The Rayven Workspace is a flexible, powerful environment where all components of your data and automation projects come together.
The Rayven Workspace is a modular and scalable environment where all components of your data and automation projects come together. This article introduces the key elements of the workspace and how they interact, helping both new and advanced users design, manage, and troubleshoot their Rayven solutions effectively.
Key Workspace Components
1. Applications
Applications are isolated containers where you build and run your projects.
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Each application includes its own solutions, workflows, data tables, dashboards, and user access rules.
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Applications define boundaries for data, logic, and user access.
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Common use cases:
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Different applications for customers, business units, or deployment stages (e.g., dev/test/prod)
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Example: You might build one application for energy analytics and another for predictive maintenance, each with its own users and configurations.
2. Solutions
A solution is a logical grouping of related assets inside an application.
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Contains workflows, dashboards, alerts, and configuration settings.
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Functions like a project folder.
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Each application can contain multiple solutions.
Example: Within a smart building application, you might have separate solutions for HVAC monitoring, occupancy tracking, and energy efficiency.
3. Workflows
Workflows are logic engines that process and respond to data.
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Connect to data sources, apply logic, and trigger outcomes.
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Workflows are scoped to a solution and run inside an application.
Core capabilities:
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Real-time and scheduled triggers
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Conditional logic
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API integrations
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Writing to tables and dashboards
Design workflows to be modular and purpose-driven, with clear input/output boundaries.
4. Dashboards
Dashboards visualize data processed by workflows.
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Configurable with tables, charts, indicators, filters, and more.
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Pull from live data streams or historical tables.
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Always linked to a solution within an application.
Dashboards support operations, monitoring, and decision-making for various roles.
5. Data Tables
Data tables store structured data for workflows and dashboards.
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Tables can be created manually or dynamically.
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Act as both inputs and outputs.
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Use them to log sensor data, calculations, user input, or third-party info.
Maintain clear naming and documentation to make tables easy to use and debug.
6. Users and User Groups
Rayven supports Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) using users and user groups, configured at the application level.
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User groups are defined per application.
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Access to solutions, dashboards, workflows, and tables is scoped by group permissions.
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Each user can belong to one or more groups within an application.
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Interfaces and features can be customized by role.
Example: A technician group in Application A might only view mobile dashboards, while a manager group can edit workflows and tables in the same application.
How Components Work Together
[ Application ]
└── [ Solution A ]
├── Workflow 1 → Reads/Writes → Table 1
├── Workflow 2 → Triggers → Dashboard 1
└── Dashboard 1 ← Reads ← Table 1, Table 2
[ User Groups (per Application) ]
├── Technician Group → View Dashboard 1
└── Admin Group → Edit Solution A, Table 1
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Workflows handle logic and automation.
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Tables hold structured data.
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Dashboards visualize insights.
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Solutions group related assets.
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Applications isolate data, logic, and user access.
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User groups manage access within each application.
Best Practices
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Create separate applications for customers, business units, or deployment stages.
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Align solutions to business domains or feature sets.
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Build modular workflows to separate responsibilities and improve reuse.
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Assign user groups at the application level based on real user roles.
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Use clear documentation and naming conventions for workflows, tables, and dashboards.
Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)
Q: What’s the difference between an application and a solution?
A: An application is a high-level container with its own assets, configurations, and user groups. A solution is a functional group of related workflows, dashboards, and tables within an application.
Q: Can user permissions span across applications?
A: No. User groups are defined at the application level. Permissions, roles, and access are isolated to each application.
Q: How do I separate test and production systems?
A: Create separate applications for testing and production. This ensures isolation of data, logic, and user access.
Q: Can I copy workflows or dashboards between applications?
A: Yes. You can export and import workflows, tables, and dashboards between applications using Rayven’s import/export tools or templates.
Q: Who can access a workflow or dashboard?
A: Only users in the same application with group permissions for the specific solution, workflow, or dashboard can access it.
Q: How should I organize user roles?
A: Define user groups per application based on job functions (e.g., Technicians, Engineers, Admins), and assign only the necessary permissions to each.
Q: What’s the best way to document a solution?
A: Use built-in description fields for workflows, tables, dashboards, and solutions. Include purpose, logic summary, inputs, outputs, and any dependencies.
Q: How can I make the knowledge base chatbot-friendly?
A: Use consistent terminology, one topic per paragraph, descriptive headings, examples, and Q&A formats. This improves LLM retrieval accuracy and user experience.