There are two kinds of identity management updates in our platform, PeoplePlatform.  Each has their own functional purpose.  The first type of update we call “mapped updates” and the second we call “direct updates”.

Mapped Updates

Complex Directory Updates Made Easy, a white paper we wrote on the subject, contains more information.  These updates pass through business rules and output mappings.  This means that updates to just one or a few fields on the user interface can enable a cascading set of changes for the directory objects that you are updating.  For example, I could find and select ten users and for those ten users chose to set their location in a dropdown.  That one change of a single field can move the users into another OU, remove their old groups, add new ones, etc. all as a result of business rules you’ve set in the software.  In addition directory attributes such as their office location, business phone, address, etc. could be updated as a result. Because mapped updates pass through output mappings updates to directory attributes can be calculated or virtually any combination of other inputs or existing object attributes.  For example, if I set a student’s grade level to grade 5 the software might calculate their graduation year (using the current year) and place that into a directory property.

Direct Updates

These types of updates allow your users to update directory attributes directly.  You can delegate this safely, securely, and completely under your control by directory attribute.  These updates do not pass through output mappings or business rules and allow direct access to directory properties.  This is ideal for group and user management.  Allow users views where certain attributes are read-only and others are writable.

The User Interface

In either type of update, the presentation to the end-user is important.  PeoplePlatform allows form building without coding or scripting.  The ability to impose validation leads to less input errors.  Validation examples include required fields, fields with formatted input (emails, phone numbers), etc. Controlling what users see and can choose in dropdowns leads to fewer typing errors.  PeoplePlatform has a responsive interface presentation.  Therefore it works and looks good on large monitors as well as small devices. In addition, in PeoplePlatform you control what menu options your end-users have and what forms they have access to by their role.  This delegation plus the ability to build your own custom forms, queries, reports,  and views give you a platform and a framework.  This framework takes you out of scripting and coding and into efficient identity management.