Archer-Expert Archer Certified Administrator-Expert Questions and Answers

Dynamic Filtering is a sophisticated feature that allows Archer to filter data based on the context of the current record or the current user. In Archer Administration II , this is highlighted as a tool for improving the user experience by reducing "data noise."

Record Lookup (A): Allows you to filter the available records in a lookup based on a value in the current record (e.g., only show "Users" that belong to the "Department" selected on the form).

Calculated Cross Reference (B): Uses dynamic logic to automatically link records based on matching field values.

Report Object (C): When a report is placed on a record as a "Record-Level Report," Dynamic Filtering ensures the report only shows data related to that specific record (e.g., showing only "Findings" related to "Asset A" when viewing Asset A).

Advanced Search (D) does NOT support Dynamic Filtering in the same "contextual" sense; Advanced Searches use static filters or "Current User" filters, but they do not dynamically react to field values in a specific source record during the search build process like the other three objects.

While the Data Feed Manager (Option C) is primarily used to bring data into Archer, the Data Publication Service (DPS) is the specific tool designed to push data out of Archer into an external SQL Server database. As taught in the Data Integration module of Administration II, Data Publication allows an administrator to define a "Publication Task" that maps Archer applications and levels to external database tables.

This is the ideal solution for Sarah's HR request because the HR department can then point their own reporting tools or databases to that external "target" database without ever needing an Archer login. Data Gateway (Option B) is a legacy term or refers to specific API connectors, and Data Import (Option D) is strictly for ingestion. Data Publication ensures that the most recent "Golden Record" of the business hierarchy in Archer is synchronized to the external environment on a scheduled basis, maintaining data consistency across the enterprise.

Archer is a Windows-based enterprise application that relies on the Microsoft technology stack. As detailed in the Archer Installation and Troubleshooting guide, there are three primary prerequisites for a successful deployment:

IIS (Internet Information Services): This is the web server that hosts the Archer web interface and APIs.

SQL Server: Archer requires a Microsoft SQL Server database to store all application data, metadata, and the instance configurations.

Microsoft .NET Framework: Archer is built on .NET; specific versions (such as 4.7.2 or higher, depending on the Archer version) must be installed for the web and service components to function.

Apache (Option A) is an alternative web server used primarily for Linux-based environments and is not a prerequisite or a supported web server for the Archer platform.

In the Questionnaires and Assessment Maintenance curriculum, the Question Library acts as a "blueprint" for the final assessment. When you add a record to the Library, you aren't just adding text; you are defining the metadata for a future field.

The Question Type (e.g., Numeric, Values List, Text) and Display Format (e.g., Radio Buttons vs. Dropdown) are mandatory because they tell the Archer platform how to dynamically generate the user interface when a Questionnaire is launched. When a target record is created from a template, Archer looks at these library fields to determine which database column types to use and how the web browser should render the interaction. Without this information, the system would not know whether to provide a text box for a comment or a list of "Yes/No" options for the respondent.

In Archer, the ability to perform a data import is governed by Access Roles , not strictly by high-level system administrative accounts. Under the "Rights" tab of an Access Role configuration, there is a specific permission labeled "Data Import." According to the Archer Administration II curriculum, any user assigned to a role with this right enabled—and who also possesses "Create" or "Update" permissions for the target application—can utilize the Data Import tool.

While a System Administrator (Option A) inherently has these rights, the platform is designed for delegated administration. Therefore, a business user or a "Power User" can be granted the specific ability to import data without having full system-wide control. Options B and C are incorrect because "Report Administrators" focus on dashboard and report metadata, and while an administrator might create a custom group named "Data Import," no such hard-coded group exists by default in the Archer out-of-the-box security model. The granularity of Archer's security ensures that data integrity is maintained by linking the import capability directly to the user's functional role and application-level permissions.

In Advanced Workflow (AWF) , logic-based branching is handled by the Evaluate Content node. As taught in the Advanced Workflow Beyond the Basics course, this node acts as a "decision engine" within the workflow. An administrator configures one or more rules within the node that evaluate the fields of the record currently in the workflow.

Based on whether these rules evaluate to true or false, the record is routed down different paths (outbound transitions). For example, an Evaluate Content node might check the "Risk Rating" of a record; if the rating is "High," it transitions to an Executive Approval node; if it is "Low," it transitions directly to the Archive node. This is distinct from a User Action node (Option D), where the path is chosen manually by a person, or an Update Content node (Option B), which simply changes a field value without necessarily redirecting the workflow path.

In a Single-Server Installation (typically used for Sandbox, Development, or small-scale environments), the goal is to consolidate the entire Archer architecture onto one machine. According to the Archer Administration II setup guides, this means the Web Server (IIS), the Archer Services (Job Engine, Indexing), the Advanced Workflow (AWF) service, and the SQL Server Instance Database must all reside on that single host.

While production environments favor a distributed model (Option B) for performance and redundancy, a single-server setup requires that all roles are configured to point to "localhost" or the local server's IP. The administrator must ensure the server has sufficient CPU and RAM to handle the overlapping resource demands of the SQL database engine and the Archer web services simultaneously. Options C and D describe "Distributed" or "Hybrid" models, which contradict the definition of a single-server installation.

The Data Import Wizard offers three distinct processing modes: "Add New Records," "Update Existing Records," and "Add New and Update Existing Records." According to the Archer Administration II curriculum, the "Update Existing Records" mode is highly restrictive. It is used when an administrator only wants to modify records that already reside in the system.

During the import, Archer uses the specified Key Field(s) to find matches between the source file and the target application. If a match is found, the existing record is updated with the new data from the source file. However, if a row in the source file does not have a corresponding match in Archer, that row is simply ignored and discarded . No new records are created. This is a safety measure to prevent the accidental creation of "orphan" or duplicate data when the intent is strictly maintenance of existing content. If an administrator wishes to both update matches and create new records for non-matches, they must specifically choose the "Add New and Update Existing Records" (Upsert) option.

In the Archer Security Parameters configuration (found in the Archer Control Panel or the Administration workspace), administrators define the "Maximum login attempts." According to the Archer Administration II curriculum, when a user exceeds this threshold (e.g., five failed attempts), the system automatically updates their account status to Locked .

It is important to distinguish "Locked" from "Inactive" or "Disabled." An Inactive or Disabled account usually implies an administrative action or a termination of the user's employment. A Locked status is a temporary security measure triggered by the system to prevent "brute force" attacks. Depending on the Security Parameter settings, a locked account may automatically unlock after a specified duration (e.g., 30 minutes), or it may require an administrator to manually click the "Unlock" button within the user's profile. This distinction allows administrators to run reports specifically on "Locked" users to identify potential security threats or users who simply need assistance with their credentials.

In the Data Feed Manager , the "Target Record Processing" setting on the Run Configuration tab determines how Archer handles records that are not present in the current source file. As taught in Archer Administration II , selecting the Delete radio button (often referred to as a "destructive feed" or "mirroring") instructs Archer to compare the source file to the target application.

If the feed finds records in the target application that do not match the keys provided in the source file, it will delete them. In this scenario, since there are only 20 entries in the source file, Archer will keep (or create) those 20 records and delete the remaining 80 records that were already in the system but were missing from the source. Consequently, the final count in the target application will be 20. This setting is typically used for synchronization tasks where Archer must exactly match an external "system of record." Administrators are cautioned when using this setting, as it can lead to massive data loss if the source file is accidentally truncated or filtered incorrectly.

In the Archer Questionnaire platform, "Target" records (the actual assessments sent to users) are dynamically linked to the Questionnaire Template . Unlike standard applications where record data is "frozen" in the database structure, Questionnaires are highly sensitive to template changes.

According to the Questionnaires and Assessment Maintenance curriculum, if you delete a question from a template, that question (and any responses previously provided) will disappear from all records currently using that template, including existing ones. Conversely, if you add a new question, it will immediately appear on all active assessments that have not yet been "submitted" or "locked." This is why Archer administrators are strictly cautioned to version their questionnaires or "retire" old templates rather than modifying an active one mid-campaign. Making direct changes to an active template causes immediate, global updates across the entire record set, potentially leading to data loss for the deleted items and unexpected work for users seeing the new items.

This statement is TRUE and represents the standard architecture for Federated Single Sign-On. In the context of SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language), Archer acts as the Service Provider (SP) , which is the application the user wants to access. The Identity Provider (IdP) , such as Okta, PingFederate, or Azure AD, is the system that holds the user's credentials and performs the actual authentication.

As detailed in the Archer installation and security guides, when a user attempts to log into Archer via SAML, Archer sends an authentication request to the IdP. The IdP authenticates the user and sends a "SAML Assertion" (a signed digital token) back to Archer. Archer then validates this token and allows the user access without them ever having to type their password directly into the Archer interface. This workflow is a cornerstone of modern enterprise security, allowing for centralized identity management and the enforcement of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) at the IdP level.

In Archer, not every field created in an application is automatically indexed for searching. Within the Field Properties (General Tab), there is a checkbox titled "Searchable." As taught in Archer Administration II , if this option is unchecked, the field will be invisible to the Advanced Search tool.

This is often done by administrators to improve system performance or to hide technical "helper" fields (like those used in calculations or DDEs) that have no business value for end-user reporting. If a field is missing from the "Available" list in the search builder, the administrator must go back to the Application Builder, edit the field's properties, and ensure the "Searchable" checkbox is enabled. Option B (Key Field) would actually make the field more prominent, and Options C and D do not control the visibility of fields within the Advanced Search interface.

This question reinforces a critical security concept in Archer Administration II . LDAP Synchronization is not just a "one-time" user creation tool; it is a lifecycle management service. While it does create accounts and associate groups, its most vital ongoing function is the synchronization of state .

If a user's title changes in Active Directory, the next LDAP sync will update that title in Archer, ensuring that reports and workflows based on user attributes remain accurate. Furthermore, if a user is removed from the corporate directory, the LDAP sync identifies them as a "Missing Person" based on the administrator's configuration and can automatically deactivate the Archer account. This automated deactivation is a core compliance requirement for most organizations to ensure that terminated employees lose access to sensitive GRC data immediately. Options A and C are incorrect because they use the word "Only," which ignores the broader, dynamic maintenance capabilities of the service.

While Archer has been aggressively moving toward the RESTful API (Option C) for modern integrations, the ability to execute an existing Archer Report and retrieve the results has historically been a core function of the SOAP API (Web Services). Specifically, the SearchSvc (Search Service) within the SOAP API includes the ExecuteSearch and SearchRecordsByReport methods.

According to the Archer Administration II technical integration documents, the RESTful API is primarily designed for CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete) on individual records and metadata. While newer versions of the REST API are expanding, the legacy SOAP Web Services remain the primary, verified method for triggering a pre-defined "Saved Report" via an external call. The Content API (Option D) is a subset of the RESTful API focused on record data but lacks the high-level report execution engine found in the SOAP services.

In Archer, Values List fields are strictly validated against the pre-defined options in the field configuration. During a manual Data Import , if the source file contains a value that does not exactly match an existing entry in the Values List, the import for that specific record (or the entire process, depending on settings) will fail.

According to the Archer Administration II guide, for the import to succeed with new data, the administrator must first enable the "Create new values for Values List fields" option in the Data Import settings. If this is not enabled, Archer treats the unknown value as an error. This is a critical data integrity feature that prevents "dirty data" from entering the system. Unlike a Data Feed, which has more advanced "lookup" and "creation" logic, the Data Import tool is less flexible by default to ensure administrators are consciously deciding whether to expand the application's metadata.

The RESTful API in Archer utilizes the OData (Open Data Protocol) standard to provide powerful querying capabilities. According to the Archer Administration II integration documentation, OData allows developers to use specific URL parameters—such as $filter, $select, $top, and $orderby—to refine the data returned by the API.

Without OData, a REST call might return every field for every record in an application, leading to significant overhead and slow response times. By using OData, the client can "narrow down the responses" by requesting only specific fields (using $select) or only records that meet certain criteria (using $filter). This is fundamentally different from the SOAP API (Options B and D), which relies on structured XML search requests. OData is what makes the RESTful API efficient for mobile applications and external integrations that require specific, lightweight data payloads.

The Data Import tool is designed for strict adherence to application business rules. According to the Archer Administration II curriculum, required fields are mandatory for the creation of any record. If a source file contains even a single row that is missing data for a "Required" field, the validation engine will trigger an error.

Unlike the Data Feed Manager , which can be configured to "Skip" errors and continue, a standard Data Import is an "all or nothing" operation by default when it encounters critical structural failures like missing required data. The import process will stop, and no records from that file will be committed to the database. This ensures that the application does not end up with "broken" records that bypass the logic intended by the administrator. To fix this, the administrator must either populate the missing data in the source file or temporarily make the field "Not Required" in the application builder before re-attempting the import.