Panel binding in Jitterbit App Builder
Panel binding is a fundamental concept in App Builder that allows developers to create data relationships between panels on a page. Through this mechanism, one panel can restrict or influence the results of another based on specific binding criteria. This creates a dynamic user experience where selecting a record in a parent panel automatically updates the context of associated child panels.
A core differentiator of this technology is Lite Integration, a patented feature that enables bi-directional, real-time connections to your data sources. Unlike traditional applications that require complex caching or ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes to display related data, App Builder allows a parent panel to target one data source while a child panel targets a completely different one. Both panels can then reside on the same page and interact seamlessly without any data synchronization delays.
Binding types
Four binding types are supported by App Builder:
Binding
The standard Binding type is the most common type of relationship, which is designed for exact matches. For instance, it is ideal when you need to retrieve records in a child panel that share an identical ID with the parent. However, standard binding has specific limitations: it will not return results if a value is null, and it does not support SQL operators such as "greater than" or "LIKE".
Filter
The Filter type is the appropriate choice when your requirements involve more complex logic. Unlike standard binding, Filter supports a wide range of SQL operators, including Equals, Not Equals, Less Than, Greater Than, and Like, allowing for sophisticated search and filtering behaviors. This type is particularly useful in client search scenarios where you might need to find records matching a partial string or a numerical range.
Capability
The Capability binding type (see Capability bindings for more), which was previously referred to as "Visibility", focuses on the user interface state rather than just data filtering. It allows a child panel to inherit its visible or editable state from the status of a parent panel. For example, you can configure a Capability binding to automatically hide or disable the "Insert" (Create) button on a child panel if the parent record meets certain business conditions, such as a "Closed" or "Inactive" status.
Shared
Finally, the Shared binding type provides a flexible way to pass data from one panel into the business object of another. This is achieved using the shared() function, which allows you to capture a value from the parent panel and reference it directly within the SQL logic of the second panel. This method is essential when you need to use parent data as a variable for complex calculations or criteria that go beyond simple column-to-column matching.