Creating Inbound Interfaces for External Data

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Creating Inbound Interfaces for External Data

• Session 10110

Scott Beebe AMX International
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Professional Experience

• 5 years as a windows programmer
• Involved in many software projects from inception
  of product to release.
• Used tools such as VB, Delphi, VC, SQL
• 6 years as a OneWorld/E1 Developer.
• Have created many types of interfaces with 3rd
  party products.
• From simple text file imports to TCP/IP socket
  communications.

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Professional Experience (Cont)

• 2 yrs as Associate editor of OW/E1 Technical Tips
  for the JDETips Journal from JDETips.com
• Regular contributor for Quest QA magazine for
  over 2 years.
• And I am still learning!!

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Intro

• How often do we need to interface with external
  systems?
• Most companies import data from external sources.
• Examples
• Payroll systems
• Time entry systems
• Sales Orders
• Cash receipts
• Etc.

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Intro

• Methods of receiving data from ext. systems
• Direct ODBC connection
• XML document
• EDI
• Text File
• CSV
• Fixed Length Record
• Most common method?
• Text file

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Designing Interface

• E1 gives us the tools to create interfaces.
• They dont tell you how best to use the tools to
  create an interface.
• Want to discuss general design methodology

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Incoming Data

• 2 different methods for dealing with incoming
  data.
• Interactive
• Batch

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Interactive

• Normally uses business functions.
• Through COM, JAVA, API, etc.
• Not used very often.

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Batch

• Used most often.
• Normally uses Z files.

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Design

• Have created many interfaces to import data.
• Each time I refined the design.
• Finally developed standard design for inbound
  batch interface.

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Process Flow
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Process Flow (cont.)
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Process Flow (cont.)
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Process Flow (cont.)
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Process Flow (cont.)
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Key Elements

• Network folder structure
• Master UBE
• Table conversion (or other method to read data
  from file)
• Standard Processing Option Template

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Network Folder Structure

• \\networkserver\interface\ltinterface_namegt\
• Used for processing
• \\networkserver\interface\ltinterface_namegt\ToProce
  ss\
• Place incoming files in this folder
• \\networkserver\interface\ltinterface_namegt\Complet
  ed\
• Place successfully processed files in this folder
• \\networkserver\interface\ltinterface_namegt\Error\
• Place files not processed successfully in this
  folder

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Master UBE

• Verify source paths and destination paths given
  in processing options
• Use Delete Or Copy Flat File to copy a test
  file.
• Example
• Copy file from source directory to processing
  location.
• Call the table conversion or other process to
  import data into appropriate Z file(s)
• Validate imported data as much as possible. I
  call this upfront validation. Check account
  numbers, address book numbers, etc.
• Example

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Master UBE (cont)

• If all data validates, call the appropriate Z
  file processors.
• Check Z file to see if all records processed.
• Example
• If using text files, copy source data file to a
  completed folder or error folder based on whether
  import was successful or not.
• Add date and time stamp to File Name.
• Ex. ReceiptData.txt.20040515_134500.txt
• Send email confirmation(s) about success or
  failure of the process.

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Table Conversion

• Easiest way to read text file.
• But, has inherent drawbacks
• TC rules to mitigate drawbacks
• Set up to process file in root folder for the
  interface
• Try to use ONLY assignment stmts to target table.
• Keep additional logic to very minimum

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Processing Option Template Tab 1 Default

• Source Directory (Alias CDCFPATH)
• Source File Name (Alias EMAIL)
• If only using single file name
• Otherwise omit
• Destination Directory (Alias CDCFPATH)
• Purge Flag (Alias EV01)

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Processing Option Template Tab 2 Versions

• Provide fields for versions for each Z file
  processor that needs to be run. (Alias VER)

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Processing Option Template Tab 3 Email
Confirmations

• Provide fields for addresses to which email
  confirmations should be sent (Alias EMAL)

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Questions

• Contact InfoScott BeebeAMX InternationalPho
  ne 801-362-3181Email sbeebe_at_amxinc.com