iframe apps and widgets
We would love to have the ability to create an app that is nothing but an iframe. For example, we create really detailed editorial calendars (more detailed than what the native Podio calendar can do) for each of our clients, and if we could just display either an iframe of the Google calendar, that would be great. (Or, having a calendar app for each workspace that would automatically display the calendar via the iCal feed would work well, too.)
Another example would be embedding a time clock widget as either an app or a sidebar widget. Since there is no native Podio time clock, having the ability to embed one/iframe one would be a useful workaround.
I understand there are sometimes security issues with iframes, but this would be a really useful feature.
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Official comment
This would be a very expensive feature to build and maintain so in order to consider this further it would be great with some additional answers from everyone up-voting this request:
Some questions that come to mind:
- Would it matter where these extensions are shown? Is context important? (think e.g. shown inside item activity vs. in an item field vs. as a separate "app" vs. a whole new "extensions" area)
- What kind of extensions would you imagine benefit most from this?
- Is this only showing information, or also receiving user input?
- Are they short interactions or would they be places were users get a lot of work done?
- Do these embedded extensions live on their own or do they need to integrate into other parts of Podio (e.g. notifications, tasks, contacts) to work?
These and other questions would help us better understand what we would need to provide to actually help you achieve your goals. This is not just a matter of throwing in a iframe container somewhere that is un-secure and difficult to maintain: if we provide you a solution, it's needs to be one that is solid and actually solving the need and use-case :)
Please share your answers below to help us understand this further!
//Sara - Podio
Comment actions -
There are only two reasons my company will leave Podio. To privately host our own data or have the ability to include "widgets" and other functionality like Google Calendar in our workspace. (I have spent way too much time trying to get Podio's calendar options to work the way we want them)
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With the iframe included in Podio, my organisation could use it as our data processing tool.
Here is a usecase, we are a legal land documentation provider and our workflow include back office checks on the geo points of the parcel. With iframes allowed in podio, we would be able to display online maps (mapbox) that our staff could edit via a Javascript library.
Can someone at Podio give feedback if this feature has any chance to be shipped? It's been 6 years since the initial post, so i assume there is a very very little chance.
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As a workaround, i'm considering doing hacking a bit by implementing a simple Chome App which will modify on the fly the podio page to add an iframe when it recognise a centrain text pattern. Like the text field "address: <my adress>" will be turn into a google app widget centred on the <my address> location.
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One very simple use case:
“Iframes in an app”
A company in the renewable energy industry uses Podio for the majority of the business management. Their business is dependent on the finical markets, so the wants to monitor the stock market for Vestas wind energy. An “app” iframe with this src: http://markets.on.nytimes.com/research/stocks/tools/analysis_tools.asp?symbol=vws
Would be very handy.
Another handy use for an app iframe:
A Company does project management in Podio, but there is an old/other system for the imployers to rapport overtime. A app iframe showing the webpage of the that system, could be handy, when the employer has ended the reporting on a project, they are typing in any overtime in the old system.
The examples above are not crucial, as you could just open a new tab on your browser. On the other hand Podio and a (or some) extra systems could be seen as “one” This could be a major advanced for some companies.
Iframes in calculations:
This could be very cool! If the iframe scr could use the variables in the app, it would open a lot of possibilities.
Fx.
A company has a number of leads in a Podio app. A sales person is going to contact the lead, and offer them a deal. As the sales person goes through the leads, there is a small iframe window showing the credit Score of the company, bases on the VAT number of the company, and an external service offering credit risk services.
Another example:
A company uses Podio for support. When a customer calls and complains about not being able to pay in the webshop of the company, the support person look up the customer in a Podio App. In the app there Is an iframe showing the status of the webhosting- and payment gateway provider.I think there are a lot of possibilities ! :-)
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Yes I would definitely use this as a dashboard solution. I would have an app that contained a field (or multiple fields) to contain my PowerBI Reports embed code. You can see an example of the embed code, and an example of the report.
Alternatively, for me at least, you could create reports that can easily be filtered directly from the report as shown in mine.
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An iframe will still be very important for us. So let me share our use case. We are providing land documentation in developping countries, the data collection include a lot of profile information and some GPS mapping of the parcel. Those data are fed into a podio app. Then the role our officers is to control all the profile data and the geotrace (for example if it is overlapping with previously mapped parcels). In order to be able to get our business going we injected the iframe via a chrome extension (see screen shot). However since Chrome v57 it's not possible to inject an iframe in an existing page from a different domain, so the support of iframe within podio would be really helpfull. See a screenshot below.
Would it matter where these extensions are shown? Is context important? (think e.g. shown inside item activity vs. in an item field vs. as a separate "app" vs. a whole new "extensions" area)
For us it should be a podio type that can be used within an item. One should be able to set the URL of the source, the height and the CSP.The width can be a simple 100% so that it doesn't mess up the design.
For the src URL, one should be able to use variables of the item to contexualize the URL like https://mydomain.net/parcel/[item(parcel_code)].
The height can have a max globally.
For the CSP, it should not be in the iframe podio type but an workspace level prefence. So that the admin of a workspace can describe what is allowed in term of security within this space https://content-security-policy.com/ Also the CSP should only allow HTTPS sources.
What kind of extensions would you imagine benefit most from this?
see my previous screenshot, edit parcel geometries on online map.
Is this only showing information, or also receiving user input?
The iframe is clearly for receiving user input. However how the iframe interact back with the podio item is tricky from a security point of view. What we currenly do is that the service providing the map also get the podio access token of this user, so this service can make an API call on behalf of the user and change the podio item.
Are they short interactions or would they be places were users get a lot of work done?
always difficult to assess what one's mean by 'short' or 'a lot'. Currently our officiers are doing a lot of short interactions :)Do these embedded extensions live on their own or do they need to integrate into other parts of Podio (e.g. notifications, tasks, contacts) to work?
At the moment, live on their own.
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I agree with Oliver - this is very needed. If embeded vimeo and youtube videos can work why can't embedded anything work? We embed quizzes, maps, mind maps, etc. and all we can do now is provide a link which takes our users outside of podio which is now what we want. We want podio to be the brain of our operation but if it can't display embedded content then it is impossible to do that fully.
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Our use case is we embed quizzes and similar items for our members to interact with. Here is some typical embed code blocks we use.
1) lectures from our provider
<iframe src="http://cloud.aapc.com/Learning/Storyline/CPC/BusinessofMedicine/story.html" width="720" height="800"></iframe>
2) flash cards
<iframe class="studyStackFlashcardIframe" src="https://www.studystack.com/inewflashcard-2119910" width="850" height="440" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="overflow:hidden"></iframe>
3)embedded gogle docs or pdfs - it looks better than using the links
<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/a/cco.us/file/d/0B4DSSyW6_dafYVk5LTdmSVdJcHM/preview" width="800" height="800"></iframe>
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Would it matter where these extensions are shown? Is context important? (think e.g. shown inside item activity vs. in an item field vs. as a separate "app" vs. a whole new "extensions" area)
Yes... we'd want the option basically anywhere there's a text areaWhat kind of extensions would you imagine benefit most from this?
Everything and anything, it would give us so much more control and ability to customise, and integrate other tools, making the user experience what the user actually wants it to beIs this only showing information, or also receiving user input?
Both information and input.... playing a video, showing and editing a google calendar for those who want to click on a box and type to get their information in the calendar (not possible with Podio Calendar when I last looked into it)Are they short interactions or would they be places were users get a lot of work done?
Possibly bothDo these embedded extensions live on their own or do they need to integrate into other parts of Podio (e.g. notifications, tasks, contacts) to work?
Integrated -
+1
Using the API we can code our servers to access information stored in Podio, but currently there doesn't seem to be any provision for Podio to access data stored externally.
I'd love to be able to embed content from our servers within the Podio environment, so that our users never need to leave the system. That would make Podio a proper "live-in" app ;)
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