Anonymous Access

Anonymous Access allows you to set up common web pages for entering data and querying data (outside the application). This allows external users to use the system without logging in.

The administrator sets up a external web pages (entry page and/or query page) where anybody can enter (entry page) or retrieve (query page) information in the system. The pages are completely configurable and can be as simple (or complex) as the administrator sees fit.

Users simply fill out the forms to enter or query information into the system.

Scenarios:

1) A company releases their software to 25000 beta testers, and would like to collect defects from there users.
This solution will also allow users that log defects the ability to follow-up on the status of the defect.

2) A Company would like to create a knowledge base allowing users of their software to query regular questions/issues within their system.

FIT now provides the functionality required to meet these requirements. This functionality is currently named "Anonymous Functionality" because the users of this functionality do not need to log into FIT (ie. The users are anonymous).

For security reasons, by default, this functionality is completely disabled. It is only enabled through "Admin Menu", "Advanced: Anonymous Functionality".

The webpages for data entry or data querying are templates that are completely customizable allowing you to blend them in completely within your site. In order to perform your customization, you will need to be familiar with HTML - example templates are available on each of the configuration pages within the application. Instructions for each type of interfaces are below. As a last resort, Alcea Technologies can provide customization services for $120 / hour - most customization can be completed within 2 hours.

Tutorial 1: Enabling Anonymous Bug Entry

1. Enable the feature.

As an administrator, enter the "Admin Menu -> Advanced: Anonymous Access -> Anonymous Entry" menu

Enable Anonymous Bug Entry by selecting the initial checkbox.

Enter a web page that you would like to direct users to after submitting a bug. This can be a web page saying "Thanks for the defect", futher instructions, whatever you like. You may need to precede it with "http://"

You may select mandatory fields that a user must select in order to submit a bug. This ensures that a user provides you with the information that you require to reproduce a defect.

2. Create your Bug Entry Page:

At the bottom of the Administer Anonymous Functionality page, you will see a link "Sample Anonymous Bug Entry" page. This can be used as a template on which to create your own bug entry webpage. You can get access to the source of this page using one of two methods:

1) On some browsers, you can right-click on the link, and choose "Save Target As…" to save the source of the template locally.
2) You can click on the link, and then choose "View Source" to view the source of the page (and then go on to save the source code for this page).

You will now customize the contents of this page. Because this is a fully customizable template, you are fully responsible for populating drop-down lists with whatever values you might choose - this will allow you to initially dropdown fields blank or partially/completely enter data in text fields. Use hidden fields to set defaults (such as who the defect will be assigned to).

Be sure to include instructions to improve the quality of defects raised by users.

Place the template on your website, in a place in which your users will be able to locate and complete appropriately. Ensure that the form action directs the form input to FIT, and that a post-submission page is also available that FIT can then direct users to. Test the submission page to ensure it is behaving as you expect, and that the data collected is complete so that you can use the information to reproduce and correct defects reported.

Tutorial 2: Enabling Anonymous Bug Querying

This functionality is extremely effective for any of the following situations:
1) You would like users/clients to be able to query issues entered by themselves and/or others, to reduce duplicates entered
2) You would like to provide a knowledge base of common questions / problems and the associated solutions.
3) User lists are constantly changing and you would like to simply track all issues by email address.

1. Enable the feature.

As an administrator, enter the "Admin Menu -> Advanced: Anonymous Access -> Anonymous Query" menu

Enable Anonymous Bug Query by selecting the appropriate checkbox.

Select the query restriction:
"By email address only" will force users to enter a full email address (presumably their own email address) to limit the bugs returned as having been entered by the email address provided.
"All anonymous bugs" will only return bugs returned by anonmous users (in which the id of the person who entered the defect is an email address).
"All bugs" no restriction on who entered the bug will be applied to the set of bugs returned.

Also restrict by project:
Select the project(s) that you wish to limit the return set to. You might create a "public" or "knowledge base" project, and select this project as the only project to allow external anonymous users to view.

Fields to be displayed in result set:
This is identical to the "Customize columns" functionality available to regular FIT users. This will limit the fields presented to an anonymous user when a list of bugs is returned.

Fields to be displayed in bug details:
This allows you to select which fields are available for public viewing by anonymous viewers.

2. Create your Bug Query Page:

Refer to the instructions under "Create Your Bug Entry Page" in order to create a bug querying page.
Again, you will have to format this page to meet your needs, including the ACTION input in the FORM template.