Release Notes

Monthly Release Notes

The monthly releases for Essential Cloud customer contain new Views, Editors, APIs and related bug fixes – these are standalone changes that have minimal/no impact on the underlying platform components. Candidates for futures releases are listed here alongside notes for previous releases.

For underlying platform changes, the existing release process is followed, with prior notification to Cloud and Docker users.

Note: for Docker users the monthly changes will be provided in the next available release.

6.18.9 – 20th September 2023

Viewer

• New Views
  • Value Streams (business/core_bl_value_streams.xsl).
  • Business Process Application Mapping – for processes in a process hierarchy – (business/core_bl_process_maps.xsl)
  • This requires an optional DUP – Download
• Application Provider Summary
  • Added contained applications
• Organisation Summary
  • Added parent filter to application table
• Application Catalogue as Table
  • Bug fix on supplier
• Project Summary
  • Filter out projects that have ended
• Application Dashboard
  • Fix to allow ordering if using the user folder JSON
• APM Cost Dashboard view
  • Fixing cost calculation logic bugs
• Organisation Structure Model
  • Bug fix for duplicate rows when an org appears in more than one part of the org hierarchy

Editor

• Fix console error in any editors which use JSTree library
• Editor Builder
  • Updated multi-select instance panel to remove name of subject instance from the panel intro text
  • Fixed bug in IT Standards Panel to support Application Services and to display configurable icons
  • Fixed bug in IT Standards Panel to support Technolog yComponents
  • Updated the Multi-Instance Select Editor Panel to support editing of selected components
  • Fixed bug in Costs Tab editor component where date was being set one day before the one that is selected

Data Set APIs

• application/api/core_api_application_mart.xsl
  • Fix for special characters in document links
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_apps.xsl
  • Fix for geographies mapped by ea_scope

REST API

• Utility API v3
  • Expanded scope of common functions that include ea_reference slot when printing basic instance JSON objects (e.g. id, name, description)
• Application Dependency Model API
  • Minor Bug Fix

6.18.7 – 16th Aug 2023

Viewer

• New View – Plans Dashboard (optional DUP available) – download
• Application Rationalisation Analysis
  • Better handling of missing data
• Application Overlay
  • Improved handling of roadmaps
• Business Capability Summary and Business Capability Dashboard
  • Business Capability Summary displays children if the capability has no parent and is not in the hierarchy.
• Business Capability Analysis
  • Fix for popup persistance issue
• Data Subject Summary
  • Bug fix to default to selected Data Subject
• Launchpad Export
  • Encoding fix for Launchpad
• Launchpad Plus
  • Bug fixes to Technology Reference Launchpad Plus
  • Fix for UTF-8 encoding
  • Added note to export
  • Bug fix for Performance Measures
  • Add issues captured via the sr_requirement_for_elements slot on Issue
  • Add explainer document to Application KPIs page
• i18n Support
  • Updated JA-JP support
• General
  • Remove approvals bar

Editor

• Editor Builder
  • Fixed bugs in Performance Measure Sections/Tabs editor components
  • Framework: Increased size of instance selection, editor select and cost tab table to be relative to window height
  • Added new Yes/No/Unknown Panel editor component for selection of values for slots of type Symbol with ’Yes”, ’’No” and “Unknown” as allowed values
  • Bug fixes to IT Standards panel editor component
• Configured Editors
  • Updated Editor Builder to allow slot specific and non-slot specific editor components to be used for non-Instance type slots
  • Added support for read-only mode to Multiline Text and Multiple Multiline Text components

Data Set APIs

• integration/api/core_api_import_business_capabilities.xsl
  • added children caps to business capability API
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_apps.xsl
  • Bug fix for handling instances of Issues

REST API

• Updated essential-core/v2/applications/<id>/dependency-model API to support a new “show-lifecycles” URL parameter which, when set to “true” also returns the lifecycle models for the dependent applications and interfaces
• Added external_reference to shared API function that prints JSON objects with id, name, description and now external_reference

6.18.6 (Hotfix) – 11th Aug 2023

REST API

• Fixed bug in performance measures API to make it compatible with meta-model version 6.18

6.18.5 – 24th July 2023

Viewer

• Business Capability Tree
  • Bug fix where multiple apps mapped to a physical process via APR weren’t showing
• Application Information Dependency Model
  • Bug fix to cope with info reps captured via info exchanged class
• Business Capability Catalogue
  • Minor fix for showing domains

Editor

• Introducing a new AI-powered “Suggest” feature as an Editor Builder component.
  • Powered by ChatGPT from OpenAI, this new component allows you to add a new “description” component to your custom editors which can suggest suitable descriptions for instances based on the name and type of instance being created. This feature requires a DUP to be applied to each repository and is subject to terms of use. By default it is not enabled This feature is in beta and is subject to change at any time. https://enterprise-architecture.org/disclaimer-for-essential-ai/Download DUP

Data Set APIs

• enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_apps.xsl and enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_caps.xsl
  • Bug fix on orguserids

6.18.4 – 19th July 2023

Viewer

• Strategy Planner
  • Application Rationalisation Analysis
  • Added Ideation support
• Business Process Catalogue as Table (Filtered)
  • Removed erroneous 2 character
• Application Disposition Model
  • Added links to apps on disposition
• Application Provider Summary
  • Formatting tweaks
• Business Capability Summary
  • Formatting tweaks
• Supplier Impact Map
  • Added PMA filtering
• Business Process Model
  • fix for odd characters
• Viewer Framework
  • Updated handlebars helper with three new helpers: essRenderInstanceLinkOnly for menu popups, essRenderInstanceLinkSelect (does a select button for catalogues), essRenderInstanceReportLink (for catalogues)
  • bug fix for roadmap duplicates
• Menu Framework
  • Fixed issue with z-index on context menus where the menu would show underneath the viewpoint bar

Editor Builder

• Single selection dropdown component
  • Fixed bug in Filtered version of component
• Change Activity Strategic Plans component
  • Fixed bug when selecting existing Strategic Plans
• Value Stream Stages editor component
  • Fixed bug when initiated with Value Stream from a popup menu
• Radio Buttons Panel component
  • Fixed value sorting bug
• Performance Measures Sections editor component
  • Minor styling tweaks
• Change Activity Strategic Plans Panel editor component
  • Support for symbol as a type
• Matrix Editor Panel editor component
  • Bug fix
• Editor Framework
  • Updated Config Editor Framework to default the Instance Selection Table to 50 instances instead of 10
  • Fixed bug in file names of Editor Builder Library files

Core Editors

• Ideation Framework
  • Changed labels for Idea from: Idea -> Value Proposition, Option -> Proposal

Data Set API

• enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_apps.xsl
  • Added class type to API
  • added classifications to API
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_caps.xsl
  • Added className property
• integration/api/core_api_import_suppliers.xsl
  • Added ClassName for menus
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_apps.xsl
  • Added sequence number to filters for use in views
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_caps.xsl
  • Added sequence number to filters for use in views
• integration/api/core_api_import_nodes.xsl
  • Added dynamic filters to supplier api, added geo codes to nodes API
• integration/api/core_api_import_suppliers.xsl
  • Added dynamic filters to supplier api, added geo codes to nodes API
• business/api/core_api_bl_bus_layer_impacts.xsl
  • Updated impacts dataset API to improve handling of character escaping

REST APIs

• Performance Measures
  • Bug fixes to performance-measures shared API
  • Bug fixes to Utility v3 performance measures API
  • Added new API to retrieve the performance measures for all instances of a specific class (including filtering based on instance properties and the performance measure category)

6.18.2 – 21st June 2023

The 6.18.2 release is a minor update with bug fixes and improvements to existing views.

Viewer

• Application Reference Model
  • Allow users to display more than 1 level
• Strategic Roadmap
  • filter projects
• Project Summary
  • Improved handling of multiple projects tied to a strategic plan
• Strategic Plan Launchpad Export
  • Launchpad Export – Strategic Plans Creation
• IT Asset Dashboard
  • Added Technology Product Role names and Technology Product IDs to supporting Data Set API
• Launchpad Applications
  • Added IDs and Owners to the Organisations Data Set API
• Business Domain Process View
  • Added supporting application in list
• Filter Framework
  • Improved handling of regions
• Business Domain Process Analysis
  • Fix for an issue where some Applications were not showing properly
• Application Summary Data Tab
  • Toggling data objects does not display the data objects details
• Update library images for new view styles

Core Editors

• Dynamic Query Tool
  • Fixed bug when loading complex queries
  • Added ability to save (update) an existing Query (‘save’ vs ‘save as…’)

Configurable Editor

• Project editor – enable list of impacted instances
• Multi-Line Text widget
  • No longer ignores row count
• Lifecycle Widget
  • Date Issues with the UI, calendar shows wrong date after being selected

6.18.1 – 17th May 2023

The 6.18.1 release is a minor release which contains bug fixes and performance improvements.

Viewer

• Scenario Bar
  • Set the scenario bar to fix to top on scroll
• Business Capability Dashboard
  • Fixed issue with display of child capabilities
• Data Subject-to-Application Service Model
  • Fixed issue where Application Service label was not visible due to CSS issue. Improved styling
• Data-to-Application Service Model
  • Fixed issue where Application Service label was not visible due to CSS issue. Improved styling
• View Library
  • Fixed an issue where deprecated views were not properly hidden in the tabs
• Data Object Summary (2023)
  • Fixed issue where the chosen Data Object follows the PMA value
• Framework
  • Added global functions to add and remove Filter Framework filters
• Launchpad Plus
  • Fixed issue with acquisition dropdown
• Group Actor Model
  • Fixed issues where duplicates were being displayed
• Improved multi-language support
• Application Provider Summary (2023)
  • Fixed layout problems for Issue tab and Documents tab
• Business Capability Tree
  • Fixed an issue where a comment was not properly closed causing the View to fail and updated UI

Editor

• Configurable Editor
  • Updated Filtered Single Selection Dropdown editor component to allow allow selection of a single class
  • Fixed bug in App Info Tab editor component identified after recent Chrome browser upgrade
  • Fixed bug in Radio Buttons config editors component when setting the initial value
  • Fixed UI styling bug when using editor components that use bootstrap datepicker
• Dynamic Query Tool
  • Fixed bug when changing slots displayed in the results table

Data Set API

• Updated Dataset APIs for roadmap enablement to address invalid IDs

REST API

• Applications v2
  • Added guard code when adding org app users

6.17.2 – 15th March 2023

The 6.17.2 release is a minor release which contains bug fixes and performance improvements.

Viewer

• Launchpad Framework Manager
  • Added descriptions to assessments
  • Reformatted assessments to have evidence tests (via Description of assessment) and findings (via comments)
• Technology Product Catalogue (API version)
  • Added link classes for Technology Product and Technology Component
• Added support for custom language files. Custom language files must be stored with the path user/lanaguage/LANGUAGE_TAG.xml – for example: user/language/en-gb.xml
• Value Stream Summary
  • Performance improvements and added business processes for the business capability mapped
• APM Pack: Application Rationalisation Analysis
  Performance improvements

Data Set API

• Bus Cap to App Mart core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_caps.xsl
  • Added root organistions and root capabilities
• Performance Improvements to the following DS APIs
  • enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_apps.xsl
  • integration/api/core_api_import_suppliers.xsl
  • integration/api/core_api_import_technology_products.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_get_all_technology_lifecycles.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_product_list_with_supplier_componentIDs.xsl
  • application/api/core_api_al_get_all_application_lifecycles.xsl
  • integration/api/core_api_import_technology_products.xsl

REST API

• v3 Utility API
  • Updated to support meta-class instances
  • Added inverseSlot property to Utility API slot meta-data resource
  • Improved error handling
• Core v1 API: Business Capability Endpoints essential-core/v1/business-capabilities
  • Added Bus Differentiation Level property to Core business-capabilities API resource

15th Feb 2023

There will be no monthly release for February 2023. This is because a full platform release (v6.17) will be available a few days later.

v6.16.8 – 18th Jan 2023

The 6.16.8 release is a minor release which contains minor bug fixes.

There is an optional DUP available which patches an issue with the Strategy Planner View. This optional update will be included in the System Update for the next full release.

strategy-planner-v2-viewer-config.dup.   Note if this downloads as a zip file, then unzip first

Viewer

• Launchpad export
  • Updated Servers to cope with multiple IP addresses.
• Business Capability Dashboard enterprise/core_el_bus_cap_analysis_dashboard.xsl
  • Fix to block accessing “jump to” until the page had finished rendering.
  • Fix so colours are blank if no apps.
  • Update to filter framework.
• Application Landscape
  • Fixed a bug where apps mapped via process were not correctly showing
• Business Capability Dashboard
  • Fixed bug with filtering
  • Bug fix on levels
• Business Capability Tree
  • Added plans/projects for app provider roles
• Strategy Planner (requires DUP file)
  • Update to support the direct creation of Roadmaps in the repository for cloud customers
  • Updated to create Roadmap spreadsheet in .odt format rather than .xml
  • Download.   Note if this downloads as a zip file, then unzip first
• Application Information Dependencies Model
  • Added service qualities property to dependency info popup in JSON version of App Info Dependency Model view
  • Minor style changes to dependency info popup
• General
  • Fixed bug in Viewer Filter framework logic

Editor

• Dynamic Query Tool
  • Updated to support display of stakeholders in the query results table
  • Added ability to managed “Is Published?” property for instances returned by queries
• Editor Builder/Configurable Editors
  • Updating styling in Multi Instance Selector configurable component to reduce size of boxes displayed for selected instances
  • Fixed bug in App Info Flow widget to retrieve custom slots when editing App Dependencies data
  • Fixed bug in the Radio Buttons editor component when showing selected values
• Lifecycle Editor
  • Fixed UTC timezone offset issue.

Data Set APIs

• Application Mart: application/api/core_api_application_mart.xsl
  • Added Cost Category and Documents
• Business Capability Data Set API: integration/api/core_api_import_business_capabilities.xsl
  • Added Information Concepts and Documents
• Application Performance Measures API: application/api/core_api_al_app_perf_measures.xsl
  • Added max score, added max users to application mart.

REST APIs

• Application Editor API
  • Added description property to App Service and Bus Process instances returned in GET endpoint
• V3 Utility API
  • Updated to always return any existing external IDs when creating or updating instances
  • Updated to return relation name slot value for instances returned in stakeholders slot

6.18 Release

The 6.18 release is a major update which has improvements to usability and performance across the Essential platform.

Viewer

New and Updated Views

• Overhaul of Roadmap and Scope filtering across Viewer with faster performance and an updated user interface
• Preview of our new summary view styling – You need to unzip and apply this DUP beta618summaries.dup if you want early access to these.
  • Data Object Summary – information/core_il_data_object_summary_new.xsl
  • Data Subject Summary – information/core_il_data_subject_summary_new.xsl
  • Business Capability Summary – business/core_bl_bus_cap_summary_new.xsl
  • Application Summary – application/core_al_application_provider_summary.xsl
• New Strategy Breakdown – enterprise/core_el_strategy_viewer.xsl
• New Performance Checker – integration/core_int_measures_checker.xsl
• New Portal Builder Export – ext/shared/ess_portal_builder.xsl
• Updated Information Reference Model – information/core_il_inf_ref_stnds_model.xsl
• Updated Application Rationalisation Analysis – application/core_al_app_rationalisation_analysis_simple.xsl

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Launchpad Plus Export – integration/l4plus_strategic_plan_export.xsl
  • Fixed an bug which prevent exports in some scenarios
  • Fixed an issue with the handling of carriage returns and non-unicode characters
  • Fixed an issue with exporting Strategic Plans
  • Updated Data Security Model and Data Subject Security Model views to display actors on Y axis
  • Bug fix for Suppliers on Technology Products
  • Removed no view menu items message when a menu group contains no active views. This displayed an unnecessary message if the menu did also have editor menu items.
• core_utilities.xsl
  • Updated GetDisplaySLot XSL template function to default to name slot if the display slot value is empty
• IT Asset Dashboard
  • Bug fix to hide items with zero on pie key
• core_menu.xsl
  • Removed no view menu items message when a menu group contains no active views. This displayed an unnecessary message if the menu did also have editor menu items.
• Data Security Model and Data Subject Security Model
  • Display actors on Y axis

Deprecated Views

• We are no longer maintaining any views based on the PlantUML library
  • application/core_al_app_data_dependencies_uml_script.xsl

Editor

• Editor Builder
  • Added the following new components
    • Idea Reference Model Impact Tabs Editor Component
    • Multi-Contained Instance Panel Editor Component
    • Multiple Multi-Line Texts Panel Editor Component
    • Integer Slider Input Editor Component
    • Matrix Editor Panel Editor Component
    • Application Services and Standards Panel Editor Component
    • Value Stream Stages Panel Editor Component
  • Fixed bug in CA Strategic Plans Panel when initialising button to update the list of planned changes
• Fixed issue where Font Awesome search icon was not properly shown in Data Tables footers when used in Editors
• Application editor
  • Bug fix to standards panel

Data Set APIs

• application/core_al_bus_process_to_app_rto_rpo.xsl
  • Improve robustness
• Performance Improvements
  • enterprise/api/core_api_el_bus_cap_to_app_mart_apps.xsl
  • application/api/core_api_application_mart.xsl
  • application/api/core_api_al_application_capabilities_l1_to_services.xsl
  • application/api/core_api_application_mart.xsl
  • integration/core_el_launchpadplus_perf_measures.xsl

Meta-Model Changes

• New Class – Technology_Node_Type
  • Technology_Node.technology_node_type
  • Add connections between Tech node
• New Class – Technology_Relation -> TECH_NODE_TO_TECH_NODE_CONNECTION
  • Technology_Node.technology_node_inbound_connections
  • Technology_Node.technology_node_outbound_connections
• New Class – Business_Term
  • A word or phrase that describes a concept that is used by the business
• New Slot: is_root: boolean
  • Added to:
    • Business_Capability
    • Group_Actor
• Policy
  • Added policy_rationale and policy_implications string slot
• Software_Component
  • Add new Enumeration class – Software_Architecture_Layer
  • Add new slot to Software_Component – software_component_architecture_layer
• ACTOR_TO_OBJECTIVE_RELATION
  • act_to_obj_for_element - cardinality 1 to any EA_Class
• Performance Measure
  • Updated the display label for the performance measure class so it includes the app (element) nameÂ
• Data Subject
  • Deprecated data_subject_individual_owner and data_subject_organisation_owner in favour of Stakeholders
• Technology_Node
  • Added technology node category ie firewall
• Business Capability Modelling
  • Added root bus cap boolean slot to cope with multiple bus cap models
• Lifecycle Management
  • API_Lifecycle_Status
  • API_Lifecycle_Status_Usage
  • API_Lifecycle_Model
• Report – Application Function Implementation Summary
  • Fixed link to default qualifying report – Core: Application Function Implementation Catalogue by Name
• Dynamic Query Tool
  • Added missing slot – Editor Class: editor_supporting_config
• APP PRO TO INFOREP
  • Add inverse slot from APP PRO TO INFOREP back to APP PRO TO INFOREP EXCHANGE RELATION
  • Updated Classes:
    • APP_PRO_TO_INFOREP_EXCHANGE_RELATION
    • APP_PRO_TO_INFOREP_RELATION
• Software Component
  • updated to be the fully qualified relationship name
• PLAN TO ELEMENT RELATION
  • Adding missing space to the autotext naming
• Supplier Views
  • Reclassified as Enterprise Views
• Content Governance
  • Update anchor class for existing (non configurable) editors to hold the anchor class

6.17 Release

The 6.17 release is a minor update which has improvements to usability, performance and security across all components of the Essential platform.

• Important: There is no associated meta-model update with this release.

Viewer
Bug Fixes

• Fixes an issue where ChartJS would try to print hundreds of blank pages if used in a View.
  • Thanks to Tudor Costigan for identify and supplying the fix for this.
• Application Overlay
  • Added alternative version with more compact style (use application/core_al_application_overlay_alt.xsl)
• Business Process Summary and Business Process Family Summary
  • Added process ID
• Fix path error in favicon manifest file
• Business Capability Dashboard
  • Fixed bug with information concepts
• Technology Node Catalogue
  • Added host site column
• Technology Product Summary
  • Added stakeholders
• Framework Manager
  • Bug fix on hover
• Strategic Plan Summary
  • Enabled APRs and TPRs to be shown in impacted elements
    Project Summary
  • fixed bug where strategy plans mapped via impacted element were not getting picked up
• Business Capability to Technology Tree
  • Fixed to handle odd names properly

JS Library Updates

Updated Viewer Libraries in this release:

• JQuery to 3.6.3
• DataTables to 1.13.1
• Moment to 2.29.4
• ChartJS to 2.9.4

In terms of DataTables, we have upgraded to the following versions

• Buttons-2.3.3
• ColReorder-1.6.1
• DataTables-1.13.1
• FixedColumns-4.2.1
• FixedHeader-3.3.1
• JSZip-2.5.0
• Responsive-2.4.0
• Scroller-2.0.7
• Select-1.5.0

We have also removed the following files which were older versions that were replaced in a previous release

• /js/jquery-migrate-1.2.1.min.js (use /js/jquery-migrate-1.4.1.min.js instead)
• /js/jquery-ui.js (use /js/jquery-ui/jquery-ui.min.js instead)
• /js/jszip.min.js (use /js/jszip/jszip.min.js instead)
• /js/moment.min.js (use /js/moment/moment.js instead)

Editor

Editor Builder

• Fixed bug with Boolean Panel component
• Updated to allow Date/Month/Year Picker widgets to be used for String slots
• Updated Performance Measures editor components to match configured performance measure categories by name rather than id. Required to support export/import of Editor configurations

Data Management

• Increased robustness of the Protege Import/Export functionality

REST API

• Updates to Content Quality Governance Policy apis to support the Policy Editor
• Added guard code to Utility PATCH/POST instance API when handling single cardinality instance slots

All components
General security patching and bug fixing

v6.16.1 Release

This release is a minor patch to the v6.16 release.

Viewer

• App Dependency View
  • Updated to include Application Services which do not have Applications specified
• Viewer Configurator
  • Added support for Configured Editors plus other minor enhancements
• App Reference Model
  • Fixed an issue where Standards were not handled correctly.
  • Added a “help” button
• App Catalogue as Table
  • Fix an issue where Data Tables were overlapping the buttons.
  • Switched to checkboxes to improve styling
• Group Actor Summary
  • Show Products and Services for Actor
• Technology Product Summary
  • Fixed bug when displaying lifecycle status with no enumeration value
• Launchpad Plus
  • Export / Pre-Complete bug fixes
  • New exporters for Frameworks and Application Dependencies
  • Deprecated App Fit (will be replaced in future release)

Editor

• Project Editor
  • Fixed bug to update currencies of costs, benefits and budgets
• Application Editor
  • Updated the labels for Application Services
• Configured Editors
  • Added support to allow Configured Editors to work with copy repository, snapshots and import/exports by persisting configuration in the repository
  • Extended the Application Information Flow component to support addition of any Interface
  • Updated the App Information Flow Tab Editor Component to add the ability to select existing Interfaces to add the integration flows

Data Set API

• Business Capability Mart Data Set API
  • Added differentiation levels to mart

REST API

• GET ALL Tech Products as Types (Core API)
  • Fixed bug in to handle invalid Technology Product Roles
• Utility API v3
  • Improved error handling
• Application (v2)
  • Added ability to add existing Interfaces to App Static Architectures /using POST application/id/dependencies/fromInterfaces

Meta Model

• Information Concept class
  • Related Information Concepts slot now bi-directional
• Configured Editor class
  • Added slots to support persisting configuration

v6.16 Release

This release is a major platform release focused on delivering improved performance and greater stability.

Key Features

• New Custom Editor Builder Tool – design and build your own custom editors
• New NIST/ISO27001 Framework Completeness View
• New Business Application RTO/RPO View
• Create custom dynamic human readable instance references

Viewer

• New NIST/ISO27001 Framework Completeness View
• View Library now shows views which are not enabled in a “greyed-out” outline style. Views which are not enabled remain hidden in portals.
• Application Dependency Model – performance improvements
• Fixed a bug where Data Set APIs may not always cache as expected
• Library Updates
  • Updated JQueryUI to 1.13.2
  • Updated DataTables to 1.12.1
• Added a new “Deprecated Views” section to the View Library
• Deprecated a number of Views – these Views are considered legacy and will no longer be maintained. These will be removed in a future release. If you use these any of these views regularly then contact support for more information.
  • Core: Business Change Analysis – Information
  • Core: Business Roadmap
  • Core: Business Change Analysis – Business Process
  • Core: Business Change Analysis – Function/Service
  • Core: Business Change Analysis – Supporting Applications
  • Core: Business Change Analysis – Location
  • Core: Business Change Analysis – Organisation Performance
  • Core: Business Change Analysis – Organisation Structure
  • Core: Business Milestone Summary
  • Core: Business Objective Summary
  • Core: Business Process Family Catalogue as Table
  • Core: Business Application Footprint
  • Core: Business Capability Application Fit
  • Core: Business Capability to Projects Tree
  • Core: Business Strategy Footprint
  • Core: Business Organisation Reporting Structure Model
  • Core: Business Capability Change Footprint
  • Core: Business Reference Model
  • Core: Business Performance Model
  • Core: Business Process Model v5
  • Core: Physical Process Workflow
  • Core: Enterprise Application Dependency Network
  • Core: Application Change Analysis – Application Distribution
  • Core: Application Change Analysis – Application Interface
  • Core: Application Change Analysis – Application Deficiency/Redundancy
  • Core: Application Roadmap
  • Core: Application Distribution Model
  • Core: Application Dependency Network
  • Core: Application Lifecycle Model
  • Core: Application Milestone Summary
  • Core: Information Change Analysis – Data Availability
  • Core: Information Change Analysis – Data Security
  • Core: Information Change Analysis – Data Subject Scarcity/Redundancy
  • Core: Information/Data Roadmap
  • Core: Information Change Analysis – Data Scarcity/Redundancy
  • Core: Technology Product Lifecycle Analysis
  • Core: Technology Change Analysis – Technology Component
  • Core: Technology Change Analysis – Technology Distribution
  • Core: Technology Change Analysis – Technology Interoperability
  • Core: Technology Roadmap
  • Core: Technology Distribution Model
  • Core: Project KPI Tracker
  • Core: Strategic Milestone Summary
  • Core: Import Spreadsheet List
  • Core: NIST
  • Core: Executive Presentation Manager
  • Core: Integration Application Provider XML Extract
  • Core: Integration Application Provider CSV Ext

Editor

• New Custom Editor Builder Tool – design and build your own custom editors
• New Application Integration Editor – available via the Editor Builder Library
• New Application Deployment Editor – available via the Editor Builder Library
• New Mini Application Editor – available via the Editor Builder Library

REST API

• Extended custom filtering capability to v3 Utility API
• Utility API Batch POST API to create a new instance if no internal id has been provided, but an external ID has
• Allowed inclusion of requested populated slots for stakeholders, by default, in Utility v3 API
• Bug fixes in performance measures Utility API
• POST Content Quality Reviews Batch API bug fixes
• Extended the security-classifications API to include the Classification Group ID to which it belongs and the index

Data Management (Cloud/Docker)

• General Performance Improvements and Bug Fixes
• Fixed a bug where in some scenarios, default values could not be removed
• Fixed a bug where the semantics were incorrect when retrieving which repositories the user had access to
• Performance improvements for batch delete instances

Import Utility

• Fixed a bug where clicking the logo in the top left might display an error in Cloud/Docker

Other

• Security patches across all software components

Meta-Model

• EA_Class
  • New slot: target_performance_measures
• Business Capability
  • New slot: belongs_to_business_domains / business_domain_contains_bus_capabilities
• Contract_Addendum
  • Fixed missing label for taxonomy term
• Group_Actor_Lifecycle_Status
  • Added missing description and value to the the Enumeration class
• Application_Reference_Modelling and Business_Reference_Modelling (classes and subclasses)
  • Added documentation
• Application Provider
  • New slot: required_expertise
  • New slot: ap_data_object_requirements
  • New slot: app_pro_to_dataobj_req_from_app
  • New slot: app_pro_to_dataobj_req_to_dataobj
  • New slot: data_obj_required_by_apps
• Regulation
  • Added an inverse slot
• Geographic_Region
  • Added Malta as a country
• Report
  • New slot: report_filter_included_slots
  • 6.15 accidentally reverted the path for the new Application Reference Model to an older version. Instance: Core: Application Reference Model. Correct report_xsl_filename: enterprise/core_al_app_ref_dashboard.xsl
• Report_Menu
  • Added Roadmap as a supported class for existing Roadmap Model menu
• Software_Component
  • New slot: software_component_architecture_layer
• Enumeration
  • Software_Architecture_Layer
• Issue
  • Fixed an problem with Application Providers creating issues in a deprecated slot
• Performance_Measure_Category
  • New slot: pmc_defines_instances_of_performance_measure_class
• Technology_Provider
  • Deprecated maintenance_cost slot
• Information_View
  • Set refinement_of_information_concept slot as multi-cardinality
• Business_Process_Family
  • Set busproctype_belongs_to_busprocfamily slot as multi cardinality
• Information Concept
  • Change required domain from Business Domain to Information Domain
• Data_Object_Attribute
  • Updated documentation
• New Class: App_Service_to_Info_View_Relation
  • operates_on_information_views
  • app_svc_to_infoview_from_appsvc
  • app_svc_to_infoview_to_infoview
  • iv_operated_on_by_apps
  • app_svc_creates_info_view
  • app_svc_reads_info_view
  • app_svc_updates_info_view
  • app_svc_deletes_info_view
• New Class: Purchase_Status
  • purchase_status
• New Class: APP_PRO_TO_DATAOBJ_REQ_RELATION
• Meta Model updates to support the following new features:
  • Human Readable IDs
  • Editor Builder

v6.15 Release

This release is a major platform release focused on delivering improved performance and greater stability.

Important: These are pre-release notes and are subject to change

Key Features

• New style Application Dependencies View
• Improved Editor and REST API performance
• Faster Out-of-the-Box Data Set APIs
• Security Patches

Viewer

• New style Application Dependencies View
• New Style Group Actor Summary
• Programme Plan – fix issue where milestone were not properly positioned
• Lifecycle Viewer – added option to allow selection of “unknown” apps not mapped to capabilities
• Significant performance improvements across many out-of-the-Box Data Set APIs

Other

• Added successful API authentication attempts to the Audit Log
• Security patches across all software components

Meta-Model

:APU-TO-APU-STATIC-RELATION

• Update to the default automatic naming for the Application Provider Usage to Application Provider Usage class

Content Quality Governance

• New classes in EA Support section to support new features in a forthcoming release of Essential Cloud.

Application_Provider_Role

• Add inverse slot to Applicatuion_Provider_Standard_Specification -> aps_standard_app_provider_role -> apr_has_standard_specs

Reference Architectures vs Reference Implementations

• Add meta-model extensions to more explicitly support reference architectures and implementations

Business_Capability

• belongs_to_business_domain slot change to multi-cardinality

Cost

• Add cost_responsible_group slot. The group actor or role that is responsible for the Cost

Application_Capability

• Add realised_by_application_services slot as inverse slot to realises_app_capabilities slot on Application_Service

Application_Provider_Interface

• Updated description

Infrastructure_Software_Instance

• Add inverse slot to technology_instance_of

Report_Constant (Default Currency)

• Deprecate – use slot on Currency class instead

User Count Range

• New Enumeration class and slot on Application_Provider called usetr_count_range

PLAN_TO_ELEMENT_RELATION

• Auto-text name wrong – missing a space after plan_to_element_change_action

Application Provider to Business Relationship

• Remove Deprecated label from App slot

RTO/RPO

• Recovery_Time_Objective class with slot ea_recovery_time_objective on Application_Provider_Type
• Recovery_Point_Objective class with slot ea_recovery_point_objective on Application_Provider_Type
• Enumerations – Recovery_Time_Objective, Recovery_Point_Objective both with the instance slot rto_for_business_criticalities – Business Criticality and multilple to define the link between the application RTO and the Business Process Criticality level

New Application Organisation Owner role

• To be used as a role for an app owner and to show whether app is internal or external vis the actor

Application_Function

• type_of_application_capabilities CHANGE to be multi-cardinality

Sequence Number

• Add the existing “sequence number” to the Application Capability, Infoformation Domain, Information Concepts, Technology Domains and Technology Capabilities classes

New Taxonomy instance for tagging Project Lifecycle Statuses

• Name: SYS_PROJECT_LIFECYCLE_STAGE_TYPES
• Terms: SYS_PROJECT_IN_PLANNING, SYS_PROJECT_EXECUTION,  SYS_PROJECT_ENDED

Launch Pad Import Specification v5.8

An updated version of the Import Specification for Essential Launchpad is now available. It is important to use this version to import any Launchpad spreadsheets once you have applied the Essential Meta Model 6.15 Update Pack.

CONTACT THE TEAM for Launchpad v5.8 Import Specification if you are using an earlier version

Note that if you have developed any of your own import specifications that create derived instances of the :APU-TO-APU-STATIC-RELATION class, you should review the ID and Naming patterns that you have defined to ensure that they match the updated default pattern.

This now takes the form:

:APU-TO-APU-STATIC-RELATION

• ‘Static Architecture of::’
• REF C
• ‘: Relation from ’
• REF C
• ‘::in::Static Architecture of::’
• REF C
• ‘ to ‘
• REF B
• ‘::in::Static Architecture of::’
• REF C

Derived ID and Derived Instance Name are the same and the resulting format will be:

Static Architecture of::[C]: Relation from [C]::in::Static Architecture of::[C] to [B]::in::Static Architecture of::[C]

APP_PRO_TO_INFOREP_EXCHANGE_RELATION

• ‘Static Architecture of::’
• REF: C
• ‘: Relation from ‘
• REF C
• ‘::in::Static Architecture of::’
• REF C
• ‘ to ‘
• REF B
• ‘::in::Static Architecture of::’
• REF C
• ‘ exchanging ‘
• REF D
• ‘ managed by ‘
• REF B

Derived ID and Derived Instance Name are the same and the resulting format will be:

Static Architecture of::[C]: Relation from [C]::in::Static Architecture of::[C] to [B]::in::Static Architecture of::[C] exchanging [D] managed by [B]

v6.14 Release

The 6.14 release is a major update which has improvements to security and performance for the Essential platform. Please note the breaking change for Custom Views using the MomentJS library (anything date related) in this release.

Viewer and Editor

New Views

• Lifecycle Viewer

New filterable-style Views*

• Application Capability Catalogue (Name / Table)
• Application Provider Catalogue (Name)
• Business Capability Catalogue (Name / Table)
• Business Process Catalogue (Name)
• Business Capability Analysis Dashboard

* Contact us for details

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Viewer engine upgrade for security and performance
• Removed unused legacy references to version update checker (external calls)
• Business Capability Analysis Dashboard
  • Removed duplicates from application lists
  • Minor UI improvements
• Interactive Instance Navigator
  • Removed external call to D3 JS library
• Project Summary
  • Fixed and issue where the description would not render line breaks properly
• Data Object Model
  • Fix for colons in names
• Launchpad Export
  • Highlights where other sheets are required for reference sheets
  • Minor bug fixes
• Technology Product Summary
  • Correcting hardcoded currency symbol in report. (credit: https://github.com/ewb-gea)

JS Libraries Updates

• BREAKING CHANGE: Please note the path the MomentJS library has changed in this release.
  • Old Path: js/moment.min.js
  • New Path: js/moment/moment.js
• DEPRECATION NOTICE: Please note the path the MomentJS library has changed in this release. The old file will be removed in the next major release (v6.15) and may cause issues for custom views in future releases unless the path is updated. We recommend reviewing any custom code for use of this library.
  • Old Path: js/moment.min.js
  • New Path: js/moment/moment.js
• Font Awesome updated to v4.7
• Bootstrap updated to v3.4.1
• Bootstrap Date Picker updated to v1.9
• DataTables updated to v1.10.24 (test any DataTables related functionality in Views and Editors)
• JQuery updated to v3.6
• MomentJS updated to v2.29.1 (test any date related functionality in Views and Editors) – path changed
• Select2 updated to v4.0.13

Data Set APIs

New Data Set APIs

• application/api/core_api_al_get_all_application_lifecycles.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_suppliers.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_get_all_technology_lifecycles.xsl

Improvements

• Added filtering for “system_content_lifecycle” to the following Views
• integration/api/core_api_import_applications.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_business_domains.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_business_families.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_business_processes.xsl

Rest API

Bug Fixes

• Bug fix in v2 Application Deployments API to resolve issue with Costs being created twice
• Fixed bug in shared cost API functions

Meta Model

Reference Architectures vs Reference Implementations

• Added meta-model extensions to more explicitly support reference architectures and implementations

Strategic_Requirement

The following new slots were added

• sr_required_from_date_ISO8601
  • The date from when this requirement needs to be addressed
• sr_required_by_date_ISO8601
  • The date by when this requirement needs to be addressed
• sr_requirement_for_elements
  • The elements for which this is a strategic requirement
  • Inverse slot to ea_requirements

Need

The following slots are deprecated:

• need_related_application
• need_related_business
• need_related_information
• need_related_technology

Issue

The following slots are deprecated:

• related_application_elements
• related_business_elements
• related_information_elements
• related_technology_elements

Contract

The following new slot was added

• contract_start_date_ISO8601

Roadmap

The following new slot was added:

• roadmap_subject

Product_Lifecycle_Status

• Created as a new subclass of Lifecycle_Status
• Added a related new slot on the class Product: product_lifecycle_status

Cascading Delete Slots

Add slots to support cascading deletes (initially to be used by v3 Utility APIs)

• :ESSENTIAL-SLOT:
  • system_slot_relationship_type – type Symbol
    • Allowed Values: SYS_CONTAINED_IN, SYS_COMPOSED_OF

Security Classification Framework

• Added a new class called Security_Classification_Framework
• Added a slot to Security_Classification_Framework containing a list of Security Classification Schemes

Essential Cloud Platform

• Security updates and patches
• Performance improvements

v6.13 Release

The 6.13 release is a minor update which has improvements to usability and performance for the Essential platform.

Essential Viewer

Features

• XSL HTML caching – This feature creates a per-user cache of the HTML which significantly improves performance when visiting Views on subsequent visits.
• General Performance improvements and optimisations across Viewer application

v6.12 Release

The 6.12 release is a minor update which has improvements to usability, performance and security across all components of the Essential platform.

Essential Viewer

New Views

• Support: Launchpad Generator – integration/core_el_launchpad_export.xsl

New XSL Data APIs

• integration/api/core_api_import_application_capabilities.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_application_capabilities_to_services.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_application_dependency.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_application_services.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_application_to_technology.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_applications to_services.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_applications.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_applications_to_orgs.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_apps_to_servers.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_business_capabilities.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_business_domains.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_business_families.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_business_process_to_app_services.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_business_processes.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_data_object.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_data_object_attributes.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_data_object_inherit.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_data_subject.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_information_representations.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_nodes.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_orgs_sites.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_physical_process_app_svc.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_sites.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_technology_capabilities.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_technology_components.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_technology_domains.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_technology_product_families.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_technology_products.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_technology_products_orgs.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_import_technology_suppliers.xsl

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Improved handling of special characters across the whole Viewer application
• All screenshots and images have been optimised for size and compression to improve performance
• Fixes an issue where a new user who had NEVER previously authenticated AND was logging in to Viewer URL using SAML may be redirected back to the login page after entering valid credentials

Essential Data Manager

New Features

• Auto refresh current user clearance levels when making changes to clearance groups and levels.

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Fix for Date issue in the following screens
  • Manage snapshots
  • Restore backup
  • Repository Manage Users
  • Tenant Manage Users
  • Tenant System Update
• Fixes an issue where clearance groups and levels for a user may have become unnecessarily stale and required re-authentication

Essential Import Utility

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Fixed an issue where some missing newline characters may have caused generated scripts to be invalid
• Fix to allow SAML authenticated users change Import Utility reference repository in Essential Docker

Essential REST APIs – Cloud and Docker only

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Improved performance of PATCH and POST methods on the ” instances ” endpoint of the Utility API.
• Fixed a bug where PATCH was functioning like a POST on the ” instances ” endpoint of the Utility API

Meta-Model

Bug Fixes and Improvements

EA_Class, EA_Relation, :EA_GRAPH_RELATION

• Added new ea_scope slot to support multi-dimensional, arbitrary scoping of instances by Geo, Org, Brand, Channel etc

Application_Service

• Deprecated the application_service_status slot

Business_Role

• Updated description

Group_Actor

• added slot to capture the lead individual actors/job position(s)

ACTOR_REPORTS_TO_ACTOR_RELATION

• added slot to define the organisation context in which an individual actor reports to another individual actor

Application_Objective, Information_Objective, Technology_Objective

• Removed auto-text for name slot

App_Provider_To_Bus_Relation

• Fixed bug with auto-text pattern

Application_Provider

• Added new slot – ap_business_criticality

Data Set API

• Set default for Report Implementation Type to “JSON”

Performance Measures

• Removed auto-naming for Bus, Info, App, Tech Performance Measures
• Created na ew Performance Measure Category enumeration that categorises Performance Measures and lists the Service Qualities that are being captured by Performance Measures of that category

APP_SVC_TO_BUS_RELATION

• Added slot to capture the Information Views that are managed by the App Service in support of the Business Process

EA_Relation and :EA_Graph_Relation classes

• Added existing system_content_lifecycle_status slot

Report

• Added Business Strategy Footprint View to “Enterprise” section in the EA portal
• Added view Launchpad Plus to the “Support” section in the EA portal

Enterprise_Strategic_Plan

• Added slot strategic_plan_drivers

Technology_Node

• Added new technology_node_platform_stack slot to allow capture of Tech Product Roles that describe Tech Products used as Hardware Product, Operating System for the node.

Business_Process_Standard_Specification, Application_Provider_Standard_Specification, Info_View_Standard_Specification

• Removed auto-naming

v6.11 Release

The 6.11 release is a major update which has improvements to usability, performance and security across all components of the Essential platform.

Key Features

New Views and Editors

• Application Design Authority View
• Business Process Hierarchy View
• Enterprise Architecture Navigator View
• Business Scenario Analysis Editor
• Business Capability Model Editor
• Information Reference Model Editor
• Technology Reference Model Editor

Audit Log (beta) – Cloud and Docker only

Starting with 6.11, system administrators will now be able to access an Audit Log of all transaction and events across the Essential Cloud and Essential Docker platforms. You can run queries to identify what actions occurred, when they happened and who performed the action. We’re launching this in beta and would welcome any feedback you have on this much-requested feature.

Single sign-out and working across devices & browsers – Cloud and Docker only

We are improving the way sessions are managed across the various components of Essential Cloud. Starting with version 6.11, when you sign out of one component of Essential Cloud, you will now be signed out of all components immediately. Additionally, a user will now only be allowed to be signed in to one device at a time. If a user switches device then they will be prompted to re-authenticate.

Essential Editor – Cloud and Docker only

New Editors

• Business Capability Model Editor
• Information Reference Model Editor
• Technology Reference Model Editor
• Business Scenario Analysis Editor

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Application Editor
  • Performance/response time improvements and UI reformatting
  • Maintaining individual and organisational stakeholders
  • Maintaining the deployment lifecycle of Applications
  • Maintaining Application costs
  • Ability to create new Technology Products directly from the Technology Usage tab
  • Hiding sections based on fine-grained user permissions.
• Technology Product Editor
  • Bug fixes and UX improvements
• Editor Framework
  • Ability to add HTML/JS content to Editor Headers, e.g. tracking
  • New global JS properties on essEnvironment variable
    • essEnvironment.repoName, essEnvironment.targetEditorID, essEnvironment.targetEditorPath, essEnvironment.targetEditorLabel

Essential Viewer

Generate PDF – Cloud and Docker only

We are introducing a PDF generation solution for Essential Viewer. This has been one of the most requested features for Essential Viewer over the past few years. The print functionality, accessible by clicking on the printer icon in the menu bar, allows to create a PDF from any View. There are options to allow you to tune the page options to ensure the resulting PDF is rendered at the correct size. At launch, there is a limitation that the PDF will only generate what the page looks like at load time. We will address this limitation in a future release. Many users will already be using their own existing browser-based PDF functionality but for where this isn’t available, we believe this will be a great solution.

Essential Data Manager Deep Links from Essential Viewer – Cloud and Docker only

This feature allows you to jump straight to the edit page in the correct repository directly from any View in Essential Viewer. This is fully supported by the Essential security framework and only users with the correct permissions will be able to view the instance in the repository. This feature is optionally enabled using a Report Constant in the repository.

To enable this feature, enter the value “on” in the Report Constant Value slot, and to disable this feature, set the Report Constant Value slot to be blank

Report Caching

Data Set API report caching adds support for the pre-caching of JSON data produced using XSL by instances of the Data Set API class. This significantly improves the performance of views that rely on complex or large data sets.

On publish, the Essential Viewer will immediately begin generating and caching the data for Data Set API instances that have pre-caching enabled (check the pre-cache checkbox). This may take several minutes depending on the scope and complexity of data being cached. Note for dynamic, parameterised data sets, the pre-caching tick box should not be checked.

XSLT v3.0 support

As previously mentioned in our tech note in April 2020, this release updates the Saxon XSLT rendering engine to support XSLT v3.0.

New Views

• Application Design Authority View
• Business Process Hierarchy View
• Enterprise Architecture Navigator View

New XSL-based REST API views

• application/api/core_api_al_application_providers_list.xsl
• application/api/core_api_al_buscap_app_pro_roles.xsl
• application/api/core_api_al_buscap_app_services.xsl
• application/api/core_api_al_get_all_application_providers.xsl
• application/api/itasset_api_al_application_capabilities_l1_to_services.xsl
• application/api/itasset_api_al_application_piecharts.xsl
• business/api/core_api_bl_bus_capability_hierarchy_dynamic.xsl
• business/api/core_api_bl_bus_capability_process_activities.xsl
• business/api/core_api_bl_bus_domain.xsl
• business/api/core_api_views_it_asset_api_bl_get_business_capabilities.xsl
• business/api/core_api_views_it_asset_api_bl_get_business_units.xsl
• business/api/core_api_views_trm_api_bl_get_business_units.xsl
• common/api/core_precache_reportReference.xsl
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_arch_impact_includes.xsl
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_impact_scope_data.xsl
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_impact_scope_data_includes.xsl
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_strat_trend_dashboard_deps.xsl
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_strat_trends_and_impls.xsl
• enterprise/api/core_api_el_strategic_trend_arch_impacts.xsl
• integration/api/core_api_class_info.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_get_all_tech_nodes_detail.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_get_all_technology_suppliers.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_itasset_technology_capabilities_l1_to_products_nos.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_capability_list.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_component_list.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_component_list_from_tprs.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_product_list_with_standards.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_product_list_with_supplier_componentIDs.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_product_suppliers.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_trm_technology_ref_model_summary.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_views_it_asset_api_tl_get_all_tech_capability_detail.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_views_it_asset_api_tl_get_all_tech_products_roles.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_views_it_asset_api_tl_get_tech_products.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_views_trm_api_tl_get_all_tech_products_roles.xsl
• technology/api/it_asset_api_technology_product_list.xsl
• technology/api/itasset_api_tl_technology_piecharts.xsl
  • enterprise/api/core_api_el_strategic_trend_arch_impacts.xsl
  • integration/api/core_api_class_info.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_get_all_tech_nodes_detail.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_get_all_technology_suppliers.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_itasset_technology_capabilities_l1_to_products_nos.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_capability_list.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_component_list.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_component_list_from_tprs.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_product_list_with_standards.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_product_list_with_supplier_componentIDs.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_technology_product_suppliers.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_tl_trm_technology_ref_model_summary.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_views_it_asset_api_tl_get_all_tech_capability_detail.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_views_it_asset_api_tl_get_all_tech_products_roles.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_views_it_asset_api_tl_get_tech_products.xsl
  • technology/api/core_api_views_trm_api_tl_get_all_tech_products_roles.xsl
  • technology/api/it_asset_api_technology_product_list.xsl
  • technology/api/itasset_api_tl_technology_piecharts.xsl

External Access to XSL-based REST APIs (Cloud and Docker)

Cloud/Docker clients can now call XSL-based REST APIs from outside the Essential Viewer environment via OAUTH2 client workflow

Bug Fixes and Improvements

Business Capability Summary (business/core_bl_bus_cap_summary.xsl)

• Removed and inconsistency between this and the application/core_al_bus_cap_support.xsl View. Additionally, added sub-capability selection and also added sub-process support to the process table. This shows all sub-processes supporting a process that supports the capability

Business Process Summary (business/core_bl_bus_process_summary.xsl)

• Added parent process and sub-process and also infers capabilities the process supports from the parents

Business Capability Application Fit (business/core_bl_app_cap_mapping.xsl)

• Fix to address issue where direct applications were not showing a fit score

Application to Business Capability Analysis (ext/apml/ess_al_bus_cap_support.xsl), Business Application Footprint (application/core_al_bus_cap_support.xsl) and Business Capability Application Fit (business/core_bl_app_cap_mapping.xsl)

• Fixed an issue with the depth of business capabilities being picked up

Application Rationalisation Analysis (application/core_al_app_rationalisation_analysis_simple.xsl & ext/apml/ess_al_app_rationalisation_analysis.xsl)

• Fixed issue with multi-line names

Technology Lifecycle Analysis (technology/core_tl_tech_product_lifecycle_analysis.xsl)

• Resolved an issue where standards filtering check boxes were not working as expected and the no standard box had disappeared

Information Representation Summary (information/core_il_inf_rep_summary.xsl)

• Aligned the frequency with the app dependency view

Technology Node Catalogue (technology/core_tl_tech_node_list_as_table_api.xsl), Technology Reference Model (core_tl_tech_ref_model_api.xsl) and Project Summary (enterprise/core_el_project_summary.xsl)

• Refactored to improve performance

Application Provider Summary (application/core_al_app_provider_summary.xsl)

• Removed duplicate issues block

Launchpad Export (integration/l4_launchpad_export.xsl)

• Fixed bug where label column was missing from the status import
• Removed debug text from the level field in business capability sheet

Launchpad Application Fit (integration/l4plus_app_fit.xsl)

• Fix so styles tables can have values not connected to an app

Launchpad Strategy Planner Export (integration/l4plus_strat_planner_export.xsl)

• L5 Strategy Planner export – added CJP to Value Stream worksheet

Out-of-the-box Portal Template

• Views/Editors that a user does not have permission to read, are hidden

Value Stream Summary

• Added presentation of supporting Business Capabilities against Value Stages

Library Changes

• Jquery upgraded to v3.5.1
• HandlebarsJS upgraded to v4.7.6
• Added D3 Plus
• Added Radar.js
• Removed all previous versions of Jquery and HandlebarsJS

Essential Data Manager

New Features

Instance References Panel

This allows you to see all the relationships the selected instance has to other instances in the repository

Audit Log

Access to the new Audit Log feature is accessible from the System Administrator page

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Autotext now updates on API events. Other general auto-text improvements
• Search, sort and filter using new tables across all System and Repository Admin pages
• Improved notifications – less persistent and shorter durations
• Refined UI to allow access to more content on the screen
• Improved error messaging
• Lists now sort correctly for both upper and lower cases instances
• Drag to sort in Chrome browser now scrolls as you drag
• Text is (once again) selectable in Chrome browser

Essential Import Utility

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Improved session management
• Security and stability improvements

Essential REST APIs – Cloud and Docker only

API security

With version 6.11 we will be introducing our clearance level security layer to the Essential API. This means the Utility and Core APIs will now check that the user making the API call has the relevant clearance levels and access rights for data in scope for the API request. If you are not using clearance levels, then the APIs will continue to function as normal. If you are using clearance levels, then you should check the user making the calls has the relevant read and edit rights for each repository. Note that this will also impact Editor users

New APIs

• Information Concepts
• Information Views
• Information Domains
• Individual Roles
• Enumerations
• Bug Fixes and improvements

v1 Core API endpoints no longer available

Customers using the v1 API endpoints should update their code to use the newer v2 API. The v1 APIs have been deprecated for over a year and are now being retired as part of the introduction of API security.

See the Essential API Documentation for the latest specification API documentation can be found at https://api.enterprise-architecture.org

APQC Process Models

Many thanks to APQC for allowing us to provide Essential data packs for their industry specific process models. Download the DUP, import into Essential and you will have the APQC process model, which you can map to your capabilities, applications, etc. Find out more here.

v6.10.4 Release

Overview

This hot-fix release of the Essential Import Utility resolves a bug in the generated import scripts and the Essential Meta Model Update pack 6.9+. When importing instances into a target repository, instances may be incorrectly identified as a matching instance, leading to duplicate instances and/or incorrectly configured dependencies within the target repository.

Essential Import Utility 2.2.2 resolves the instance matching issue when performing an import and should be used to replace version 2.2 or version 2.2.1 installations as soon as possible.

In addition to the new version of the Essential Import Utility, an Essential Update Pack (EUP) must be applied to target repositories. This update pack will prepare existing repositories and migrate existing repository content. The update pack can be applied to any version of the Essential Meta Model, including versions 6.9+.

Applying the fix

Existing repositories that have been affected by the bug can be repaired by performing the following steps:

• Install the Essential Import Utility 2.2.2 and import your configuration and Import Activities to the new version
• Open your Essential Repository and apply the Essential Update Pack, essential_meta_model_6_10_to_6_10_4_update_pack.eup
• From the Essential Import Utility 2.2.2, run your import activity into your target repository
  • If running locally, import the repository that was updated in step 2
  • If running against a server-based repository, import into the repository updated in step 2
• Generate a Data Update Pack (DUP) from within the Essential Import Utility and run this DUP in the repository that was updated in step 2

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v6.10 Release

6.10 is a minor release which provide extensive foundational support for future capabilities including a much requested Audit capability to be launched later this year.

There are two new Editors in this release. A sophisticated Supplier and Contracts editor which provides a new consolidated interface for both capturing and ongoing management of your contracts with third parties and the scope and detail of those contracts. Also, a new Simple Instance Editor which allows you to define Editors for both out-of-the-box classes and custom classes. These simple Editors use the configuration from the Essential Data Management application to support editing directly from Essential Viewer. We will have more to share on making the use of this feature in some forthcoming communications.

We’ve migrated two Views that were only previously available in our APM pack to now be available to all customers – Cost Analysis View and Cost Summary View. These two views were also recently updated for APM customers to a newer version.

Finally, alongside the usual bug-fixes and improvements, we have made a extra effort to try to squash bugs relating to special characters, apostrophes, and multi-language issues. Thanks to all our customers who have reported these and worked with us to resolve them.

Essential Editors

Essential Editors are only available to Essential Cloud and Essential Docker customers only.

New Editors

• Supplier and Contract Editor
• Simple Instance Editor
• Editor Bug Fixes and Improvements
  • Application Editor
    Fixed bug when dragging a new Tech Product onto an empty App Deployment as the first action in the App Editor
• Added Technology Type label to Technology Platform Architecture models
  Technology Product Editor
• Added feature to automatically update static lifecycle status slots when updating lifecycle models

Essential Viewer

• New Views
• Cost Analysis View
  application/core_al_app_cost_analysis.xsl
• Cost Summary View
  application/core_al_app_cost_summary.xsl
• Bug Fixes and Improvements
• application/core_al_app_data_dependencies.xsl
  • Added Support for App Provider Interfaces
• application/core_al_app_data_dependencies_uml_script.xsl
  • Added Support for App Provider Interfaces
• application/core_al_app_provider_summary.xsl
  • Fixed an issue where Actors and Roles where not displayed correctly
  • Fixed an issue where Technology Composites where not displayed correctly
  • Addressed a sorting issue with Application Services
• application/core_al_app_service_summary.xsl
  • Sorted Application Functions
• application/core_al_app_strategic_radar.xsl
  • Fixed an issue with object labels
• business/core_bl_app_cap_mapping.xsl
  • Changed the label for the View
  • Guard against no data scenarios
  • Added dynamic links to Applications
• business/core_bl_bus_cap_app_svc_analysis.xsl
  • Support for synonyms on impacted
• business/core_bl_bus_cap_list_as_table.xsl
  • Improved handling of special characters in names
• business/core_bl_bus_cap_to_plans_tree.xsl
  • Improved spacing in layout
• business/core_bl_bus_process_family_summary.xsl
  • Fix to support both older and newer way of associating Business Processes with Business Process Families
• business/api/core_api_bl_bus_capability_hierarchy.xsl
  • Improved handling of special characters
• common/core_roadmap_functions.xsl
  • Improved handling of special characters of special characters in all roadmap-enabled Views
• common/core_utilities.xsl
  • Improved handling of special characters of special characters
• css/bootstrap.min.css
  • Fixed issue with printing of Views
• enterprise/core_el_programme_plan.xsl
  • Fixed bug with Project Lifecycle legend sort order
• enterprise/core_el_project_summary.xsl
  • Improved handling of special characters
  • Added dynamic linking for Actors
• enterprise/core_el_roadmap_excel_export.xsl
  • Fixed issue where duplicate IDs could be generated
• enterprise/core_el_strategy_planner.xsl
  • Fixed issue where duplicate IDs could be generated
• information/core_il_data_object_summary.xsl
  • Modernised XSL queries
• integration/l4_launchpad_export.xsl
  • Added Physical Process to Application Worksheet
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_lifecycle_analysis.xsl
  • Layout improvements
  • Improved handling of special characters
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_selector.xsl
  • Improved handling of special characters
  • APM Pack Bug Fixes and Improvements
• ext/apml/ess_al_app_business_fit_anaysis.xsl
  • Layout fixes
• ext/apml/ess_al_app_cost_dashboard.xsl
  • Guard code for erroneous data scenarios
  • Fixed costs table error
• ext/apml/ess_al_app_technical_health_analysis.xsl
  • Fixed issue with service quality calculations
• ext/apml/api/core_api_bl_bus_capability_hierarchy_apm.xsl
  • Improved handling of special characters
  • Data Management Pack Bug Fixes and Improvements
• ext/idp/idp_il_data_by_location_map.xsl
  • UI Improvements
• ext/idp/idp_il_data_mgmt_dashboard.xsl
  • Improved handling of special characters
  • Increased granularity of scoring algorithm
• ext/idp/idp_il_data_object_list_as_table.xsl
  • New View
• ext/idp/idp_il_data_object_summary.xsl
  • Improved performance and error handling
• ext/idp/idp_il_process_to_data_view.xsl
  • Improved performance and error handling
  • Essential Data Management (Repository)

Cloud and Docker Customers Only

Updated Date Picker date format to exclude the timestamp

Essential API

Essential Editors are only available to Essential Cloud and Essential Docker customers only.

• Bug Fixes and Improvements
• Utility API now honours user security settings
• Support URL-encoded names for parameters in the request URL, e.g. can contain spaces using %20 or + in the URL elements
• Fixed mis-labelling of vendor lifecycle status property on GET
• Fixed minor URL bug in GET Technology Products API
• Fixed missing email address attribute in User Report API

v6.9 Release

Version 6.9 is a major release which is focused on performance and security.

Release Date: March 2020

Essential Viewer

3 New Views

• Business Capability to Plans Tree – business/core_bl_bus_cap_to_plans_tree.xsl
• Business Capability – Application Fit – business/core_bl_app_cap_mapping.xsl
• Business Application Footprint – application/core_al_bus_cap_support.xsl

Updated Views (rewritten for performance)

• Business Application Footprint (APM ONLY) – rewrite with new features
• Application Strategic Radar
• Technology Security Vulnerability Analysis
• Business Capability to Technology (Force)
• Project Summary
• IT Asset Dashboard
• Standards Controls Mapping
• Business Strategy Footprint
• Business Capability Catalogue as Table

New XSL Data APIs

This release contains 32 new data APIs which can be used in view development to provide simplified JSON access to a range of common data queries via an API rather than needing to write XSL queries. The following APIs are available with this release

• Core API: Application Delivery Model Breakdown
• Core API: Application Codebase Breakdown
• Core API: Application List
• Core API: Simple Instance
• Core API: BCM List
• Core: Application Provider Modal API
• Core API: Application Capability Model
• Core: Application Capability Modal API
• Core: Business Capability Modal API
• Core: Business Process Modal API
• Core: Organisation Modal API
• Core: Site Modal API
• Core: Technology Capability Model API
• Core: Application Service Modal API
• Core: Technology Capability Modal API
• Core: Technology Component Modal API
• Core: Technology Product Modal API
• System: Content Approvals Summary
• Core: Business Layer Impacts API
• Core: Application Stakeholders API
• Core: Technology Stakeholders API
• Core API: Technology Product List API
• Core: Application Capability L1 API
• Core: Technology Capability L1 API
• Core API: BCM Counts
• Core: Business Capability Summary API
• Core API: Application Change
• Core API: Strategic Data
• Core: Application Service Summary API
• Core: Application Provider Service Summary API
• Core: Planned Elements
• Core API: Application Cost

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• Improved handling of quotes and special characters
• Various minor updates
• Updated Viewer Engine for improved security and performance

New Libraries

• MXGraph v4.06
• Radar.js

Essential Import Utility

• Ability to select a reference repository directly from your repository list without the need to download and upload a zip file (Cloud/Docker only)
• ArchiMate Import support (beta)
• Faster DUP generation and Import (open-source only) performance
• General security and platform updates

Essential Data Management

• Support for improved reporting of errors
• Import performance improvements
• Support for hiding of delete buttons as default
• Improved Protege Export experience
• More robust notifications on unstable network connections
• General security and platform updates

Essential Editor

• Added new Technology Architecture tab to the Application Editor
• Added ability to capture Application Type property in Application Editor
• Improved error handling for malformed data
• Improved handling of quotes and special characters
• Improvements to Help Bubbles for hidden elements

Essential API

• Application Deployment
• Application Purpose
• Environment Types
• Technology Types as Products

• Applications
• Business Criticalities
• Business Domains
• Projects
• Strategic Trends
• Technology Products
• Technology Types

Essential Meta-Model

• Added performance_measures slot (inverse of slot on Performance_Measure class)

• Link to Controls via cf_controls slot

• Composite_Product_Type added as a value on the slot “Menu Class” for Product_Type

• Added inverse slot between EA Class/EA Relation and External Instance Reference – referenced_instanc

• Removed non-mandatory service_quality_value_uom slot from auto-naming scheme

• Updated reified slot to be the relationship slot

• Core: Business Application Footprint
• Core: Business Capability to Projects Tree
• Business Application Health Footprint

• Added default colour styling for out-of-the-box instances

v6.8 Release

This is a minor release focused primarily on Essential Cloud although an update is available for Open Source which addresses some minor bugs.

Vanity URLs for Essential Cloud

We’re delighted to finally introduce Vanity URLs for Essential Cloud customers. It is now possible to access the platform using your tenant id as part of the URL e.g https://tenantname.essentialintelligence.com.

This results in an improved login experience when using vanity URL for non-SAML users by removing the need to enter a tenant ID and an improved login experience for SAML users by adding the ability to login directly for the main login page (removes second step)

New Editor Forms

We’re introducing 3 new, much-requested, Editor Forms in version 6.8

• Business Process Editor
• Technology Product Editor
• Technology Type Editor

We’re also adding help text to all Editors to make these powerful tools easier to get to know.

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• All select2.js select boxes now properly use a “Bootstrap” style
• Support for Dynamic linking in Editor Forms
• Home Page – Removed hard-coded View Library link
• Business Capability to Change Footprint – Fixed bug where the wrong variable was being used to identify the applications supporting a Business Capability
• IT Asset Dashboard – Improved load performance
• Security Posture – Include mapping to Technology Product Family

New Libraries

• Input Mask – https://github.com/RobinHerbots/Inputmask
• JS Tree – http://jstree.com/

IE11 Support

From this release onwards, we will no longer be addressing any bugs that are specific to Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 and we strongly recommend customers move to using Essential with a modern browser such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.

v6.7 Release

This release builds on v6.6 and includes views that were previously only available in Essential Docker. Specifically,

New Capabilities for Essential Viewer

We’re introducing some new exciting features in this release which allow Viewer to become more interactive and collaborative. Commenting allows users to engage in conversations about the content they see in Viewer. Ideation, lets users identify business needs or opportunities and then submit for approval ideas which may address these, all directly from within Essential Viewer.

To enable ideation feature in Cloud and Docker complete the following steps

1. Browse in the Repository to
   • EA Class > EA Support > Essential Viewer > Report Configuration > Report Constant
2. Edit the instance of Report Constant called “Ideation Enabled”
3. Set the Report Constant Value to any value e.g. “Yes”
4. To disable ideation features, simply set the slot value to empty (blank)

Refreshed Header Bar

We have refreshed the design of the page header for Essential Viewer to use a icon driven menu system. It’s also smaller meaning you see more of your content. We’ve also dropped the two tone effect for a single colour making it easier than ever to brand Essential Viewer for your organisation.

New Views

Approvals Dashboard (Cloud and Docker only)

• enterprise/core_el_approvals_dashboard.xsl

Ideas Dashboard (Cloud and Docker only)

• enterprise/core_el_bus_need_dashboard.xsl

Project KPI Tracker

• enterprise/core_el_project_kpi_tracking.xsl

Technology Security Vulnerability Analysis

• enterprise/core_el_security_posture.xsl

Strategic Trends Dashboard

• enterprise/core_el_strategic_trends_dashboard.xsl

Supplier Impact Map

• enterprise/core_el_supplier_impact_map.xsl

Supplier License Management

• enterprise/core_el_supplier_license_mgmt.xsl

Technology Product Lifecycle Analysis

• technology/core_tl_tech_product_lifecycle_analysis.xsl

Bug Fixes and Improvements

ALL VIEWS

• Added new template call to support ideation
• <xsl:call-template name="RenderModalReportContent"><xsl:with-param name="essModalClassNames" select="$linkClasses"/></xsl:call-template>

Support both ‘Application User’ and ‘Application Organisation User’ as scoping role in the following views

• application/core_al_app_deployment_summary.xsl
• application/core_al_app_footprint_comparison.xsl
• application/core_al_app_provider_summary_v4.xsl
• application/core_al_app_ref_model.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_it_asset_dashboard_checker.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_it_asset_dashboard_v6.xsl

Bug fixes in JSON generation in the following Views

• application/core_al_app_rationalisation_analysis_simple.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_strategic_implication_dashboard.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_strategic_trends_dashboard.xsl

Updated to support more detailed modelling

• application/core_al_app_provider_info_deps_model.xsl

Removed external library calls in the following views

• application/core_al_app_rationalisation_analysis_simple.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_cap_to_technology_force.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_cap_to_technology_tree.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_nist.xsl
• integration/core_ut_completeness_view.xsl
• integration/instance_relations_tree.xsl

Switched from fixed to dynamic start date

• enterprise/core_el_programme_plan.xsl

Fixed an issue relating to Business Process Family

• business/core_bl_bus_process_list_as_table.xsl

Improved details of impacts

• enterprise/core_el_project_summary.xsl

Improved rendering performance

• technology/core_tl_tech_ref_model.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_lifecycle_json.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_list_by_vendor_simple.xsl

Viewer Engine

• More robust handling of unguarded infinite loops
• Support for Ideation features

New XSL-based APIs

• application/api/core_api_al_app_cap_modal.xsl
• application/api/core_api_al_app_codebase_breakdown.xsl
• application/api/core_api_al_app_delivery_model_breakdown.xsl
• application/api/core_api_al_app_prov_modal.xsl
• application/api/core_api_al_app_svc_modal.xsl
• business/api/core_api_bl_bus_cap_modal.xsl
• business/api/core_api_bl_bus_layer_impacts.xsl
• business/api/core_api_bl_bus_proc_modal.xsl
• business/api/core_api_bl_org_modal.xsl
• business/api/core_api_bl_site_modal.xsl
• common/api/core_api_content_approvals_summary.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_tech_cap_modal.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_tech_comp_modal.xsl
• technology/api/core_api_tl_tech_prod_modal.xsl

New Language file for Lithuanian

Removed specific calls for the Jquery UI library

• Added to common_head_content.xsl for global usage

Added the following external libraries

Dagre

• js/dagre

Filepong

• js/filepond

Hopscotch

• js/Hopscotch

jBox

• js/jBox

Jquery Yearpicker

• js/yearpicker

JVectorMap

• Added UK map

NouiSlider

• js/nouislider

Bootstrap Star Rating

• js/star-rating

IE11 Support

Since 2015 Microsoft IE11 has been superseded by Microsoft Edge, has had limited updates and does not support a number of modern web standards. With Microsoft actively discouraging the use of IE11, we have decided that our next release will be the last to support IE11

The implication is that some elements of the Essential platform may use features that are not supported by IE11. As a principle, we will not fix bugs that are specific to IE11 after the next release.

v6.6 Release

This is a major update which includes some significant changes which impact a larger number of views than typical releases.

If you require any advice or support during this update, contact [email protected] and we will try to offer the necessary guidance.

Essential Viewer

New Capabilities for Essential Viewer in Essential Docker

We’re introducing some new exciting features in this release which allow Viewer to become more interactive and collaborative. Commenting allows users to engage in conversations about the content they see in Viewer. Ideation, lets users identify business needs or opportunities and then submit for approval ideas which may address these, all directly from within Essential Viewer.

Refreshed Header Bar

We have refreshed the design of the page header for Essential Viewer to use a icon driven menu system. It’s also smaller meaning you see more of your content. We’ve also dropped the two tone effect for a single colour making it easier than ever to brand Essential Viewer for your organisation.

New Views in this release

Approvals Dashboard

• enterprise/core_el_approvals_dashboard.xsl

Idea Dashboard

• enterprise/core_el_bus_need_dashboard.xsl

Project KPI Tracking

• enterprise/core_el_project_kpi_tracking.xsl

Technology Security Vulnerability Analysis

• enterprise/core_el_security_posture.xsl

Strategic Trends Radar

• enterprise/core_el_strategic_trends_dashboard.xsl

Supplier Impact Map

• enterprise/core_el_supplier_impact_map.xsl

Supplier License Management

• enterprise/core_el_supplier_summary.xsl

Essential Meta-Model

The following classes have been added from version 6.5 to version 6.6

Business_Need_Lifecycle_Status
Sub-class of Enumeration/Lifecycle_Status

Idea_Lifecycle_Status
Sub-class of Enumeration/Lifecycle_Status

Strategic_Trend_Implication_Lifecycle_Status
Sub-class of Enumeration/Lifecycle_Status

SYS_CONTENT_APPROVAL_STATUS
Sub-class of Enumeration/Lifecycle_Status

SYS_CONTENT_VISIBILITY
Sub-class of Enumeration

Business_Context_Management
Sub-class of EA_Support

Strategic_Trend_Management
Sub-class of EA support

STRAT_TREND_IMPLICATION_TO_ELEMENT_RELATION
Sub-class of EA Relation > EA Support Relationships > STRATEGY MGT RELATION

Cost_Component_Change
Sub-class of Cost

Revenue_Component_Change
Sub-class of Revenue

Service_Quality_Change
Sub-class of Service_Quality_Measure

Innovation_Management
Sub-class of EA support

IDEA_TO_ELEMENT_RELATION
Sub-class of EA Relation > EA Support Relationships > INNOVATON_MGT_RELATION

Data_Set_API
Sub-class of Report

Dependency_Management
Sub-class of EA support

Note: you will need to unhide these classes, by default they are hidden. Contact your account manager if you need instructions on this

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v6.5 Release

This is a major update which includes some significant changes which impact a larger number of views than typical releases. It contains updates to many Javascript libraries to provide security and compatibility fixes. If you have created custom views or modified any existing out-of-the-box views then you may need to review these as soon as possible to avoid issues particularly related to Javascript library compatibility.

A copy of this release is now available on our GitHub site at https://github.com/essentialproject/essential_viewer

If you require any advice or support during this update, contact [email protected] and we will try to offer the necessary guidance.

Essential Viewer

New Views in this release

Strategy Planner

• enterprise/core_el_strategy_planner.xsl
• enterprise/core_model_graph_js_functions.xsl

Value Stream Catalogue

• business/core_bl_value_stream_list_as_table.xsl

Value Stream Summary

• business/core_bl_value_stream_summary.xsl

Application Dependency Network

• application/core_al_app_dependency_network.xsl

Location Summary

• business/core_bl_location_summary.xsl
• business/core_bl_process_location_map.xsl

Roadmap Enablement

Version 6.5 introduces support for Roadmap Enablement which allows you to view what you architecture would look like at different points in time

The following views are “Roadmap Enabled” and more will be update in future releases. Previous versions (v6) exist with an appended name e.g. application/core_al_app_cap_list_by_name_v6.xsl

• application/core_al_app_cap_list_by_name.xsl
• application/core_al_app_provider_list_by_appfam.xsl
• application/core_al_app_provider_list_by_name.xsl
• application/core_al_app_provider_list_table.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_process_list_as_table.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_process_list_by_name.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_process_list_by_service.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_it_asset_dashboard.xsl
• ext/apml/ess-ext_al_app_cost_analysis.xsl (APM Pack Only)
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_list_by_component.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_list_by_name.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_list_by_vendor.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_list_table.xsl
• common/core_rm_catalogue_functions.xsl
• common/core_roadmap_functions.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_roadmap_excel_export.xsl

Improved i18N Support for Catalog Views

Provides better sorting for objects with international character values

• application/core_al_app_func_impl_list_by_name.xsl
• application/core_al_app_service_list_by_name.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_cap_list_by_name.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_domain_list_by_name.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_objective_list_by_name.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_service_list_by_name.xsl
• business/core_bl_group_actor_list_by_name.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_roadmap_catalogue_by_layer.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_roadmap_catalogue_by_name.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_stakeholder_catalogue_by_name.xsl
• information/core_il_data_list_by_name.xsl
• information/core_il_data_object_list_by_name.xsl
• information/core_il_data_subject_list_by_name.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_comp_list_by_name.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_node_list_by_name.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_node_list_by_vendor.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_node_product_list_by_vendor.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_list_by_capability.xsl

Multi Language Bugfixes

• business/core_bl_bus_cap_summary.xsl

ISO Date Support

Support for the new ISO date slot introduced in v6.4 of the Essential Meta-Model. The views are backward compatible with the previous date slots but we intend to provide a script shortly, which will allow customers to migrate their existing dates in the repository from the older slots to the new ISO format date slots.

• application/core_al_app_provider_summary.xsl
• application/core_al_app_service_summary.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_obj_summary.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_process_summary.xsl
• common/core_strategic_plans.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_programme_plan.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_project_summary.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_strategic_milestone_summary.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_strategic_plan_summary.xsl
• enterprise/core_el_strategic_roadmap.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_instance_summary.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_node_summary.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_prod_summary.xsl

Technology Reference Model

Supports the ability to drill-down into the supporting components and products and introduces a new easier layout taxonomy

• common/core_el_ref_model_include.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_ref_model.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_ref_stnds_model.xsl

Application Reference Model

Updated to support new layout taxonomy

• application/core_al_app_ref_model.xsl

Application Technology Alignment

Support for technology standards separate from lifecycle status

• technology/core_tl_app_tech_alignment.xsl
• technology/core_tl_app_tech_alignment_3.xsl

Updated for JS Library Compatibility (See Below)

• application/core_al_app_footprint_comparison.xsl
• application/core_al_app_provider_summary.xsl
• application/core_al_app_rationalisation_analysis_simple.xsl
• application/core_al_app_sw_arch_model.xsl
• application/core_al_app_sw_arch_model2.xsl
• application/core_al_app_sw_arch_model_v5.xsl
• technology/core_tl_tech_product_selector.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_cap_2_change_footprint.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_cap_model.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_cap_model_arch_states.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_process_model.xsl
• business/core_bl_bus_process_model_v5.xsl
• information/core_il_data_object_model.xsl
• information/core_il_data_subject_model.xsl
• technology/core_tl_app_tech_platform_model.xsl

General Bugs Fixes and Improvements

• common/core_footer.xsl
• common/core_js_functions.xsl
• common/core_menu.xsl
• common/core_page_history.xsl
• common/core_utilities.xsl

Cloud Only

Added capability to secure instances by Class and test Class-level authZ

• WEB-INF/security/viewer_security.xsl

Javascript Library Security Updates

This release contains updates to many Javascript libraries to provide security and compatibility fixes. If you have created custom views or modified any existing out-of-the-box views then you may need to review these after this release becomes available. Where possible, we have tried to make the previous versions available to allow customer to migrate to newer versions however where the previous version poses a security risk, these libraries may not be available and your views may require updating.

Core Libraries

These are loaded for all views and the previous versions will not be available. It is critical you retest your views against these specific versions

• common/core_common_head_content.xsl
• js/bootstrap.min.js (Updated from v3.3.7 to v3.4.1)
• js/jquery-3.4.1.min.js (Updated from v2.2.4 to v3.4.1)
• js/jquery-ui/ (Updated from v1.10.2 to v1.12.1)
• Removed the Jquery migrate library

View Specific

• js/FileSaver.min.js
• js/handlebars-v4.1.2.js
• js/jquery.maskedinput.min.js
• js/jquery.tools.min.js
• js/jszip.min.js
• js/progressStep.min.js
• js/d3/d3-selection-multi.v1.js
• js/d3/d3.v5.7.0.min.js
• js/d3/d3_4-11/
• js/DataTables/datetime-moment.js
• js/dhtmlxgantt/
• js/hopscotch/
• js/jointjs/ (Updated from v1.0.2 to v2.2.1 – previous version located at js/jointjs-old)
• js/jquery-timeline/
• js/lodash/lodash.js
• js/moment/moment.js
• js/svg-pan-zoom/svg-pan-zoom.min.js

JVector Maps

New maps are available in Essential for the JVector map library

• js/jvectormap/jquery-jvectormap-africa-mill.js
• js/jvectormap/jquery-jvectormap-asia-mill.js
• js/jvectormap/jquery-jvectormap-au-mill.js
• js/jvectormap/jquery-jvectormap-europe-mill.js
• js/jvectormap/jquery-jvectormap-north_america-mill.js
• js/jvectormap/jquery-jvectormap-oceania-mill.js
• js/jvectormap/jquery-jvectormap-south_america-mill.js
• js/jvectormap/jquery-jvectormap-us-aea.js

Essential Meta-Model

The following classes have been updated from version 6.4 to version 6.5.

BUSINESS ARCHITECTURE STANDARDS

NEW CLASS: Physical_Process_Standard_Specification

• Specifies a standard physical process representing a business process that should be performed by a specific organisation
• SLOTS: pps_standard_physical_process
  Defines the physical process representing a business process performed by a specific organisation as a standard

NEW CLASS: Business_Operating_Model_Standard_Specification

• Specifies a Group Business Role as the anchor point for a standard blueprint that provides a logical representation of a business operating model in terns of organisational structure, processes performed, supporting application services and required technology components
• SLOTS: mobs_standard_group_business_role
  Defines the logical Group Business Role that is the anchor point for the Business Operating Model standard

UPDATED CLASS: Business_Process_Standard_Specification

• UPDATED SLOT: bps_standardised_business_capability
  Updated to be non-mandatory (as the process family of the standardised process provides the context for the standard)

UPDATED CLASS: Business_Process_Family

• NEW SLOT: bpf_contains_busproctypes
  Captures business processes/activities that are performed as part of the business process. Note: this is an alternative to defining a Business Process Flow
• NEW SLOT: bpf_business_criticality
• DEPRECATED SLOT: bpf_contained_business_process_types

UPDATED CLASS: Business_Process_Type

• NEW SLOT: busproctype_belongs_to_busprocfamily
  Supports direct relationship to Business Process Family
• DEPRECATED SLOT: busproctype_in_busprocfamily

UPDATED CLASS: Business_Process

• NEW SLOT: bp_sub_business_processes
  Captures business processes/activities that are performed as part of the business process. Note: this is an alternative to defining a Business Process Flow

UPDATED CLASS: Business_Activity

• NEW SLOT: ba_sub_business_tasks
  Captures business tasks that are performed as part of the business activity. Note: this is an alternative to defining a Business Activity Flow

DEPRECATED CLASS: BUSPROCTYPE_IN_BUSPROCFAM_RELATION

LIFECYCLE MODELLING

UPDATED CLASS: Lifecycle_Status_Usage

• Fixed extra space in auto-text name
• NEW SLOT: lcm_status_start_date_iso_8601
  Defines the start date from when the lifecycle status begins

NEW CLASSES

• Vendor_Lifecycle_Model
• Project_Lifecycle_Model
• Vendor_Lifecycle_Status_Usage
• Project_Lifecycle_Status_Usage

DEPRECATED CLASSES

• Lifecycle_Model_Timeline_Point
• Lifecycle_Model_Start

NEW INSTANCES

• Taxonomy – Lifecycle Model Types
• Taxonomy_Term – Vendor Lifecycle
• Taxonomy_Term – Adoption Lifecycle

PROJECT MODELLING

NEW CLASS: Budget_Approval_Status

UPDATED CLASS: Currency

• NEW SLOT: currency_is_default
  Used to define a currency as being the default

UPDATED CLASS: Business_Role

• NEW SLOT: role_for_classes
  Used to identify indiv/group roles that are appropriate for specific meta-classes

UPDATED CLASS: Budgetary_Element

• NEW SLOT: budget_approval_status
  Defines the approval status of a budgetary element

UPDATED CLASS: Budget

• NEW SLOT: budget_currency
  The currency in which the budgetary element amounts are defined

UPDATED CLASS: Cost

• NEW SLOT: cost_currency
  The default currency in which the contained costs amounts are defined

UPDATED CLASS: Revenue

• NEW SLOT: revenue_currency
  The default currency in which the contained revenue amounts are defined

UPDATED CLASS: Change_Activity (and sub classes)

• NEW SLOT: ca_target_rate_of_return
  Defines the target percentage rate of return for the change activity as a decimal, between 0.0 and 1.0
• NEW SLOT: ca_net_present_value
  Defines the current value, in contrast to some future value the change activity will have when it has been completed, given the compounded target rate of return.

NEW INSTANCES

• Budget_Approval_Status

BUG FIXES

UPDATED CLASS: Business_Performance_Measure

• Added Application, Info and Tech layers to allowed types
• Remove auto-text setting of name slot

UPDATED CLASS: Information_Performance_Measure

• Added Bus, App and Tech layers to allowed types
• Removed auto-text setting of name slot

UPDATED CLASS: Technology_Performance_Measure

• Added Application, Info layers to allowed types
• Removed auto-text setting of name slot

UPDATED CLASS: Standards_Management and all sub-classes

• Removed auto-text setting of name slot

UPDATED CLASS: DAPU-TO-DAPFIU-RELATION

• Updated sent and received information slots to contain Information_Representation instances as well as Information Representation Usage instances.

DEPRECATED CLASS: Information_Representation_Usage

UPDATED CLASS: :ASU-TO-ASFU-RELATION

• Updated sent and received information slots to contain Information_View instances as well as Information View Usage instances.

DEPRECATED CLASS: Information_View_Usage

UPDATED CLASS: Technology_Product

• Changed Technology Product display label to ‘name’ to address re-import duplication issues

UPDATED CLASS: Technology_Product_Role

• Updated strategic lifecycle status slot to be single rather than multiple cardinality NEW SLOT: tpr_has_standard_specs
• The standard specifications that have been defined for the use of a Technology Provider in a given role

UPDATED CLASS: Application_Provider

• Updated application_family slot to be multiple cardinality

UPDATED CLASS: Lifecycle_Status_Usage

• Fixed bug on auto-text naming where ‘using’ fixed text in previous config had 2 trailing spaces

June 19 Cloud Release

Essential Data Manager

• Addresses an issue where the visibility of Classes was not stored when using the Protege Export feature.
• Sets the default visibility for new Classes to hidden.

We recommend that following this update, customers who are keeping offline backups using this feature, create new exports to ensure their layouts and labels are preserved.

Essential Viewer

• Added capability to secure instances by Class and validate Class-level authZ

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Jan 19 Cloud Release

The focus of this release is primarily platform security improvements and bug fixes.

General

• Security improvements across all components

Essential Import Utility (IU)

• Updated application framework with modernised UI
• Removed preview spreadsheet functionality
• Better validation of XML to handle problem characters
• Address issues with service based DUP creation with XML payloads
• Enhancements to the Essential Scripting to remove comments from processing

Essential Data Manager (EDM)

• Fix bugs with breadcrumb trail
• Improved support for deleting instances within instances
• Auto-text can have empty values instead of ‘null’ values
• Improved error messages
• Show success/fail banner for all long running processes
• Double click to open a repository from dashboard

Essential Viewer (Viewer)

• Better validation of XML to handle problem characters
• Updated Viewer engine with security updates and bug fixes

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