2024.10

Addendum: December 18, 2024

Known issue

Deadlocks when running an ingestion

Due to an issue in dbt version 1.7, you may encounter deadlocks when running a data ingestion for an app.

Note:

Starting from Process Mining on Automation Suite 2024.10.1, dbt projects will run with dbt version 1.8.4. The issue no longer occurs in this version. Check out the 2024.10.1 release notes for more information.

Follow these steps to workaround the issue by making a small change in the dbt project of the affected apps.

1. Go to Data transformations to edit the data transformations for your app.

2. Locate the Transformations section, and create a folder named macros in the dbt project, on the same level as the dbt_project.yml file.
3. Add a new file in the macros folder named information_schema_hints.sql.
4. Copy and paste the following code in the information_schema_hints.sql file.

   {% macro sqlserver__information_schema_hints() %}with (nolock){% endmacro %}

   
   
   
   
   This overwrites a specific internal dbt macro that adds a "no lock" to queries to the information schema.

5. Run the tranformations and re-ingest data.

Release date: November 11, 2024

Published process apps

Compare

If you have already selected a filter when opening the Compare mode, the filters will be the same for scenario A and scenario B. Scenario B will no longer automatically be set as the inverse of scenario A.

Conformance checking

The new Conformance checking process graph shows the discrepancies between the actual process and the reference process model. The Conformance checking process graph indicates the deviation from the reference model by marking the activities with a conformance status. Activities and edges that occur only in the actual process are marked as "non-conforming log only", while activities that only occur in the reference model are marked as "non-conforming model only".

Other enhancements in the Conformance checking dashboard:

• The Conformance rate and Deviations over time charts have been merged into one chart, and can be viewed separately via tabs.

• Deviation type is no longer displayed by default in the Deviations chart.

• Deviation type Activity rework is now called Activity retry.

Dashboard charts

• We enhanced labels and binning in line charts, which improves readability and understandability of the data displayed in the chart.

• The time ("at 00:00") is no longer displayed in the labels for line charts, KPI line charts and, the timeframe filter, when all the time values in the chart are exactly "00:00".

Filter panel

• We improved the layout of the Filter panel.

• You can now easily add a new filter by selecting the filter from the Filter search field.

• Filter collections are now available from the Filter search field.

Refer to Filters for more information on working with filters.

Process-specific terminology for process apps

Instead of “Cases” you will now see the name of the case object, for example “Purchase order items”, in Conformance checking, Root Cause Analysis, Process filters, and other relevant places.

Tip:

If desired, you can edit the name of the primary Cases table in Data Manager to adapt it to your business needs.

Process cropping filter

The new Process cropping filter allows you to focus on, or zoom in on, a specific part of the process for more detailed analysis.

Refer to Process filters for more information.

Note:

If you want to use the Process cropping filter for an existing process app, you must first optimize the process app. Refer to Optimizing an app for more information.

Process data

The Process data dashboard now contains a different tab for every table available in your data. This allows you to analyze your data on the lowest level.

Refer to Viewing Process data.

Process graph

• The layout algorithm for the process graph has been improved. Now, some edges near the backbone of the process graph are deterministically placed either to the left or the right, preventing them from being interwoven with the backbone.

• The header and footer now float over the process graph canvas.

• You can now show the process graph legend using the Process graph utility bar, where you can also select the node and edge metrics to be displayed.

• The lay-out of the utility footer bar of the process graph has been improved.

Process inefficiencies

Process inefficiencies now also detect Rework activities. Rework activities are repetitive actions within a single case.

Refer to Working with process graphs.

Sharing a dashboard

You can now share the URL of the dashboard with others using the Share icon in the header bar of the process app.

Refer to Sharing a dashboard for more information.

Showing metric values as percentages

You can use the Show metric values as percentages icon to toggle between numeric values and percentages for metrics that represent a count of value, such as Number of events or Total case value.

Refer to Working with dashboards and charts for details.

Timeframe filter

You can now benefit from three new timeframe filter types:

• Last - allows you to specify a timeframe for the last period.
• Before - allows you to specify a timeframe for the period before a specific date.
• After - allows you to specify a timeframe for the period from a specific date until the current date.

Refer to Filters for details.

Versioning

The version number of the process app is now displayed in the header bar.

Process apps in development

Automatic triggers

You can now configure automatically triggered automations, in addition to manually triggered automations initiated by business users from the process app dashboards. Automatic triggers are initiated when predefined conditions are met during data ingestion for the process app. These conditions are determined by specified tags.

Refer to Automation manager for details.

Context metrics

You can now add context metrics when creating or editing metrics. Context metrics can be used to provide a better understanding of the main metric displayed on the chart. Context metrics are displayed in the published process app as tooltips on charts.

Refer to Metrics for more information.

Customizing process apps

Action buttons are now ordered in a more logical way in the Dashboard editor and Data transformations. The most frequently used action is now highlighted as the primary action.

Dashboard editor

• You can now edit and remove dashboards and sections from the selected entry in the left menu. See the illustration below.

  
  

  

  
  

• Donut chart, Pivot table, and KPI value list are available as new chart types in the Dashboard editor.

  • Donut charts can be used to compare the relative proportions of a certain metric within a category. The data in a donut chart is displayed in slices that form a circular graph. The hole in the center of the donut chart shows the total value of a different metric to provide a context for the main metric.

  • Pivot tables can be used to group data and to compare certain metrics. The fields are displayed as horizontal rows.

  • KPI value lists can be used to design a dashboard that visually represents the main KPIs. This dashboard provides insights into the overall performance of the process.

    Refer to Charts for details.

• You can now select default visible fields and metrics for a chart in the chart properties.
• You can now drag and drop fields and metrics in the chart properties. This allows you to set the default field or metric, and to define the order of the fields and metrics displayed in the Column selector.

• You can now rearrange the layout of the dashboard by dragging and dropping charts.

• The version number of the process app is now displayed in the header bar.

• The label Dev mode is now displayed in the header bar, to indicate that the process app is currently open for development.

Dashboard filters

Developers can now define dashboard level filters to filter data before it is provided to the dashboard. When business users open a dashboard that has dashboard filters applied, the dashboard will display data according to the dashboard filters.

When a dashboard filter is defined, the icon is displayed in the dashboard header. Users can select the icon, to view the applied dashboard filters.

Refer to Adding dashboard level filters and Applied dashboard level filters.

Data manager

• You can now view references for fields and metrics.

  • When you hover over the Delete icon for a field, a popup is displayed indicating which processes and/or metrics use the field.

  • When you hover over the Delete icon for a metric, a popup is displayed indicating which dashboards and charts use the metric.

• You can now select the percentile and median aggregation types when configuring rules for creating metrics.

• You can now use a grouping of aggregations in metric calculations with the new Group aggregation option. Using Group aggregations, you can now create a rule that incorporates a total of four aggregations.

• A preview of the metric calculation is now displayed in the Edit KPI panel.

Data model editor

• The Preview panel is now displayed in the Data model editor.

• Primary keys can now be set to null.

Development tab

The Application status column for the Process apps in development list is now called Dev data status.

Pie charts

If the data consists of more than five slices for the selected category, a sixth slice is displayed representing the combined total of the remaining categories that are not displayed individually. The sixth slice now respects the metric used in the chart and is no longer simply computed as an average of the remaining values. This provides a more accurate and meaningful representation of the data.

Switch model type

The Process manager now includes a new button, Switch model type, which allows you to update the process model type straight from Process manager.

Refer to Process manager for details.

Timeframe filter

The timeframe filter now only shows the fields of type datetime that are set to visible (Show field in app) in Data manager.

Data transformations

Adding input tables in Data transformations

You can now easily add input tables by uploading CSV files in the Data transformations editor. Adding an input table in the Data transformations editor does not trigger a new data run. This enables you to create the required SQL queries step-by-step when adding new input tables.

Refer to Data transformations for details.

Delete input tables

You can now delete an input data table from your Data transformations.

Note:

Deleting an input table removes the data for your process app. If you want to use the data in your process app at a later stage, you must re-upload the input table.

Save all

In addition to Save file, you can now use the Save all option when editing transformations. This allows you to save all transformation edits at once.

Special characters

More special characters are allowed in your field names. You can now define field names in data transformations with, for example, Japanese characters. These fields will be loaded in the data model and can be used in dashboards.

There is a small set of characters that are not allowed:

]	square bracket close
"	double quotes
,	comma
;	semicolon
{}	curly braces
\n	new line
\t	tab
=	equals

Other

AI Units

We are excited to announce that AI Units, the licensing approach for all AI products, is now available for Process Mining. Process Mining will consume AI Units based on how much data capacity is consumed.

Refer to Enabling Process Mining in Automation Suite for more information on AI Units consumption for Process Mining.

Create new app wizard

You can now easily find an app template by starting to enter the name of the app template in the Search field in the Select app template step.

Data capacity

The Manage access section now includes a new tab, named Data capacity, which provides a breakdown of the number of rows used by and available for Process Mining apps.

Refer to Data capacity for details.

Event log, Custom process, Purchase-to-Pay, and Order-to-Cash app templates

• Event_processing_time has been added to the input data set of Event log, Custom process, Purchase-to-Pay, and Order-to-Cash app templates. Now, you can either deliver Processing Time directly in your event log table, or configure it per activity.

• Additional fields in your input tables will now be added automatically to your Process Mining app. No SQL changes are needed for this anymore.

Note:

New apps created with the latest Event log, Custom process, Purchase-to-Pay, and Order-to-Cash app templates will have this behavior.

Loading data

The experience to upload data using CData Sync or Theobald Xtract Universal has been improved.

All the details and documentation you need to configure the extractor are now provided in the Upload data using CData or Upload data using Theobald step in the app creation process.

The Use CData extractor option is now the default option for app templates that use a source system that is supported by CData. For app templates that use an SAP source system, the Use Theobald extractor option is the default option for loading data.

Managing access

The Edit transformations permission is renamed to Edit data.

Users with Edit data permission can upload data for development and production. Furthermore, they can perform all available actions in Data transformations, such as add and remove tables, edit transformations, edit the data model, and start data runs for the app.

Note:

Users with only Edit dashboard permission cannot upload data in their apps anymore, unless they explicitly get the Edit data permission.

Refer to Managing access for process apps for details.

Bug fixes

Metric calculations

We fixed an issue with calculating chart metrics which use multiple tables. For example, a metric like Sum of Case_amount now counts each Case_amount only once, regardless of the group by chosen. Before, if that metric was used on a chart grouped by an event field like Activity, then each Case_amount might be counted multiple times.

Important:

With this fix, the outcome of existing metrics might change.

SAP Accounts Payable app template

Fixed an issue with the SAP Accounts Payable app template where an error was shown when the data provided would contain multiple payments for a single accounting document.

Known issue

Process cropping filter

When using the Process cropping filter in Conformance checking, an error message can occur: 'Assertion failed: Expected "Edge end node" to have a defined value'.