Terms and definitions related to programming and system interface in CampaignDrive.
AL Compose/UI Compose/Studio Compose ("composer"): The CampaignDrive terms for the interface that layout based templates are created in.
API (Application Programming Interface): A set of rules and specifications that software programs can follow to communicate with each other, serves as an interface between different software programs and facilitates their interaction. Site admins might install an API to allow for a real-time transfer of data from their organization's systems to CampaignDrive, and vice versa.
Application error: In CampaignDrive, application errors usually cause a page to display only an error message and no other UI. Contact your Customer Success Manager or the Pica9 support line if you're experiencing an unexpected application error. Depending on what the admin/end user was doing at the time, the error could be a result of configuration in the specific instance, a lack of communication between an organization's systems and Pica9, or it could be a platform issue.
Asset Locker (AL, AL-CD): An internal term for CampaignDrive's DAM, accessible via the "Media Library" button in the top menu bar of every page in CampaignDrive. Assets can be manually uploaded to AL-CD or added via IDML import. The Media Library is a separate system from CampaignDrive, but assets uploaded to the Media Library/Asset Locker are available for use in CampaignDrive.
AWS (Amazon Web Services): Cloud-based platform used to deploy test and production instances. This is where Pica9 stores CampaignDrive applications.
Breadcrumbs: A web site navigation technique that typically appears horizontally near the top of a web page, or vertically on the left or right side of a web page, that shows you the path you took to get to the current page and provides a trail for the user to follow back to the starting/entry point of a web site. In CampaignDrive, breadcrumbs provide links so you can jump to that step in the process.
Bug: A fault in a program which causes the program to perform in an unintended or unanticipated manner.
Cache: Hardware or software that is used to store something, usually data, temporarily in a computing environment. It is a small amount of faster, more expensive memory used to improve the performance of recently or frequently accessed data.
Cookie: A small amount of data generated by a website and saved by your web browser. Its purpose is to remember information about you, similar to a preference file created by a software application.
Credentials: A user name and password combination that will allow you access into an application. Credentials are required when you log into CampaigDrive from the log in screen or via logging in via SSO.
DAM Wrapper: A CampaignDrive term for the technology that allows CampaignDrive to work with an exterior DAM.
Database (DB): A collection of interrelated data organized according to a schema to serve one or more applications. All information (data) added to CampaignDrive, such as brands, users, locations, templates, assets, saved drafts, approved documents, merchandise and pricing, orders, etc. are stored in databases.
Date Picker: A tool used to select the date, usually in the form of a pop-up calendar for you to browse and select dates.
Feature: A computer function that facilitates a set of use cases that enhances an application as envisioned by the product team to satisfy a set of business requirements, defined by user stories, implemented by developers and tested by QA. For example, the shopping cart in CampaignDrive.
Feed: An automated transfer of data from one system to another. CampaignDrive uses feeds to import customer information such as locations, users, images, etc. usually on a schedule, for example, nightly, instead of real time.
Field: The elementary unit of a record that may contain a data item, a data aggregate, a pointer, or a link.
Front end: The interface an end user sees when coming to CampaignDrive via traditional login or SSO.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol): A method of transferring computer files between two computers. CampaignDrive uses FTP to transfer customer information.
Instance: An implementation of CampaignDrive using a virtual server to present CampaignDrive's code, protocols and databases for users to interact with.
Integration: The linking of two separate applications or computer systems so they can share information or resources. An example of a CampaignDrive integration is obtaining shipping information from FedEx or UPS during the checkout process in CampaignDrive.
IP, IP address (Internet Protocol Address): A numerical label that is assigned to devices participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication between its nodes to identify the device on the network.
Issue: An unintended occurrence that prevents a user from a desired action. Not all issues are bugs (which are specific to faults in the code); issues include situations where the software is working as intended but has been improperly or incorrectly configured, which would affect content, templates, user access, application settings, etc.
Issue tracking: A process for tracking issues that includes details on who reported the issue, what the issue is or might be, issue investigation and resolution as well as stakeholder communication.
Live (push to live): The act of merging new code on production servers to make it available to users.
Live server: See "production server".
Locale: A locale is a set of language- or country-based preferences for a user interface. A program draws its locale settings from the language of the host system. Among other things, locales represent paper format, currency, date format, and numbers according to the protocols in the given region.
Migration (data migration): The process of transferring data between storage types, formats, computer systems or applications. When CampaignDrive makes a fundamental change to the way a feature works, we will migrate the application data so users will have it in the new version of the feature.
Nav bar, top nav, side nav (navigation bar, menu bar): The area on a web page that allows you to navigate to other pages on the website (such as Home or My Docs) by clicking the links on it. Top and side refer to the screen positioning of the navigation bar. The best user experience requires that the nav bar always be in the same place on each page of an application.
Out of scope: A determination that a requested feature or enhancement is not a part of the original requirements.
Page error: See "application error".
Patch: Code that will update or fix an application. Informally, a patch is a smaller set of code changes than would be in a scheduled release. See also "hotfix" and "release".
Post-live testing: Testing that occurs on the live site after a feature is released to verify that the feature works as intended on the production server.
Product Backlog: Ordered list of requirements that is maintained for a product/application. The backlog includes features, bug fixes, infrastructure enhancements and anything else must be done to successfully deliver a viable product. Backlog items are ordered by the product owner and executed by the development team.
Product Owner: A member of the scrum team who is responsible for the business value of a product acting on the behalf of both the customer and the stakeholders.
Product Team: The team of developers, project managers, scrum master, product owner, and testers who are responsible for the development and maintenance of features, enhancements and the systems that support CampaignDrive.
Production (Production server): The live instance of CampaignDrive that the customer and all the customer's users access.
Punchlist: The list of issues found by the tester that is addressed by the developer and other members of the product team.
QA (Quality Assurance): A division of Pica9 dedicated to the systematic measurement, comparison with a standard, monitoring of processes and associated feedback that preserves the highest quality standards. QA team members are responsible for verifying feature completeness and functioning and that the UI and UX are not confusing.
Record: A set of fields in a database related to one entity. In CampaignDrive, the user record includes the first name, last name, email address, physical address, phone number, password, role and associated locations.
Regression Testing: Verifying that previously tested software still performs correctly after new code was merged with it.
Release: As a noun (as in "that bug fix is scheduled for the next release" or "that was fixed in the last release") - the set of features, enhancements and fixes included in a scheduled set of code merged or to be merged to production. As a verb (as in "we will release that bug fix next week") - the act of merging new code to production servers.
Release Notes: Notification of changes to software and the impact of the change to users. Release notes can be internal or external or both and are usually distributed to coincide with a release.
Repro (reproduce): The process of trying to duplicate an error or bug.
Repro instructions: Detailed instructions for reproducing an error or bug. Good repro instructions include enough information that another person would be able to replicate the issue without needing to confer with anyone else. For CampaignDrive, this includes the URL, specific actions taken, the expected result and the actual result as well as specifics including the location/brand/region/service in which the error occurred, the campaign/template/asset ID involved, dates and times, and any other piece of information that will assist in determining what lead up to the error. Screencasts and screenshots can be included but are not substitutes for repro instructions.
SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language): A method for exchanging authentication and authorization data between parties. In CampaignDrive, SAML is used to securely log users into CampaignDrive via a link from another application, without forcing the user to log in again with their user name and password.
Scope: Detailed requirements to achieve a specified product, service or end result.
Scope Creep: Unanticipated changes that add to the set of requirements for a project, adversely affecting both the estimated time to completion and the budget. See also "out of scope".
Server: As part of a client-server computer system, the server is the computer that provides services (such as sending email or accessing files) to other computers (called clients) in the network. A network can have multiple servers such as a mail server, file server, application server, database server, etc.
Skin: A customized graphical presentation for computer software and websites. In CampaignDrive, the skin comprises the masthead, top nav bar, footer, panel titles, page titles, buttons, etc. that has been altered to reflect the brand's colors and style. This styling is managed by Admins using the Themes feature and can be further adjusted by custom CSS code on the Themes page. See "Themes" for more information.
Soft launch: The time when a small group of a customer's field users will be able to begin using CampaignDrive, before the general body of field users will get access. This is done to test functionality, gather feedback and make adjustments to content or features before the launch. See also "launch".
SQL: Programming language used in database manipulation.
Stress testing: Testing elements of a new feature using non-standard but likely end user inputs as well as thinking of scenarios that might not have been considered by the user stories or product team.
SSH (Secure Shell): Secure network protocol for communication between two computers.
Super user (formerly "Pica9 Admin"): A user role that allows the user in the role (who may also be referred to as a "Super User") to have the full set of permissions allowed by the system.
Table: a method of organizing data, similar to an excel spreadsheet. CampaignDrive, uses tables to display information pertaining to users, locations, brands, etc.
Test Battery: A collection of tests that covers a specified set of use cases.
Test Item: An item in a test plan.
Testing: The process of verifying that a software function works as intended without errors. See also test plan, test battery, test item, smoke test, regression test, stress test, post-live test, UAT and automated testing.
Test plan: At Pica9, a checklist of items that includes testing for feature completeness against user stories, an assumptions verification, UX review, a standard test battery, considered stress test scenarios, and specific regression testing items.
UAT (User Acceptance Testing): Testing conducted by the customer to verify that the business requirements for a feature or enhancement have been met. UAT should take place after regression testing and stress testing, can occur before or after post-live testing, and is required for customer sign-off.
UI (User Interface): The aspects of a computer system or program which can be seen by the human user, and the commands the user uses to control its operations and input data.
URL (Uniform Resource Locator): A specific character string that constitutes a reference to an Internet resource. When you go to a web page, the URL of that page is shown in the address bar of your browser and typically starts with "https://".
User: An individual who interacts with an application. See also "field user" and "admin".
User story: One or more sentences in the everyday language describing the business purpose for a feature as viewed from the user's perspective. It states: As a ___, I want to ____ so I can ___. For example: an admin user, I want to sort pending orders so I can quickly view all outstanding orders. User stories are not to be confused with feature requirements.
Use case: A business or behavioral requirement describing a potential scenario where a feature would be used.
UX (user experience): A user's perceptions of the ease of use and value in using a product or system; the discipline of examining users as they interact with products and systems in order to provide a better experience for them.
Warranty period: At Pica9, the time after the release of a feature wherein customers and end users can find bugs and have them fixed as part of the release. After the warranty period ends (typically 90 days), any fixes requested by the customer will be considered a new project and will be billed as such.
Waterfall: A sequential design process, often used in software development processes, in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through the phases of Conception, Initiation, Analysis, Design, Construction, Testing, Production/Implementation, and Maintenance.
Wireframe: A basic skeletal representation of a planned feature focusing on the page layout of web elements to determine the ease of use of completing a task. A wireframe is not supposed to accurately depict how the web page will actually look.
Wizard: A user interface type that presents a user with a sequence of dialog boxes that lead the user through a series of well-defined steps. Tasks that are complex, infrequently performed, or unfamiliar may be easier to perform using a wizard.