This section of the Administration Guide summarises historical features of ActiveControl that have either been retired, or replaced by alternative newer functionality.
Customers upgrading to ActiveControl 9.10 from an earlier implementation of ActiveControl should take note to factor in this information into their Upgrade planning.
| Feature Area | Details |
| Windows GUI | All core functionality previously available in the Windows GUI is available in the ActiveControl Web Platform, as of ActiveControl 9.10. As such, the Windows GUI is deemed legacy UI as part of ActiveControl. Basis Technologies intend to deprecate and remove the Windows GUI from the software from ActiveControl 9.20 onwards. |
| Check For Conflicts | ‘Check for Conflicts’ button on the Transport Form in the Windows GUI and WebUI have not been ported over to the Web Platform as part of ActiveControl 9.10, as it is already possible to check this by running the same ShiftLeft: Changes to Same Object (Path) analyser (0055) in an individual control point. Please let Basis Technologies know if you still want this feature in the new UI, and we will add it. |
| Configuration – Text Fields | Text Fields (ie the top left portion of the Fields tab in the current Windows GUI configuration screen) will be retired as part of the Web Platform. The vast majority BTI customers already use the Custom Field text field instead of the legacy Text Field functionality. From Phase 2 of the Web Platform, it will not be possible to configure Text Fields, only Custom Text Fields. |
| Windows GUI – Notifications | The legacy Windows GUI had a Notifications screen whilst showed recent notifications sent for approvals. The screen was extremely buggy and slow to run – and to best of Basis Technologies knowledge was not widely used by customers. It was also not available in the legacy WebUI. This Windows GUI screen has not been migrated into the Web Platform, however the Recent Activity app can be used to view recent actions (Approvals, Imports etc) performed by users, in the same way as the legacy WebUI Newsfeed. |
| Configuration – Selection Fields | It was previously possible to configure Custom Dropdown Fields and Custom Selection Fields. The latter only allows single-value selection, so is essentially the same as a Dropdown, it just looks slightly different on screen. Within the Web Platform, existing Custom Selection Fields will be presented as Dropdowns on the screen. From Phase 2 of the Web Platform, Selection custom field type will be retired from ActiveControl, and it will not be possible to configure/maintain them. |
| Export/Import Programs | New migration programs were introduced in ActiveControl 8.40. Customers performing upgrades should take note to start using these for any data/configuration migrations, and also for any regular Backup schedule they already have in place. See Migrating between Domain Controller section for further information on the latest programs. |
| AC Planning | Planning workflows have not been supported by Basis Technologies since ActiveControl 7.20. The functionality is already hidden by default within ActiveControl. Basis Technologies do not intend to migrate Planning workflows over to the new Web Platform, as only 1-2 customers still use Planning workflows, the vast majorities are using tools such as Jira, ServiceNow etc. to manage pre-Development workflow. Similarly, the Planning tab will not be accessible via the Business Task. The Planning Status dropdown on the Business Task – and the ability to configure Planning Status – will still be available in the Web Platform, as a larger number of customers do use this. |
| Ability to create more than 1 Business Task with the same BT Reference | The vast majority of customers create Business Tasks with a unique [Reference], however historically it was technically possible via a User Exit solution to allow multiple Business Tasks with the same Reference. Given the vast majority of Basis Technologies customers do not use this functionality – and Basis Technologies do not recommend it anyways since it does not work well in conjunction with newer AC functionality such as Partial Testing and Integrations, it will not be possible in the Web Platform to have more than 1 Business Task with the same [Reference]. |
| Skipping | Skipping via table /BTI/TE_SKIPCP has existed within ActiveControl since 2015. Since 2019, (ActiveControl 8.0), a more powerful Skipping capability has existed as part of the Rules Engine, via table /BTI/TE_RE_SKPCP. Since all new Basis Technologies customers – and most upgrading customers – are now already using the Rules Engine skipping consumer, it is Basis Technologies intention to retire the legacy /BTI/TE_SKIPCP skipping capability at sopme point during 2023. All existing customers should therefore plan to migrate to the new Rules Engine skipping consumer as part of their next upgrade of ActiveControl. |
| Inbox / Outbox Approvers | Approvers for Inboxes/Outboxes was historically done in ActiveControl via the Target configuration screens. Since 2019, (ActiveControl 8.0), a more powerful Approvers capability has existed as part of the Rules Engine, via table /BTI/TE_RE_APPRV. Although there is no current intention to retire the legacy Inbox/Outbox Approver screens in Target configuration, the Basis Technologies recommendation is definitely that customers should look to migrate to the Rules Engine approvals consumer to benefit from much more powerful, granular capability within the product. |
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