Object Templates

General Description

There are several valid BLAF Object Templates to support the wide variety of BLAF application object types. (Examples of objects in BLAF are: Purchase Order, Requisition, Expense Report, database Target, and Employee Record.) Each type of object may be comprised of a wide variety of information (or object properties), and managed by a wide range of users of various skill levels. Thus there are several Object Template options to match these various criteria.

This Guideline indicates the available BLAF Object Template designs, provides some general usage principles, and contains links to the relevant BLAF Guidelines for each Object Template.

Contents of This Guideline:

• Interaction and Usage Specifications
• General Principles
• Consistency
• Use The Appropriate Template
• Typical Object Templates - Interaction Notes
• Typical Object Template Initiation Points
• Typical Object Template Tasks
• Object Templates - Usage & Guidelines
• 1 Page Object Template
• 1 Long Page Object Template
• 2 Page Object Template
• 3(+) Linear Page Object Template
• Multi-Page Non Linear Object Template
• Object Template with Side Navigation
• Object Template with SubTab Navigation
• Issuing Confirmations
• Visual Specifications
• All Object Template Options

NOTE: There are different templates for 3(+) Step Processes, 2 Step Process and 1 Page Object Template pages. See specific guidelines for details.

Guideline Attributes

Interaction and Usage Specifications

General Principles

Consistency

Typically, one object template should be used per object type. An object template should form the basis for all common action templates.

• For instance, all Purchase Orders should use the same object template; or, all Sales Quotes should use the same object template. In some cases, a train may be used to represent an object in Create mode; and another (Side Navigation or SubTabs) may be used to Update.
• For a given object, the same base Object Template is used for a number of given tasks. For instance, if a Sales Quote uses the object template with Side Navigation, when the user updates the sales quote, views the sales quote, or duplicates the sales quote, the same template with Side Navigation is used, but the state of the data may vary.

Use The Appropriate Template

Certain object templates may be cumbersome given the user, and the nature of the task.

• For instance, if an expert user needs to be able to quickly update specific elements of a given object, a step by step object template with many steps in linear order may be too cumbersome.
• Another example, if an object can be naturally divided into logical groupings (sections/pages), but the number of groupings is large, then a long page template may become too long and overwhelming for the user to find information. It may be more appropriate to use an object template with Side Navigation for each grouping/section.

Typical Object Templates - Interaction Notes

Typical Object Template Initiation Points

• Object List Page Template - A template that lists many objects. This template has multiple valid options (with search and results features, with select and act features, or just a list of objects viewed in a table). This page contains a table with a list of objects. When one of these objects is selected an Object Template page is drawn. Also, the Object List page has the option to view attachments associated with the object. If "View Attachments" is selected (usually represented as an icon within table a column), the Object Template will show the list of attachments section associated with the object.
• Process Within Process Flow - There may be tasks which include a main process with one or more "inner" subprocesses. The main or sub-processes for this task can use any of the existing Object Templates. Please refer to Process within Process in the Intra-Application Navigation guideline, for details.
• Home Page Template - There may be a link or icon on the home page (usually summary of content of the application) that takes the user directly to an object template to view or act on the details.
• Oracle Application Portal - Occasionally, there is a link or item in a portlet of the portal referring to a specific object in an application (like a specific notification, or a specific purchase order). When selected, the object template from the specific application is launched.
• Shortcut or Related Link - On the appropriate page(s) a related link may be shown (for example, related link in a content container). This link may navigate the user to a specific object template.

Typical Object Template Tasks

• View - Allows a user to view all of an object´s properties/details
• Update - Allows a user to update all of an object´s properties/details
• Create - Allows a user to create a new object and all its properties/details
• Duplicate - Allows a user to duplicate an existing object and update all its properties/details

Object Templates - Usage & Guidelines

See individual Object Template guidelines, linked below, for more details.

1 Page Object Template

• Good for objects with minimal to medium amount of information
• Good for objects that have few logical groupings, where groupings can easily be handled in one page with header/subheader/and subsubheaders.
• Good when it is important to see all the object content on one page.
• See 1 Page Object Template guideline for full details.

1 Long Page Object Template

• Good for objects with medium amount of information.
• Good for objects that have logical groupings, that can be quick linked from the top of the page.
• Good for objects when seeing all the content of the object on one page is important.
• See 1 Long Page Object Template guideline for full details.

2 Page Object Template

• Good for objects that logically can be divided into 2 parts, or 2 sections. (ie, 2 separate pages)
• Good when a Long Page Template becomes overwhelming, and the object can be broken into 2 pages.
• Good to use when an object may need a "Review" section.
• See 2 Page Object Template guideline for full details.

3(+) Linear Page Object Template

• Good for objects that can logically be divided into 3 or more steps or sections (for updating, viewing, creating, etc.)
• Good for objects with step-to-step information dependencies. (i.e., changing information in the first step changes what the user sees in the next step.)
• Not good for easy/quick update of an object with little information.
• See 3(+) Linear Page Object Template for full details.

Multi-Page (Non Linear) Object Template

Multi-Page Non Linear Template using Side Navigation

• Usage
• Good for an object that can be logically divided into many sections or steps.
• Good for objects that can be updated or managed in any order, not necessarily in linear order.
• Good for objects with nested levels of sections.
• Good for objects with more than 7 sections.
• Allows a user to easily jump between sections, or only update one section at a time.
• Validation occurs as user navigates from item to item in Side Navigation.
• See Tabs/Navigation: Side Navigation (Level 3) for more information and examples on using Side Navigation.

Multi-Page Non Linear Page Object Template: Side Navigation


• Side Navigation Content Layout - Generally, layout within the Side Navigation content area follows BLAF object template, header, and other guidelines. Content may be arranged in sections and sub-sections with headers, or follow other Object Template layouts.
  • Action/Navigation page level buttons apply to all sections in the side navigation.
  • See the Tabs/Navigation guideline for more information.
• Components outside the side nav content area - Conceptually, content may be 'outside' fo the side navigation scope, but visually there is ano extra indication of this in the UI since users don't perceive these subtleties.
  • Page level buttons like Apply and Cancel affect the entire object (all side nav sections).
  • Contextual information may be applicable to all the side nav sections.

Subtabs Multi-Page Non Linear Object Template

• Usage
• Good for an object that can be logically divided into 2-7 sections or steps.
• Good for objects that can be updated or managed in any order, not necessarily in linear order.
• Allows a user to easily jump between sections, or only update one section at a time.
• Good when horizontal space is a concern.
• Validation occurs as user navigates from subtab to subtab in SubTab Navigation.
• See Tabs/Navigation: SubTab Navigation for more information and examples on using the SubTab component, and how it coordinates with other navigation controls.

Multi-Page Non Linear Page Object Template: SubTabs


• SubTab Content Layout
- Generally, layout within the SubTab content area follows BLAF object template, header, and other guidelines. Content may be arranged in sections and sub-sections with headers, or follow other Object Template layouts.
• Action/Navigation buttons apply to adjacent components/header sections in the SubTab.
• Action/Navigation applying to an entire SubTab are placed at the top of the selected SubTab content area, aligned right.
• Instructional Text may be placed under the first level section header within a SubTab, or if no section head in subtab, directly below top subtab bar.
• SubTab content area vertical length should not be allowed to grow inordinately.
• Refer to the image below for component placement examples.
• The Master/Detail Templates guideline describes placement of BLAF components in SubTab sections in some detail. See the Single Object Details/Multiple Object Properties (Label-Data Layout/SubTab Layout) section in particular.
• Each object template may be view-only state or updatable state. These same templates are the basis for Table Navigation/Action Methods and Table Flows.
• Page Length Considerations - Attention should be paid to page lengths resulting from components placed within the SubTab content area. Long pages with great amounts of content in the SubTab component may be confusing to users, as the upper and lower SubTab bars may not always be visible. It is recommended to add additional subtab sections to break up content vs. long subtab page as appropriate.
• Components Outside the SubTab Content Area - Content may be placed on the page outside the SubTab content area (outside of the area between the top and bottom SubTab Bars).
  • Such content might include: Contextual information regarding all the subtabs, instruction Text, Label/data fields, page level controls
  • Although content outside and above the SubTab component applies to or describes the content of the SubTabs, it does not necessarily assert dynamic control over that content. It may, for example, consist only of Label/Data fields describing the SubTab content.
  • BLAF components placed outside the SubTab content area should be placed according to existing BLAF template guidelines, treating the SubTab bars and content area as a subordinate layout component in the BLAF page content area. See the Content Layout Templates guideline for common widget/component layout examples.

    SubTab Layout Options: Components Outside the SubTabs
    

Issuing Confirmations

If the user has completed updating an object in any manner, and returns to the Object List, the list does not reflect the change. A confirmation message box should be shown.

• The message confirms to the user that the changes made in the step have been committed to the database or submitted to workflow for approval.
• It is important to analyze the frequency of use of the application along with user experience level to decide whether or not a Confirmation message is necessary following an object update.

It is also applicable to show a full Confirmation message page. For detailed schematic of a Confirmation messaging template see the Messaging Templates guideline.

Visual Specifications

All Object Template Options

Below is a schematic of all the Object Template options. See each individual page template guideline for details. Also see the Buttons (Action/Navigation) guideline for detailed button order configuration for each template.

All Object Template Options

Open/Closed Issues

Open

Closed