Welcome to InVision 2018.1!

The InVision 2018.1 FM Package includes a number of new applications, lots of new features, and an updated system design which focuses on usability and performance enhancements. The following outlines a handful of these highlights, as well as considerations and pre-requisites for upgrading from previous versions...

 

New Applications:

Asset Manager

Overview: The brand new Asset Manager is a highly configurable web application which provides unparalleled insight into all your facilities assets. This new addition to the InVision system provides a streamlined interface to quickly search, filter, and sort your asset data, and then begin a number of key workflows such as reporting, bulk updates, export to Excel, or sharing with colleagues. Right away, users can begin asking complex questions of their asset data and see their information in a whole new way.

The Asset Manager experience begins with a high level Search & Filter view, where users can switch between asset types and quickly search, filter, and sort their data. The interface updates in real time so you can understand summary information about assets, including where they are using the context map view. Users can then choose to perform a number of actions, or drill into further detail.

As users get into the Details view, they can see in-depth information about a particular record as well as what it’s related to. This extends indoors for floor-aware assets so users can view an interactive floorplan related to the asset location, and then choose additional actions or explore further.

With Asset Manager, users can:

• Search, Sort, and Filter Assets
• Create KPI’s based on complex filter criteria
• Quickly Report, Share, and Export Asset data
• View rich details including indoor location and related floorplans
• Enable/disable Editing, including Bulk Updates
• Configure Apps for as many Assets as needed

Using the new Configuration Assistant, InVision admins can use this application template to configure as many focused applications as needed, and then make them available to different user groups.  This new addition to InVision lets you define which Assets are important to you, and then analyze, manage, and understand them like never before.

Tech Requirements: This application requires Foundation 2018.1 to be installed. There is a minimum data model spec in order to register assets with InVision Foundation.

Getting started: To get started with Asset Manager you can reference one of the Starter Apps, or read about setup and configuration in the Getting Started Guide.

 

 

Configuration Assistants

Overview: One of the unique capabilities of the InVision system is the ability to bring together different data sources and configure applications to help you understand them. In the past, much of that configuration required highly technical skillsets and/or professional services to configure the system the way you wanted it, and fine tune the way information was presented to end users. At 2018.1 we are releasing brand new Configuration Assistant applications for many of our app templates, tools which let you configure InVision applications yourself through a streamlined web interfaces.

These beautifully crafted applications provide an intuitive way to set up new apps, and then quickly fine tune the data, capabilities, and detailed settings you want for. You can also choose to add new Group Layers which bring related datasets into an app together. When used with the new Instance Cloning feature in InVision Admin, you can setup and configure applications faster than ever!

The 2018.1 release includes the following new Configuration Assistants:

• Explorer Configuration Assistant
• Asset Manager Configuration Assistant

These new configuration tools are a big step in the direction of making it easier for organizations to configure and update their own applications, while reducing the complexity and technical skills required to do so.

Tech Requirements: This application requires Foundation 2018.1 to be installed. These configuration assistants are installed with the Asset Manager and Explorer templates at 2018.1

Getting started: To get started, please reference the InVision Foundation Administration Guide, or use the inline help when configuring an app instance.

 

Campus Utilities starter package

Overview: One of the most common challenges on any campus is the management of underground utilities. Unlike the commercial sector, campuses have a unique mix of specialized utilities systems which they must continually operate and maintain, as well as historic infrastructure which they need to avoid. Knowing what you have, where it is, and its operational status is key to managing each of your utilities systems. Perhaps even more important is being able to roll up and understand your data across all utilities, analyze it in different ways, and then support decision making and sharing with others.

With the Campus Utilities starter package you can:

• Search, Visualize, and Drill into information for your utilities systems across campus
• Use starter Apps for quick Field access
• Manage detailed utilities information, including bulk editing attributes
• Analyze utility assets across multiple systems, and visualize complex information
• Report, Export, and share live views of Utility assets of interest
• Create KPI Cards for things you care about

The Utilities starter package brings together a number of core capabilities to help you manage your campus utilities information. This starts with tools for gathering utilities data, from harvesting existing CAD drawings and GIS, to enabling field validation and inventory on mobile devices. As you capture data, the package has a set of starter data models so you can use to easily store and update that data, as well as configured apps for each system that let you view it and start to add related information. Lastly, the package has a management application where you can see and update all your utilities data, filter and analyze it, report on it, and create KPI cards to keep you on top of things.

The package includes:

• Starter Data Models for Steam, Chilled Water, Storm water, and Shared Infrastructure
• Starter Apps configured for each system
• Utilities Manager app configuration

Tech Requirements: This application requires Foundation 2018.1 to be installed. 

Getting started: To get started, install InVision Foundation 2018.1 and follow the steps to setup and restore the Campus Utilities starter package. You can read more about this in the updated 2018.1 Installation Guide.

 

New Features:

 

KPI Cards for Assets

Overview: Business users have a need to monitor the information that matters to them, so they can quickly focus their daily work as soon as they log in. At 2018.1, users can create and manage KPI cards for Asset data, which helps them immediately see a live rollup of their data and then launch an application to focus on addressing those records. From any Asset Manager instance users can create saved filters, and then choose to save their own KPIs to InVision Home. Additionally, Admins can publish their KPI’s as Enterprise KPI Cards.

Pre-requisites: This feature is available in Home, and uses Saved Filters authored in Asset Manager. This requires Foundation 2018.1 to be installed and the new Asset Manager app template to be available.

Getting Started: To get started watch the KPI Card tutorial when you visit Home, or refer to the Getting Started with the InVisionFM Package guide.

 

 

Group Layers

Overview: A new system-wide concept is being introduced at 2018.1: Entity Type Groups (aka. Group Layers).

This concept goes well beyond the simple ‘group layer’ capability, and makes it easier manage, configure, and utilize related datasets throughout InVision. Admin users can create entity type groups to better manage complex related datasets such as utilities systems, and end users can use them to turn groups on and off as well as quickly search across a group and all its contents.

Pre-requisites: This requires Foundation 2018.1 as well as updated app templates.

Getting Started: To get started with this feature, please refer to the Getting Started with the InVisionFM Package guide. Admin users can learn more in ivAdmin under the Entity Type Groups section, and end users can leverage them in Explorer and Asset Manager.

 

 

 

New Filter Types

Overview: To help users understand their data in even more ways, there are two new types of Filters being introduced at 2018.1: Variable Date Range Filters, and My Organization Filter. With the addition of these new filter types, InVision users can create composite filters in exciting new ways, choosing to focus on only the data they are responsible for, as well as setting a date range relative to today. These filters also translate into KPI Cards which help answer questions such as ‘how many of my spaces have been updated in the past 30 days?’.

• My Organization Filter – Space Manager filter for only showing MY org’s spaces
• Variable Date Range Filter – Create a variable date range, such as the past 30 days, or the next 90 days.

Pre-requisites: This feature is accessed through Space Manager, Space Planner, and Asset Manager. My Org filters are available in Space Manager only. These filters require Foundation 2018.1 to be installed along with an updated version of the InVision database.

Getting Started: To get started with this feature refer to the Getting Started with the InVisionFM Package guide.

 

 

Support for Immutable ID’s

Overview: Within the Esri map service publishing arena there are options to use immutable ID’s for layers being published to REST endpoints, as opposed to updated layer numbers. InVision now supports data coming from REST services using immutable Id’s as well as data using normal layer numbering. For those administering InVision, this means spending less time updating layer ordering after service changes, and more time available for new configurations!

Pre-requisites: This feature requires Foundation 2018.1 is installed, and new app templates have been registered.

Getting Started: To get started with this feature, please refer to the Getting Started with the InVisionFM Package guide.

 

 

 

Legend Enhancements

Overview: The 2018.1 release brings a number of updates to in-application legends, so that users are presented with a filtered list of legend entries reflecting only what is being currently shown on the screen. This update will work for both Published viewbys as well as User Defined viewbys, and is reflected in standard Print layouts as well. These updates to Explorer, Space Manager, Space Planner, and the brand new Asset Manager mean users will have a more consistent experience and not have to search through legend entries to determine what is being shown in a map.

Pre-requisites: This feature can be accessed in the 2018.1 releases of Explorer, Space Manager, Space Planner, and Asset Manager.

Getting Started: To get started with this feature, please refer to the Getting Started with the InVisionFM Package guide.

 

 

Change History tracking

Overview: InVision provides capabilities for users to keep facilities data up to date, but often times there’s a need to understand what changes have occurred to data over time. New at 2018.1 is the ability to track Change History across your InVision managed data. This capability helps show what changes were made to core facility data (including the previous value & change value), when the change was made, and who it was that made the change. Using this feature it’s possible to quickly see the change history of core records, and understand how its use may have changed over time. To get started setting this up, check out this Article

Pre-requisites: This feature is currently supported for customers with SQL Server version 2014 or newer, and relies on the 2018.1 version of the InVision database.

Getting Started: If you have a need to track any non-standard fields, make sure to talk to the PenBay Services team about updating.

 

 

 

Clone App Instance

Overview: As an administrator, you can now create a new App Instance in ivAdmin by copying an existing one! This has been one of our most requested enhancements, and will save lots of time for those sites with many apps configured for different user groups. Simply navigate to the app instances area of ivAdmin, choose the app you want to clone, and click the ‘Copy this app instance’ action. This will create an identical app instance with you can name and begin configuring right away.

Pre-requisites: This feature requires Foundation 2018.1 to be installed

Getting Started: Please reference the updated Admin Guide for 2018.1