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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Tabs/Navigation guideline
describes usage guidelines and interoperability of various
navigation control implementations under non-linear
tab/navigation:
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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