Café One is one of JD Edwards’ most powerful but often underused tools. At INFOCUS, Pete Cotton walked attendees through how this framework can transform the way users interact with their data by embedding multiple forms or even web pages into a single screen. His session, Unlocking Café One, showed both the possibilities and the practical steps for building layouts that streamline workflows and improve visibility. 

What is Café One? 

Café One stands for Composite Application Framework for EnterpriseOne, though most simply call it Café One. It allows users to embed multiple panes—such as JD Edwards forms or web pages—onto a single screen. Instead of constantly clicking through menus or navigating to new forms, Café One brings related data side by side, helping business users see the bigger picture. 

Cotton explained that common use cases include: 

• Embedding another EnterpriseOne form directly into a base form 
• Adding web content such as dashboards, training material, or tools like Google Maps 
• Linking data dynamically so that selections in the base form filter what displays in the embedded pane 

By combining these elements, Café One becomes a customizable workspace for each role. 

Setting Up Café One 

Before designing a layout, certain prerequisites need to be enabled by system administrators: 

• Feature Security: Café One functionality must be turned on. 
• Content Security: Approved content types (E1 forms, web pages) must be allowed. 
• UDO Action Security: Controls who can create, publish, or modify Café One layouts. 

Cotton recommended assigning security by role rather than individual users to make management easier. 

Designing Embedded Forms 

The first step in building a Café One layout is choosing a base form, also called an enabled form. This is the primary screen where users start. From there, you determine what embedded form or additional data will appear alongside it. 

Key design considerations include: 

• Static vs. Dynamic: Static embedded forms display information regardless of base form data, useful for reference material. Dynamic embedded forms are linked so that the data displayed changes based on the record selected in the base form. 
• Field Mapping: To create dynamic links, form interconnects are used to pass parameters between the base and embedded forms. While this can be tricky, it’s what unlocks Café One’s real power—such as linking customer records in the address book to email or website details. 

Cotton demonstrated how he embedded the electronic address form directly into the JD Edwards address book inquiry, dynamically showing web and email addresses tied to each customer. 

Embedding Web Pages 

Beyond forms, Café One also supports web pages. Cotton showed how to integrate Google Maps with JD Edwards address data. By passing address fields from the base form into a parameterized URL, users can instantly see the map location for a customer or vendor alongside their record. 

However, not all sites allow embedding. Café One relies on iframes, and many modern websites block them for security reasons. For internal sites or supported integrations like Google Maps, though, the capability adds significant value. 

Limitations and Performance Considerations 

While Café One is powerful, Cotton highlighted some limitations: 

• Performance: Each embedded pane adds processing time. Settings in Server Manager can limit the maximum number of embedded forms per base form. 
• Screen Real Estate: Too many panes can clutter the screen, especially on smaller monitors. 
• Form Interconnects: Not all forms have the necessary interconnects to enable dynamic linking. 
• Security: Users still need access to the underlying forms or web pages. Café One won’t override existing JD Edwards security. 

Publishing and Sharing Café One Layouts 

Once a layout is built, it can be kept as a personal tool or submitted for publishing. Approved layouts become available to others based on role security. Cotton also encouraged organizations to consider a software development life cycle for UDOs (User Defined Objects), ensuring consistency across development, test, and production environments. 

Key Takeaways 

Cotton’s session demonstrated that Café One is more than just a convenience—it’s a tool for increasing efficiency, reducing clicks, and providing context-rich views of data. By embedding forms and web content into a single pane, JD Edwards users can streamline their workflows and make better, faster decisions. 

If you haven’t explored Café One yet, now is the time to unlock its potential. 

Want more? 

Explore more content and resources to help you get the most from your JD Edwards investment: 

• Be sure to check out the INFOCUS 2025 Event Hub (coming soon) for presentation slides – available exclusively to Quest members. 
• Explore the JD Edwards Orchestrator Strategic Content Center for more Quest-exclusive resources. 
• Visit the Quest Learn Library for blogs, how-to demos, and on-demand sessions. 
• Connect with peers in one of our Quest JD Edwards Community User Groups to swap stories, ask questions, and share tips with other users facing the same challenges. 

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