Our App Links functionality provides the ability to launch Apps directly into specific Screens using special URLs that are similar to web links.
These links can be emailed or otherwise passed to other app users, and will launch the app when the user taps or clicks on the link (assuming the app is already installed).
An App Link looks something like this: app://somescreen?myfield=somevalue
We also support app launching capability via an NFC scan on Android – so you are able to tap an NFC tag and launch into your app based on what is read off the tag.
Creating App Links
Browse to the App Builder -> App Setup page in the secure website.
You should see the “launch options” link in the navigation bar.
Once on the Launch Options page, you can create launch rules and app links that will launch the app directly into specified screens.
Incoming App Link
First is the URL scheme, which is the part before the :// piece. This will vary based on whether you are using our standard app or if you have your own branded version of our native app technology. Either way, this part is fixed and will not change – its simply part of the app links you create.
The second, editable portion is important because this piece is extracted by the app and then evaluated against the Rules you specify in order to determine what Screen to launch into. If no rules match the incoming value, then the app will launch into the start screen by default.
We recommend that you use the target Screen name to make your app links more descriptive.
e.g. app://inspection
App links can include parameters by using query string syntax.
e.g. app://inspection?site=1234&condition=2
where site is the first parameter’s name and 1234 is its value.
Note: the first parameter requires a ‘?’ in front and subsequent parameter sets must be separated with an ‘&’
Conditional Formula (optional)
In most scenarios, the app link alone will be distinct enough to define your Launch Rule.
However in some cases, you may want the same app link may need to launch one of several Screens, based on the parameter values on the link.
Alternatively you may wish to make a Launch Rule conditional based on the user’s metadata – e.g. only allow Project Managers to open the link.
For these cases, define multiple Rules against the same app link and then specify differing results using a formula that has a True/False result.
The first rule with a True formula result will be executed by the app.
Refer to app link parameter values via {{parameterName}} syntax.
e.g. if the incoming app link is: yourcompany://inspection?perform=Yes
then a formula of: {{perform}} = ‘Yes’ will be True.
Screen to Open
This is the target app Screen which will be opened if the Launch Value matches the incoming app link and optional Formula is empty or evaluates to true.
Screen Parameters (optional)
Pass launch parameter values into the target Screen by using {{parameterName}} syntax.
For Form targets, you can preset target fields with ‘dataname:value’, pipe seperated.
e.g. field1:{{city}}|field4:{{hello}}
For Listing & Mapping targets, you can pass in a formula for filtering the target rows. Use {{target[column]}} for target columns.
e.g. {{target[3]}} >= {{price}}
For Detail targets, pass a value to match the first column of the target data row.
e.g. {{mychoice}}