The 10 basics you need to know about Smartfacts

Here are some points you should know about when you are working with Smartfacts

All within reach
1. The screen menu provides containers for My Project, Model Chat and Comments. Click on an icon to open or close it. You can also close it using [Esc].
2. The main menu can be reached via the icon in the upper left corner. It provides access to less frequently used functionalities like the personal preferences.
3. The project picker is located in the middle of the top bar of the window and allows to select in which project you want to work in.
4. The global configurations picker is located right below the project picker. It is only visible if you chose to work with global configurations, either Smartfacts global configurations or IBM Jazz global configurations. This can be set in under My Project > Profile, if you are the owner of the project.
Installing your tool plug-ins
1. If you use a modeling tool in combination with Smartfacts to publish you model of manage the traceability to other engineering tools, you need to install a tool plug-in.
  Tool plug-ins are available for Cameo, Catia Magic, Enterprise Architect, Innovator, PREEvision Rhapsody, Simulink or any other modeling tool. You can download the plugin from the main menu of the Smartfacts platform via Get Plug-ins.
2. If you want to manage traceability into source code, you need a plugin for Eclipse or Visual Studio Code. These plug-ins can also be downloaded from via Get Plug-ins in the main menu.
3. If you want to trace information to Confluence or Jira, you need to download the plug-ins from the Atlassian Marketplace and deploy them on your local data center edition of Jira or Confluence.
Your context is always a project
Select the project you want to work in. A project comprises a team of users and content, such as models that have been published to the project, references to external content, pages, etc.. Only members of the project are allowed to consume the content of a project.
The list of all your projects is available via the top bar by clicking the project selector:

All your contributions, such as comments, reviews, model chats, links etc. are project-specific and can only be seen in the project they have been created in.
You can find all details about the currently selected project via the screen menu on the left side via My Project:
1. All content is consolidated in one project tree presented in the content tab.
2. Your project team members are listed in the team tab.
3. Some high level preferences are listed in the profile. You are only able to see this information if you are project owner. You can define here if you work with Smartfacts global configurations, IBM Jazz global configurations or no global configurations at all.
Universal access to model-based content and more via My Content
Your favorites, project-wide search, navigation, version diff and the history of artifacts you have used are available via My Content. This is a comprehensive way to access any content in Smartfacts: models, model versions, diagrams, model elements, files, references to analysis, baselines, references into other platforms like IBM Jazz, Codebeamer, Jama Connect, etc.
Get used to the split view and the tabs in the split view compartments
The split view is the core UI concept of Smartfacts. It exposes two compartments in which you can open content like diagrams, pages, requirement hierarchies, etc.. Each piece of content is presented in its own tab so you can quickly switch between various views.
Tool specific icons
Icons of model artifacts from a SysML model or requirements model are predominantly the specific icons you are used to when working in the authoring tool. Expanding a Cameo model in the project tree will show the original icons of the Cameo model and its stereotypes. Hovering on an icon with the mouse opens a delegated UI of the content the provides access to the details of the content.
Everything is versioned
Models, model elements, diagrams, comments, attachments, links – everything is versioned in Smartfacts. The global configuration management concept allow you to manage links between versioned artifacts effectively.
You can use the Model Warehouse profile to define which pieces of information are maintained in versions. e.g. It is possible to manage unversioned links. The Model Warehouse profile is accessible to account managers only.
Always more content and functionality in the floating containers
Diagrams from modeling tools like Cameo and others provide extended functionality via floating containers. These containers can be expanded in many views (e.g. in the split view, in a delegated UI of a diagram, in a review, in a reference of a comment, etc.). The floating container provides more information and functionality:
1. Examine the model data behand a diagram or select an element within a diagram and examine the details of that element
2. Add comments to a diagram
3. Calculate a version diff and compare the current diagram to a previous version
Use the breadcrumb of a diagram to find out where you are in the model
The breadcrumb provides the address where you are in a model and allows you to jump into the project tree.
Understand the concept of global configurations
The digital thread consists of various sources of information: Requirements, SysML models, test cases, source code, work items, CAD models and many more, often even proprietary authoring systems. Most of these sources of information contain versioned content. Any view on this information that spans across more than on information source needs a definition of which versions are the basis of the view. We call this compilation of local configurations a global configuration.
Currently, there are two types of global configurations in Smartfacts:
1. Smartfacts Global Configurations – these global configurations are internally defined in Smartfacts
2. Jazz Global Configurations in Smartfacts – these are defined in IBM Jazz in the Global Config Management Application and can be used in Smartfacts