Marketplace app certification

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Creatio platform vendor certifies published Marketplace apps as part of Marketplace app certification program. Certification guarantees that the Marketplace app is recommended for use, meets high quality standards, and has an adequate user satisfaction level. Learn more about the certification process and conditions in a separate document: Creatio Marketplace Partner Program.

View the special features of certified Marketplace apps in the table below.

Special features of certified Marketplace apps
Feature
Description
Certified Marketplace app badge Creatio Marketplace marks the certified Marketplace apps using the Certified badge (“Application is certified by Creatio experts”).
Active expert sales App details are included in standard commercial materials of our company experts in the partner network. The features of certified apps are included in the topics of the sales associate exam. Certified Marketplace apps are recommended for active sales, i. e., sales associates offer them to customers actively.
Quality review Our experts review the certified Marketplace apps and provide recommendations on bug fixing and general improvements.
Support tools Our company helps you to support the app by letting you register cases via the partner portal and escalate cases to Creatio support.

Steps to get the Marketplace app certified 

View the steps to get the Marketplace app certified in the table below.

Steps to get the Marketplace app certified
Step
Owner
Description
1. Send a request to certify the Marketplace app
Marketplace app developer
Take the step after you publish the Marketplace app in the Developer profile. Learn more in a separate article: Steps to publish the Marketplace app.
2. Confirm the request to certify the Marketplace app
Creatio Marketplace support
The request priority is analyzed.
3. Certify the quality of the Marketplace app
Marketplace app developer
Provide the materials required to get the Marketplace app certified.
Creatio Marketplace support
The Definition of Done (DoD) of the Marketplace app is verified.
4. Certify the Marketplace app support
Creatio Marketplace support
The Marketplace app support is transferred to the Creatio portal.
Notification about the implementation of support standards for the Marketplace app is sent to app users.
Marketplace app support is audited.
5. Audit the Marketplace app regularly
Creatio Marketplace support
The satisfaction of the Marketplace app (NPS) is evaluated.
The satisfaction of case resolution is evaluated.
Case escalations are evaluated.
Marketplace app support is audited.

Learn more about the steps of the Marketplace app certification in a separate document: Creatio Marketplace Partner Program.

Updates to certified Marketplace apps require a recertification. The recertification steps are the same as the certification steps.

Criteria of the Marketplace app’s code review 

View the criteria of the Marketplace app’s code review in the table below.

Criteria of the Marketplace app’s code review
Criterion
Implementation
Seamless update
Extend, not replace, the base Creatio functionality when developing a Marketplace app. Call base methods in the replacing configuration element schemas when overloading (override) non-abstract classes. Learn more in a separate article: Replace configuration elements.
Use the ORM model and direct data access instead of configuration element schemas of the SQL script type to implement data interaction.
Performance
Take into account that the number of objects in RAM and number of threads is limited and does not depend on the number of users or DBMS size (pagination and buffering).
If the app does not need to receive the outcome of the handling operations to continue working, execute operations in the background. Learn more in a separate article: Execute operations in the background.
Integrations
Protect the Marketplace app from mass incoming requests sent by external systems. To do this, use lightweight gateways or queues.
If an external service is not available, block the integration process. Do not block the user workflow.
If a Creatio service is not available, implement alternative integration options.
Data volumes
Implement the archival of automatically created data (logging, journaling, etc.).
Limit user operations with large volumes of data in the database tables. Enable the app to work with optimized data structure using indexes and denormalization.

Requirements for Marketplace app instructions 

The instructions comprise the setup guide and user guide.

Add the setup guide to the Installation and setup tab (the Load guide field of the Guide block) in the Developer profile when publishing the app.

Describe the following information in the setup guide:

  • Introduction. Include the purpose of the Marketplace app.
  • Technical requirements for the Marketplace app.
  • Steps to install the Marketplace app. Include the index of settings to perform in addition to the standard installation process.
  • Steps to get started with the Marketplace app.
  • Steps to customize the Marketplace app workflow, for example, configure additional features, describe processes and procedures that handle data without user input, etc.

Describe the following information in the user guide:

  • Introduction. Include the purpose and special features of the Marketplace app.
  • User workflow. Include all available functional capabilities.
  • Examples of custom business tasks.
  • Notes and limitations.

Requirements for the Marketplace app instructions have the following types:

  • general requirements
  • stylistic requirements
  • formatting requirements
  • image requirements

General requirements for instructions 

The general requirements for the Marketplace app instructions are as follows:

  • File format: *.pdf.
  • Structure: title page, table of contents, and main content.
  • The title page must include the Marketplace app name and the company name or logo.
  • Generate the file table of contents using Microsoft Word tools.
  • File name template: “Marketplace app setup guide %App name%” and “Marketplace app user guide %App name%.”

Stylistic requirements for instructions 

  • Structure the instruction coherently. Use headings, subheadings, bulleted and numbered lists as well as bold text.
  • Use imperative mood when describing a sequence of actions, for example, “open,” “go,” “set,” etc.
  • The instruction must be sufficient for the user to execute the business task on their own. Do not skip steps. Use the up-to-date names of objects, UI elements, and software components to describe the functionality.
  • Use the terminology from the Creatio documentation for UI elements. The terminology must be consistent throughout the instruction. Use the terminology listed in a separate article: Glossary.
  • Use em dash in the text (Alt+0151 key combination). Use en dash without spaces for number ranges (Alt+0150 key combination), for example, “10–15.”
  • Use uppercase for the names of keyboard keys, e. g., arrow keys, function keys, and shift keys. For example, “Press ALT+F3.” The exceptions are descriptive key names, e. g., “Windows.”
  • Enclose the UI element names in square brackets. For example, “Click [Add],” “Fill out the [Name] field.”
  • Use the same type of quotation marks: "."

Formatting requirements for instructions 

  • Font of the main text: Verdana in gray (RGB 89, 89, 89).
  • Font size of the main text (including lists and tables): 10px.
  • Font size of subheadings: 14px.
  • Font size of headings: 16px.
  • Line spacing for the main text: 1.15.
  • Line spacing for headings (including table captions): 1.5.
  • Page margins: 2.5 cm.
  • Do not use forced hyphenation in the text.
  • Do not indent the plain text paragraphs.
  • Indent the first level lists: 0.63. Indent the second level lists: 1.9.
  • Do not add empty lines to the text.
  • Use end-to-end numbering for images and tables.
  • Justify the main text.
  • Align the headings and subheadings left.
  • Use the blue color (RGB 100, 184, 223) for markers of the first-level bulleted and numbered lists.

Requirements for instruction images 

  • The screenshots must have captions and numbers.
  • Place the caption and number directly above the image.
  • Font of the image caption: Verdana in light gray (RGB 150, 150, 150).
  • Font size of the image caption: 8px.
  • Align the image caption left.
  • Align the image center.
  • Position the image in line with text.
  • Line spacing for the image caption: 1.5.
  • Use dedicated screen capture software, for example, Snagit, Monosnap, ScreenSh3ooter, etc.
  • Format: *.png or *.jpeg.
  • You can highlight key UI elements (fields, details, areas). Use a red rectangular frame that is 2px thick for highlighting. Use no more than 2 highlighting frames in an image. Do not use other highlighting methods, for example, arrows, text, etc.
  • Reference every image in the text.

Requirements for training materials  

Learn more about the training materials for certified Marketplace apps in the online course on Creatio Academy: Creatio marketplace.

Provide the following materials so that Creatio team can publish the training module for the Marketplace app on the Creatio Academy:

  • training video
  • script voice of the training video
  • training article (optional)
  • test questions
  • practical task (optional)

View an example of a training module for the “Beesender: omnichannel chats and chatbots” app via the link.

Requirements for a training video 

The purpose of the training video is to teach company employees and users the operation of the Marketplace app.

Display the following data in the training video for the Marketplace app:

  • the purpose of the Marketplace app
  • business cases relevant to the Marketplace app
  • examples of problems the Marketplace app solves
  • description of the Marketplace app functionality

Requirements for a training video for the Marketplace app:

  • Duration: 3–10 minutes. If the duration is longer than 10 minutes, split the video into two parts.
  • Content: screen capture that demonstrates the setup and use of the Marketplace app to solve business problems, voice-over narration. You can use presentation slides to illustrate the conceptual part.
  • Format: *.mp4.
  • Resolution: 1920x1080.
  • Use the language of the voice-over for the text that appears in the frame. Do not use text in any other language anywhere in the video, including browser headings or dialogs.
  • Capture the video of the Google Chrome browser that uses a standard theme.
  • Do not display the personal data of the user in the frame, for example, saved browser tabs, messenger messages, etc. You can display the author name and photo or company name.
  • You can use grey shading to highlight clicks.
  • Use the Windows Explorer file manager.
  • The file manager must only include contents relevant to the demonstrated example.
  • Cut out the actions that break the flow of the video, such as switching between app windows, typos, long page loading time, etc.
  • Use a red rectangular frame that is 5px thick or darken the irrelevant area to highlight key UI elements (fields, details, areas).
  • Use title slides to separate the logical blocks of the video.

Requirements for a training article 

The purpose of the training article is to provide additional materials for reviewing the operation of Marketplace apps in free access.

Add additional links about the Marketplace app functionality in the training article.

Requirements for a training article for the Marketplace app:

  • Reading duration: 1–3 minutes.
  • Format: *.docx.
  • Length: No longer than 1 A4 page, 14 font size, 1.15 line spacing.

Requirements for test questions 

The purpose of test questions is to enable users to self-test and consolidate knowledge on the studied material.

Requirements for test questions about training materials:

  • If the module contains multiple training videos, create a common list of questions about the Marketplace app.
  • Format: *.docx. Send the questions together with the practical task in a single file.
  • Volume: 3–5 questions.
  • Duration: 1–10 minutes.
  • Use only multiple-choice questions.
  • The questions can be single- or multi-select.
  • Add “Select all that apply” to multi-select questions.
  • Explain the question in the training video. Do not use questions that are not explained in the video, difficult, or trick questions.
  • Write questions concisely and clearly without ambiguity.

Requirements for the practical task 

The purpose of the practical task is to enable users to perform the final self-test and gain practical skills in working with the Marketplace app.

Note. Design the practical task for users to work independently. Completed tasks are not checked.

Requirements for the practical task:

  • Use a unique business case with the logic of solving the task provided in the training video.
  • Format: *.docx. Send the practical task together with the test questions in a single file.
  • Duration: 15–20 minutes.

Requirements for the demo version 

We recommend creating a demo version to showcase the Marketplace app functionality to users. Learn more in a separate article: Demo version of the Marketplace app. Make sure the demo records meet the requirements listed in a separate article: Requirements for Marketplace app.