Visualizing big data with process data

Issue 2, 2014

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Leverage Presto & PPM together to get a unified view

Do you need to take your dashboards further?  Do you need to perform root-cause analysis on the KPIs that are violating a rule?  Do you dream of being able to visualize all your internal and external organizational data in one place? Then read on to learn how to use Presto and Software AG Process Performance Manager (PPM) together to achieve these goals.

Use Presto and PPM to create a unified view
Presto is a self-service, real-time data visualization and exploration tool that combines data from different applications to create mashups, which can be displayed on any device. Process Performance Manager (PPM) provides process discovery and root-cause analysis so enterprises can keep process design, implementation and execution in sync across heterogeneous environments including ERP, CRM and BPMS. By using these two products together, you can create a unified view of your organization.


Step 1: Install the PPM custom app in Presto

a. Search your Presto installation to find the zip file ppm-chart.zip which should be a in a directory similar to: 
C:\SoftwareAG\Presto\mashzone\clientapps\ppm-chart.zip

 
b. Unzip ppm-chart.zip to reveal a second file called PPM Chart.zip
 
c. Open Presto in the Web browser of your choice and navigate to the App Editor
<ip address:port>/presto/hub/app-editor.html

 
d. Create a new app and upload the file PPM Chart.zip as shown
in Figure 1

 

 



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 Figure 1: Create a custom PPM app.

Step 2: Configure a PPM instance in the Presto Admin Console

a. Navigate to the Presto Admin Console
In the left navigation bar select “MashZone” and then select “PPM connections.” You will be presented with a screen to create a connection to your PPM instance as shown in Figure 2.


b. Populate a connection
The easiest way to populate a connection is to navigate to your PPM instance and right-click on favorite. Select “Use in dashboard,” then return to the Presto admin console and click the “Retrieve data” URL.  Here you can paste a connection string created by PPM to automatically populate the fields as shown in Figure 3. Please note that you still need to manually provide an Alias.














Figure 3:  PPM configuration screen in Presto

c. Save your configuration
You are now ready to use the PPM custom app in the Presto Mashboard! 



Figure 2Presto Admin Console options     
 

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Step 3: Use the PPM custom app in Presto Mashboard

a. Create a new Workspace in Mashboard.

b. Select the Apps tab and drag the PPM custom app to the New Workspace as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: PPM custom app in a workspace

c. Select the “Select PPM favorite” button to configure the app

d. Copy the Favorite URL from PPM into the app

e. Click “next” and enter credentials into the PPM instance

 

That’s it! 

You will now see a PPM app embedded in your dashboard as shown in Figure 5.


Figure 5: PPM Custom App

Skilled PPM users in your organization can additionally configure an optional “jump to PPM” capability to enable dashboard users to go straight from the dashboard into PPM. To make the jump, simply right-click on your PPM app, select “Properties,” then check “Allow jump to PPM” and click “Apply” as shown in Figure 6. 


Figure 6: PPM chart app properties

Get to know Presto
Learn more about Presto at www.softwareag.com/presto. Or join the Presto community on http://techcommunity.softwareag.com/presto to access code samples, product downloads, documentation, and demos as well as gain insightful tips and tricks from collaborating with experts and users of Presto.