What Is AES (Application Event System)?
Also known as: Application Event System, SyteLine AES, event framework
Definition
AES (Application Event System) is the Mongoose framework component in SyteLine that detects defined application events, evaluates conditions, and executes configured handler actions such as notifications, prompts, SQL statements, and IDO method calls.
AES (Application Event System) Explained
AES is the formal name for the framework layer that people usually call the SyteLine event system. It lives in the middle tier, alongside the IDO runtime, and is triggered when a subscribed event fires - typically an IDO method invocation, a property change, or a scheduled or manually raised event. Because it sits in the framework rather than in application code, AES works identically for delivered SyteLine objects and for anything a customer builds on Mongoose.
Processing follows a defined order. The event fires, AES finds subscribed handlers, evaluates each handler's condition expression, and for those that pass, executes the action list in sequence. Actions may run synchronously inside the originating transaction or asynchronously from a queue. Handlers can prompt a user and branch on the response, escalate after a timeout, chain to further events, and write to the event log that provides the audit trail.
The distinction between synchronous and asynchronous execution is the design decision that matters most. Synchronous handlers can veto a transaction - useful for enforcing a business rule at save time - but every one adds latency to the user's action. Asynchronous handlers cannot block the transaction but scale far better and are correct for notifications, integrations, and logging. Mixing these up is the root cause of most AES-related performance complaints.
The long-term governance point is that AES configuration is data, not code, so it exports, versions, and migrates between environments as configuration. That makes it upgrade-friendly compared with equivalent logic in form scripts or extension classes. It also makes it easy to accumulate, which is why an established install benefits from a periodic audit listing every active handler, its condition, its trigger volume, and the business process it supports.
Why It Matters
- AES lets business rules and approvals be configured rather than coded, cutting both build cost and upgrade risk.
- The synchronous versus asynchronous choice directly determines user-perceived ERP responsiveness on high-volume transactions.
- Event logs supply an audit trail of automated decisions that regulated manufacturers increasingly must produce.
- Because handlers accumulate silently, an unaudited event configuration becomes a hidden performance and maintenance liability.
In Practice
When diagnosing slow saves on a high-volume form, list every AES handler subscribed to that IDO's update method and check which are synchronous. Tightening condition expressions so handlers evaluate to false early, and moving notifications to asynchronous, usually recovers the responsiveness without removing any business function.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AES different from the SyteLine event system?
They are the same thing. AES, or Application Event System, is the formal Mongoose framework name; most practitioners simply say the event system or talk about event handlers. Documentation and configuration forms use the AES terminology, so recognising both names avoids confusion when reading Infor material alongside partner documentation or an internal design spec.
Should an AES handler run synchronously or asynchronously?
Run synchronously only when the handler must be able to block or alter the transaction - enforcing a business rule at save, for example. Everything else should be asynchronous: notifications, integration calls, logging, and downstream updates. Synchronous handlers add their full execution time to the user's wait, and on high-volume objects a handful of them becomes clearly noticeable.
Related Terms
SyteLine Event System
The SyteLine Event System is the framework's rule engine that detects defined business events - a record saved, a status changed, a threshold crossed - and runs configured handlers that send notifications, request approvals, execute SQL, or call custom logic.
IDO (Intelligent Data Object)
An IDO (Intelligent Data Object) is the middle-tier business object in SyteLine and the Mongoose framework that exposes database tables as named properties, methods, and collections, so forms, mobile apps, and REST clients all read and write data through one governed layer.
Mongoose Framework
Mongoose is Infor's metadata-driven application development framework that SyteLine and CloudSuite Industrial are built on. It renders forms, exposes data through IDOs, runs an event system, and lets customers extend or build applications without altering delivered source code.
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