FAQ: What are Catalogs?
With the Resource Catalog feature:
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Authorized users can create a catalog of scenarios and automatically generate a URL (or link) for that Catalog on the CMS. This link can be shared by text, email, or even in another software application.
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Depending on whether a catalog is public or private, users can load assigned Work Instructions within the WorkLink app.
Public Catalog
This feature enables Company Administrators to make a catalog containing AR content public to anyone with the QR Code or link. These Public Catalogs are a similar concept to Google Drive documents, in that when this setting is turned on, anyone with a QR Code or link to the catalog can open the catalog and view its content without having a WorkLink account/License.
Public Catalogs have a number of use cases in which access to content would be beneficial, but those wanting access do not have WorkLink accounts:
- You want to share a catalog link, or QR code, on websites, marketing material, and any other communications that would be available to customers.
- Your sales team would like their customers to have access to AR content to enable on-demand product demonstrations.
- You want your customers to have access to AR content that can explain your product using augmented reality and allow them to troubleshoot issues on their own.
Public Scenario Catalog FAQs
Q: How do I create a Public Catalog?
- As a company administrator, log into the CMS and navigate to Scenario Catalogs
- Choose a catalog that you’d like to share and click on the edit pencil, or create a new catalog
- Click in the check box to indicate that “anyone with an internet connection can access”
- Save the catalog
- You will notice in the catalog list there is a new column called Public and Yes will appear in that column for any catalog that does not require an account to access
Q: How can I share this catalog with my customers?
All catalogs created in the CMS have a QR code generated for them automatically, as of version 2.19.
You can download the QR code for sharing, or you can copy and paste the Access Link from the catalog list into any media you choose. Users can scan the QR code from their device's native camera app.
Q: What happens when someone opens a Public Catalog and they don’t have a WorkLink account?
When a Public Catalog link is opened, and WorkLink is installed, the catalog will open as if the person has a licensed WorkLink account. There is no requirement to log in. No personal information is requested. If WorkLink is not installed on iOS and Android devices, you are redirected first to the app store to download the app and then the catalog will open in WorkLink.
Q: Will any of my company’s information be available when a Public Catalog is opened?
No. None of your company data will be shared when a Public Catalog has been opened in WorkLink when the person doesn’t have a WorkLink account. The person will not see any sessions that your licensed users have created. They will not see information about your company. Only the material that is present in the AR content in the catalog will be available.
Q: What functionality will be available for someone that does not have a WorkLink account but has a Public Catalog open?
They will be able to open the catalog, choose only the AR content that is in the catalog to load and view. They interact with that content as if they are a WorkLink account holder.
However, they cannot: place calls, see the Contacts List, change any settings in WorkLink, and cannot access any of your other AR content that has been published.
Q: How long can I share the catalog?
As this is a beta feature, there is currently no limit to how long a catalog can be made public, nor is there a limit on how many times a Public Catalog can be opened.
Q: What if I don’t want to share a catalog anymore? Do I have to publish a new link or QR code?
Company Administrators can clear the checkbox at any time and save the catalog to remove sharing. The link does not need to be shared again when you change the permission on the catalog. The only thing that will change is whether a WorkLink account is required to open it.
Q: Should I use Public Catalogs for my employees that have WorkLink accounts?
You can provide the same link to employees that have WorkLink accounts but be aware that whoever has the link can see the same content. If you have AR content that requires secure access, we would strongly recommend that you do not include that content in a Public Catalog.
Q: What happens if a WorkLink account holder does open a Public Catalog?
If the WorkLink account holder is logged into WorkLink when the catalog is opened, it will use their existing account to open the catalog. Any session information created while they are logged in and using the AR content will still be available to your analysts and administrators in the CMS.
Q: How will I know if the Public Catalog is being used by my customers? Can I track usage?
As this is a beta feature, this information is not yet available in the CMS. However, you can contact your WorkLink Customer Success Manager and they will be able to work with you when you are ready to use this feature and monitor the statistics on usage and which content is being viewed the most.
Private Catalog
This feature allows Company Administrators to make a catalog containing AR content privately accessible to licensed users within the company. The Private Catalogs are a similar concept to Google Drive documents, in that when this setting is turned on, any licensed user within the company with the QR Code or link to the catalog can open the catalog and view its content.