Tools

• 1: Global Search
• 2: Deep Linking
• 3: DMS Viewer
• 4: Compare Reports
• 5: Markdown Viewer

1 - Global Search

Global Search

Global Search is a cross-object navigation tool in psLens. Rather than navigating to individual object search pages (like Fields, Components, or Users), Global Search allows you to search across all PeopleSoft metadata and security definitions simultaneously from a single search modal.

How to Access Global Search

• Global Search Icon: Click the search magnifying glass icon in the top navigation bar from any page within the psLens interface.
• Keyboard Shortcut: Press Ctrl + K (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + K (Mac OS) to trigger the search modal instantly.

Search Coverage

Global Search queries the selected database in real time to return matches across multiple object categories:

Key Features

1. Categorized Results: Results are grouped dynamically by object type, allowing you to quickly scan through Records, Fields, or Users matching your query.
2. Deep Linking: Clicking any search result takes you directly to that object’s detail page in the active database.
3. Multi-Database Support: The search queries the active database selected in your nav bar. You can quickly switch databases from the top navigation to search the same term in a different environment.

2 - Deep Linking

Shareable URLs

Every PeopleSoft object in psLens has a permanent, shareable URL. Copy the address bar, paste it into a ticket or Slack, and anyone with psLens access lands on the same object in the same database.

PeopleSoft’s native URLs are session-bound and cannot be shared or bookmarked reliably. psLens URLs can.

URL Structure

All object URLs follow the same pattern:

/resource/{identifier}?db={database}

• resource — the object type (e.g., records, fields, permissionlists)
• identifier — the object name as it appears in PeopleSoft (e.g., JOB, EMPLID, HCDPALL0100)
• db — the configured database name, so the link is unambiguous about which environment it points to

Linkable Object Types

psLens provides direct URLs for over 25 PeopleSoft object types:

Every object listed above can be linked to directly. For example:

• /records/JOB?db=PROD — the JOB record definition in your PROD database
• /crefs/EMPLOYEE/PT_PORTAL_ROOT?db=PROD — a content reference (CREF) in the EMPLOYEE portal in PROD
• /permissionlists/HCDPALL0100?db=DEV — a permission list in DEV
• /serviceoperations/USER_PROFILE.v1?db=PROD — a service operation in PROD

Cross-Object Navigation

Detail pages link to related objects. When you view a record, the fields listed on that page link to their own detail pages. When you view a component, the pages within it are clickable. When you view a permission list, the roles that include it are linked.

This means you can navigate through the PeopleSoft object graph by clicking — from a record to its fields, from a field to the records that use it, from a component to its pages, and so on. Breadcrumbs at the top of each detail page show where you are in the hierarchy.

On Component detail pages, the portal navigation path shows clickable breadcrumb segments — each segment links to the CREF (Content Reference) definition for that folder or component, allowing you to navigate the portal registry hierarchy directly. The portal name itself links to browse all CREFs in that portal.

Clickable PeopleCode References

When viewing PeopleCode source code in psLens, references to Application Classes and Declared Functions are clickable.

• An Application Class reference (e.g. PT_BRANDING:BrandingElement) links directly to the corresponding Application Package page.
• A declared external function (e.g., Declare Function Get_Schedule PeopleCode RECORD.FIELD Event) links directly to the record field event containing the function definition.

Deep Links with Pre-Expanded Sections

Some detail pages support query parameters that pre-expand specific sections. This is useful when you want to share a link that shows exactly the information someone needs to see.

For example, on a Record detail page:

You can combine parameters:

/records/JOB?db=PROD&show_peoplecode=true&expand_pc=EMPLID.FieldChange

This link opens the JOB record in PROD with the PeopleCode section expanded and the EMPLID.FieldChange event visible — one click to the exact code your colleague needs to review.

Practical Use Cases

Audit and Compliance

In an audit workpaper, paste the psLens URL instead of a screenshot. The reviewer clicks through to the live object with no ambiguity about which permission list, which role, which version.

• Reference the exact permission list, role, or user profile in an audit finding
• Cite the exact URL in the finding; six months later the reviewer can re-open it
• Eliminate the “which screen was that?” problem when revisiting findings months later

Incident Response and Troubleshooting

Instead of typing “open App Designer, find project XXXX, look at record YYYY,” paste a link into Slack or your incident channel. Everyone on the call arrives at the same view instantly.

• Share the exact service operation that is failing
• Link to the process definition that is stuck
• Point teammates to the specific record or component under investigation

Change Management

When documenting changes in ServiceNow, Jira, or any ticketing system, include psLens links to the objects affected by the change.

• Link to the project definition to show exactly what objects are included in a release
• Reference specific components or records in change request descriptions
• Build runbooks with clickable links instead of navigation instructions

Security Reviews

Security administrators can share direct links to the objects under review, making it easy for reviewers to verify configurations without navigating there themselves.

• Link to permission lists with show_components=true to show what access they grant
• Share user profile links showing role assignments
• Reference exact objects in security audit reports and remediation tickets

Team Collaboration

A business analyst on the change call doesn’t need App Designer open. Paste the link, they see the record.

Markdown Export

Every PeopleSoft object detail page in psLens can export its full definition as a Markdown file. This exported file can be attached to documentation, included in a wiki, or stored alongside change records. Combined with deep links, you get both a static snapshot and a live reference back to psLens.

Look for the Export as Markdown card in the right-hand sidebar of any object detail page — records, fields, pages, components, menus, application packages, app engines, component interfaces, SQL objects, URLs, HTML and stylesheet definitions, projects, queries, query trees, message catalogs, CREFs, nodes, services, service operations, messages, queues, permission lists, roles, users, process definitions, process jobs, and recurrences.

Recursive PeopleCode Resolution

For objects containing PeopleCode (such as records, components, application packages, and app engines), the export card includes a Recursively resolve imports toggle. When enabled, psLens parses the source code for Application Class imports and external function declarations. It recursively retrieves the source code of those referenced classes and functions from the database and appends them to a dedicated references section in the exported document.

3 - DMS Viewer

What It Is

PeopleSoft Data Mover is commonly used to export data from tables to proprietary .dat binary files for backup, migration, or archiving.

The DMS Viewer in psLens allows you to upload and inspect these binary Data Mover .dat files directly in your web browser. You can inspect table counts, view schema columns, browse exported rows, and generate SQL INSERT statements for individual rows without launching Data Mover or running an import.

Uploading a DMS File

URL: /dms-viewer

To parse a DMS file:

1. Go to the DMS Viewer page.
2. Select or drag-and-drop your .dat file (up to 50MB) into the upload area.
3. The server will parse the binary file structure and display its metadata.

File View

After parsing, the DMS file metadata is shown:

• DMS File Metadata: Source database name, Data Mover export version, base language, export start timestamp, table count, and total row count.
• Tables list: An index showing all tables exported in the .dat file along with the number of rows exported for each table. Clicking any table name opens its detail view.

Table detail and Row Browser

Inside a table’s view, you can browse its columns and rows:

• Columns list: Shows the fields/columns defined for the table in the export.
• Row Grid: Displays the exported rows in a paginated table (100 rows per page).
• SQL INSERT Generator: Click the Generate SQL action on any row. psLens will reconstruct a standard SQL INSERT statement for that specific row’s data and display it in a copyable text area. Use this to grab a single config row out of a DAT file without running a full import.

4 - Compare Reports

What It Is

PeopleSoft Application Designer creates compare reports as binary .idx and .prt file pairs when running comparisons between databases.

The Compare Reports tool in psLens lets you upload these reports as a .zip archive or multi-file bundle to inspect definition differences, PeopleCode line diffs, and export summaries without Application Designer.

Uploading Compare Reports

URL: /compare-reports

You can upload compare reports in two formats:

• ZIP Archive (Option A): Upload a single .zip file containing the .idx and .prt files produced by Application Designer.
• Multiple Files (Option B): Select or drag and drop multiple .idx and .prt files into the upload form.

Compare Run Summary

Once uploaded, the tool extracts run metadata from the .idx files and summarizes the comparison:

• Header Metadata: Project name, source database name, target database name, PeopleTools release, and comparison run date.
• Changed Object Counts: Total count of modified definitions across all report types.
• Definition Types Index: A table of all compared definition types (Records, Pages, Components, Routings, Application Packages, PeopleCode, etc.) with row counts and diff indicators.

Definition and PeopleCode Diff Views

Clicking any report in the overview opens its comparison details:

• 17-Column Definition Reports: Displays definition keys, action (Copy, Delete, None), upgrade flag (Yes, No), source status, target status, and a table comparing attribute values between source and target databases.
• PeopleCode Reports (Upg58): Displays application package, class, and method names, a unified line-by-line diff, and a side-by-side comparison table highlighting changed lines.

Exports

• Markdown Summary: Click Export Markdown to download a summary report containing all definition and code differences.
• CSV Export: Click Export CSV on any definition report detail page to download attribute diff rows.

5 - Markdown Viewer

The Markdown Viewer renders PeopleSoft markdown export files (.md, .markdown, .txt) directly in the browser with full table formatting, syntax-highlighted code fences, and callout blocks.

Overview

psLens allows exporting any PeopleSoft object definition (records, pages, components, roles, permission lists, app engines, queries) and report run to markdown. When users download these files, they can view and inspect them without external markdown editors or desktop utilities.

The viewer is available at /markdown-viewer or through the Tools section in the sidebar.

Loading Markdown Files

The tool supports three input methods:

• Drag and Drop: Drop any .md, .markdown, or .txt file onto the upload zone.
• File Browser: Click Select File to choose a file from your computer.
• Paste Content: Paste raw markdown text into the content area and click Render Markdown.

File uploads are processed in-memory and are bounded to 25MB per file.

Document Features

When a document is loaded, the viewer displays:

• Document Statistics: Filename, word count, estimated reading time, file size, and table counts.
• Rendered View: GitHub-flavored markdown with styled tables, task lists, and PeopleSoft-specific callout admonitions (NOTE, TIP, IMPORTANT, WARNING, CAUTION).
• Code Highlighting: Syntax-highlighted code fences for PeopleCode, SQL, HTML, XML, and CSS blocks.
• View Toggle: Switch between the formatted rendered view and raw source text.
• Clipboard Copy: One-click copy for the entire raw markdown text.
• Print and PDF Export: Browser printing strips application navigation and sidebar elements, producing a clean document for PDF generation or physical printing.
• Open Another: Reset the view to open or paste another file.