skybow Background Services Add-in: Getting started

Table of contents

• What is Background Service Add-in
• Requirement for the installation
• How to install the Background Services Add-In 
• Steps to update Background Services Add-in
• Actions available in Scheduled/Triggered actions in Background Services Add-In

What is Background Service Add-in

The skybow Background Services Add-in allows to configure background services on target SharePoint On-Premises local environments. The Add-in includes Background Column Calculations (Metadata Inheritance, Aggregation, Calculation Expressions), Scheduled Actions and Triggered Actions.

Additionally, the Background Services Add-in can be installed to maintain the runtime of a deployed solution by skybow App Deployment On-Premises (presents execution logs and configurations in read-only mode).

Note: Supported SharePoint Versions:
- SharePoint Server 2019
- SharePoint Subscription Edition (SE)

Requirement for the installation

To install skybow Background Services Add-in you need: 

• Have Full Control permissions on the SharePoint site
• Be a member of the Site Owners SharePoint permission group
• Before installation of Background services add-in you need to install Background Automation service. How install Background Automation service read here. 
  NOTE: Each time there is a change in Background Automation service you need to re-run the script.

How to install the Background Services Add-In 

1. Get the the latest version of the add-in: 
   - Download the package from Solution studio: Navigate to the Solution Studio -> Publish tab -> Deployment Definition. Select specific App Registration and click on the button 'Download the app package' -> 'Download for SharePoint On-Premise'. 

   

   Locate the Addin folder in the deployment package. It contains:
         - skybow-background-services-2019.sppkg
         - skybow-background-services-SE.sppkg
   Select the package that matches your SharePoint version. 

   - Or contact sales@skybow.com to provide you the add-in.

2. Navigate to your web application app catalog (create app catalog if needed). 
3. In the app catalog, click "Upload", browse to your file location and select your desired version of the file. Trust and deploy the app to make it available to add on sites.
4. Add the app to the site you want to use it. 
5. If you don't have license, contact us at sales@skybow.com

Once, you finish your installation of  Background Services add-in on the site you can start using it:

1. Navigate to the list. On top command click on the button 'skybow Background Services' should be displayed.
   

2. When you open the Skybow Background Services dialog for the first time, you will be prompted to enter a Background Automation Service URL and click the “Check” button. If the URL is valid, click “Apply”.

   

   NOTE: You will be asked to verify Background Automation Service URL once per site collection.

3. If Background Automation Service URL is successfully connected to Background Automation service you can start to configure calculation. On the configuration dialog chose Column Calculations tab. Click on the plus icon in front of the field you want to set a calculation

1. If you want to add Scheduled Action please chose the Scheduled Actions tab. Read more in Scheduled Actions introduction
2. For configuring Triggered Actions chose Triggered Actions tab. Read more in the Triggered Actions introduction.

3. Maintenance tab allows you to review background configurations for current list and all lists and libraries on a site. On the maintenance tab you can also enable/disable actions and calculations. 

   

   Additionally, the Background Services Add-in can be installed on a site where a skybow App Deployment is in place for runtime maintenance. The Background Services Add-in allows you to review the deployed background configuration in read-only mode and presents execution logs.

   NOTE: It is strongly not recommended to configure or modify any background calculations on a site where the skybow App Deployment is already in place. The Background Services Add-in should be used for reviewing existing deployed configurations only.

Steps to update:

1. Extract the .sppkg package from the zip file
2. Important: delete the previous version from the app catalog first
3. Upload it to your app catalog on SharePoint
4. Update the app on the site you’ve installed it

Actions available in Scheduled/Triggered actions in Background Services Add-In

Here is a lists of actions supported in Scheduled/Triggered actions in Background Services add-in: 

* Note: In SharePoint Server 2019 and SharePoint Subscription Edition (SE), the source library for the action can only be selected from the current site.