FAQs

TraceLink apps are extended through solutions, which pull together assets that define how the app looks and functions when users interact with it (i.e. the app's data model, pages workflows, roles, and policies). Solutions available in the Marketplace Catalog can be saved as Company Solutions and configured to meet a company's specific use cases and business needs. For more information on solutions and configuring solutions for an app, see the OPUS Solution Environment Help Center.

OPUS Agent Manager is included with the OPUS and does not have its own solution.

The roles available to OPUS users are determined by the solutions applied to the apps and networks available to the user. The following roles are available to all users of OPUS:

• Agent Developer – Allows users to create, define, test, and release agent profiles.
• Agent Administrators – Allows users to create agent instances from released profiles, configure instance-specific details, evaluate agent instances, move instances to In Service, clone instances, retire instances, and view performance information.
• Human Manager – Allows users to supervise or review the work performed by a managed agent.

Roles group a set of permissions for specific actions (either in the UI or via API), side menu items, and data within an app. The solution applied to the app or its network determines which roles are available. Administrators assign users to roles when they assign users to an app, its network, or its Links.

Owners assign specific roles to Links, allowing their Partners to assign those roles to the Partner users with access to the Link.

Companies must own OPUS Solution Environment (OSE) to add or edit roles. If your company owns OSE and you also have the Solution Designer role assigned, you can add new roles to a Company Solution or edit existing roles by navigating to OSE and selecting Roles in the side menu. See the OPUS Solution Environment Help Center for more information. If your company does not own OSE, then contact TraceLink Support for more information.

Passwords must be a minimum of 8 characters, must not be your email, and must include at least one:

• Numerical digit
• Lowercase letter
• Uppercase letter
• Special character

If your company was enabled on OPUS from Track & Trace Services, the following password settings from Track & Trace Services apply:

• Number of previous passwords that cannot be reused.
• Number of login attempts allowed before the account is locked.
• Number of days until the password expires.

If your company was not originally enabled on Track & Trace Services, the following default settings apply to TraceLink SSO:

• The previous 6 passwords cannot be reused.
• 5 login attempts are allowed before the account is locked.
• Passwords expire in 30 days.

OPUS Agent Manager enables users to define, create, release, and administer agents in OPUS. Agents help perform business work by using a defined business intent, measurable objectives, instructions, and guardrails. Users first define a reusable agent profile, then create one or more agent instances from that profile.

An agent profile describes what an agent is expected to do, why it is useful, how it should work, and where it is allowed to operate. After the profile is released, an Agent Administrators can use it to create an agent instance for a specific company, process network, or enterprise service.

OPUS Agent Manager helps organizations create agents in a controlled and outcome-driven way. Instead of defining agents only as automation tasks, OPUS Agent Manager focuses on business outcomes. This helps users create agents that are easier to understand, test, release, and administer.

For example, in the MINT Purchase Orders process, users can create, submit, search, view, reprocess, and resubmit purchase orders exchanged with Partners. An Agent Developer can define an agent profile that helps monitor purchase orders that need attention, such as draft purchase orders, recently modified purchase orders, or purchase orders that may need to be reprocessed or resubmitted. The profile can define the agent’s intent, expected outcomes, success metrics, instructions, and guardrails. After the profile is released, an Agent Administrators can create an agent instance for the relevant company and process network. The agent instance can help the assigned human manager quickly find purchase orders that need review and summarize the next action. This reduces manual searching and helps users focus on reviewing, correcting, submitting, or resubmitting purchase orders instead of scanning order records manually.

With OPUS Agent Manager, users can:

• Define reusable agent profiles that describe the purpose, goals, operating instructions, and boundaries of an agent.

• Test agent behavior before the profile is released for use.

• Release agent profiles to a catalog so they can be reused.

• Create company-specific agent instances from released profiles.

• Assign a human manager or human user to an agent instance, depending on the agent type.

• Administer agent instances by evaluating, activating, cloning, retiring, and viewing performance information.

An agent profile captures the business purpose of the agent and the rules that guide how the agent should operate. Agent profiles are created and maintained before agent instances are created for actual use.

An agent profile typically includes:

• Intent - Defines the primary business function the agent performs.

• Objectives - Define the specific outcomes the agent should accomplish.

• Metrics - Define how success is measured.

• How-to instructions - Define how the agent should work in a business context.

• Guardrails - Define the boundaries and limits for the agent.

After an agent profile is complete and tested, it can be released to the catalog. Released profiles become reusable items that Agent Administrators can use to create agent instances.

An agent instance is a company-specific agent created from a released agent profile. The agent instance inherits its definition from the profile, but some details can be configured for the specific company, process network, enterprise service, or business context in which the agent instance will operate.

For example, when creating an agent instance, an Agent Administrators may provide a name, select the relevant process network or enterprise service, and assign a human manager or human user, depending on the agent type.

After an agent instance is created, it follows its own lifecycle. It can be evaluated, moved to In Service, Retired, or Cloned.

A Marketplace Agent Profile is a reusable agent definition created by TraceLink or a partner and made available through the marketplace. Company Agent Developers cannot create Marketplace Agent Profiles directly. However, they can use a Marketplace Agent Profile as a starting point to create a company-specific profile.

A Company Agent Profile is created and maintained by an Company Agent Developers for their company’s business processes, SOPs, and operating needs. Company Agent Developers can create a Company Agent Profile from scratch or from a Marketplace Agent Profile, update its definition during development, test it, and promote it when it is ready for use.

An Agent is a live runtime instance created from a Company Agent Profile. Company Agent Developers can create multiple Agents from the same Company Agent Profile. Agents use the profile definition as their starting point, but they are configured for a specific company, process network, enterprise service, membership, and human manager. Agents are not directly tied to a catalog entry, but they keep a reference to the profile from which they were created.

Agent profiles and agent instances work together in a two-part model. The profile defines the reusable design of the agent. The instance applies that design to a specific operating context.

This model helps organizations reuse a tested agent definition while still allowing controlled configuration at the instance level.

1. An Agent Developer creates an agent profile.

2. The Agent Developer defines the profile intent, objectives, metrics, how-to instructions, and guardrails.

3. The profile is tested by creating agent instances in a supported test environment.

4. The profile is released to a catalog.

5. An Agent Administrators browses the catalog and creates an agent instance from the released profile.

6. The Agent Administrators configures the agent instance for the company, process network, enterprise service, or human user.

7. The agent instance is evaluated and then moved to In Service when it is ready for use.

When an agent instance is created from a profile, some parts of the inherited profile definition can be adjusted for the instance. Other parts remain locked to protect the outcome design of the agent.

When an Agent Administrators creates an agent instance, the Agent Administrators provides the details needed to make the instance specific to the company and operating context.

The Agent Administrators may provide:

• A name for the agent instance.

• Allowed changes to the profile details inherited by the instance.

• A process network or enterprise service, depending on where the agent will operate.

• A human manager for a managed agent, or a human user for an assistant.