Desktop and Process Analytics (DPA)

WFO V15.2 features DPA Collections, Path, trigger enhancements, changes to DPA reports, and a replacement for DPA Guidance and Automation.

Integration with Knowledge Management Enterprise through Context API (HFR7)

A new trigger command enables the system to send any data DPA detects on screen to any target web service in real time. For example, content detected on the desktop can be sent as search terms to Knowledge Management Enterprise. The KM articles related to the search term are then shown in real time as the user interacts with their desktop.

Trigger Application Type enhancements (HFR7)

  • Application Command Line Detection: A new "Command Line" variable type enables you to specify how to handle an application for DPA triggering. The reported file name and command line of the current in-focus application is stored as read-only in the variable, which you can use as another trigger criteria. For example, you can use it to fire triggers for Java only where the command line contains “-classpath SomeJavaApplication.jar” or to fire triggers for MyApplication only where the command line contains “\Program files\MyApplicationVersion123\”.

  • Configurable Application Type: You can now specify how an application should be validated. For example, you can set up DPA Validator to recognize a specific application and validate it as a Chromium browser or COM-based terminal emulator.

Virtualized Desktop Performance Optimizations (HFR7)

This release includes performance optimizations, such as code optimizations to URL detection, and Trigger Variable and Application processing.

New browser support (HFR6)

Mozilla Firefox version 60 and above is supported for URL, window title detection and triggering by means of a supported Firefox extension. Field level capture for Firefox is not available in this release. The latest Firefox extension is available to download from the Latest Desktop Components for 15.2 page.

Path templates support (HFR6)

Path templates are now available from the Additional actions menu of the Path Manager screen.

Path templates allow you to import predefined Paths, such as a work path for receiving and sending desktop notification alerts. You can also import example work paths for sending a supervisor email notification, starting, tagging, and stopping a dynamic screen-only recording, pausing and resuming a recording, and pausing and resuming a screen-only recording.

Additional path templates are available on request for strategic DPA licenses that cover how to create Collections and Contributions triggers.

Path Preview trigger statistics (HFR5)

The action cards in the Path Preview pane show the number of times a trigger has fired for each organization during a specified time period (for example, yesterday, last 7 days, or last 30 days). These figures are updated once per day at 01:00 AM server time.

Create triggers from Path Studio (HFR5)

Path Studio now allows you to create a new trigger without the need to leave the Path Studio user interface. If an action card in Path Studio is not already associated with a trigger, you can create a trigger directly from the action card. This marks another step towards being able to fully configure and design triggers from within the Path administration screens.

Cross domain browser support (HFR5)

DPA now supports web applications that enforce cross domain script vulnerabilities on Chrome browsers.

Content capturing with Chrome browser (HFR5)

An update to Chrome extensions allows capture of web page content that previously was inaccessible due to cross domain origin violations.

Internal framed pages locked down on Chrome browser (HFR5)

Addressed a limitation in previous releases with Chrome browsers where internal framed pages were locked down due to cross origin resource sharing.

Trigger Support, Application Classification (HFR5)

Fixes are implemented that resolve issues where double counting of application usage could occur in circumstances including hierarchical application groupings.

Export and import a list of applications (HFR5)

You can export DPA applications to a .csv file based on user organizational scope. You can also import DPA applications from a .csv file.

Export and import window modules (HFR5)

You can export Application modules to a .csv file. You can import the Application modules at a specified organization level.

Import earlier V11 screen libraries (HFR5)

You can now import legacy V11 screen libraries at a specified organization level and migrate V11.1 on-premise screen libraries into cloud tenant organizations.

New trigger variables (HFR5)

DPA has new trigger variables that are populated by the current URL and QueryString of the active web page.

Screens captured from Validator are uploaded from the DPA user interface (HFR5)

To enhance security, DPA Validator provides a link for upload of captured screens instead of direct anonymous upload.

Validator now presents the user with a file link to the captured screen and a web link to the import screen page in the DPA portal. Clicking on the file link copies the file location. Clicking on the web link enables you to import the file directly into the appropriate organization-scoped location required.

DPA Validator screen resolution support (HFR5)

The DPA Validator supports 1366x768 screen resolution.

Message pop updates (HFR5)

Message prompts now enables display of up to three URL links on a single prompt. Additionally, message prompting can now integrate more effectively into DPA trigger variables, allowing triggers to fire based on the choices a user makes on a message prompt button.

Path Manager enhancements (HFR4)

  • A new Export/Import Paths feature in Path Manager allows you to export paths from Path Manager and to import paths into Path Manager.

  • Path templates are provided in Path Manager to assist you in creating new paths.

  • A Path Preview pane enables you to view all of the action cards in a path from the Path Manager. You display the Path Preview pane in Path Manager by clicking in the path row in Path Manager.

Action card enhancements (HFR4)

You can drag and drop an action card in Path Studio to change its position in a path. You can double-click an action card to change its name and description.

Also, a number of action cards and screens can be added to a path using the Import from Validator feature. You can import any captured screens contained in a path saved by DPA Validator.

Import from Validator feature (HFR4)

A new Import from Validator feature allows you to append screens captured in DPA Validator to a path in the Path Studio.

New System Event triggers (HFR4)

There are eleven new system event triggers supported by DPA, including triggering on inactive state. The new system event triggers include:

  • PCProt failed to start

  • PCMon stopped by user

  • PC suspend request

  • Data logging started by user

  • Data logging stopped by user

  • System time change detected

  • Trigger version update

  • Process version update

  • Workstation locked

  • Workstation unlocked

  • Inactive

Support for Internet Explorer browser embedded in WPF (HFR4)

DPA has screen content trigger support for Internet Explorer browsers embedded in Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). Embedded browser objects require screen validation using the new Embedded Browser Capture setting in DPA Validator.

Partial support for the Microsoft Edge browser (HFR4)

The Microsoft Edge browser is partially supported in terms of reporting modules (including virtual applications, classification, and limited triggering capability). Microsoft Edge is not supported at the field level.

Microsoft Edge V37-42 is supported for URL detection.

Limit to the number of log files stored on the server (HFR4)

You can store a maximum of 1000 client trace log files on the server.

Default Idle Time interval changed (HFR4)

The default Idle Time interval is changed from two minutes to one minute.

Path Manager and Path Studio (HFR3)

Use the DPA Path Manager and Path Studio to create and manage DPA paths. Paths are a means of grouping triggers in DPA. With paths, you can now group DPA triggers into a meaningful progression, describing a particular path through a work process. Use DPA Paths to visualize trigger points for both recording triggers and DPA collection triggers.

You use DPA Path Manager to add, delete, and manage folders and paths in the user interface. You can also use Path Manager to cut and paste paths into different folders.

You use DPA Path Studio to create the action cards that form the path and group the triggers into a meaningful progression.

Trigger enhancements (HFR3)

  • Enhancements to Trigger Variables allow precedence, storing, and passing of data. For example, one trigger variable contains the outcome of a regular expression operation performed against another trigger variable.

  • Trigger Commands can be used to create and manage Collections and Contributions.

DPA Diagnostic Tool (HFR3)

The DPA Diagnostic Tool is used by certified DPA support staff to troubleshoot and determine the state of the DPA client. The DPA Diagnostic Tool provides this information about the DPA client:

  • Trigger variable values

  • Configuration information

  • DPA client log data

Sensitive data identification and removal (HFR3)

The DPA client is modified to remove or redact known credit card information from the client data stream. This redaction is hard coded and cannot be turned off. The redaction covers all reported or logged data sent to the DPA database.

DPA Validator Path recording (HFR2)

DPA Validator now supports capturing and organizing multiple screens within a single session. It includes enhanced editing abilities allowing you to edit, order, move, and delete captured screens. The screens are saved as a Path (zip file) which can be uploaded as a screen library file in the conventional manner.

Process Discovery (HFR2)

With the introduction of Parallel Paths visualization in Process Discovery in WFO V11.2, certain features available in V11.1 were not available. These features have been enhanced and ported forward to WFO V15.2.

OCR trigger support (HFR2)

DPA now delivers Optical Character Recognition (OCR) trigger support. Using OCR technology, DPA can now "read" the screen and find the target text. This feature is only to be used for troubleshooting purposes with the guidance of customer support.

Enhancements to trigger variables (HFR2)

Enhancements to trigger variables have been made so that when the DPA client reboots the values associated with trigger variables persist.

Face-To-Face recorder support (HFR2)

DPA trigger commands now support the Face-To-Face recorder. You can use trigger commands to start, stop, and tag data in the Face-To-Face recorder.

DPA Collections and Evaluation

Back-office and operations activities are more complex than customer-facing interactions, typically transitioning over multiple users and days. These interactions are monitored and evaluated to ensure that service levels are met for each customer. A DPA Collection contains the Contributions from one or more employees to one work item or case. The Collection and Contribution is created and updated with trigger commands within the DPA proprietary application.

With the new Collections and Evaluation workspace, users can search for collections using search criteria based on Date, Employee, or Collection or Contribution attributes.

DPA Collections provide:

  • A consistent workflow for front and back-office evaluations

  • In-depth analysis of Contributions (tasks), for both front and back-office employees

  • Faster Evaluations (no playback needed)

DPA Reports migration to WFO Reports application

The WFO Reports application based on the SSRS platform, now includes DPA Reports. Customers now have a unified reporting platform where most of the WFO reports are accessed from a single location and shared interface. It simplifies suite-wide reports installation, maintenance, and support, resulting in the following changes:

  • Log reports can be created when the number of users exceeds the max limit.

  • The maximum number of users has been increased to 999 users.

  • The maximum number of rows returned per log report is 10,000.

  • Application and Trigger log reports are displayed starting with the newest data.

The following reports were not migrated:

  • Timeline Reports

  • Live Information Report

  • Process Analysis Reporting

The following report was deprecated:

  • Application Duration by Activity