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4 Fantastic Features in Akumina’s 4.1 Software Update

Another software update to scroll past or dismiss? No way! We’ve been listening and working closely with our customers and their users, and now, we're unveiling some fantastic new developments on the Akumina platform. Akumina’s latest 4.1 software update is jam-packed with new capabilities that empower content editors and site owners to deliver the best digital workplace experience possible. Let’s dig in!

New Streamlined AppManager User Interface and Key Features

User-Interface. Akumina’s AppManager Content Management Application user-interface has been enhanced with a new look and feel. The decision to redesign was to give the application a more efficient interface layout and provide a modern, streamlined content management experience. The layout has been opened up to provide additional space and flexibility to access content and maximize efficiency for editing. The mobile version is now extra responsive and user-friendly to make content management easy when you're on-the-go.

Productivity. Enhancements around productivity are the big winner here. Advanced search capabilities have been implemented to drastically improve the users' ability to find content items for editing. Filtering has been reorganized to be intuitive and provide much more information. Advanced filter functionality gives users the capacity to search within the content items themselves to truly find what they're looking for at a larger scale. Users can search within all the fields of the content items including title, body copy, start and expiration dates, keywords, or even taxonomy.

Content Permissions. Content items in author apps now have a brand-new permissions feature. By default, content items inherit the permissions from the list they live in. With this new release, when the need arises, content editors can specify unique permissions for any individual content item right from the AppManager editor!

Front-End Editing. The improvements to content editing access aren't just in the AppManager. By using an option enabled in the framework "tray" options, content editors can quickly “jump” directly into editing an item right from the front-end site. With this option enabled, eligible content is highlighted, and just clicking on an item takes the editor right into the AppManager edit screen for that item. This makes quick editing drastically more advanced.

Usability Enhancements for the Akumina Widget Technology

This update has made it easier and faster for all users to add and modify functionality on the site. Akumina's widgets are the basic building blocks to deploying purposeful functionality to the digital workplace. They are now even more powerful and even more easy to work with.

One of the major advances is the addition of "Content Type Support" to the Akumina Widget definitions. What this means is that the widget understands the data list structure it needs and can deploy that list as part of creating a new widget instance. No more having to have an admin deploy the list in SharePoint with the right column definitions, types, etc.

Akumina has also expanded the list of out-of-the-box widgets which have been purpose-built and not generically classified. They are available in the widget store to quickly import into customer sites. The widgets have been packaged up to be readily downloaded and installed into any Akumina environment. When a user adds a widget into the AppManager, it includes its definition, associated views, content type, and even supporting taxonomy. We look forward to seeing widgets continue to grow.

New Akumina Widget Builder Developer Experience

The Akumina Widget Builder introduces a brand-new widget creation experience for developers. It provides developers with a construction and tooling process inside Visual Studio code using Node.js. It also offers automated packaging tools to ensure the widgets are built with the new Akumina widget architecture for full integration with the Akumina toolset. It’s a Wizard-based approach too, so it includes prompts to help create the standard design pattern that is used with Akumina widgets. This new experience empowers developers to focus on building the functionality the widget needs with less manual processes. It ensures that the package that is created conforms with Akumina’s patterns.

The Widget Builder also includes a Site Deployer used to deploy or push widget packages to other environments from the developer's local environment. Looking for more information to take advantage of the widget builder? We’ll be providing more training down the road, check out the Akumina learning center for more information.

New Productivity Improvements in the AppManager and Akumina Framework

The team is excited to announce some essential productivity enhancements in the Akumina Framework supporting the front-end site. The update has enhanced the content management experience and strengthens the ability to evolve functionality and content in the digital workplace.

Add Page. One of the most powerful new features is the Add Page functionality which allows users to create a new page, add widgets, and populate content, all without having to access SharePoint. This means that developers, admins, designers, and even trained business users (should you so desire) can add and populate a page right from the front-end site.

Tray/Spinner Permission Control. If you are using the Akumina Tray (the spinner in the lower left of your site), you’ll be glad to know that it is now a full Akumina Widget, and through the Widget Manager, you have the ability to permission each of the functionality nodes individually. If you only want certain users to be able to Add Page, you can do that. Want to limit the people that can edit widget properties on the front-end — you can do that too!

Akumina's platform continues to grow and adapt to the developing needs of the digital workplace landscape. This update streamlines processes for content editors empowering them to deliver fresh, new content. Our new widget approach makes it easier for site owners and admins to manage site functionality. The developer experience is giving experts the ability to deliver creative new widgets to the Akumina ecosystem. Everyone at Akumina hopes that this update will move the employee experience forward giving the digital workplace platform increased power for your business.

I recently presented a webinar to walk through these 4.1 software updates and much more. Click here to access the webinar and then request a demo with us.