Creating Dashboard Definition

A FlexPLM user can create and configure a dashboard definition in the application. It is assumed that the FlexPLM user has a good understanding of ThingWorx Mashups and its related configuration.

This section assumes that the following prerequisites have been met:

For more information on installing and configuring ThingWorx, see the Thingworx Core Help Center on PTC.com.

For more information on configuring SSO settings, see the ThingWorx SSO Configuration Guide and Windchill SSO Configuration Guide available on the Reference Documents page on PTC.com.

• Additional Thingworx configuration for allowing embedded mashups to appear in iFrames.

For more information, see the Thingworx Core Help Center on PTC.com.

The dashboard feature is controlled by two properties in the custom.lcs properties file. Configure the properties as follows:

• com.lcs.thingworxDashboards.enable—Set this property to true to enable the dashboard feature in the application. By default, the property is set to false.

• flexPLM.dashboards.twxDashboardServerUrl— Specify the Thingworx server URL in this property in the following format. Make sure that the ThingWorx server mentioned in this property SSL configured.

flexPLM.dashboards.twxDashboardServerUrl=https://<ThingworxHost>:<Port>/Thingworx

The steps to create a dashboard definition is as follows:

1. In the side navigation bar, click Libraries > Business Object.

2. Under Type, click Dashboard Definition. The Create New Business Object page opens.

◦ Name—Specify the display name for the dashboard. This name will be displayed in the Action menu.

◦ Description—Provide an appropriate description for the dashboard.

◦ Dashboard URL—Specify the name of the Thingworx Mashup as defined on the Thingworx server, with query parameters if needed. To specify dashboard URL with additional parameters, use the following format:

For example, if the Mashup name is SupplierDashboard and needs two parameters such as productId=or:26041988 and supplierId=VR:20091988, then specify the URL as follows:

SupplierDashboard?productId=or:26041988&supplierId=VR:20091988

If an invalid name of the ThingWorx Mashup is specified, the dashboard interface will be displayed but the frame will be empty.

◦ Dashboard Enabled—Select this checkbox to enable the newly created dashboard definition in Actions dropdown menu for configured pages in the application.

◦ Dashboard Access—Select the user groups from the dropdown list that will have access to the dashboard. Use this attribute to specify the user groups that will have access to the ThingWorx Mashup for a dashboard definition.

Use the Type and Attribute Management utility to edit the enumeration list present in the Constraints tab of Dashboard Access and add new user-group names per your business needs.

4. Click Create to save the dashboard definition. The Business Object Details page for the specified dashboard definition opens.

5. In the Pages section, click Edit to add information about the pages from where the dashboard feature will be made available, as follows:

a. Under Object Type, select a business object and click Add. For example, if you selected Product, the dashboard option will be available for product pages only.

b. Under Object Activity, select one or more activity from the list and click Add.

c. Under Tab Page, select the tab pages on which the dashboard option should be available. For example, the Summary and Sourcing tabs of a product.

The list of options displayed under Object Activity and Tab Page are static, that is, the options are not filtered based on the specified object type. While specifying the activities and tab page, make sure you select the appropriate combination of object types, activities, and tab pages.

d. Click Done. The Business Object Details: <dashboard_name> page is displayed where you can view the details of the newly created dashboard record.