Administration, Higher Education, Technical

Argos X and Accelerators: Your Questions Answered

March 19, 2025

Evisions

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On February 25, 2025, Evisions presented a webinar introducing Argos X and Accelerators. As brand new products designed to further aid clients with data access and reporting, there was a lot of interest and – naturally – a lot of questions. To assist clients as they learn more about these new solutions, we’ve compiled all of the questions and corresponding answers. Below, you’ll find highlights of the Q&A. Then, for a more expansive look at what was asked and answered, we’ve added a PDF for you to download.

We also encourage you to read more about Argos X and Accelerators. (If you’d like to watch the webinar recording, you can do so here.)

Argos X

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Are there additional costs to use Argos X?

There are no additional costs to use Argos X.

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Is this replacing the Argos Web Viewer?

While we plan to continue supporting Argos Web Viewer by addressing critical bugs or security issues, our focus for new feature development will be on Argos X (which will eventually replace the Web Viewer).

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Is Argos X SaaS? Is it available for on-premise deployment, or only as a SaaS solution?

Argos X is hosted by Evisions but, unlike many SaaS offerings, your data is never hosted by Evisions. Argos X works by loading the web application into the user’s browser. From there, your users make a secure connection directly to your system, and no traffic is routed through Evisions. Argos X is compatible with your on-premise deployment, but the codebase is hosted by Evisions, allowing it to be available on any OS and device. Anyone with an internet connection can use Argos X in conjunction with your existing on-prem setup.

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Where can I find instructions on how to install and set up Argos X?

Please view the Knowledge Article, “How to Enable Argos X“, within the Evisions Customer Community.

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Does it support iOS or MacOS? What about Linux?

As a web application, Argos X is compatible with MacOS, iOS, Android, and Linux.

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Does Argos X support OLAP Cubes?

Yes, Argos X can display OLAP cubes.

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Does Argos X support saved states?

Yes. Users can select an existing saved setting and apply it to the dashboard. (The ability to create saved settings is on the roadmap.)

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Can DataBlock designers use Argos X exclusively, or will we still need the desktop app for certain activities?

DataBlock Designer activities will still need to use the desktop application for many activities, such as SQL development. However, our roadmap contains features to enhance or replicate several of those features in Argos X.

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When you share a report, do those users need to have Argos access permissions?

Yes. Users who receive an email inviting them to access an Argos DataBlock or report will need to authenticate with a valid account in order to access any data.

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Is Argos X going to resize dashboards to fit the viewing screen now if the panels are larger than the viewing screen can accomodate?

This feature is on the roadmap for 2025.

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If you upgrade to Argos X, is there backwards compatibility, or can users switch between current and X interface?

Argos X is backwards compatible with Argos desktop client and Argos Web Viewer, and all three are enabled in MAPS 6.12.1, so your users can seamlessly choose any option from the eLauncher.

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How soon do we need to start upgrading to the new Argos X? Will we be forced to change?

Argos X is not replacing any of your existing capabilities. It is an extension of your current Argos product. While we highly encourage you to start using this exciting new capability, there is no timeline requirement for you to upgrade and turn on Argos X, and Evisions is here to support you wherever you are on your journey.

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Will the Argos Client version still be supported?

Yes. Argos X is an extension of the Argos desktop client, which will continue to be supported and enhanced.

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Can I leverage Evisions' API to retrieve data from my DataBlocks in the same way I can today?

Yes. The addition of Argos X does not replace any current functionality of Argos such as the Web Viewer API.

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Does enabling Argos X affect any DataBlocks or Reports we currently have?

No. Argos X will read your existing DataBlocks but it will not modify them (because Argos X is backwards compatible with your existing Argos content). Note that you are able to modify DataBlock metadata such as name, notes, etc. and these changes will be reflected back in the Argos client as well as in Argos X.

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Does Argos X work with Ellucian SaaS?

Yes. Argos X will work much like Argos works today, and if there are prerequisites for connecting to your existing environment (for example, VPN), those same prerequisites apply to Argos X.

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Is there a preferred web browser for Argos X?

There is no preferred browser for Argos X. We recommend a minimum system requirement of 1024×768 or higher resolution using Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Safari.

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Can I get Extract Reports from a mobile device?

Yes. Argos X supports the running of Extract Reports, Banded Reports, CSV Reports, and Crosstab Reports.

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Can users modify data from Argos X?

Yes. Today, users with permissions can update titles, descriptions, default connections, and notes. In the near future, we’ll introduce more features that allow users to create and save within Argos X.

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Are there any new features related to Scheduled Reports functionality within Argos X?

This feature is on the roadmap, and we’re seeking input on which capabilities would best serve our clients.

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When you embed a report, does it get exposed to the public, or will users need to log in to Argos X?

By default, all dashboards are protected from public viewing, and the user will have to be authenticated (via login or SSO) to view the embedded dashboard.

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You have to enable a report to be available in Web Viewer. Does the same setting allow a report to be available in Argos X?

Yes. Argos X respects the same configuration settings regarding web visibility as Argos Web Viewer.

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Are there hardware specs or system requirements to support the Argos X processing load?

There are currently no changes in Argos X that will necessitate increase hardware specifications. If your current MAPS infrastructure operates well today, it should work just fine with Argos X

Accelerators

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Are Accelerators an additional cost?

Yes. This premium offering illuminates use case-focused challenges to enable valuable insights and drive operational improvements. They incorporate dashboards for analysis, DataBlocks, and connectors to the leading commercial Higher Ed systems.

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Do Accelerators replace the data connections in MAPS? What type of connections are they (ODBC, native, etc.)?

Accelerators do not replace existing MAPS connections. They can, however, leverage existing connections that you have already established in MAPS. In addition, connectors support the native mechanisms in use by the source system (ODBC, API, PostgreSQL, etc.).

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Do the Accelerators require Argos X?

No. Accelerators are designed to work with all aspects of Argos.

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Is there a list of connectors that are being built into Accelerators?

Please reach out to Evisions for specific inquiries at this time, and visit evisions.com/accelerators for more information.

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Will we be able to have multiple data sources available on a single DataBlock?

Yes, multiple data sources are blended into a single DataBlock, and the data is extendable to your institution’s specific needs.

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My university is looking at Snowflake as a data lake solution. Excited to see Accelerators can point to many siloed data sets, but can it easily point to a Snowflake data lake?

Yes, in fact, Accelerators have been designed to work with Snowflake as a warehouse solution for the reports it generates. The Accelerators architecture can also use Snowflake as a data source for blending, which may require customizations based on your data model.

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Will Accelerators support Ellucian Banner SaaS and live data reporting using Ethos API?

Yes. Data will be pulled from such live data sources on a scheduled basis you define.

Download PDF

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