IFS Lobby Design: Creating Useful Dashboards in Aurena

Introduction

When IFS moved from Enterprise Explorer (EE) to Aurena, one of the most visible changes was how dashboards and home pages are structured. In IFS Enterprise Explorer, the lobby was a central hub—a single, role-based entry point where users could see KPIs, launch quick actions, and navigate to their work. Many organizations relied heavily on these lobbies to shape the user experience.

In IFS Cloud and Aurena, that role hasn't disappeared—it's evolved. Lobbies still exist and remain powerful, but they're now paired with Configuration Contexts, a more flexible architecture that lets you design multiple dashboard experiences for different user groups, departments, or workflows within the same Aurena instance.

This guide explores how to design and configure effective Aurena dashboards using Contexts and lobbies, and how that approach differs from the legacy Enterprise Explorer model. Whether you're migrating from EE or building Aurena dashboards from scratch, understanding this shift is essential to delivering a user experience that drives adoption and efficiency.

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The Evolution: From EE Lobbies to Aurena Contexts

Enterprise Explorer Lobbies: The Old Approach

In IFS Enterprise Explorer, lobbies were defined per base profile. Each profile could have a single, customized lobby that appeared as the homepage when users with that profile logged in. These lobbies were powerful:

• Role-based configuration: One lobby per business role, one profile per role
• Quick actions: Buttons linking to forms, reports, and transactions
• KPI displays: Static or dynamic metrics visible at a glance
• Visual branding: Color schemes and logos to distinguish environments or domains

However, this approach had limitations:

• One lobby per profile: Creating multiple dashboard variations required multiple profiles
• Profile management overhead: Managing base profiles at scale became administratively complex
• Limited personalization: While lobbies could be customized, the per-profile structure made it hard to create nuanced user experiences
• Navigation context: The bridge between the lobby and the rest of the application was sometimes unclear

Aurena Contexts: A More Flexible Model

Aurena introduces Configuration Contexts, a framework that decouples homepages and dashboards from rigid role structures. A Configuration Context is a label or identifier that you attach to configurations—pages, navigator entries, lobbies, and settings. It's a way of saying:

"When user X navigates to page Y, apply the configurations I've defined for Context Z."

This shift unlocks several advantages:

• Multiple contexts per user: A single user can access different dashboards by navigating through different entry points
• Implicit and explicit mapping: Contexts can be mapped to users/groups automatically, or accessed explicitly via URL parameters
• Flexible scope: Contexts exist alongside the global configuration, allowing granular control without redefining everything
• Scalability: Add new contexts without restructuring user roles or security models

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Understanding Aurena Configuration Contexts

The Context Hierarchy

Aurena's configuration resolution follows a clear priority order:

1. Explicit context directive (URL parameter ;scope=ContextName)
2. Mapped default context (user or group mapping)
3. Global context (organization-wide defaults)
4. Application core (IFS product defaults)

When a user navigates to a page, Aurena checks this chain and applies the first match.

How Contexts Work

Global Context: The baseline for all users. Any configuration made in the global context applies to everyone unless overridden by a custom context.

Global Context
├─ All page layouts
├─ All navigator entries
└─ All dashboard defaults

Custom Contexts: Custom identifiers you define. They inherit from global but can override specific elements.

Custom Context "Sales_EMEA"
├─ Sales dashboard (overrides global)
├─ EMEA-specific navigator shortcuts
└─ Inherits global list views, pages, etc.

A user mapped to context Sales_EMEA will see:

• The Sales_EMEA dashboard if they access the homepage
• EMEA-specific shortcuts in the navigator
• Global list views and pages everywhere else

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Setting Up Role-Based Dashboards: Step by Step

Step 1: Plan Your Contexts

Before creating contexts, map your organizational structure to context needs:

Example: Manufacturing Organization

Context IDs should be:

• Lowercase and descriptive: sales_emea, not S1
• Consistent: Use underscores, not hyphens or spaces
• Semantically clear: Future admins should understand the intent

Step 2: Create a Custom Context in Page Designer

1. Open Aurena and navigate to any page you want to configure
2. Click the Page Designer button (pencil icon in the top right)
3. Locate the Context Selector dropdown at the top of the designer
4. Select the dropdown and type a new context name: prod_manager
5. Press Enter to create it

The context is now live. Any page layout changes you make will be stored under this context identifier.

Step 3: Configure Your Lobby Dashboard

IFS Aurena uses lobbies to display dashboard content. A lobby is a page composed of:

• Lobby elements: Tiles, cards, lists, or KPI displays
• Navigation links: Quick-access buttons to transactions
• Widgets: Charts, metrics, or custom data sources

To set up a lobby for your context:

1. Navigate to an existing lobby or create a new one via Page Designer
2. Ensure you're in the correct context (prod_manager, for example)
3. Add lobby elements:
   • Data List Tiles: Display filtered lists of records (e.g., open work orders)
   • KPI Tiles: Show calculated metrics (e.g., production rate)
   • Navigation Tiles: Quick links to key transactions
   • Charts: Visualize trends using embedded Power BI or Aurena charts

Best Practice: Use the Aurena Page Designer's "Customize Layout" mode to add, reorder, and resize elements without coding. Drag-and-drop simplicity makes it accessible to functional consultants, not just developers.

Step 4: Define KPI Tile Configuration

KPI tiles are the visual backbone of an effective dashboard. Here's how to configure one:

1. In Page Designer, add a KPI Element to your lobby
2. Configure the data source (projection or SQL)
3. Set the metric: COUNT(*), SUM(amount), or a custom calculation
4. Define the display:
   • Primary value: The main metric (e.g., "847 units")
   • Secondary metric: Optional comparison (e.g., "↓ 5% from yesterday")
   • Threshold coloring: Green (good), amber (warning), red (critical)

Example KPI Tile Configuration:

Tile Name: Production Throughput
Data Source: ProductionSchedule (custom projection)
Metric: SUM(quantity_produced)
Primary Display: {metric} units/shift
Secondary Metric: Variance from target
Threshold: >1000=green, 800-999=amber, <800=red
Refresh Rate: Every 5 minutes

KPI tiles can also include data filters so users see personalized metrics:

Filter: site_id = #COMPANY_ID#
        shift_date >= TODAY() - 7

The #COMPANY_ID# and similar substitution variables allow lobbies to adapt to the logged-in user's context.

Step 5: Configure Filtered Lists on Dashboards

Display quick-access lists of records on your dashboard:

1. Add a List Tile to your lobby
2. Select a projection (e.g., ProductionOrderList)
3. Configure filtering:
   • Default filters: Filter by status, date, site, etc.
   • Sortable columns: Let users click to re-sort on-the-fly
   • Click-through: Clicking a row navigates to the detail page

Example: Warehouse Dashboard Filtered List

List: Open Purchase Orders
Projection: PurchaseOrderList
Default Filters:
  - status != "Received"
  - expected_date <= TODAY() + 7
Columns: Order #, Vendor, Amount, Expected Date
Action: Click row → Opens PO detail page

This gives warehouse staff an at-a-glance view of orders arriving soon, reducing the need to navigate and filter manually.

Step 6: Map Contexts to Users or Groups

After configuring your context, map it to specific users or user groups so it becomes their default:

1. Navigate to Administration > Configuration Context Mappings
2. Create a new mapping:
   • Context ID: prod_manager
   • Description: "Production Manager Dashboard"
   • Condition: UserGroup = "ProductionManagers" AND Company = "10"

Condition Syntax (case-insensitive):

Attributes: Company, WageClass, Ledger, UserGroup, User
Operators: =, !=, AND, OR
Logical Grouping: (condition) AND (condition)

Example:
(UserGroup = "SalesReps" OR UserGroup = "SalesManagers") AND Company = 10

Once mapped, any user matching the condition will automatically get the prod_manager context and see the configured dashboard.

Step 7: Test Navigation & Context Switching

Contexts can also be accessed explicitly via URL parameters, useful for testing or allowing users to switch contexts:

URL with explicit context:
https://yourifs.cloud/main/ifsapplications/web/lobby/SomeLobbies;scope=prod_manager

The ;scope=prod_manager suffix forces that context, regardless of the user's mapping.

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Comparing Aurena Contexts to Enterprise Explorer Lobbies

Key Differences

Migration Considerations

If you're moving from EE to Aurena:

1. Map EE base profiles to Aurena contexts: Each base profile becomes a context ID
2. Redefine lobbies: Aurena lobbies use different layout mechanics; rebuild in Page Designer
3. Update user group logic: Instead of assigning users to profiles, map them to contexts via user group + company conditions
4. Test context switching: Ensure users can switch between contexts if needed (via shortcuts or explicit URLs)
5. Document context mappings: Maintain a registry of which contexts apply to which user groups

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Best Practices for Aurena Dashboard Design

1. Keep Dashboards Focused

Avoid information overload. A production manager's dashboard should show:

• 3–5 critical KPIs (throughput, defects, utilization, safety incidents, OEE)
• 2–3 actionable lists (open work orders, pending approvals, overdue items)
• 2–3 navigation tiles (Create PO, Check Inventory, View Reports)

Total tiles: 7–11. More than 15 tiles becomes noise.

2. Use Real-Time or Near-Real-Time Data

KPI tiles configured with short refresh intervals (5–15 minutes) provide immediate insights. Avoid static metrics that become stale.

Refresh Rates:
- Critical KPIs (safety, quality): 5 minutes
- Operational KPIs (throughput, inventory): 15 minutes
- Strategic KPIs (revenue, margin): 1 hour or daily

3. Provide Context with Secondary Metrics

Don't show just numbers. Add comparisons:

KPI Tile: Revenue (This Month)
Primary: $2.5M
Secondary: +8% vs. last month (trend arrow)
Threshold: Green (>$2M)

Users instantly understand performance relative to expectations.

4. Enable Quick Navigation

Add 2–3 navigation tiles that link directly to the most common transactions:

Tile: Create Production Order
Link: /main/ifsapplications/web/page/ProductionOrder/Form;scope=prod_manager
Icon: Plus symbol

This reduces click depth and improves accessibility.

5. Filter Data by User Context

Use substitution variables to make dashboards personal:

KPI: My Open Tasks
Filter: assigned_to = #PERSON_ID#
Result: Each user sees only their own tasks, no configuration needed

6. Version Your Contexts

As your organization evolves, you may refine dashboard layouts. Use context naming to reflect versions:

prod_manager_v1      (legacy, old layout)
prod_manager_v2      (current, optimized)
prod_manager_v2_trial (pilot, testing new KPIs)

This allows parallel testing and rollback if needed.

7. Document the Design

Maintain a shared reference for your contexts:

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue: User Not Seeing the Expected Context

Cause: Context mapping condition not matched, or user cached session.

Solution:

1. Verify the mapping condition: Administration > Configuration Context Mappings
2. Check user group membership: Administration > User Groups
3. Force a session refresh: Log out and back in
4. Test with explicit URL scope: ...;scope=context_id

Issue: KPI Tile Showing Incorrect Data

Cause: Filter or projection misconfiguration, or stale data cache.

Solution:

1. Verify the KPI's data source projection is correct
2. Check filter syntax (case sensitivity, quote marks)
3. Test with simple filters first (status = "Open")
4. Check refresh interval; immediate refresh may show cached data
5. Review projection permissions: Administration > Security Grants

Issue: Ambiguous Navigation Error

Cause: User matches multiple context mappings for the same page, and configurations exist for multiple contexts.

Solution:

1. Review context mappings; refine conditions to avoid overlap
2. Use logical grouping in conditions: (UserGroup = "A" AND Company = 10) OR (UserGroup = "B" AND Company = 11)
3. If legitimate overlap exists, remove configurations from all but one context
4. Document why the overlap exists (escalation path, pilot phase)

Issue: Navigator Items Not Showing in Custom Context

Cause: Navigator configuration not defined for the context; fallback to global.

Solution:

1. Switch to your context in Navigator Designer
2. Explicitly configure or override navigator entries
3. Ensure context is mapped or explicitly navigated to
4. Test with ;scope=context_id URL parameter

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Advanced: Combining Contexts with Power BI Dashboards

For power users and executives, integrate Power BI embedded reports into lobbies:

1. In Page Designer, add a Power BI Tile to your lobby
2. Configure the Power BI workspace and report
3. Set Row-level Security (RLS) filters so each user sees their data:

   RLS Filter: [UserRole] = #USER_ROLE#
   

4. Configure refresh: Embedded tiles can refresh hourly or on-demand

This approach combines Aurena's operational dashboards (KPIs, lists) with Power BI's analytical power (trends, forecasts).

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Key Takeaways

1. Contexts replace profiles: In Aurena, Configuration Contexts provide flexible, role-based dashboards without the overhead of managing base profiles.

2. Lobbies are your dashboard canvas: Use lobbies with KPI tiles, filtered lists, and navigation links to create focused, actionable homepages.

3. Map contexts to users and groups: Implicit mapping (via conditions) scales better than per-user configuration.

4. Explicit and implicit navigation coexist: Users can have a default context via mapping, but also switch to other contexts via URL parameters.

5. Less is more: 7–11 tiles per dashboard keeps users focused. KPIs should include comparisons and thresholds.

6. Test thoroughly: Use the Page Designer, context selector, and URL parameters to validate that users see the correct dashboards.

7. Document your design: Maintain a registry of contexts, their purposes, and associated user groups for maintainability.

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Conclusion

The shift from Enterprise Explorer lobbies to Aurena Contexts represents a maturation in how IFS Cloud approaches personalization and role-based configuration. By understanding the context hierarchy, mastering KPI tile configuration, and applying design best practices, you can create dashboards that not only inform users but drive them toward the right actions.

Whether you're migrating a legacy IFS system or building Aurena from scratch, invest time in designing your contexts thoughtfully. A well-designed dashboard ecosystem pays dividends in user adoption, efficiency, and operational visibility.

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Resources

• IFS Cloud Technical Documentation: Configuration Contexts
• IFS Aurena User Guide: Lobby configuration and Page Designer
• IFS Community: Discussions on context setup, lobby design, and best practices