Glossary

This glossary explains terms and keywords used in the brainX handbook.

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A

Add-on package

An add-on package is, in the CRM version brainX CRM, an optional extension of the base package brainX Basic that provides additional modules and functions for certain business areas. Available add-on packages include Sales, Billing, Service, Projects and Marketing.

Add-on packages can be booked individually or in combination in addition to the base package as required.

ANSI (ISO-8859-1)

The ANSI character code is an extension of the ASCII code, converting from 7 bits per character to 8 bits per character. ANSI is the abbreviation for American National Standards Institute. The character codes (ASCII, ANSI, Unicode) were introduced when computer users could or wanted to communicate over the internet or over various networks. Before that, the character codes were different for each computer model. Strictly speaking, the term ANSI character code is to be viewed historically, since the Windows Codepage 1252 was based on an ANSI draft that later largely became the ISO standard 8859-1. However, the character sets are not identical, which is why the term ANSI code persists for Windows-1252 (Latin-1, Western European) among Windows users and in corresponding literature or magazines.

Many well-known special characters are contained in the so-called ANSI code. The ANSI code consists of 256 different characters.

API

An API is a programming interface (application programming interface), i.e. a part of a program that is provided by a software system or other programs for connection to the system.

Nowadays, many online services also provide programming interfaces; these are then called web services.

API key

The API key is a unique key consisting of a secret character string that authorizes access to the API. With this key, the API recognizes authorized users and protects programs and systems from unauthorized access.

API token

An API token is a secure, unique code that serves as a digital key to allow an application or a user to access another piece of software (API), exchange data and use functions securely, similar to a password but often with specific permissions (scopes) for particular services.

It authenticates the requester to the API server, ensures that only authorized users and applications can communicate, and enables granular control over access, e.g. time-limited or restricted to certain data.

ARR

In accounting, ARR usually stands for Annual Recurring Revenue, a metric for subscription models, or for the Accounting Rate of Return in investment appraisal.

Automation

An automation in brainX is a configurable rule that automatically executes one or more actions when a particular event (trigger) occurs – optionally depending on defined conditions.

Automations make it possible to map recurring processes without manual intervention, e.g. automatically sending an email after a record is created or updating fields when the status changes.

Configuration takes place in the Automations module. Detailed documentation can be found in the section Automations in the handbook.

B

B2B

B2B sales is the abbreviation for Business to Business. This refers to the business relationships between at least two companies.

B2C

B2C stands for Business-to-Consumer and thus describes the relationship between a company and a private individual, usually a consumer or customer.

Base package

The base package (also brainX Basic) is the core of brainX CRM and contains the basic CRM functions such as contact and organization management, activities, tasks, calendar, documents and simple automations. Some integrations – e.g. Microsoft 365, Zapier and ChatGPT – are also available without an add-on package.

The base package is the basis for all optional add-on packages.

BCC

"BCC" (abbreviation for "Blind Carbon Copy") refers to the header of an email and contains the recipients of emails, at one or more email addresses separated by commas. The recipients receive a copy of the sent email without their address being visible to the other specified recipients. Addressing in the BCC field allows the privacy of recipients of mass mails to be preserved and, for example, protects them from address harvesting by malicious services such as spambots.

As a rule, the BCC line is completely removed from the email header before transmission. However, the message is still delivered to all recipients. The BCC recipients do not see, upon receiving the email, that they were listed in the BCC field. Because of the removed BCC line, an (accidental) identification via the program function "Reply to all" is only possible towards the To and CC recipients, but not the other BCC recipients.

Billing

In brainX, Billing refers to the function package for invoicing and preparatory accounting. It includes modules such as Quotes, Sales Orders, Invoices, Credits, Cancellations and Purchase Orders.

The Billing package is an optional add-on package for brainX Basic and supports, among other things, the creation of eInvoices in ZUGFeRD format as well as the transfer of booking data to DATEV.

Blacklist

The term blacklist means "black list". In the IT environment, a blacklist usually represents a kind of filter for excluding certain email or IP addresses or domains.

brainX APP

brainX APP is a SaaS-based CRM and finance solution from Brainformatik, developed specifically for companies with subscription models. It combines CRM, contract management, automated billing and Cashflow analysis in one system.

Unlike brainX CRM, brainX APP is operated exclusively as a SaaS subscription and is aimed primarily at SaaS companies and providers of recurring services.

Further information is available at brainx.app.

brainX CRM

brainX CRM is Brainformatik's classic CRM solution with package licensing. It is modular in structure and consists of a base package (brainX Basic) as well as optional add-on packages for the areas Sales, Billing, Service, Projects and Marketing.

brainX CRM is available as a cloud hosting and in-house hosting variant and is aimed at companies of all sizes in the DACH region.

Further information is available at brainx.de.

Browser

Web browsers or, more generally, browsers ("to browse": to rummage, to look around, also to graze) are special computer programs for displaying web pages on the World Wide Web or, more generally, documents and data.

In addition to HTML pages, web browsers can display various other types of documents such as images and PDF documents. Web browsers provide the user interface for web applications.

The most widely used browsers are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Apple Safari.

Browser add-ons

Browser add-ons (also called plugins/extensions) are extensions that enable additional functionalities for a browser.

Browser cache

The browser cache is a buffer memory of the web browser in which resources already retrieved (e.g. texts or images) are kept as a copy on the user's computer (locally). If a resource is needed again later, it can be retrieved faster from the cache than if it had to be downloaded again from the World Wide Web.

Every time the contents of a URL are needed to display a page, the cache is checked first to see whether they are already present.

The advantage is that network traffic and the time to download all the components of a web page are greatly reduced. The disadvantage is that the data stored in the cache may be outdated if the web page has been updated in the meantime.

Browser tab

Most browsers support tabbed browsing, which makes it possible to open several pages in different tabs.

Button

A button, also called a key, is a frequently used control element of graphical user interfaces that allows the user to trigger an associated function.

BWA

The abbreviation BWA stands for Betriebswirtschaftliche Auswertung (management report). It is a standardized overview that presents the financial and results-oriented situation of a company on a monthly basis.
The BWA is based on the data of the financial accounting and serves as an important tool for company management to gain current insights for decisions and to analyze the earnings situation as well as the cost and performance situation.

C

Captcha

A Captcha (also CAPTCHA, Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) is used to determine whether a human or a machine (robot [program], bot for short) is involved. As a rule, this serves to check who made entries in internet forms, because robots are often misused here. Captchas therefore serve security.

CC

"CC" (abbreviation for "Carbon Copy") refers to the header of an email and contains the recipients of an email. One or more email addresses separated by commas to which a copy of the email is sent.

When writing an email, this field is used to send copies to one or more recipients. An entry in this field simultaneously signals that this email is not addressed directly to this user, but was merely sent to them "for attention" or "for information". Unlike BCC, the entries in the CC field are displayed to all recipients and are thus known.

CEO

CEO stands for Chief Executive Officer, the highest-ranking executive of a company, comparable to a managing director or chairman of the board. The role encompasses strategic leadership, overall development, decision-making and representation of the company externally.

Character encoding

A character encoding (encoding for short) enables the unambiguous assignment of characters (usually letters or digits) and symbols within a character set. In electronic data processing, characters are encoded via a numerical value in order to transmit or store them. The German umlaut "Ü", for example, is encoded in the ISO-8859-1 character set with the decimal value 220. In the EBCDIC character set, the same value encodes the curly brace }. To display a character correctly, the character encoding must therefore be known; the numerical value alone is not sufficient.

The most common and most widely used character encoding is UTF-8. This standard can display most characters of all languages and is based on the Unicode standard. Other well-known encodings are the older ASCII, which supports only English characters, as well as the ISO-8859 families, which contain specific character sets such as "Latin-1" for Western European languages.

Charts

A graphical representation of data, facts or information in a diagram (e.g. bar, line, pie or circle chart).

Checkbox

A checkbox (selection box, tick box, marking field) is a control element of graphical user interfaces. A checkbox is used to enter and display yes/no values.

CKEditor

The CKEditor is a free web-based WYSIWYG HTML editor that can be integrated into web applications and supports numerous web browsers.

Documentation on the CKEditor is available at https://ckeditor.com.

Clipboard

The clipboard is a buffer, i.e. an intermediate memory, for the short-term storage and transfer of data. This procedure is mostly used only on one computer between documents or applications.

• A

  • To
  • ANSI (ISO-8859-1)
  • API
  • API key
  • API token
  • ARR
  • Picklist
  • Automation

• B

  • B2B
  • B2C
  • BCC
  • Custom action
  • Custom fields
  • Custom list view
  • Subject
  • Blacklist
  • brainX APP
  • brainX CRM
  • Browser
  • Browser add-ons
  • Browser cache
  • Browser tab
  • Button
  • BWA

• C

  • Captcha
  • CC
  • CEO
  • Charts
  • Checkbox
  • CKEditor
  • Cookie
  • Copy & Paste
  • Cronjob
  • CSS
  • CSV
  • CTO
  • Cursor

• D

  • Dashboard
  • DATEV
  • Detail view
  • Double Opt In
  • Drag & Drop
  • GDPR

• E

  • eInvoice / eInvoicing obligation
  • eSignature
  • EStG
  • Exchange account
  • Exchange Server

• F

  • Billing
  • Flyout Navigation
  • FTP
  • FTP Server

• G

  • Gantt chart
  • Google Calendar
  • Base package

• H

  • Hard Bounce
  • Hash
  • HBCI standard
  • HGB
  • HTML
  • Hyperlink

• I

  • IBAN
  • Icon
  • IMAP
  • Intangible goods
  • Intranet
  • IP address
  • IonCube
  • ISO-8859-1

• J

  • JavaScript
  • JSON

• K

  • Contingent
  • KPI

• L

  • LDAP
  • Link
  • List view
  • Login
  • Logout

• M

  • Tenant
  • Tangible goods
  • Module dashboard
  • Module manager
  • Mouseover
  • MQL
  • MRR

• N

  • NAS

• O

  • OAuth
  • Opt Out

• P

  • PBX
  • PDF
  • PDF template
  • PHP
  • PIN
  • PLAIN
  • Port
  • PowerPoint
  • PPTX
  • Product block
  • Proxy Server

• Q

  • QR code
  • Quick Edit

• R

  • Regex
  • Relations
  • Responsive Design
  • REST
  • REST API

• S

  • SaaS
  • Quick creation
  • SEPA
  • Session
  • SFTP
  • SFTP Server
  • SLA
  • SMTP
  • Soft Bounce
  • SQL
  • SQL database
  • SSH

• T

  • Tab
  • Tag
  • TAN
  • Ticket
  • Tooltip
  • TOTP

• U

  • URL
  • UTC
  • UTF-8

• V

  • VCard
  • Comparison operator
  • VoIP

• W

  • Watermark
  • Webhook
  • Webservices
  • Widgets
  • Economic entity
  • Workflow
  • WYSIWYG

• X

  • XML

• Y

  • Youtube

• Z

  • Character encoding
  • Time zone
  • ZIP
  • ZUGFeRD
  • Add-on package
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Clipboard

Comparison operator

A comparison operator (also relational operator) is a binary logical operator, that is, an operator that is applied to two arguments and delivers a truth value. Comparison operators are used above all in mathematical equations or inequalities and in logical expressions of programming languages and are mostly represented by comparison symbols.

In programming languages, comparison operators are mostly used in loops and conditions. A comparison is usually followed by a program branch.

Contingent

A contingent in brainX refers to a defined amount of services or resources (e.g. hours, units) available to a customer within the framework of a contract. In the Contingents module, such service quantities can be managed and their consumption tracked.

Further information can be found in the section Contingents in the handbook.

Cookie

A cookie is a piece of text information that can be stored in the browser on a user's computer for a visited website. A cookie is generated by the web server and sent to the browser via the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The browser stores the cookie and transmits it back to the web server with each page request, as long as it is not deleted. A cookie can also be generated and read again by the website via JavaScript.

Cookies serve to enable stateful web applications. For example, the login together with the user-specific settings of a website or the shopping cart at an online retailer can be stored.

Copy & Paste

Copy and paste is a two-stage principle for transferring data between software applications.

First, the data to be transferred is transferred from an application into a clipboard (copy). From there, it can then be read back into the same or another application of the user as often as desired (paste), because the data remains in the clipboard.

Usually, the Edit menu of applications that allow content editing contains the menu items Cut, Copy, Paste and Remove/Delete.

Copy & paste can also be performed using a keyboard shortcut (Windows: Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, Mac: Cmd+C and Cmd+V).

Cronjob

A cronjob is a recurring task based on a so-called cron daemon.

The cron daemon serves the time-based execution of processes in Unix and Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD or macOS in order to automate recurring tasks – so-called cronjobs.

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets, CSS for short, is a stylesheet language for electronic documents and, together with HTML and DOM, one of the core languages of the World Wide Web. CSS is used to create formatting instructions that are used primarily together with the markup languages HTML and XML.

CSV

The file format CSV stands for Comma-separated values and describes the structure of a text file for storing or exchanging simply structured data.

The file name extension is .csv.

In CSV files, tables or a list of lists of varying length can be represented. Within the text file, some characters have a special function for structuring the data. Depending on the software involved and user settings, these are often the comma, semicolon or colon characters.

The first record can be a header record that defines the column names.

CTO

CTO stands for Chief Technology Officer and is an executive responsible for the technological strategy, innovation and development of a company, often as a link between management and technical teams.

Cursor

A cursor marks the current editing position on the screen in a computer program. In a word processing program or editor, it shows the point on the screen where keyboard inputs are inserted.

Custom action

A "custom action" is an action available in the detail view of a record which can be created by the brainX administrator – or by a brainX user who has access to the module manager – themselves.

With a custom action, a new record for another module can be created from within the detail view of a record. The special feature here is that freely selectable field values from the base module can be passed directly to the target module.

The detailed description for creating a custom action can be found in the Actions section of the handbook.

Custom fields

A "custom field" is a field which can be created by the brainX administrator – or by a brainX user who has access to the module manager – themselves.

Custom list view

A "custom list view" is a list view in a module in which it can be individually defined which fields from the detail view are displayed in the list view.

By means of filter and grouping settings, the list view can additionally be restricted or displayed more clearly if required.

The detailed description for creating a custom list view can be found in the CRM Setup/Structure - List View section of the handbook.

D

Dashboard

A dashboard is a technique with which information can be displayed clearly and which is used to display mini programs, called widgets.

DATEV

DATEV is a cooperative and one of the leading software companies for tax advisors, auditors and companies in Germany. The DATEV software is used in particular for accounting, payroll and tax returns.

brainX supports the transfer of booking data to DATEV, so that invoices and payment information can be transferred directly into the financial accounting.

Further information on the DATEV integration can be found in the corresponding section of the handbook.

Detail view

In the detail view of a record, all data fields are displayed.

A record is a group of contextually related data fields (belonging to one object), e.g. article number and article name. Records correspond to a logical structure that was defined during software development.

Double Opt In

Opt-in (from "to opt (for something)", to decide in favour of something) is an explicit consent procedure from permission marketing in which the end consumer must explicitly confirm advertising contact beforehand – usually by email, telephone or SMS.

With "double opt-in" (also called "closed-loop opt-in"), the entry to the subscriber list must be confirmed in a second step. Usually, an email message with a request for confirmation is sent to the registered contact address for this purpose.

Drag & Drop

Drag & drop is a method for operating graphical user interfaces of computers by moving graphical elements using a pointing device. An element such as an image or an element can thus be dragged and released over a possible target.

This can be, for example, selected text or the symbol of a file. In general, drag & drop can be used to perform actions or to establish relationships between two abstract objects.

E

Economic entity

Economic entity or economic subject is, in economics, an economically independent decision-maker, such as a private household or a company.

eInvoice / eInvoicing obligation

An eInvoice (electronic invoice) is an invoice that is created, transmitted and received in a structured, machine-readable format. Unlike a simple PDF invoice, an eInvoice can be processed automatically.

In Germany, a phased eInvoicing obligation for B2B sales applies from 2025, based on the European standard EN 16931. Permitted formats include XRechnung and ZUGFeRD.

brainX Billing supports the creation of eInvoices in ZUGFeRD format.

eSignature

eSignature is the term for "electronic signature". An electronic signature (also: electronic signature) is an efficient, legally binding method for quickly having electronic documents signed.

EStG

Income tax in Germany (abbreviation: ESt) is a joint tax levied on the income of natural persons.

The legal basis for the calculation and levying of income tax is – in addition to further laws – the Income Tax Act (EStG). The income tax tariff regulates the calculation rules. The assessment basis is the taxable income.

Exchange account

A Microsoft Exchange account is a work, school or university email account. The organization that set up the Exchange email account for you has an IT department that runs a program called Microsoft Exchange Server. This server provides your email service.

Exchange Server

Microsoft Exchange Server is groupware and email transport server software from the company Microsoft. It serves the central storage and management of emails, appointments, contacts, tasks and other items for multiple users.

To be able to use the functions of Exchange Server as a user, additional client software is required. Microsoft provides the separate program Microsoft Outlook for this; Exchange Server itself already includes the web application Outlook on the web for browser access.

Within the framework of Microsoft's online service Office 365, the server software can also (or additionally) be operated at Microsoft ("cloud computing") under the title Exchange Online instead of within one's own company ("on premises").

F

Flyout Navigation

With a fly-out navigation, subordinate links unfold as soon as the user touches or clicks the parent menu item with the cursor.

FTP

The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a stateful network protocol specified in RFC 959 from 1985 for the transfer of files over IP networks. FTP is located in the application layer (layer 7) of the OSI layer model. It is used to transfer files from the server to the client (downloading), from the client to the server (uploading) or, client-controlled, between two FTP servers (File Exchange Protocol). In addition, with FTP, directories can be created and read out, and directories and files can be renamed or deleted.

See also SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol). Here the transfer is encrypted with the SSH standard.

FTP Server

From an FTP server, files can be downloaded, files can be uploaded and the folder structure on the server can be viewed and modified. A distinction is made between FTP and SFTP (transfer encrypted with the SSH standard), among others.

G

Gantt chart

A Gantt chart or bar chart is a project management tool named after Henry Laurence Gantt that graphically represents the temporal sequence of activities in the form of bars on a timeline.

GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation of the European Union with which the rules for the processing of personal data by private companies and public bodies are standardized EU-wide.

This is intended, on the one hand, to ensure the protection of personal data within the European Union and, on the other hand, to guarantee the free movement of data within the European single market.

The regulation replaces the Directive 95/46/EC from 1995 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of data.

Unlike Directive 95/46/EC, which had to be transposed into national law by the EU member states, the General Data Protection Regulation applies directly in all EU member states since 25 May 2018.

Further information on the GDPR is available – in addition to many other publications on the internet – on the website dg-datenschutz.de.

Google Calendar

Google Calendar is an online service for private appointment management from the US company Google. Users must have a Google account to use Google Calendar. The calendar is available both as a web version and as a mobile app for Android and iOS.

H

Hard Bounce

The term "bounce" is used in connection with the sending of emails. When an email cannot be delivered to an email server, this is referred to as a bounce.

A hard bounce indicates that there is a permanent reason why an email cannot be delivered.

Possible reasons why a hard bounce can occur with an email:

• Recipient email address does not exist.

• The email server on the recipient side has completely blocked delivery.

See also Soft Bounce.

Hash

A hash or a hash function is applied to calculate a (short) checksum for an object.

A checksum is a value with which the integrity of data can be verified. Checksums are typically used in data transmission or data backup.

HBCI standard

The HBCI standard (Homebanking Computer Interface) is an open standard developed in Germany for secure online banking that regulates communication between customer banking software and banks via standardized protocols, formats and security mechanisms. It was gradually further developed into FinTS (Financial Transaction Services), which represents the current version today, and enables secure transactions using chip cards, PIN/TAN or security files. HBCI/FinTS is bank-independent and is supported by many German banks.

HGB

HGB stands for Handelsgesetzbuch (German Commercial Code), the central code of German commercial law that regulates the legal relationships of merchants, establishes the rules for commercial enterprises and forms the basis for annual financial statements and bookkeeping, whereby it often represents a more specific supplement to the German Civil Code (BGB). In the case of conflicting regulations between HGB and BGB, the more specific HGB generally applies in commercial dealings.

HTML

The Hypertext Markup Language, abbreviated HTML, is a text-based markup language for structuring digital documents such as texts with hyperlinks, images and other content. HTML documents are the basis of the World Wide Web and are displayed by web browsers. In addition to the content displayed by the browser, HTML files can contain additional information in the form of meta information, e.g. about the languages used in the text, the author or the summarized content of the text.

As a markup language, HTML serves to structure a text semantically, but not to format it. The visual presentation is not part of the HTML specifications and is determined by the web browser and design templates such as CSS.

Hyperlink

A hyperlink (literally "over-link", figuratively "electronic reference"), link for short, is a cross-reference in a hypertext that functionally enables a jump to another electronic document or to another place within a document.

When the hyperlink is executed, the target specified in it is called up automatically. In general, the term is used with reference to the World Wide Web, in which hyperlinks are a core component.

I

IBAN

The International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is an international, standardized notation for account numbers. It is described by the ISO standard ISO 13616-1:2020.

The IBAN can comprise a maximum of 34 characters, but in most countries it is shorter. The IBAN is composed as follows:

• 2-digit country code according to ISO 3166-1 (consisting of uppercase letters)
• 2-digit checksum with check digits according to ISO 7064 (consisting of digits)
• maximum 30-digit account identification (consisting of the letters A–Z or digits)

Icon

The Latin-English term icon (from the Greek Ikone/Ikon for "little picture") denotes in computer science a small picture or pictogram that, as part of a graphical interface, often identifies a file or a directory and, in a similar way on buttons, a command to the applications.

IMAP

The Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), originally Interactive Mail Access Protocol, is a network protocol that provides a network file system for emails.

IMAP is a text-based protocol for accessing emails located on a mail server. A mail client makes requests to the server only for currently needed information. If a user wants to see the content of a folder, for example, the client fetches a current message list of the relevant folder from the server. If the content of a mail is to be displayed, it is loaded from the server. Since all data remains on the server, all clients – even when using several clients – display the same, current data set of a mailbox. In addition, local storage of the data becomes unnecessary and advanced capabilities such as searching mails are performed server-side.

Intangible goods

Intangible goods are non-physical assets; these include services and rights. They belong, alongside tangible goods, to the economic goods.

Intranet

An intranet (Latin intra "within" and English net) is a computer network that, unlike the internet, can be used independently of the public network. An intranet is not publicly accessible and can offer other, additional or restricted functions.

IonCube

The ionCube is a proprietary PHP encoder and thus a module or a library for protected functions in PHP applications. ionCube converts the readable source code of PHP files into no longer readable bytecode and thereby achieves higher performance. For this, so-called ionCube loaders must be installed or loaded at the required time.

ionCube is also used by brainX to encrypt the source code.

IP address

An IP address is an address in computer networks that – like the internet – is based on the Internet Protocol (IP). It is assigned to devices that are connected to the network and makes the devices addressable and thus reachable. The IP address can designate a single recipient or a group of recipients (multicast, broadcast). Conversely, several IP addresses can be assigned to a computer.

The IP address is used above all to be able to transport data from its sender to the intended recipient.

ISO-8859-1

ISO-8859-1 (Latin-1, Western European) is, alongside US-ASCII and UTF-8 (a Unicode encoding), a frequently used encoding for Latin scripts.

J

JavaScript

JavaScript (JS for short) is a scripting language originally developed in 1995 by Netscape for dynamic HTML in web browsers in order to evaluate user interactions, change, reload or generate content and thus extend the possibilities of HTML.

JSON

The JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is a compact data format in an easily readable text form for data exchange between applications. JSON is independent of programming languages. Parsers and generators exist in all common languages.

K

KPI

The term Key Performance Indicator (KPI) or performance metric refers, in business administration, to metrics by means of which the progress or degree of fulfillment with regard to important objectives or critical success factors within an organization can be measured and/or determined.

L

LDAP

The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a network protocol for querying and modifying information of distributed directory services.

LDAP is based on the client-server model and is used with so-called directory services. It describes the communication between the LDAP client and the directory server. From such a directory, object-related data, such as personal data or computer configurations, can be read out. Communication takes place on the basis of queries.

Link

Link → See Hyperlink.

List view

The list view is one of the central views in brainX. It displays all records of a module in tabular form and enables the quick searching, filtering, sorting and grouping of entries.

Via the list view, mass actions can also be applied to several records simultaneously. The displayed columns can be individually configured via a custom list view.

Login

Login (from "(to) log in") refers to the process of logging into a computer system at a specific service. Usually, the process serves to tell the system that a session is now beginning and that the user wishes to be associated with a user account.

Logging into a system is often done by requesting a username and a password. After successful authentication, the user receives personalized access to the system, with permissions defined by a user profile. With the login, a so-called session begins, which is ended by a logout.

Logout

Logout refers to the process by which a user logs out of a computer system.

Usually, the process serves to tell the system that a legitimate user is ending their session.

M

Module dashboard

In the detail view of a record – unless the compact module view has been set – the tabs "Detail Information" and "More Information" are available.

In addition to these two tabs, the "Module Dashboard" tab provides a further source of information that can be composed from information from both standard tabs.

For a module dashboard, special widgets can be created that serve to display the data.

The detailed description for creating a module dashboard can be found in the section Dashboard Tab in the handbook.

Module manager

The module manager is an administration area in brainX through which administrators can configure modules. This includes, among other things, the creation and editing of custom fields, layouts, picklists and custom actions.

Access to the module manager is restricted to users with corresponding administrator rights.

Mouseover

The mouseover effect refers to the display area or popup window that opens as soon as a user leaves the mouse pointer on a functional element of an application program, a web page or a toolbar.

MQL

MQL (abbreviation: Marketing Qualified Lead) is a term from marketing and refers to a lead whose interest in the product or service range of a brand or company has been aroused through their marketing measures.
Marketing Qualified Leads are considered leads that are more likely to become customers. Often, MQLs are leads that have deliberately engaged with a product or manufacturer – e.g. by visiting the website.

MRR

MRR (abbreviation: Monthly Recurring Revenue) is a metric for companies with subscription models. It indicates how much plannable, recurring revenue is generated per month.

MRR is a central control metric particularly in the SaaS environment, as it improves the predictability of revenue and serves as a basis for growth analyses.

N

NAS

NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a storage system that is accessible over a network and serves for central data storage and sharing.

O

OAuth

OAuth is an open security protocol for token-based authorization and authentication on the internet. Web services of a third-party provider can access external resources without usernames and passwords having to be disclosed. Services from Google or Microsoft, for example, use OAuth.

Opt Out

Opt-out (from "to opt (for something)", to decide for (or against) something) refers, in permission marketing, to a procedure in which advertising is sent or personal data is stored unless the person concerned has actively objected to it. The model forms the opposite of the opt-in procedure, in which advertising or storage presupposes prior consent from the person concerned.

In the narrower sense, opt-out in email marketing also refers to technical functions in distribution systems for newsletters that allow the recipient to remove themselves from the distribution list.

Organization

Multi-tenancy enables an IT system or a software application to support several separate units (tenants) simultaneously and securely.

Each of these units can manage its own data and country-specific settings in the same environment, which promotes data protection and individual customization options.

P

PBX

PBX stands for Private Branch Exchange and is a private telephone network within a company or an organization. The users of a PBX telephone system can make calls both within their company or organization and with the outside world. Various communication channels such as Voice over IP (VoIP), ISDN or analog can be used for this.

In addition, a PBX allows more telephones than physical telephone lines (PTSN) to be used, as well as free calls between users within a network. A PBX offers numerous functional features such as call forwarding, answering machine, voice recordings, interactive voice menus (IVRs) and call queues.

PDF

The Portable Document Format (PDF for short) is a platform-independent file format for files that was developed by the company Adobe Systems and published in 1993.

One of the most widely used PDF readers is – in addition to numerous other programs – the (free) Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.

PDF template

A PDF template in brainX is a preconfigured document layout used for the automated creation of PDF documents – e.g. quotes, invoices or contracts. Templates can be filled with placeholders for data field values from the respective record.

The management of PDF templates takes place in the Global Settings under PDF Templates.

PHP

PHP (recursive acronym and backronym for "PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor", originally "Personal Home Page Tools") is a server-side interpreted scripting language used mainly for creating dynamic web pages or web applications.

PHP is distributed as free software under the PHP license. PHP is characterized by broad database support and internet protocol integration as well as the availability of numerous function libraries.

Picklist

A picklist (also known as a list box or list field) is a control element (control, component) of a graphical user interface (GUI). It is used to display entries that can be selected by the user in list form. The entries are usually data of a textual nature.

With a picklist, only one term from the list can be selected at a time. With a multi-picklist, the selection of several picklist values is possible.

PIN

A Personal Identification Number (PIN) is a sequence of digits known only to one person and with which that person can authenticate themselves to a machine. The terms PIN number or PIN code are also frequently used. In the narrower sense, PINs are numeric passwords.

PLAIN

Plain text refers to data that can be converted directly into text using a character encoding.

In relation to brainX, this is particularly relevant for emails. In plain text mails, only the plain text is sent without any formatting of color, font, font size, images, etc. These formattings are only possible in an HTML email.

Port

A port (network address) or port number is, in computer networks, a network address with which the operating system assigns the data packets of a transport protocol to a process. Together with the IP address, the port enables the addressing of a server or client. By specifying source and destination address, each consisting of IP address and port, it is possible to uniquely identify an existing connection.

PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation program from Microsoft. PowerPoint is part of the Microsoft Office 365 subscription and is available for both Windows and macOS.

PowerPoint files are saved in the PPTX format.

PPTX

After Microsoft previously used the proprietary, not openly documented format .ppt for PowerPoint files, the presentations have been saved by default in the Office Open XML format (.pptx) since PowerPoint 2007 or 2008.

Product block

In all product-related modules (Sales Orders, Purchase Orders, Credits, Invoices and Cancellations), the product block is available in the detail view of a record.

In the product block, any number of products and/or services from the modules Products and Services can be selected and added.

Proxy Server

A proxy is a communication interface in a network. It works as an intermediary that accepts requests on one side in order to then establish a connection to the other side via its own address.

The proxy can form an interface between the private network and the public network. The clients of the private network thus access, for example, web servers of the public network via the proxy.

When the proxy is used as a network component, the actual address of a communication partner remains hidden from the respective other communication partner, which creates a certain anonymity. As a (possible) link between different networks, it can, on the other hand, establish a connection between communication partners even when their addresses are incompatible with each other and a direct connection is not possible.

Q

QR code

The QR code (Quick Response, as a brand term "QR Code") is a two-dimensional code developed by the Japanese company Denso Wave in 1994. Due to an automatic error correction, this method is very robust and therefore widely used.

The QR code consists of a square matrix of black and white squares that represent the encoded data in binary. A special marking in three of the four corners of the square specifies the orientation. The data in the QR code is protected by an error-correcting code. As a result, the loss of up to 30% of the code is tolerated, i.e. it can still be decoded.

Many mobile phones and PDAs have a built-in camera and software that enable the interpretation of QR codes.

The encoded representation of a web address is widespread, used in magazines, information sheets or in large format on advertising posters. The advantage of this method is that the laborious typing is eliminated. In addition to URLs, QR codes in practice contain, for example, telephone numbers, addresses, informative texts, premium SMS, VCards, WLAN access data or geodata.

Quick creation

Quick creation is a function in brainX with which a new record can be created directly from the list view or via a short form, without opening the complete edit mask. It usually contains only the most important mandatory fields.

Quick Edit

Quick edit allows the modification of a field value of a record in the detail view and list view without having to open the complete record in the edit view.
The field to be edited can be edited by a double-click on the field itself.

R

Regex

A regex is a so-called "regular expression". A regular expression (abbreviation RegExp or Regex) is, in computer science, a character string that serves to describe sets of character strings with the help of certain syntactic rules. Regular expressions can be used as filter criteria in text searches by matching the text against the pattern of the regular expression.

As an introduction to the – quite complex – subject of regex, numerous tutorials on the web are recommended.

To test a regex online, there are likewise numerous sites. A recommendable site is https://regex101.com/.

Relations

The Relations tab is a fixed component of the detail view of a record in brainX. It shows linked (referenced) records from other modules, grouped in blocks.

Via the configure module selection, it can be defined which modules should be displayed in the Relations tab. The order of the blocks can be adjusted by drag & drop.

The detail view is fundamentally divided into three tabs: Information, Relations and Dashboard.

Further information can be found in the section Relations Tab in the handbook.

Responsive Design

With responsive design, a web page is displayed differently depending on the screen size and the device used in order to ensure a user-friendly experience. This method is chosen by web designers to guarantee a user-friendly website regardless of the end device.
The design of a "responsive" website is based on the requirements of the respective device with which the website is accessed. This concerns in particular the design of navigations, page columns, texts as well as different input methods via mouse and touchscreen devices. The technical basis for this is formed by the modern web standards HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript.

REST

Representational State Transfer (abbreviated REST) is a paradigm for the software architecture of distributed systems, in particular for web services.

REST is a kind of software architecture with which any interface between different systems that use HTTP for their communication is described. The REST paradigm states that during data transfer between two clients, no information is retained by the data transfer service itself – the traffic is one-off and self-contained.

REST API

A REST API (also known as a RESTful API) is an API (Application Programming Interface) or web API that is subject to the constraints of the REST architecture and enables interactions with RESTful web services. REST stands for "Representational State Transfer".

An API consists of several tools, definitions and protocols for the development and integration of application software. APIs can be thought of as intermediaries between users or clients and the resources or web services they need.

S

SaaS

SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) refers to service packages based on cloud computing for the provision of application software that companies and organizations use in the implementation of their internal processes. The services associated with the provision are offered and provided by specialized providers over the internet (on the basis of already existing internet infrastructure).

SEPA

SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) is a European standard for cashless payments in euros. It standardizes transfers, direct debits and card payments within the participating countries.

In the context of brainX APP, SEPA is relevant for the automated collection of payments by SEPA direct debit on the basis of payment mandates.

Session

A session refers, in IT, to a standing connection of a client (e.g. browser) with a server. The beginning of a session is referred to as login, the end as logout.

SFTP

The SSH File Transfer Protocol or Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) is an alternative to the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) designed for the Secure Shell (SSH) that enables encryption.

Unlike FTP over TLS (FTPS), SFTP makes do with a single connection between client and server.

SFTP Server

From an SFTP server, files can be downloaded, files can be uploaded and the folder structure on the server can be viewed and modified. The transfer via SFTP is encrypted with the SSH standard.

SLA

SLA (abbreviation: Service Level Agreement) is a contractual agreement between a service provider and a customer that establishes defined quality and performance standards – e.g. guaranteed response or resolution times in support.

In the context of brainX Service, SLAs can be used to control response times for tickets and to monitor compliance with service agreements.

SMTP

The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is a protocol of the internet protocol family that serves the exchange of emails in computer networks. It is used primarily for feeding in and forwarding emails. For collecting messages, other, specialized protocols such as POP3 or IMAP are used. SMTP servers traditionally accept connections on port 25 ("smtp").

Soft Bounce

The term "bounce" is used in connection with the sending of emails. When an email cannot be delivered to an email server, this is referred to as a bounce.

Soft bounces normally indicate a temporary delivery problem.

Possible reasons why a hard bounce can occur with an email:

• Mailbox is full (over quota).
• Mailbox is not configured correctly.
• Mailbox is inactive.
• Recipient's email server has failed or is offline.
• Too many emails have been sent to the recipient's email server over time.
• The email message is too large.
• Domain name does not exist.
• Email message blocked due to content.
• The email message does not comply with the policies of the recipient server.
• The email message does not meet the DMARC requirements of the recipient server for authentication.
• The email message does not comply with the anti-spam requirements of the recipient server.
• The email message does not comply with the anti-virus requirements of the recipient server.
• The email message does not comply with the sender requirements of the recipient server.
• Emails cannot be forwarded between email servers.
• Emails cannot be forwarded for unknown reasons.

See also Hard Bounce.

SQL

SQL is a database language for defining data structures in relational databases as well as for editing (inserting, changing, deleting) and querying data sets based on them.

SQL database

A database, also called a database system (DBS), is a system for electronic data management. The essential task of a database system is to store large amounts of data efficiently, consistently and permanently and to provide required subsets in different, needs-based presentation forms for users and application programs.

An SQL database uses the database language SQL.

SSH

Secure Shell or SSH refers both to a network protocol and to corresponding programs with the help of which one can establish, in a secure manner, an encrypted network connection with a remote device. This method is frequently used to make a remote command line available locally, that is, on a local console the outputs of the remote console are displayed and the local keyboard inputs are sent to the remote computer. This can be used, for example, for remote maintenance of a server located in a remote data center. The newer protocol version SSH-2 offers further functions such as data transfer via SFTP.

Subject

"Subject" refers to the header of an email. The subject establishes a relationship of the sender and/or the recipient to a matter, a required action or an event. It is important short information for the recipient about the content of the mail and should therefore not be missing. Given the increasing number of unwanted emails (UBE/UCE/spam), the importance of the subject field grows, as unwanted messages can often already be recognized by the subject.

T

Tab

A tab, also called a register card, is a control element of a graphical user interface that is modeled on a register sheet from filing cabinets.

Tabs also serve, among other things, as navigation elements in HTML pages. By clicking the corresponding tab, another register card is brought to the foreground, whereby the information and any settings made on the previously used register cards remain intact.

Tag

The term "tag" (plural "tags") comes from English and means "keyword" or "label". Tags are used to categorize content and topics.

TAN

A transaction number (TAN) is a one-time password that usually consists of six decimal digits and is used predominantly in online banking. A transaction number is usually required to confirm a single transaction.

Tangible goods

A good in the sense of economics is a tangible economic good that is the object of trade in goods and can be considered as an object of use of goods.

Ticket

A ticket in brainX is a record in the Service module that documents a customer inquiry, a support case or an internal matter. Tickets can be assigned to a user, prioritized and given a status in order to track processing in a structured way.

The ticket system is part of the function package brainX Service.

Time zone

A time zone is an area extending on the earth between south and north, consisting of several states (and parts of larger states), in which the same, state-regulated time, i.e. the same zone time, applies.

In Germany, for example, the time zone CET (Central European Time UTC +1) or CEST (Central European Summer Time UTC +2) applies.

To

"To" refers to the header of an email and contains the recipients of an email. One or more email addresses separated by commas to which the email is primarily sent. All other email addresses are also disclosed to each recipient.

Tooltip

A tooltip is a small popup window in application programs or web pages. It shows a description of an element of the graphical user interface.

The tooltip appears when the mouse pointer remains motionless over the corresponding element for a short time.

TOTP

The Time-based One-time Password Algorithm (TOTP) is a method for generating time-limited one-time passwords based on the Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC), which is used in the context of authentication.

The method is one of the time-controlled password generators and is used, for example, in the context of authentication when a user (sender) logs in to a web server (recipient) within the framework of a two-factor authentication, in addition to a conventional password.

Two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication, abbreviation "2FA", refers to the identity verification of a user by means of the combination of two different and, in particular, independent components (factors).
Typical examples are bank card plus PIN at the ATM, fingerprint plus access code in buildings, or passphrase and transaction number (TAN) in online banking.

For two-factor authentication using time-based one-time passwords (TOTP) for websites, there are, for example, special apps.

Password managers such as LastPass, Bitwarden, 1Password, iCloud Keychain, Proton Pass or KeePass also support two-factor authentication.

U

URL

A Uniform Resource Locator (abbreviation URL) identifies and locates a resource, for example a website, via the access method to be used (for example the network protocol used such as HTTP or FTP) and the location of the resource in computer networks.

URLs are a subtype of the general identification designation by means of Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs). Since URLs represent the first and most common type of URIs, the terms are frequently used synonymously.

In common usage, URLs are also referred to as internet address or web address, whereby (following the colloquially frequent equation of internet and WWW) usually URLs of web pages specifically are meant.

UTC

Coordinated Universal Time, UTC for short, is the world time valid today. From a time specification in UTC, the corresponding Central European Time (CET) valid in Germany, Austria and other Central European states results by adding one hour. The Central European Summer Time (CEST) valid in summer is obtained by adding two hours, see also time zone.

UTF-8

UTF-8 (abbreviation for 8-bit UCS Transformation Format) is the most widely used encoding for Unicode characters. With the UTF-8 encoding, each Unicode character is assigned a specially encoded character string of variable length. In doing so, UTF-8 supports character strings up to a length of four bytes, onto which – as with all UTF formats – all Unicode characters can be mapped.

Letters of the English alphabet are displayed identically in UTF-8 and ISO-8859-1.

V

VCard

A VCard is an "electronic business card" that a user can transfer with a mouse click, e.g. directly into the address book of their email program (e.g. Outlook).

VCards can be embedded in HTML, sent as file attachments to an email or be present as a QR code.

The usual file name extension for VCard files is *.vcf = "VCard file".

VoIP

IP telephony (short for Internet Protocol telephony as well as internet telephony) or Voice over IP (VoIP for short; from voice over internet protocol, voice transmission over the Internet Protocol), is telephoning over computer networks.

IP telephony is a technique that makes it possible to realize the telephone service on IP infrastructure, so that it can replace conventional telephone technology including ISDN and all components.

Among the call participants, computers, telephone terminals specialized in IP telephony or classic telephones connected via special adapters can establish the connection.

W

Watermark

Watermarks are visible or invisible markings embedded in digital media such as documents, images and videos in order to indicate or protect their authenticity, authorship or integrity.

Webhook

A webhook is a mechanism for the automated, event-driven communication between web applications in which one application automatically sends a notification (a "message" or "payload") to another when a particular event (e.g. a new order, a code commit) occurs, instead of the receiving application having to constantly ask (polling).
Webhooks are like "reverse APIs" or user-defined HTTP callbacks that send data in real time via HTTP POST requests, making system integrations more efficient and faster.

Webservices

Web services are programming interfaces (API) of an online service.

Widgets

A control element or operating element (graphical control element or widget) is an interaction element in a graphical user interface (GUI).

Workflow

A workflow executes one or more workflow tasks (field update, email sending, etc.) – possibly only upon the occurrence of freely definable workflow conditions – automatically when a record is saved.

Workflows are used in brainX, for example, in automations and are used there in the actions.

WYSIWYG

WYSIWYG is the acronym for the basic idea "What You See Is What You Get" – also known as true image representation. With true WYSIWYG, a document is displayed on the screen during editing exactly as it looks when output via another device, e.g. a printer.

X

XML

XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a markup language used to store and transport data.

Y

Youtube

YouTube is a video portal founded in 2005 by the US company YouTube, LLC, since 2006 a subsidiary of Google LLC, based in San Bruno, California. Users can view, rate, comment on and upload video clips on the portal free of charge.

Z

ZIP

The ZIP file format (from English zipper) is a format for losslessly compressed files that, on the one hand, reduces the space requirement during archiving and, on the other hand, functions as a container file in which several related files or even entire directory trees can be combined. The file extension for zip-archived files is .zip.

ZUGFeRD

ZUGFeRD (Zentraler User Guide des Forums elektronische Rechnung Deutschland) is a German format for electronic invoices that embeds structured invoice data (XML) into a PDF file. As a result, the invoice is both human-readable and machine-processable.

ZUGFeRD is based on the European standard EN 16931 and is one of the formats approved in Germany for fulfilling the eInvoicing obligation in the B2B area.

brainX Billing supports the creation of ZUGFeRD invoices.

Further information can be found in the section ZUGFeRD in the handbook.