Infor Birst 2022.06 Release Notes

This section contains a summary of enhancements and new features as release notes for the Birst 2022.08 release.

Documentation

Documentation Updates

  • Online Help and Release Note documentation can be found on Infor Documentation Central: https://docs.infor.com/en-us/birst/

  • The Birst Documentation will be migrated off of the Infor Support Portal starting with the 2022.06 and 2022.08 releases.

  • Birst Documentation is migrating completely to Infor Documentation Central. The Help option within the Birst application will navigate users to https://docs.infor.com/en-us/birst/.

  • We recommend to start using Infor Documentation Central for any Birst Documentation needs.

Site Search on docs.infor.com

  • Site-wide documentation search has been added to docs.infor.com. This is in addition to, and separate from, the existing search within each product’s documentation.To access the site search, go to the docs.infor.com home page. To return to the home page from a product’s documentation, click the docs.infor.com link at the bottom of any topic.

  • To help you define your search terms and find the content you are looking for, search tips are provided. See https://docs.infor.com/searchtips/.

General Updates

  • Birst upgraded from Java 8 to Java 11.

  • Upgraded to .NetFramework to 4.8.37610.

Administrator

Remove Database Links from Space Properties

  • The Database Links toggle has been removed from Space Properties.

Navigate to a Space or Workflow from Application Management

  • Added the ability to click on a Space or a Workflow on the Application Management screen to navigate to that Space or Workflow.

Application Management

View Birst Applications associated with User Accounts

  • Added the ability for users to view all Birst Applications that are provisioned on the account are displayed in a collapsed state. The list of applications, such as Infor Cloud Suite Financials, are displayed in a collapsed state but can be opened to display Birst details for that application.

  • Users can now navigate to Admin > Application Management and view Birst Applications available to their account in table format. Clicking the name of a Birst application expands a list of metadata objects associated with that Birst Application.

  • Birst applications are color coded. Black colored Birst objects are read-only standard meta data (SMD) applications. Blue colored objects are Live (i.e., active) applications.

Birst Connect

  • With this change, users cannot launch Birst Connect 1 through Java Web Start. Birst Connect 1 and Birst Connect 2 need Java11 to run starting with this release, 2022.06.

    Note: Users can still connect to Birst Connect 1 using the command line where there is no loss of functionality. See Running Birst Connect from the Command Line for more information.

    Important: Users must point both Birst Connect 1 and Birst Connect 2 to Java 11 and use Amazon Corretto 11.x or greater for Java 11.

  • Upgraded log4j to version 2.17.1 for Birst Connect 1 to be consistent with the rest of the application.

Compare & Merge

Identify differences in strings in COMPARE output

  • Added the ability for users to identify the differences in long strings of text .

  • When comparing data of objects in Admin Compare, text of object data that is different are highlighted to for easy identification.

Merging Objects with the same Space

  • Added the ability for users to select the same space in Admin Compare and merge objects within that same space using tools available. Merge of variables includes Repository Variables and Custom Variables created by users.

Designer

Multi-select functionality

  • Added the ability for a user to select and move multiple entities at the same time. Previously, users could select multiple entities at the same time and can apply formatting to all those entities at once. Now, users can select multiple entities and move them all together.

Modeler

Relate

Added breadcrumb context to Data Lineage

  • Added a breadcrumb feature to Data Lineage that displays the data or source paths and flow that have been built up by the user in a session. As users drill into an entity and flow, the breadcrumb menu path is built at the top of the Data Lineage Relate page.

  • If a user rests their cursor on a specific breadcrumb, a details popover window is displayed with context on that node.

  • If a user clicks on a specific breadcrumb in the breadcrumb menu path, Birst reverts back to that specific lineage view.

  • The breadcrumb menu path displays only up to 20 data breadcrumbs.

Zoom in and out of a Data Lineage

  • Added the ability for users to zoom in and out of a data lineage model or flow so that users can navigate the lineage view. For example, previously it was possible for a space to have more nodes than could display in the view. Now users can zoom in and out of the view to ensure they can see all the nodes.

  • Added logic to re-center the node when window is resized.

  • A zoom in and out scale has been added to the Data Lineage Relate page.

Data Lineage no longer in Beta

  • Data Lineage has been made GA as of the 2022.06 release. Previously, the Data Lineage functionality was released in Beta and was hidden behind a feature flag. To access Data Lineage, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager.

Display Table Data of Published Sources in Modeler Relate

  • Added the ability for users to display either source, dimension table, or fact table data from a published source in Modeler Relate. Viewing data this way can assist with data analysis and troubleshooting when working with data sources in Modeler Relate.

  • Prior to this change, administrators could only view table data from a published source by going to Admin> Space Management > View Published Data and selecting Preview Data for a column in the Dimension Data or Measure Data tabs. Now, users can view published data directly from the Modeler Relate interface.

  • When a column of data from a published source is set with a query, users can right-click a source or a source's dimension or fact table and then click View Published Data from the drop-down menu. The table of data related to the source, dimension table, or fact table displays.

Notifications

Adoption of SendGrid email delivery service in Birst

  • Birst now uses SendGrid to securely send Birst email notifications.

  • SendGrid email notifications have a maximum size limit of 20MB. You must adjust the notifications that are more than 20MB to fit the new size limit so that you can continue to receive those reports.

  • Any email notifications over 20MB are bounced back by the server.

Define the email attachment limit for Birst

  • Added the ability for administrators to set the maximum size allowed under 20MB for email attachments (in bytes) for their account. For example, the official limit is 20MB but admins can set the limit for their company to 15MB. This allows the email author and recipients of the email can be notified when the size is above the limit defined by your company's policy.

  • If no size limit is set by an administrator, Birst uses the default size limit of 20MB.

  • Added two new Administrative Commands:

    • getmaxmessagesize returns what the account limit is currently set at.

    • setmaxmessagesize nnnn where nnnn is the size limit in bytes, sets the maximum attachment size for an email. For example, setmaxmessagesize 1000 sets the email limit in bytes.

    • See the Administrative Commands documentation for more information: Birst Administration > Space Management in Admin 2.0 > Using the Command Window > Administrative Commands

Continue to use SMTP setup for Appliance Users

  • Appliance customers will have the Use Birst SMTP (UseBirstSMTPService) enabled for their account so that they are not impacted by the adoption of SendGrid.

    • If both the UseBirstSMTPService and is ApplianceMode flags are false, the SendGrid mail server is used. If the flags are true, Birst uses the existing mail server.

    \Note: This only impacts appliance users.

Operating System

  • Updated the Redshift JDBC driver to the latest version (2.X).
    Note: This is not applicable to IGS customers.

Orchestration

Added Name/Description to Orchestration steps

  • Add the ability to add and customize names and descriptions for steps in a workflow.

  • Each step now has an Edit icon that allows users to specify a short name and description for that step.

REST APIs

Note: See the Knowledge Base article KB 2174156 for the complete list of available REST APIs and more information for newly released public APIs.

Added REST API Operations to Manage User Accounts in a Space

  • Added the ability for administrators to use REST APIs to manage user permissions in a space.

Added REST API Operations to Update Dashboard Drill-Across Links in Embedded Birst Applications

  • Added the ability for administrators to use REST APIs to update drill-across links in dashboards of Birst applications embedded in 3rd party applications. Prior to this feature, drill-across links could only be manually updated after dashboards and its content were copied and embedded in a 3rd party application.

Security

Remove Connector Controller Support for TLSv1.0 and TLSv1.1

  • ConnectorController has been updated to use TLSv1.2. TLSv1.0 and TLSv1.1 are now deprecated and have been registered as Medium-severity security finding as of April 10, 2022. Support for TLSv1.0 and TLSv1.1 has been removed for ConnectorController.

    Note: You must be able to support one of the TLS 1.3 versions by January 2024. TLSv1.2 will be deprecated in January 2024.

Space Management

Setting a Default Space

  • Added the ability for users to set and manage a space as a default space so that it can load when the user logs in. If a user only has one space configured, that space is loaded automatically. If a user does not have a default space or any space configured, the user is prompted to select a space from the side menu.

    • When a user sets a default space, that space is automatically sorted to the top of the Spaces list. Users with a default space set are automatically logged in to that space when they log in.

  • To set a default space, users can click the Actions icon for that space, then select Set as Default from the menu. That space is then moved to the top of the list.

Measure Level Settings in Data Model Properties

Important: Some functionality of the Measure Level Settings feature is still in development, and so this feature is in Beta Release. Measure Level Settings Beta is accessible in 2022.06 by adding ?measureLevel as a subdirectory after navigating to Data Model Properties.
For example: https://app2102.bws.birst.com/apps/#/admin/space-management/data-model-properties?measureLevel.
Note: The user must log in first and then add the subdirectory URL path. For Measure Level Settings feedback, contact your Customer Success Manager.

  • Added the ability for Admins to enable or disable aggregations for measures that are not needed across a space, providing various tools to edit measures in a space from a single location in Birst Admin. This improves overall performance for accounts with large spaces. For example, users can disable the SUM aggregation for the Employee ID measure since users never need to sum employee ID values.

  • Access Measure Level Settings window by selecting a space and then navigating to Admin> Space Management> Data Model Properties. In Data Model Properties, enable the Measure Level Mode switch. The Measure Level Settings window displays all the measures of the space in a grid. The Aggregation column displays the aggregations that are currently enabled for that measure in that space. Users can make changes to the Aggregation field for a measure in-line.

  • Users can use the drop down list menu in the Aggregation column of the grid to manage aggregation types for the selected measure. Changes are applied to the measure in the entire space when a user clicks Apply.

  • If an Aggregation type selected in the Aggregation column is not valid for the type of measure, an X displays in the Valid column and the Aggregation column for that measure will be highlighted in a red box. Resting the cursor over the red box displays a tooltip with more details about why the column is invalid displays (e.g., choosing Sum Aggregation for a data column that contains ID numbers).

  • Aggregation types of multiple measures can be updated at one time using bulk actions. Users can select the check boxes in the grid for multiple measures to edit them simultaneously. When a measure or multiple measures are selected in the grid, an Action Bar is displayed at the bottom of the page. Users can use Aggregation list field in the Action Bar to make changes to the selected measures at the same time.

    • The Aggregation drop-down menu will display "---" if the measures you selected vary in type.

    • Switches next to aggregation types will be on or off depending on whether it is enabled or disabled for all selected measures. A switch is set in the middle of the slider (i.e., neither off or on) if only some of the selected measures have the aggregation type.

    • Turn on or off a switch next to the aggregation type to enable it for selected measures or leave the switch in the middle to retain the individual aggregation type of the select measures. Click Apply. Changes are applied to measures in the entire space.

Warning message if users reset an aggregation (PRONTO-13300)

  • Added a pop-up warning message that displays when an Admin tries to save a change to a time series informing them that any aggregation types set at the measure level are reverted back to their default setting. Admin users can click Continue to save the changes and revert the measure level aggregation settings or click Cancel to revert the time series change back and disregard the save.

Subject Area

Confirmation Prompt displays when adding a Measure multiple times to a Custom Subject Area

  • Updated the application to display a confirmation prompt when users attempt to add a measure more than once to a custom subject area (CSA), ensuring an admin's CSA is configured as intended. Users can click CONFIRM in the prompt to add the same measure again to the CSA.

  • Previously, administrators could create a custom subject area (CSA) in Space Management, and add a measure multiple times to the custom subject area.

Administrators can change the order of Subject Areas

  • Added the ability for admin users to sort subject areas so that the order they set is reflected in all places throughout the user interface.

  • Admins can drag and drop to reorder the subject areas. When the order of the subject areas is rearranged, the Sort by option is set to Custom.

  • Users can click Sort by to change the order of the subject areas back to alphabetical order (A-Z or Z-A) or by chronological order.

Ability to filter search results for a Subject Area

  • Added the ability to filter search results for a Subject Area search. A Filter Bar has been added to the Search field that allows you to filter the results by:

    • Measures

    • Attributes

    • Global expressions

    • Local expressions

    • Global Filters

  • Only one filter can be applied to search results at a time.

  • The default filter is still a global search.

Warning message when dragging from one CSA to another

  • A warning message now displays when a user attempts to move an aggregation from one CSA to a new CSA. Users are directed to use the Default Subject Area.

Usage Tracking

New dashboard for Data Modeling on SpaceOverview sources

  • Added a new Space Details dashboard under Usage Tracking Statistics collection. This dashboard displays a table that shows Space Name, Space Owner, Total Space Members, and Creation Date.

  • To use the new template and dashboard, a new Usage Tracking Space must be created to access the template.

User Interface

Space Search in Side Panel

  • Added a Search field to the Global Navigation panel so that users can search for spaces from the Main Menu.

Font has been changed throughout the user interface

  • The font has changed throughout the user interface to be inline with Infor's standard style and themes.

Main Menu redesigned

  • Redesigned how the side navigation Main Menu looks to be inline and consistent with Infor's standard style and themes. Users can note the icons, new look, and feel of the menu and side panel.

  • The Admin, User Settings, Help, and Logout are now located at the bottom under the user email address.

    Note: Only the look of the Main Menu has changed. The functionality has not been impacted.

Improved usability for applying colors in themes

  • Added a Search field for color palettes to the Themes panel for Dashboards and in the Chart Formatting options in Visualizer so that users can search for color palettes, leading to improved organization and usability. Previously, there was no way for users to organize, sort, or search for color palettes making it harder to find and select any needed color palettes. Now, users can use the Search field to search for color palettes and sort the results. Additionally, color palettes are now organized in the following categories:

    • System Palettes > The Birst generated palettes

    • My Palettes > Color palettes created by the user

    • Custom Palettes > Color palettes created by other users

Visualizer

Report Queries can now use Positional and Dimensional Expressions with Push Down Enabled

  • Birst's query engine has been improved to allow positional and dimensional calculations in queries, even though Push Down Expressions to Database is enabled. Birst now performs the push down to the database and then applies positional or dimensional calculations defined in the query.

  • If positional or dimensional calculations of the expression cannot be evaluated at the database level (i.e., after the push down), then Birst automatically suppresses the positional or dimensional calculation until the push down returns results and the calculations are performed at the "middle tier" level (i.e, in memory or in file cache).

  • Previously, users could not modify the data of a report they created in Visualizer using query expressions containing positional calculations or dimensional calculations if the Push Down Expressions to Database setting in the space of the report was enabled. In these cases, Birst would return a message in the query log stating that the query on the data failed because the query commanded data to be pushed down to the database then perform positional or dimensional calculations in the expression. Push Down Expressions to Database must be disabled in the setting of the space to use these types of expressions.

Added Search to the BQL Editor

  • Added a Search field to the top of the Function menu in BQL Editor 2.0 so that users can search and find functions, expressions, and so on, to be consistent with the other areas of the application.