the PAGE ID list box.

    NOTE: By default, security access is set to allow all functionality associated with the page. To remove access to certain functionality for the user who will be assigned to this WebApp group through a security role, uncheck the check boxes as needed.

  7. Click Save.

    NOTE: The page remains in add mode to simplify adding multiple pages to the WebApp group. When all pages have been added, click Cancel.

  8. Click Security Roles on the Groups page.

    NOTE: If no records exist, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    View the field descriptions for the Security Roles page

  9. Select the security role from the ROLE ID list box.

    NOTE: Security roles installed with the Stewardship Tier and custom security roles display. Refer to Create Security Roles for more information.

    NOTE: The page remains in add mode to simplify adding multiple security roles to the WebApp group. When all roles have been added, click Cancel.

  10. Click the Publish To Framework icon on the Page toolbar on the Groups page. The WebApp group is then assigned to the security role, and all users assigned to that security role can access the pages in that WebApp group.
  11. Assign users who should access the pages using the WebApp group to the security role. Refer to Assign Users to Security Roles for more information.

    NOTE: These WebApp groups are then active, and the users assigned to the security roles can access the pages as determined by the WebApp group settings.

    NOTE: Custom WebApp groups created with Add-Ons can be republished to the framework if changes are made. When upgrading the Stewardship Tier during an installation, these WebApp groups are not overwritten.