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Aeon 6.0 FAQ

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Brittany De Gail
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In this article, we will go over frequently asked questions pertaining to the Aeon 6.0 update.

Aeon 6.0 Update | Addons | API | Staff Web Client | Web Interface

Aeon 6.0 Update

How do I update to Aeon 6.0?       

Before you begin updating, please review the Hardware and Software Requirements for Version 6.0. In particular, self-hosted sites should take note of the new server requirement for the Microsoft ASP.NET Core 8.0 Runtime Hosting Bundle and the recommendation to enable the WebSocket protocol in IIS. For specific instructions on updating, see Updating Aeon to the Newest Version.

What else do I need to know before updating?       

In addition to the new system requirements and recommendations noted above, the Aeon 6.0 update also contains changes to the base URL used for the Aeon API and the removal of support for the Chromium-embedded browser from the Aeon Desktop Client. Action may be required before updating to avoid breaking addons and API-based integrations. Please review the Updating Procedures section of the Aeon 6.0 Release Notes for details.

After the 6.0 upgrade is completed, self-hosted sites should manually remove Microsoft .NET Core 2.2 from the server, if present, as .NET Core 2.2 has been deprecated by Microsoft and is no longer receiving security updates. See Microsoft's documentation for instructions on this process.

How do I install the Aeon Web Client? Is there a separate installer I need to run?      

The Aeon Web Client is installed during the Aeon 6.0 server installation/upgrade and does not need to be installed separately. After the server upgrade to 6.0 is completed, the web client will be accessible using the following URL (replace servername with the domain name for your server): https://servername/aeonstaff/.

Does each user need to install the Aeon Web Client on their machine?      

No, the Aeon Web Client is installed once via the Aeon 6.0 server installation/upgrade. Users will be able to access the web client using the URL noted above after the server upgrade is complete. 

Will I have to uninstall my previous version of Aeon before updating to 6.0?

As with previous versions of Aeon, Aeon 6.0 allows users to install the Aeon Desktop Client at either the user level without requiring the use of escalated admin privileges or at the machine level for all users of a machine:

    • If you choose to install the 6.0 desktop client using the per-user method and have previously only installed the desktop client application at the machine level, then older per-machine installations of the client will need to be manually uninstalled either before or after the 6.0 desktop client installation. 
    • If you choose to install the 6.0 desktop client using the per-machine method and have previously only installed the client at the user level, then older per-user installations of the client will need to be manually uninstalled either before or after the 6.0 desktop client installation. 

See Updating the Aeon Desktop Client for detailed guidance on using each installation method.

Will there be full release notes available for Aeon 6.0?      

They are now available in the Aeon 6.0 Release Notes.

Will my system automatically update to Aeon 6.0 on release day?   

No. You can schedule your Aeon server update with Atlas Hosting Services or your local server administrator (if self-hosted) for a time that works for you.

I am self-hosted. How can I install the Aeon 6.0 server?   

The 6.0 server installation/update for self-hosted sites is performed using the v5.2.2 server installation and update PowerShell scripts that were first released with Aeon Server v5.2.4. If you have already downloaded these scripts, it is not necessary to download new scripts to run the 6.0 update. If you do not already have these scripts, you can download them from the Installing the Aeon Server page. 

How do I receive updates when new versions of Aeon are made publicly available?

Atlas Systems provides release updates and training opportunities through the following modes of communication: 

Addons

Do I need to update any addons before updating to Aeon 6.0?

As the Aeon 6.0 update removes Chromium browser support from the Aeon Desktop Client, you should ensure that the following Atlas-authored addons have been updated to versions supporting the WebView2 browser to prevent compatibility issues after the update:

I am an addon developer. How do I update my addons to use the WebView2 browser?

Information on implementing the WebView2 browser in addons is available in the addon documentation for developers.

Why did my addon stop working after updating to Aeon 6.0?

Addons that do not contain support for the WebView2 browser may experience issues after updating. See the notes above for information on updating these addons. 

The Aeon 6.0 update also includes a change to the base URL used for the Aeon API. If your addon relies on an API integration with an external system, you may experience issues with your addon/integration after the Aeon 6.0 update if the base URL entered to connect to the Aeon API in the configuration settings for the external system was not updated to point to the new URL after updating: https://servername/AeonApi/ (replace servername with the domain name for your server).

Can I use addons with the Aeon Web Client?

The Aeon Web Client does not currently support the installation and use of addons.

 

API

Where can I view the full details for the new endpoints added to the Aeon 6.0 API?

Full documentation for the Aeon 6.0 endpoints can be found in the Swagger documentation. See the Aeon API article for details.

Were there any important changes to existing endpoints in this release?

Yes, the Aeon 6.0 API includes the following changes to existing endpoints:

    • Added support for the new ReshelvingLocation field to the Requests/<transactionNumber>/reshelved and Requests/batch/reshelved endpoints.
    • Removed the deprecated RequestBarcodes endpoints from the API.
    • Changed the data type of the Appointment ID property returned by the GET /api/Users/{username}/appointments endpoint from a string to an integer value.

See the Aeon API section of the 6.0 release notes for more details on these changes.

Why is the API not working after updating?

There were several significant changes to the system requirements for the Aeon API and the default API installation path in the Aeon 6.0 release. Please review the Aeon API section of the 6.0 release notes for information on the action required to address these changes.

Staff Web Client

How do I install the Aeon Web Client?

The Aeon Web Client will be installed on the Aeon Server during the Aeon 6.0 server installation/upgrade and does not need to be installed separately.

How do I access the web client?

After the server upgrade to 6.0 is completed, the web client will be accessible by entering the following URL into any standard web browser application: https://servername/aeonstaff/ (replace servername with the domain name for your server).

Do I need to be running Windows to use the web client?

No. Once installed, the web client can be accessed via any standard web browser application (e.g., Google Chrome or Safari) on your computer or mobile device, including macOS and iOS devices.

What credentials should I use to log into the web client?

You can log into the Aeon Web Client using the same username and password you use to log into the Aeon Desktop Client application. However, by default, you will also be required to set up multi-factor authentication for your account using a third-party authentication application upon your first login to the web client.

How do I set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) for my account?

You can find step-by-step instructions for completing the MFA configuration process for your account in the Configuring Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Staff Web Client Accounts article.

The web client times out/does not accept my authentication code when attempting to configure MFA for my staff account. How do I resolve this issue?

In some cases, the Aeon installation scripts may set an incorrect value in the Staff Web Client's appsettings.json file during the Aeon 6.0 update. Please see Troubleshooting Issues Configuring MFA for Staff Accounts After Web Client Installation for details on resolving this issue.

I set up MFA following the instructions. Why does my authenticator application show the wrong logo for Aeon?

Due to an issue with the Microsoft Authenticator and Twilio Authy applications, an incorrect logo image for Aeon.com may display next to entries configured for the Aeon Web Client. This issue only affects the logo displayed for these entries and does not affect the behavior of the application. The codes generated by these entries will work for logging into the Aeon Web Client and no data of any kind will be sent to Aeon.com.

Why was an MFA requirement added to the Aeon Web Client?

The new Aeon Web Client makes accessing your Aeon data easier than ever and with that increased ease of access comes increased risk of compromised data. To help prevent unauthorized access to your sensitive data through this new client, we're employing and requiring a new multi-factor authentication feature as an additional layer of security. MFA is an industry-standard mechanism for protecting sensitive data across a wide variety of applications and is a critical component of the security mechanisms preventing misuse of this new, widely accessible staff client.

Do I have to enable the MFA requirement for the Aeon Web Client on my server?

Multi-factor authentication provides an important extra layer of security to your Aeon system by requiring all users to log in with two forms of authentication: their username and password credentials and a time-based one-time password (TOTP) code that is generated by an authentication application and is harder for potential attackers to obtain or duplicate. The TOTPs enforced by the MFA requirement are important in that they provide additional protection against potential security breaches to your Aeon system if a staff user’s username and password are compromised. Given these security implications, the configuration options for the MFA requirement on the Aeon Server will vary based on your hosting provider as follows:

    • Atlas-hosted Aeon sites: For security purposes, MFA is required for logins to the Aeon Web Client and cannot be disabled on your server. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact support@atlas-sys.com.
    • Self-hosted Aeon sites: It is strongly recommended that the MFA requirement is left enabled on the Aeon Server for the extra layer of security it provides to the Aeon Web Client. If necessary, the MFA requirement can be disabled on your server following the instructions in the documentation, however, please note that disabling the MFA requirement will significantly reduce the security of your Aeon system.

How do I reset the MFA configuration for my account?

Aeon administrators with access to the Staff Administration page of the web client can reset a staff user's MFA configuration in the Assign Staff Profiles section of the Profiles tab. See the Managing Staff Accounts and Web Client Layouts Using the Staff Administration Page article for instructions on this process.

Does the web client support all of the functionality in the desktop client application?

Support for the full range of features included in the Aeon Desktop Client application, such as request and activity processing functionality, will be added to the Aeon Web Client application in future releases. For an overview of the functionality included in the initial web client release, see Aeon Web Client Overview.

Can I use addons with the Aeon Web Client?

The Aeon Web Client does not currently support the installation and use of addons.

Are there also web-based versions of the Aeon Staff Manager and Aeon Customization Manager applications available?

No, the Aeon Staff Manager and Aeon Customization Manager applications are only available as Windows-based desktop applications at this time. However, the Aeon Web Client contains a new Staff Administration page (accessible only to users with Staff Manager access permissions) with a range of web-client-specific options for managing staff accounts, including tools for creating and assigning custom layout profiles. For details, see Managing Staff Accounts and Web Client Layouts Using the Staff Administration Page. 

Will the customizations I've made to forms and grids in the desktop client carry over to the web client?

No, your customizations will not carry over and all users will be assigned the default layout for the Aeon Web Client when the application is installed. Aeon administrators (i.e., users with Staff Manager access permissions) can use the Staff Administration page to create and assign customized web client layout profiles to staff users as needed (see the next question below for more information).

How do I change the layout of the web client?

Aeon administrators (i.e., users with Staff Manager access permissions) can change the fields displayed for a user on the customizable pages and grids in the web client by creating and assigning a custom profile to the user's account via the Staff Administration page. Custom profiles can also be configured to restrict view and modify access to certain fields or database tables for specific users, if necessary. For details, see Managing Staff Accounts and Web Client Layouts Using the Staff Administration Page. 

All users can also use the Theme Settings section within the User dropdown menu on the toolbar to choose a light or dark display theme for the web client. See Navigating the Aeon Web Client for details on accessing these settings.

Can I add custom fields to the web client pages and grids?

Yes, User-type custom fields can be added to the User Information page when creating a custom web client layout from the Layouts tab of the Staff Administration page. You can also add custom fields to the customizable grids in the web client from this tab. The types of custom fields available for each grid will vary based on the grid type. See Grid Customization Options for details.

How do I restrict access to a field or database table for a user?

To restrict access to a field or database table, you must create and assign a restricted field group containing that field or table to the user's assigned web client profile via the Restricted Fields tab of the Staff Administration page.

What happens when I apply a restricted field group to a profile?

When a field or database table is restricted for a profile, staff users assigned to that profile will not have access to view or modify information in that field/table within the Aeon Web Client.

Can I restrict access to any field in Aeon?

No, only certain fields and database tables can be restricted. For more information, see the documentation for the Restricted Fields tab of the Staff Administration page.

How do I process requests and activities in the web client?

At this time, request and activity information can only be viewed in the Transactions and Activities grids in the web client. Support for processing requests and activities will be added to the web client in future releases. 

Will the changes I make in the web client show up in the desktop client?

Yes, changes made in the web client will be reflected in the desktop client, and vice versa. 

How do I change my site view?

For multi-site Aeon installations, the Site Groups tab of the Staff Administration page is used to configure and assign site groups to each staff user that will determine which individual sites that user will be able to see when using the web client. Users assigned to multiple site groups can switch between their assigned site group views using the Select Sites section within the User dropdown menu on the toolbar. See Navigating the Aeon Web Client for details on accessing and using the Select Sites option to change your active site group view.

I'm seeing an error message in the web client stating "The requested resource could not be found." How can I fix this?

You may see this error if your Aeon installation is configured to use multiple sites and an Aeon administrator has not yet assigned a site group to your account using the controls on the Profiles tab of the Staff Administration page.

Aeon administrators for multi-site Aeon installations should ensure that each staff user is assigned to at least one site group in the web client. See the Assigning Profiles and Site Groups section in the Profiles tab documentation for step-by-step instructions on this process.

Does the web client support keyboard control navigation?

Yes, the web client supports standard keyboard controls typically used to navigate web-based applications and also supports a range of additional keyboard controls for various tools, menus, and fields. 

Does the web client collect telemetry data?

Yes, the web client collects basic telemetry data each time a dialogue, page, or button is used to assist with prioritizing features for future updates. Data collection will operate under the following restrictions and privacy considerations:

    • The data collected will not be associated with your institution and only a general number of total clicks by all Aeon users will be recorded and transmitted to Atlas.
    • To protect user privacy, no personally identifying data including request, activity, appointment, staff, or user details will be collected.
    • All data collected will remain internal to Atlas Systems and will not be shared with third parties.

For more information on this feature, see Aeon Telemetry Data Collection.

Web Interface

Will the new default & feature-specific web pages overwrite any customizations I may have on my current web pages?

No, the web pages are not installed automatically during the update. A complete set of 6.0 default and feature-specific web pages is available on the Aeon Downloads page. Having the web pages downloaded separately from the update installers prevents overwriting any customizations your institution may have created.

If you have any questions or require Concierge Services when implementing the new web pages, please contact support at support@atlas-sys.com.

Is there anything new in the 6.0 web pages?

The Aeon 6.0 default and feature-specific web pages include all the latest changes and fixes first released in the Aeon 5.2.11 default and feature-specific web pages. If you have already updated your web pages using the v5.2.11 web page files no further update is required to implement the 6.0 changes. If you have not already updated your web pages, you can:

    • Download the new Aeon v6.0 default and feature-specific web pages and replace your existing pages.
    • OR If you have customizations, find and replace the code changes noted for the Aeon 5.2.11 web page release in Implementing 5.2 Web Page Changes.

Is it necessary to update my web pages after updating to Aeon 6.0?

In addition to several important bug fixes, the Aeon 5.2.11 web page update also included the removal of the jQuery UI JavaScript Library from the Aeon web pages for security purposes. It is highly recommended to update your web pages to implement this change to ensure the best possible security on the Aeon web interface. See the update notes in the previous Q&A above for further guidance on this process.

 

Questions?

If this article didn’t resolve your issue, please contact Atlas Support for assistance:

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