Right now it seems like the term “Data App” is being used regularly to describe a stand alone user interactive dashboard that performs a function or visualization, but in reality a “Data App” seems to just be the entire workflow wrapped into a “Component”. I am just diving into Business Hub / Teams Hub, but I find myself confused and limited by the lack of separation. What happens when I try to build a multi-page end user focused “Data App” by wrapping a wider workflow that includes dozens of “interactive view” based component settings for backend use? Seems like a logistics nightmare to build out a multipage dashboard layout with all of those other components mixed in…
To me a “Data App” should be able to exist within a workflow to offer the dashboard functionality separation from wider processes with ease of access to the backend workflow, but behave differently than a “Component” as they are focused toward non-technical presentation for end users rather than backend use. Kind of like a sub-set of a Component that is designated for display in the end user dashboards to simplify complex dashboard construction / deployment.
“Data Apps” should open by default to the interactive view in a workflow both locally and in the browser to simplify the UI, should allow multi-page construction / testing / use both locally and in the Hub, should included an option to auto-open the interactive view for user interaction when run in a workflow locally or on the Hub.
An interactive view based “Component” could then co-exist with a Data App within a wider workflow allowing us to cleanly build user friendly backed settings and multi-page end user dashboards within the same workflow. When deployed to the Hub, the “Data Apps” would auto open the designated end user accessible dashboards directly to those without editing rights, while interactive view based “Component” settings could still be accessed and edited in the wider workflow by editors / admins.
This would also allow locally shared workflows to immediately open to the dashboard interactive view upon execution when sharing files with novice users, bypassing a ton of confusion and cleaning up the UI. What do you think?