Use Data Fabric in Existing Apps

Appian's data fabric is powered by record types. If you're working on an existing application, it may uses custom data types (CDTs) or data store entities (DSEs) to query and write data.

You don't need to refactor your existing applications to use modern data fabric features. Instead, you can add new record types to your existing apps. This allows you to immediately use AI features, Process HQ, and build new additions to your app while keeping your existing application objects functional.

Modernize apps without refactoring

You can use the latest data fabric features without changing your existing application objects. The strategy is to create new record types that connect to the same database tables as your existing CDTs and DSEs. If your application relies on numerous database tables, you can generate multiple record types to quickly connect to your existing tables.

This approach allows you to maintain your existing interfaces and process models using your DSEs and CDTs, while unlocking additional functionality with record types.

• Use Process HQ. Business users can use data from your record types to build custom reports and dashboards in Process HQ. Simply enable the Show in Data Catalog setting to allow users to instantly explore their data fabric.
  
  

• Use AI features. Features like data fabric chatbot and AI Copilot for data fabric are powered by the data in your record types. You can create record types specifically for these AI features, so you and your business users can be more productive and easily gain new insights about your organization.
  
  

• Build new additions to your applications. If you're adding a new report or dashboard to your application, consider creating new record types to use in your interface. This way, you can leverage record type relationships and custom record fields in your interface, and experience faster performance.

Since the record types connect to the same database as your existing objects, your current process models are already set up to write data in those record types. If you create synced record types, process models that use certain smart services like Write to Data Store Entity will automatically sync those changes. This ensures the record type remains up to date with the source.

Example scenario

The following example demonstrates how to incorporate record types into an existing Appian Retail application. To take advantage of Appian's automatic performance tuning, this example uses a synced record type.

Existing application objects

Imagine you're a developer working on the Appian Retail application. This app was built a few years ago, so it only uses CDTs and DSEs to write and display data.

Specifically, the Order DSE and Order CDT are used to build record views, queries, and process models that display and update order data.

Scroll or drag to pan · ⌘+/⌘− to zoom · Esc to close

Now, the organization wants to allow employees to build self-service reports in Process HQ. They also want you to add enhancements to existing interfaces.

Use Process HQ and AI Copilot

To allow business users to build reports from the order data, you can create an Order record type specifically for Process HQ. This record type connects to the same database table as the Orders DSE.

Once you enable the record type to show in the Data Catalog, business users can instantly:

• Build their own order reports.
• Use AI Copilot to generate reports.
• Ask AI Copilot questions about reports to gain real-time insights into their data.

Scroll or drag to pan · ⌘+/⌘− to zoom · Esc to close

Build new additions to the app

You can also use the Order record type to build new additions to the application. For example, you may have an interface that uses the Orders CDT and DSE to show profit and revenue. However, stakeholders have long requested more key performance indicators (KPIs) on this interface so they can quickly understand the current state of the business.

In your interface, you can add new charts and KPIs that use the Order record type as the source. Using a record type is the fastest and easiest way to configure a component, so you can display key information in just a few clicks.

You might also add custom record fields on your Order record type to aggregate data. Then, you can use those fields to display and sort data in your interface.

Scroll or drag to pan · ⌘+/⌘− to zoom · Esc to close

Automatically keep the record type up to date

Since the Orders record type uses the same database table as the Orders DSE, your existing process models are already set up to write and update order data.

Your process models also use the Write to Data Store Entity smart service, which is a smart service that automatically syncs data, so any data changes will be immediately synced and available in the record type.

Scroll or drag to pan · ⌘+/⌘− to zoom · Esc to close

Feedback