Why are use Configuration Contexts in Aurena?

I think the functionality is neat, but I can't see myself using it. Maintaining multiple contexts would be administration hell. I would have preferred that IFS focused on missing features like sticky notes for example.

I am glad you asked...

We are evaluating Aurena right now. Primarily for use on the shop floor for tablets and phones. But, we are having a hard time finding a suitable setup. At first, contexts looks like an feature that could solve some of the problems. You can have setups for individual departments and work tasks. Something very important when you try to make it work on a phone, where there is only space for a few elements.

However, as @Jur points out, every time you add a scope or context, you add to administration and maintenance.  Imaging you have five departments each with it own scope. To make a change to a page,  five times you will have to open the scope, click your way into the right object, make the change, save, publish. Add to that the the page designer (we are on 10.10) still feels clumsy, lacking functionality and buggy.

I was excited when I learned that you can include the scrope_id in the url. That opens some possibilities, where you can navigate to a page tailored for 1 specific tasks (still on the phone with limited space). However, it does not work with a filter, which is essential. 

Also, when you use a scope, it will often be part of a sequence, where you navigate through a number of pages. Like this workflow I tried.

• Show a lobby with available shop orders.
• Click on the order will lead you to the operations, where you can assign yourself.
  (you can navigate to the right order, but you cannot have a scope that hides everything else but the assign button. And you cannot have it to preselect the current user or other settings you might have.)
• After assigning, move to the workbench where you can start working on the order.
  (you cannot navigate to the workbench with a filter that select the order you just assigned to. And you cannot set the workbench to open with your assigned operations. You will have search or activate it every time)
• When you are on the workbench, navigate to the lobby with the order list to start assign a new operations.
  (You cannot navigate to a lobby from a page)

I was hoping that contexts could replace some customizations, but I am less optimistic now that I have worked with it.

I only see a direct solution for handling items per company. At a lower level (user, etc), it becomes a mess from a maintenance point of view. I agree on that with some of the earlier replies.