Exporting configuration settings

You can export either all Alloy Navigator Express configuration settings specified in the Settings App or only a portion.

The largest part of configuration settings is your business logic, which is a complex structure of interrelated configuration entities, grouped by object classes.

For example, your configuration for Tickets may consist of Actions, Templates and other workflow items and components, as well as user-defined fields, user macros, etc. In other words, it includes all settings from the Customization > Service Desk> Tickets section of the Settings App. Some configuration entities, such as actions, are assigned to security roles in your organization. This full subset of interrelated configuration settings for an object class is referred to as complete workflow pack.

The benefit of exporting complete workflow packs is the ability to mark your export file as complete, meaning it includes every single component necessary to implement the business process (or business processes) for a particular object class, including classification tables, Templates, Actions, E-mail Notifications, and security roles. When you import settings from that complete export file, the system replaces all components for that object class with the new ones from the file, supplying the new business logic instead of the existing one.

If you do not plan to use a replacement mode on import, you can choose to create a regular output file. You can also create regular files for any portions of your configuration settings such as individual definitions of Templates, Actions, dashboard widgets or user-defined fields. When you import settings from a regular .xml file, the system will not overwrite the existing configuration but simply add the new settings to you existing ones.

To export configuration settings:

1. Choose the configuration settings to export:

   • To export all settings specified in the Settings App:

     • Click File > Export and Import > Export All Settings on the main menu.

       NOTE: Your export file will contain the entire workflow configuration for all object classes, with all existing security roles, support hours, Mail Connector settings, etc.

   • To export a complete workflow pack for an object class:

     • Select the desired class in the Customization section and click Export Selected Settings on the Standard toolbar.

     TIP: For example, to export all workflow settings for Tickets, navigate to the Customization > Service Desk section and click Tickets in the Settings App side bar.

   • To export settings for a particular Settings App section:

     • Navigate to this section using the side bar and click Export Selected Settings on the Standard toolbar.

     To export individual settings records:

     • Expand the Settings App section, select one or multiple records in the right-pane, and click Export Selected Settings on the Standard toolbar.

2. The Configuration Export Wizard starts. On the Welcome page, click Next.

3. If you are exporting a complete workflow pack, the Create a complete workflow pack page opens.

   • If you plan to use this output file to replace the workflow settings in the current or other database, click Mark the output file as complete. Your complete output file will contain all configuration settings for the selected object class (all settings specified in the Customization > [Module] > [Object Class] section of the Settings App) together with the security roles for which the exported workflow actions are available.

     NOTE: Complete files cannot be modified. That means that you or other users will be unable to append such a file with any other configuration settings.

   • If you do not plan to use this file for replacing other settings, click Create a regular output file.

   Click Next.

4. On the Specify the export file page, go to the location where you want to save the .xml file:

   • To export the settings to a new file, specify its location and the file name, and click Next.

   • To export the settings to an existing file, browse for that file, click Next. On the Export to and existing file page, choose whether to overwrite the contents of the .xml file with the new data or append the new data to the .xml file.

   NOTE: If you have selected a complete file, you can only overwrite it because complete files cannot be modified.

5. On the File Description page, optionally type in a description. Click Next.

6. When Alloy Navigator Express informs that the export has completed successfully, click OK.

Related Information:

Importing configuration settings