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The user interface extensions (UI extensions) feature allows Ringtail administrators and service providers to extend the functionality of Ringtail by embedding third-party web applications directly into the Ringtail interface. A third-party web application that loads within Ringtail is called a UI extension.
The UI extensions that you integrate with Ringtail depend on the needs of your users. For example, you can add extensions that address client-specific custom workflows, or that connect functionality in Ringtail with functionality in other applications, or that generate revenue for your firm by providing value-added services for your clients.
You can add UI extensions as new pages on the Case Home page, and as workspace panes on the Documents page. Some example extensions include:
●On the Case Home page:
oAn automated job scheduling and notification tool for case administrators
oAn analysis tool to perform usage and status reporting
oA custom application that synchronizes document sets with third-party software
●As workspace panes on the Documents page:
oA machine language translation tool for reviewing documents in foreign languages
oAudio and video review tools for multimedia documents
oNative redaction tools
oReview tools for custom format documents, such as chat room messages, technical drawings, or system logs
oA custom application that sends documents to other systems for external processing
Developers can refer to the UI Extension SDK (software development kit) for steps to build and configure an extension. For information about the UI Extension SDK, see User Interface Extension SDK.
To add a UI extension to Ringtail, perform the following high-level steps:
1.A developer builds the web application that you want to integrate with Ringtail as a UI extension. For information about how a developer can build an extension, see User Interface Extension SDK.
2.Install the web application as a UI extension in Ringtail. For information, see Install a UI extension in Ringtail.
3.Enable the extension for organizations. For information, see Enable a UI extension for an organization.
4.Enable the extension for cases. For information, see Enable a UI extension for a case.
5.Set security for the extension based on user groups. For information, see Set group security for a UI extension.
Before you add a UI extension to Ringtail, gather the following information:
●The URL of the web application that you are adding as an extension. If Ringtail uses the HTTPS protocol, the extension must also use HTTPS.
●Configuration details that Ringtail passes to the extension, such as license keys or setup information. Configuration details can be specified at the extension level, the organization level, and the case level. Typically, the developer who creates the extension decides what configurations are required, if any.
●The authentication secret for the extension, if required by the developer who created the extension. An authentication secret is used by your web application to confirm the authenticity of a request that comes from the extension. To create an authentication secret, you can do either of the following:
oThe developer who created the extension provides you with an authentication secret for an extension. You add the authentication secret to Ringtail when you install the extension in Ringtail.
oRingtail generates a random string of characters to use as an authentication secret when you install the extension in Ringtail. You provide the authentication secret to the developer who created the extension. The developer then adds the secret to the web application that you are adding as an extension.
System administrators and portal administrators can install UI extensions in Ringtail.
Use the following procedure to install a UI extension in a Ringtail portal.
1.On the Portal Home page, under Portal Management, click UI Extensions.
2.Click Add.
3.Make sure that the Basic option is selected.
4.Type a Name for the UI extension.
5.In the Location list, select the location in Ringtail where you want the extension to appear:
oWorkspace pane: The extension appears as a workspace pane on the Documents page.
oCase home page: The extension appears as an additional page in the navigation pane on the Case Home page.
6.If a configuration is required for the extension at the extension level, in the Configuration box, enter the configuration details. For more information about configurations, see Before you start.
7.Type an optional Description of the extension. The description appears on the UI Extensions page.
8.In the URL box, enter the URL of the web application that you are adding as an extension.
9.In the Authentication secret box, do either of the following, as described in Before you start:
oIf the developer who created the extension provided an authentication secret, enter the authentication secret in the box.
oIf you want Ringtail to generate an authentication secret, click the Generate a random authentication secret button. Provide the authentication secret to the developer who created the extension.
10.Click Next.
11.Review the settings for the extension, and then click Save.
12.Do the following:
oIf you are a system administrator, enable the extension for organizations in the portal. For information, see Enable a UI extension for an organization.
oIf you are a portal administrator, enable the extension for cases that are assigned to your organization. For information, see Enable a UI extension for a case.
If you are a system administrator, you can enable UI extensions for the organizations in a portal.
If you are a portal administrator, when you install a UI extension, the extension is automatically enabled for the organization that you belong to.
Use the following procedure to enable a UI extension for organizations.
1.To access the UI extensions that are installed in Ringtail, on the Portal Home page, under Portal Management, click UI Extensions.
2.Click the name of an extension. For portal administrators, when organization security is enabled, the list of available items depends on membership in a provider or client organization. To understand how organizations are managed in Ringtail, see Organizations. For a summary of how organization security affects portal access for each Ringtail user category, see Portal security table.
3.In the navigation pane, click Organizations.
4.Depending on which organizations you want to enable the extension for, do the following:
oTo enable the extension for a single organization, hover over the row for the organization, and then click Allow.
oTo enable the extension for all organizations, click the Allow button in the heading row.
5.If a configuration is required for the extension at the organization level, in the Configuration column, click a row. Enter the configuration details, and then click outside the box. For more information about configurations, see Before you start.
6.Enable the extension for cases. For information, see Enable a UI extension for a case.
After a UI extension is enabled for an organization, you can enable the extension for the cases that are assigned to the organization.
Use the following procedure to enable a UI extension for cases.
1.To access the UI extensions that are installed in Ringtail, on the Portal Home page, under Portal Management, click UI Extensions.
2.Click the name of an extension. For portal administrators, when organization security is enabled, the list of available items depends on membership in a provider or client organization. To understand how organizations are managed in Ringtail, see Organizations. For a summary of how organization security affects portal access for each Ringtail user category, see Portal security table.
3.In the navigation pane, click Cases.
4.Depending on which cases you want to enable the extension for, do the following:
oTo enable the extension for a single case, hover over the row for the case, and then click Allow.
oTo enable the extension for all cases, click the Allow button in the heading row.
5.If a configuration is required for the extension at the case level, in the Configuration column, click a row. Enter the configuration details, and then click outside the box. For more information about configurations, see Before you start.
6.To allow groups to access the extension, set group security for the extension.
To allow the groups in a case to access a UI extension, administrators must grant access to the following security option:
●UI Extension - UI Extension Name
For information about how to set group security for UI extensions, see Work with security for features.
You can edit the properties of a UI extension, such as the name, the URL, the configuration details, or the authentication secret.
Use the following procedure to edit the properties of a UI extension.
1.To access the UI extensions that are installed in Ringtail, on the Portal Home page, under Portal Management, click UI Extensions.
Note: For portal administrators, when organization security is enabled, the list of available items depends on membership in a provider or client organization. To understand how organizations are managed in Ringtail, see Organizations. For a summary of how organization security affects portal access for each Ringtail user category, see Portal security table.
2.Click the name of an extension.
3.On the Properties page, edit the name, URL, or other properties. Click Save.
4.On the Organizations page, do any of the following:
oTo enable or disable the extension for organizations in the portal, click Allow or Deny.
oTo edit the configuration for the extension at the organization level, enable the extension for the organization. In the Configuration column, click a row. Enter the configuration details, and then click outside the box.
5.On the Cases page, do any of the following:
oTo enable or disable the extension for cases, click Allow or Deny.
oTo edit the configuration for the extension at the case level, enable the extension for the case. In the Configuration column, click a row. Enter the configuration details, and then click outside the box.
Use the following procedure to delete a UI extension from Ringtail.
1.To access the UI extensions that are installed in Ringtail, on the Portal Home page, under Portal Management, click UI Extensions.
Note: For portal administrators, when organization security is enabled, the list of available items depends on membership in a provider or client organization. To understand how organizations are managed in Ringtail, see Organizations. For a summary of how organization security affects portal access for each Ringtail user category, see Portal security table.
2.Select the check box next to the extensions that you want to delete.
3.Click Delete, and then click OK.
