PerfectApps ® Help Guide

Tutorial videos in this section demonstrate how to start a new app and how to lay out the app with different objects; normally the first step in the design process.

Starting a New App

(3 min)

The first step in designing a new PerfectApps app. Watch this video to see how to create a new app and how to make some basic settings in the app.

Using Templates

(2 min)

Several pre-built template apps are available. You can use them as they are with very little modification needed or make your modifications to expand the app's functionality to suit your needs.

Common Toolbox

(2 min)

There are several objects you can use to design your PerfectApps app. Watch this video to see how to use the Common Toolbox for your most used objects.

Adding Layout Objects

(1 min)

Start your app by adding layout objects to it. Watch this video to see how it's done.

Formatting Objects

(2 min)

Watch this video to learn techniques for alignment, spacing and other formatting features.

App Instance Name

(2 min)

Setting an App Instance Name in the App's Properties can make it easier to identify or search for a specific instance within the system. Watch this video to learn more about this feature.

Managing the App's Theme

(3 min)

Individual layout objects have their own style settings but changing them on an app with many objects can be time-consuming. Watch this video to see how using the App's Style settings can make this a simple task.

Object Properties

(3 min)

Several layout object settings are common to many objects. Watch this video for a quick look at some of those.

Using Images

(3 min)

Personalize the style of your app/report using images. Watch this video to see how to import and use graphics effectively in your app or report.

Radio Buttons & Check Boxes

(4 min)

Radio Buttons for single selections and Check Boxes for multiple selections. Watch this video to see how to use these objects in your app.

Drop-Downs & Lists

(2 min)

Drop-Downs for single selections and Lists for single or multiple selections. Watch this video to see how to use these objects in your app.

Buttons

(2 min)

There are six buttons to choose from in the app designer. Watch this video to learn about the differences.

Numeric Input

(2 min)

There are a couple of interesting features specific to the Numeric Input object. Learn what those options are by watching this video.

Date Input

(1 min)

The Date Input object can be used on an app to capture dates entered manually by an app user or dynamically using behavior. Watch this tutorial to learn about the object settings.

Timer Object

(1 min)

The Timer object triggers events after a defined period. For example, you might display a page for ten seconds, and then after ten seconds elapses, a behavior triggers that will change the page. Or, use this object to record how long an app remains open.

Table

(5 min)

A table object can have multiple columns of different types. Watch this tutorial to learn the basics of how to use the table object in your apps.

File Attachment

(2 min)

App users may attach different types of files to an app instance. Once attached, other users can download a copy of that file. Not all file types are supported Click here for more details.

Web Signature

(2 min)

The Web Signature object allows a user to enter a freehand signature into an app. Ideally suited to touch screen devices using a stylus or finger, the object can also be used on non touch screen devices using a mouse.

NOTE: This feature is offered for an additional charge. CLICK HERE to inquire.

Print

(2 min)

The Print button, or behavior command, will generate a PDF copy of all, or selected, pages of your app.

Show App

(7 min)

The Show App button or behavior command will allow a user to open an instance of an app whilst still active in a different instance. Learn how this is used to link apps in this tutorial video and learn how to pass data between the app instances too.

Tab Index

(2 min)

The Tab Index is a property of an object generated automatically based on the order that objects are placed on a page. Watch this tutorial to learn how to manage this property.

Saving an App

(2 min)

Save your app from time to time when you are building it. This video shows you how to do this.

Previewing an App

(1 min)

Testing & correcting your app as you build it is an important part of app design. Watch this video to see how to test your app in Preview mode.

Encryption

(1 min)

Data can be encrypted in text, masked text and password input fields.

NOTE: This feature is offered for an additional charge. CLICK HERE to inquire.

Tutorial videos in this section demonstrate some of the ways to add intelligent behavior into your apps.

Behavior Events

(2 min)

The first step in adding intelligent behavior into your app is to select the event that triggers the behavior. Watch this video to learn about the different events that are available.

Behavior Commands

(3 min)

Once an event has been selected, the next steps are to choose the behavior command and set the properties. Watch this video to learn more about that..

Multiple Behaviors

(2 min)

Triggering more than one behavior on a single event will be a very common requirements. Watch this video to see how to link behavior commands together.

Conditional Behavior

(5 min)

Another very common requirement is to trigger different things depending on app selections. This video explains the two different branch commands that can be used to manage this type of logic.

Formula & Condition Editor

(3 min)

Advanced formulas and conditions involving more than one object can be defined in the Formula & Condition Editor. Watch this video to learn the basics.

Checking for Mandatory Fields

(4 min)

Watch this video to learn how to check for mandatory fields in a couple of different ways.

Setting Field Values

(4 min)

Setting a value into a field can be done dynamically using behavior. Learn how to do this by watching this video.

Run Behavior

(3 min)

Running a single behavior from multiple events is made easy using the Run Behavior command. Watch this video to see an example of how this can be done.

Show Page

(2 min)

Whilst there is a Show Page button that can be used for page navigation, should you wish to show a different page in conjunction with a different behavior you will need to use the Show Page behavior command instead.

Print

(3 min)

The Print Button, or Behavior Command, will generate a PDF copy of all, or selected, pages of your app.

Show App

(7 min)

The Show App button or behavior command will allow a user to open an instance of an app whilst still active in a different instance. Learn how this is used to link apps in this tutorial video and learn how to pass data between the app instances too.

Set Property - Formatting

(4 min)

Use the Set Property behavior command to dynamically modify the properties of an object on your app. In this tutorial we demonstrate how to modify the color of an input object's text and border based on the value of that field.

Set Property 2

(2 min)

Another example using the Set Property command, this time to display data collected on a different page in the app.

Working with Attached Files

(3 min)

Learn about the different parameters of a File Attachment object and how to use them with PerfectApps behaviors.

Working with Pictures

(2 min)

If an image file is attached to an app it's possible to display that image in the app. Watch this tutorial to find out how it's done.

Table Row Calculations

(3 min)

Row calculations within a table can be built to manipulate data in a row in order to populate the resulting behavior into another field in the same row of the table or even into another field on the app.

Table Column Calculations

(3 min)

Column calculations within a table can be built to work with all data in a specific column. This would normally be to sum the data but there are other options too such as taking the maximum, minimum or average value from all data in a column.

Table Looping Behavior

(6 min)

Sometimes it's necessary to manipulate table data one row at a time using a looping behavior. Check this tutorial to see how that can be done.

Table Functions - Interrogation

(5 min)

There are functions available that will permit interrogation of data in a table column. It's possible to check if specific data is contained in a table column and also possible to count the number of times it's found. Watch this tutorial for more details.

Table Functions - Manipulation

(5 min)

There are also functions available that will permit manipulation of data in a table column. It's possible to replace specific data, to delete rows where specific data exists or filter the data to only show rows where specific data exists. Watch this tutorial to find out how.

Functions - Date Difference

(6 min)

The PerfectApps Formula & Condition Editor offers several functions. The date difference function returns the difference between two date or time fields in a specified unit of time. This can be useful for calculating the number of days an app has been opened or, in this example, the length of absence in an absence request app where only weekdays are included.

The next few video tutorials cover integration with third party data sources such as databases, directory services and others. Before this type of integration can be included in your app design it's first necessary for system administrators to define the integration parameters in the Connections Dashboard. To learn more about these topics check out the Connection Video Tutorials

Connect & Search

(4 min)

Watch this tutorial to see how to allow app users to search for a record and then import data from that record into their app instance fields.

Filtering using App Fields

(2 min)

The Connect & Search tutorial, above, demonstrates how a user can filter look-up results directly in the search dialogue. Watch this video to see an alternative approach to filtering using field data in an app.

Populating Drop-Down & List Objects

(5 min)

An alternative to the Connect & Search option is to populate drop-down or list objects with data from the data source in run-time and then allow the app user to select from that up to date list.

Populating Tables

(3 min)

Watch this tutorial to learn how to populate data from an external data source into multiple columns in a table object.

Linked Connections

(4 min)

If the data you need to display in your app is coming from different data sources, or if a selection in the app is necessary before more data can be returned then it might be necessary to link connections together. Watch this tutorial to see an example of how that can be managed.

Insert Connection

(5 min)

The Insert Connect command will, as its name suggests, insert a new record into a data source. The data source could be any of the different types, from database through to CSV files. Watch this tutorial to see how to specify the Insert command when designing your apps.

Update Connection

(3 min)

Watch this tutorial to see how to specify the Update command when designing your apps.

Delete Connection

(2 min)

Watch this tutorial to see how to specify the Delete command when designing your apps and to see an example of the Insert, Update and Delete commands.

System Meta-Data Connection - Users

(4 min)

System Meta-Data Connections allow apps to interrogate information stored within the User, User-Group or Position sections of PerfectApps. In this tutorial we explore a couple of ways to use this type of data.

System Meta-Data Connection - User Groups

(4 min)

System Meta-Data Connections allow apps to interrogate information stored within the User, User-Group or Position sections of PerfectApps. In this tutorial we explore how to retrieve data related to User Groups.

System Meta-Data Connection - Positions

(4 min)

System Meta-Data Connections allow apps to interrogate information stored within the User, User-Group or Position sections of PerfectApps. In this tutorial we explore how to retrieve data related to Positions.

Get Field from Other Instance

(4 min)

The Get Field from Other Instance behavior command is one of the methods available to retrieve data from a field in a different instance of an app. This tutorial demonstrates how to configure the command.

Set Field in Other Instance

(3 min)

The Set Field in Other Instance behavior command is one of the methods available to pass data into a field in a different instance of an app. This tutorial demonstrates how to configure the command.

AI Chat Bot Example

(7 min)

In the Connection Video Tutorials section, you will find a tutorial covering the creation of a REST API connection to the OpenAI API that can be utilized in a Chat Bot Application. This tutorial demonstrates how to connect your app to the OpenAI API connection.

Tutorial videos in this section demonstrate how to add the logic into your app that will drive your process through the different stages, ensuring that the correct people are notified when they have app instances waiting for them to take action.

Workflow Stages

(4 min)

Workflow logic determines how app instances will move through your organization. The first task in setting up your workflow logic is to define the different stages in your process.

Comments

(4 min)

Comments are an important part of any system. Watch this video to learn how to add comments to your workflow diagram.

User Roles

(4 min)

The user roles for your process will need to be defined along with a link to individuals occupying those roles on an instance by instance basis.

Workflow Diagram

(2 min)

Before we start to apply workflow logic it's useful to understand the significance of how the diagram works. Watch this tutorial to find out.

Workflow Conditions

(4 min)

The conditions that you apply to your diagram will determine how individual app instances will transition through the different stages in your process.

Notifications

(5 min)

Learn how to add notifications to your workflow diagram. When triggered these notifications will be sent to users to alert them to app instances that need their attention.

Reminders & Escalations

(4 min)

Reminder & escalation notifications play a big role, ensuring that app instances don't get stuck if someone forgets to take action.

Attachments in Notifications

(2 min)

Some files can be attached to the notification emails. These include files attached in an instance, a PDF copy of a page in the app and a PDF copy of a different app instance. Watch this tutorial to see how that is done.

NOTE: This feature is offered for an additional charge. CLICK HERE to inquire..

Mandatory Fields by Stage & Role

(5 min)

Whilst the Check Mandatory behavior command is often the most flexible way to manage mandatory fields, in this tutorial we demonstrate how they can be set by workflow stage and user role combination.

Tutorial videos in this section demonstrate how to control access to the different fields on your apps based on the workflow stage and the role of the user opening the app instance.

Introduction

(4 min)

An introduction to the topic of field access rules. Watch this tutorial video first to learn about the elements of the app designer used in setting this type of logic.

Access Rules on Input Fields

(3 min)

There are a few different ways that access rules can be set. In this tutorial you will see the recommended method used on input fields on your app.

Non Input Field States

(2 min)

Whilst the main focus of restricting access will be on input fields it will also be necessary to control the states of some non input fields like text labels and buttons.

Access Rules & Groups

(2 min)

Although the general methods for groups remain the same there are a few specific things to be aware of. Watch this video to learn more.

Access Rules & Tables

(2 min)

Table objects also need special consideration when setting access rules. Learn about it in this tutorial.

Access Rules & File Attachments

(2 min)

Learn how to control when a file can be attached, detached or downloaded in this tutorial video.

Testing Access Rules

(2 min)

Testing your access rules as you build your app is highly recommended. The more issues you can find and correct at the design phase the better.

Object State Overview

(2 min)

This tutorial demonstrates an alternative method for setting your access rules which can also be very useful for modifying existing rules.

Tutorial videos in this section demonstrate how to optimize your app for viewing on a phone or tablet.

Mobile Design Wizard

(2 min)

Watch this short tutorial to see an overview of the mobile design wizard feature.

Mobile Designer

(1 min)

The mobile designer can be used for making changes to an existing mobile app. Watch this short tutorial to see an overview of this feature.

Create & Name Sections

(1 min)

The first step in the Mobile App Wizard is to create and name sections for each page of your app. Watch this tutorial to learn how this is done.

Add Objects to Sections

(1 min)

Having created and named your sections, the next step in the Mobile App Wizard process is to add objects from your app into those sections. Watch this tutorial to see how this is done.

Select One or Two Column Format

(1 min)

For each app page you may choose whether to use a single or two column display. Watch this tutorial to discover more.

Preview the Mobile App Design

(1 min)

In the final step of the Mobile Design Wizard you may preview your mobile app choosing the device type, orientation and combination of Workflow Stage and User Role for your preview.

Mobile Styles

(1 min)

From the 'Add Objects to Sections' step in the mobile app wizard step, it’s also possible to manage the font size of objects in your mobile app from the Mobile Styles section.