Introduction to Information Cards

Information Cards is a Custom Objects concept that makes it possible to add additional information to standard IFS Application pages. The information is displayed to the user in a separate floating panel. Information Cards is a way of presenting data that is extra important to an end-user. It can be used to bring forward information otherwise hidden, e.g., information placed on a tab, non standard information provided by Custom Attributes. It is not possible to edit the information on an Information Card, it is read only. The idea with the concept of Information Cards is to give the user a heads up like pane for important information that may otherwise be missing or require navigation in the standard page layout. In the similar concept Custom Fields the idea is to enable the possibility to extend the standard page with additional fields, where the fields are placed directly on the page. Custom Fields can also be configured to support persistent data.

Figure 1: In this example picture an Information Card displays Customer Address information that is normally found on the Order Address tab.

Attributes
Export/Import
Restrictions
System Parameters
See Also

Attributes

Information Cards are the client representations of server Custom Attributes. The administrator configures Custom Attributes that extends a Logical Unit. When the extension is published, Information Cards can be enabled for standard pages displaying information from those attributes. Note: This is where there is an important difference to Custom Fields. Information Cards are always read only and it is not possible to configure persistent attributes.

Read-Only - Attributes that fetches its value from other attributes or as an composition of other attributes.
Local - Local fields are fields that exists in the LU you are extending, but for some reason not displayed in all views. You can then add a Local field and display it on the form where you want it to appear. Local attributes are read only.

Export/Import

Information Cards configuration can be exported to backup a configuration or transferred to another environment.

Export: The export action is available from the Context Menu in the Information Cards admin page.
Import: The export is generating a server install (.ins) file that is imported using a database tool equipped to run PL/SQL scripts, e.g., SQLPlus or PLSQL Developer.

Note: Using Export/Import makes it convenient to develop Information Cards in a development environment and then transfer the configuration to the production environment when tested ok.

Restrictions

Read Only

An Information Card can only display read only information. It is not possible to edit information on a card even if the information/field exists on the standard page.

Excluded Logical Units

The excluded logical units are LU's that have been chosen not to be available for custom object extensions, mostly due to the software architecture.

System Parameters

Information Cards Framework

Use this parameter to enable or disable Information Cards functionality system wide. If this parameter is set to OFF no Information Card will be available in any page.

Custom Fields Framework

Information Cards are dependent of Custom Fields so this parameter must be ON in combination with Information Cards Framework for Information Cards to be enabled.