Next generation user experience
This article describes how users can access and interact with their stores using the next generation experience.
Citrix Workspace app required screen
It is possible to configure the website so that users are unable to proceed in their web browser and must use a locally installed Citrix Workspace app.
Require end users to use the locally installed Citrix app only
For more information on configuration, see Require end users to use the locally installed Citrix app only - configuration.
End user experience
When the administrators enable this feature, end users see the following webpage when they attempt to access the web client by entering the store URL in a browser. This feature is only available on the new UI.
After users click Open Citrix Workspace, the store is automatically added to the native app, making the transition from the web client to the native app easier.
If a user doesn’t see the prompt or doesn’t click Open Citrix Workspace app on the prompt within 5 seconds, the webpage provides the following extra options to continue:
- The store URL to copy and add manually in the native Citrix Workspace app.
- A download link to install Citrix Workspace app. The behavior of this link depends on how administrators have configured it. For more information, see Configuration.
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The link to the end-user guide, which provides step-by-step instructions for installing and opening Citrix Workspace app.
For more information on how to add an account/store for a particular operating system, see Add account in Citrix Workspace app.
After submitting a valid store URL, Citrix Workspace app displays the authentication page for the user to sign in. After the successful authentication, the user can see the home page of the native Citrix Workspace app.
Citrix Workspace app detection and launch preferences
Note:
This step only applies when accessing the store through a web browser, not through locally installed Citrix Workspace app. This step may occur before or after log on depending configuration.
Depending on configuration, when accessing the store through a web browser for the first time or after clearing their cookies, users may see the Welcome to Citrix Workspace app screen. They can either:
- Click Detect Citrix Workspace app if they wish to launch resources in the locally installed Citrix Workspace app. This is recommended for the best experience.
- Click Use web browser (if available) to always launch resources within the browser.
When users click Detect Citrix Workspace app, the website tries to detect a locally installed Citrix Workspace app. First it tries using the Citrix Workspace web extensions. If this is not installed or fails to detect locally installed Citrix Workspace app then it attempts to open Citrix Workspace Launcher which is a component of Citrix Workspace app. If Citrix Workspace app is installed then your browser pops up a window asking to run the Citrix Workspace Launcher. Click Open Citrix Workspace Launcher or Open link (depending on the browser). It is recommend that they also tick Always allow domain to open links of this type in the associated app to avoid this window appearing every time you launch a resource.
If a locally installed Citrix Workspace app is detected then after a few seconds it continues to the next screen. When the user subsequently launches a resource it will either use Citrix Workspace web extensions or Citrix Workspace Launcher, depending on which was detected, to open resources in the locally installed Citrix Workspace app.
If Citrix Workspace app is not installed, or they cancel the launcher then depending on launch preferences they have the following options:
- Download - Downloads Citrix Workspace app from the Citrix website or from the StoreFront server. After installing Citrix Workspace app, the user must click Detect again.
- Detect again - Attempts to detect the locally installed Citrix Workspace app again.
- Use web browser - Skips Workspace app detection and always opens resources in the web browser.
- Already installed - users can use this option if they have a legacy version of Citrix Receiver installed that does not support the Citrix Workspace Launcher or Citrix Workspace web extensions. If they select this option, when they launch a virtual app or desktop then your browser downloads a file launch.ica that they can open with Citrix Receiver. This option results in reduced functionality and security so is recommended that administrators disable this option.
Log On
Depending on the authentication methods configured and whether single sign-on is enabled, users may be required to log on.
If multiple authentication methods are available then the user can choose to switch to a different authentication method.
First-time user experience for Workspace app
When accessing the UI, for the first time, users are prompted with a pop-up where they can favorite multiple apps in one easy single step.
The first-time user experience is activated when users have more than 20 apps, and haven’t added any of them to Favorites. The experience is supported on all browsers and native clients (Mac, Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS), and mobile devices (iOS and Android). You’re able to see it the first time you sign in.
The recommended or mandatory apps appear on the Recommended tab of the first-time user screen, as set by admins on the DaaS console for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, and on the Secure Private access console for Web and SaaS apps. Mandatory apps are selected by default and check disabled. Recommended and auto-favorite apps are selected by default and check enabled for users. End users can also select other apps to subscribe to, or add to Favorites from all tabs. All selected apps are automatically added to Favorites, and reflected on the home page.
When you have five or less apps, on the Citrix Workspace app for Windows, the quick access desktop shortcut appears. All the displayed apps are subscribed for users, and corresponding desktop shortcuts are created.
Limitations
- The Personalization screen appears once per device and browser, and every time for incognito mode unless users mark a favorite.
- If the admin removes the mandatory or recommended tag from the apps, the apps in Favorites won’t have any impact.
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If the end-user has not added any apps to Favorites, the Personalization screen appears each time the workspace app is opened. To avoid this:
- End users can add one or more apps to Favorites. This prevents the personalization screen from appearing every time they start the app.
- Administrators can add one or more apps to Favorites. For more information, see Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops configuration.
Navigation tabs
Simple view
If users have fewer than 20 resources, by default, they land on the screen with Simple View that doesn’t have any tabs or categories. All the apps and desktops appear on the same page. On this screen, their favorites show up first, followed by all the other apps in an alphabetical order. All the apps have a star icon that you can use to favorite or unfavorite apps. You experience this Simple View of the Workspace app, depending on the number of apps you have.
Full view
If users have more than 20 resources, they land on the home page when you sign in. On this screen all their favorite apps appear first, followed by the most recently used apps limiting to five apps. The star icons for the Mandatory apps are locked, and you can’t remove them from Favorites. If the admin hasn’t enabled the home page, then you land on the Apps screen. On this screen, their favorites appear first, followed by all the other apps in an alphabetical order. If the admin has created categories and attached the apps to them, then the various categories appear, and can select the category of the apps that you want to view.
The Apps tab displays a list of all available apps, and Desktops tab displays all available virtual desktops that users can access through Citrix Workspace app.
Note:
You can disable favorites. For more information, see Enable or disable favorites.
Categorization of apps
End users can view their applications organized into categories and sub-categories on the Workspace user interface. The sub-categories are displayed in a folder structure. The organized multi-level structure makes for a clutter-free, optimized experience that helps enhance the overall user satisfaction.
Note:
For apps to appear under a folder structure, admins must add a category. For more information, see Categories.
When the number of primary categories created by the admins exceeds the available space on the user’s screen, the user interface adjusts based on the screen size, and dynamically moves categories under the More dropdown. The navigation breadcrumbs are also displayed to the users.
On mobile platforms, navigate to the Apps tab and click the Categories dropdown to view a list of available categories. Sub-categories are displayed as folders that might contain further sub-folders or applications as per the admin configuration.
Select the relevant category, a list of available sub-categories and applications is displayed based on the configuration made by the admin.
Categories
For each application you can define a category. The category represents the folder structure that appears on the screen for end users. For example, consider an app for which the folder is defined as Optimisation tools/Cleaning. Now, to access this app, end users must go to Optimisation tools > Cleaning, where Optimisation tools is a category and Cleaning is it’s sub-category.
For more information about configuring categories, see Applications.
Search feature
The Search feature gives you faster results from the search engines. The Search option appears within the tool bar for ease of use, and allows you to do a quick and intuitive search from within the Workspace app.
It includes the following improvements:
- Default search displays the five most recently used apps or desktops
- Searches are enabled with spell check, and display auto complete results
- Search results include apps within virtual sessions based on recently accessed, and Web and SaaS apps
- Perform search by admin created categories
- Search result lists Favorites at the top
Activity Manager
Users can manage their sessions using Activity manager.
Account Settings
Users access Account Settings from a menu that appears when they select their profile icon in the upper-right corner of the UI.