Test to Production to Versioning – Pick your Solution!

 Every SmartSimple client is unique, which is why we offer so many options for personalizing individual systems. One thing, however, that is common for all our clients is the need to change various forms and applications, often on a regular basis. For that reason, SmartSimple has two different solutions available; Versioning and Test to Production, otherwise known as T2P.

Why two solutions?

Some smaller organizations have very limited technical infrastructure, which means they may not have a Systems Administrator on staff, so they want a solution that they can easily use without a lot of technical knowledge required. Versioning is ideal for these clients.

Other larger clients have IT staff to handle more complex levels of configuration, and can therefore work with more sophisticated solutions, and therefore T2P is preferred. That doesn’t mean a larger organization couldn’t or shouldn’t use Versioning. Versioning was designed to be used by everyone.

Maintain historical field data and create applications with Versioning.

Versioning

Versioning is particularly appealing for clients with limited technical infrastructure because if offers the ability to change their data gathering and application form creation needs on the fly without impacting any existing data on current application forms.

A prime reason SmartSimple created Versioning was a desire by our clients to maintain historical field data. With Versioning, all fields ever created for a specific application or form are stored in your system.

Versioning also eliminates the need to create and manage multiple versions of your system; everything is done from one central location. This is accomplished by creating a baseline version of your application form that contains every field from every application you are currently using or have used in the past. This baseline is your starting point for each new application form and ensures all historical field data is stored in your SmartSimple system. Plus, you have the added bonus of a constantly growing, centralized record of every field you’ve ever used.

Keep records of every application form created.

The other advantage of Versioning is that, because it’s a browser based application – meaning a feature that can be accessed and configured right from the cloud – you can easily add or change application forms as their own unique Versions, without impacting previous application forms. That means each form and application is a standalone document. This offers greater flexibility, as changes made from year to year do not impact anything on a previous year’s application form.

T2P

To use T2P, an organization needs to have a significant infrastructure, which is why it’s generally used by larger organizations. Unlike Versioning, T2P is not used to actually configure your data (meaning it doesn’t actually create anything); it’s a tool used to move data around, meaning that to use the T2P tool, you need to create multiple versions of your SmartSimple system.

How does this work? It’s actually not as complicated as you’d think!

Unlike Versioning, T2P is a tool to move data.

Your main system, commonly referred to as the Production system, is what your users see, access and work with every day. The Production system is typically locked down, so that no one can make changes without the proper access and permissions.

From the Production system, a Development and a Test system are created. The Development system is where all the actual configuration work is done, mimicking the Production system so that new forms and applications are created in a realistic environment. Once a new form or application is created, T2P moves it to the Test system to be “tested” before it’s moved to the Production system. You can also set up forms and applications to go live on the Production system in advance, so that it exists but isn’t accessible until, for example, January 1^st, 2016.

The one downside is the inability to distinguish or easily manage changes to applications from year to year. For example, you might have added new questions for your 2015 application, but they will be seen in the 2014 application form, just with no responses.

Want to know more?

We’re always here to help! If you’d like to know how to make the most of T2P, Versioning or how you can combine the two solutions, contact our Support Team via email, by phone, toll-free, between 3am and 9pm EST at 1.866.239.0991 or talk to us through the community portal.

There’s always information available on our Wiki, our Blog and our YouTube channel. And be sure to check out our webinar and trade shows and conferences pages to find out about upcoming learning opportunities or where you can talk to our team in person.