SAPLink / Inbound to SAP Processing

6min

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SAPLink is the inbound processing from your content repository to SAP.  This can be leveraged to execute a number of docuflow delivered functions in SAP or your own custom logic.  Thus, why we call SAPLink the "do anything pipe" into SAP.
There are three components involved in SAPLink processing:
Ensure the CMS document class/object type/metadata template has the required fields for SAPLink processing
Configuration a "rule" in the Enterprise Connector middleware: This determines what content is to be processed, when, and what (if any) metadata is to be transferred.  What is processing is dependent on the CMS system being used (outline more below).
Configuration of a corresponding DocManager rule in SAP that matches the document type configured in Step 2: This determines what action is to be performed in SAP (link a document, trigger custom code, start Accounts Payable workflow, etc.)
Note: the docuflow system account specified in the middleware must have access to the transaction /DFLOW/DOCUFLOWGTW in its security profile to execute inbound to SAP Jco calls.  Please refer to the section "Create SAP System Account" in the Base Installation and Configuration guide.
The inbound processing rule determines:
What is to be processed
What metadata is to be sent to SAP
How to configure a SAPLink rule in Enterprise Connector
Load up in the browser the onfigurator https://localhost:82/﻿
Under "Mappings" click inbound to SAP.
Hover over each of the input boxes in the UI to look at sample values for each input box.
Click Save.
Restart the docuflow service.
Notes
The DocManager rule in SAP determines what action is to be performed in SAP for each item "found" from a SAPLink rule in the connector.  
Each request is processing and calls a docuflow BAPI within the SAP, which then reads the DocManager rule configuration found for that doctype. 
There can only be one ArchiveLink document type and SAP business object combination ever configured in the DocManager configuration, thus avoid sharing document types across SAP object (to avoid an inbound collision). 
docuflow will then execute the configured action and pass back a return, either an error or success.  
In the case of a success, the trigger property is set too False to prevent a re-processing of that item found.  
In the case of an error, the error property, if relevant to your CMS system, will be updated.
In both scenarios, the docuflow username and time stamp fields are updated.
Upon a success SAPLink, metadata can also be enabled to be transferred back to your CMS system.
Rule Config: What is to be processed
Inbound to SAP entries search for documents that meet specific criteria and send the information to SAP for processing.  If processing completes successfully, the trigger property is adjusted so that the document is not processed again.  If the processing were to fail by default, the processing is tried again.  In order to not retry failed documents, adjustments can be made to the filter string to omit documents that were in error.  
Setting
Description
Sample Value(s)
Enable Inbound to SAP
If checked, configuration for Inbound to SAP is enabled and can be configured for inbound to SAP processing.
 
SAP
The SAP system to send document metadata too.
SAP DEV ED1
CMS
The CMS system to get document metadata from.
﻿
Trigger data Type
Data type by which the saplink rule is triggered. 
Task and Sign task type only applicable for Box workflow tasks.
Boolean, TimeStamp,
 task and signtask.
SAP Repo.
The SAP ArchiveLink repository that should be associated with this metadata being passed.
ZC
SAP Type
The SAP ArchiveLink document type associated with this metadata being passed.
ZCONTRACT
CMS Repo.
The content management system object store or repository.
 
For Box implementations, use “Default”
Default
CMS Type
The content management system document class, object type or metadata template to look for the requested metadata in.
scmContracts
Interval
The Inbound to SAP process searches for documents matching the configured criteria and then sends the information to SAP.  This interval determines how often the underlying content management system is searched.  
 
For Box implementations, setting this value less than 5 minutes has no value.
10
Trigger Prop.
The content management system property or attribute associated with when to trigger sending information to SAP.
﻿
By default, docuflow sets this property to True or False based on the result of a SAPLink call to SAP.  These values can be manipulated via the Config.properties file with the below entries:
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saplinkfalse.value=<value>  (for success)
saplinkerror.value=<value)   (for error)
docuflowSaplinkTrigger
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saplinkfalse.value=DoNotProcessSuccess
saplinkerror.value=DoNotProcessError
Type
The trigger property or attribute type.
 
Boolean triggers happen when the Boolean property or attribute is set to true.
 
Timestamp triggers happen when the configured date/time property or attribute has no value.
 
Currently, Box and M365 implementations only support Boolean trigger types (even though in Box the type is Single Value Dropdown Text and SharePoint is single line of text)
Boolean
Error Prop.
If an error happens while trying to process a particular file you can optionally store the error information in the content management system.
docuflowSaplinkError
Type
The error property or attribute type.
 
Boolean error types are only set to true if an error happens.
 
Timestamp error types only set a date/time stamp when an error happens.
 
String errors put as much of the error as they can into the configured error property or attribute.  This is the preferred configuration.
﻿
Currently M365 implementations only support String (single line of text) and Box supports Text.
String
Max
An optional setting to limit the number of entries returned when searching for documents.
 
A setting of 0 has no limit.
0
Filter
An optional (with FileNet and Documentum and implementations but required for Box) filter string to finely tune what is searched for in the underlying content management system. 
﻿
This is not applicable to SharePoint.
 
Refer to the where clause documentation for working with the Search Utility in the appendix for help configuring a filter clause.
 
For Documentum and FileNet filter clauses you must start with AND or OR since the documents are already being searched for by the configured trigger type so this additional filter logic needs to be added on with AND or OR notations.
 
Some examples are:
 
AND <insert error property name> IS NULL  
(which omits documents that have already errored when using a String based Error Property)

OR LastModifier <> ‘<insert DocuFlow FileNet Username>’
(which handles updates to documents as well as the first time they are created)
 
OR LastModifier <> ‘<insert DocuFlow FileNet Username>’ AND <insert error property name> IS NULL
(which omits error documents and also handles updates to documents)
 
OR r_modifier <> ‘<insert DocuFlow Documentum Username>’
(which handles updates to documents as well as the first time they are created)
 
OR r_modifier <> ‘<insert DocuFlow Documentum Username>’ AND <insert error property name> IS NULL
(which omits error documents and also handles updates to documents)
 
For Box implementations you must enter in a filter clause which is the input to the metadata search web service for Box.                                  
﻿
For SharePoint: this is not applicable
(Box example): Search API
mdfilters=[{"templateKey":"scmContracts",
"scope":"Hi enterprise","filters":{"docuflowSaplinkTrigger":"True"}}]
&limit=50&offset=0
 
(Box example): Metadata query:
{"from":"enterprise_761921826.metadatatemplate","query":"docuflowSaplinkEnabled = :value","query_params":{"value":"True"},"ancestor_folder_id":"131865107948"}
 
(FileNet example not including documents in error)
AND DocuFlow_SAPLinkError
IS NULL
Location
An optional location to further limit where documents are searched for.
 
This is only possible with FileNet and Documentum implementations and not possible with Box and SharePoint implementations.
 
Order By
An optional order by clause to order the returned results.  Make sure to include the metadata being ordered by in the metadata comma separated list.
 
This is only possible with FileNet and Documentum implementations and not possible with Box and SharePoint implementations.
 
SourceTriggerProperty
An optional property or attribute associated to trigger when sign task is completed.  (BOX SIGN)
middlewareOriginalDocId
LineItemColumn
An optional property which is referred to csv file containing line item information. (Reference to a csv file)
﻿
Sub.
If enabled sub folders will be searched.
 
For more information refer to the Search Utility in the appendix for help.
 
This is only possible with FileNet and Documentum implementations and not possible with Box and SharePoint implementations.
 
Rule Config: What metadata is to be sent to SAP
What metadata is sent from your repository to SAP is determined by the Metadata column:
Setting
Description
Sample Value(s)
Metadata
The comma separated list of metadata to send to SAP in the specified order. 
title,contract,name
﻿
﻿

Setting	Description	Sample Value(s)
Enable Inbound to SAP	If checked, configuration for Inbound to SAP is enabled and can be configured for inbound to SAP processing.
SAP	The SAP system to send document metadata too.	SAP DEV ED1
CMS	The CMS system to get document metadata from.
Trigger data Type	Data type by which the saplink rule is triggered. Task and Sign task type only applicable for Box workflow tasks.	Boolean, TimeStamp, task and signtask.
SAP Repo.	The SAP ArchiveLink repository that should be associated with this metadata being passed.	ZC
SAP Type	The SAP ArchiveLink document type associated with this metadata being passed.	ZCONTRACT
CMS Repo.	The content management system object store or repository. For Box implementations, use “Default”	Default
CMS Type	The content management system document class, object type or metadata template to look for the requested metadata in.	scmContracts
Interval	The Inbound to SAP process searches for documents matching the configured criteria and then sends the information to SAP. This interval determines how often the underlying content management system is searched. For Box implementations, setting this value less than 5 minutes has no value.	10
Trigger Prop.	The content management system property or attribute associated with when to trigger sending information to SAP. By default, docuflow sets this property to True or False based on the result of a SAPLink call to SAP. These values can be manipulated via the Config.properties file with the below entries: saplinkfalse.value=<value> (for success) saplinkerror.value=<value) (for error)	docuflowSaplinkTrigger saplinkfalse.value=DoNotProcessSuccess saplinkerror.value=DoNotProcessError
Type	The trigger property or attribute type. Boolean triggers happen when the Boolean property or attribute is set to true. Timestamp triggers happen when the configured date/time property or attribute has no value. Currently, Box and M365 implementations only support Boolean trigger types (even though in Box the type is Single Value Dropdown Text and SharePoint is single line of text)	Boolean
Error Prop.	If an error happens while trying to process a particular file you can optionally store the error information in the content management system.	docuflowSaplinkError
Type	The error property or attribute type. Boolean error types are only set to true if an error happens. Timestamp error types only set a date/time stamp when an error happens. String errors put as much of the error as they can into the configured error property or attribute. This is the preferred configuration. Currently M365 implementations only support String (single line of text) and Box supports Text.	String
Max	An optional setting to limit the number of entries returned when searching for documents. A setting of 0 has no limit.	0
Filter	An optional (with FileNet and Documentum and implementations but required for Box) filter string to finely tune what is searched for in the underlying content management system. This is not applicable to SharePoint. Refer to the where clause documentation for working with the Search Utility in the appendix for help configuring a filter clause. For Documentum and FileNet filter clauses you must start with AND or OR since the documents are already being searched for by the configured trigger type so this additional filter logic needs to be added on with AND or OR notations. Some examples are: AND <insert error property name> IS NULL (which omits documents that have already errored when using a String based Error Property) OR LastModifier <> ‘<insert DocuFlow FileNet Username>’ (which handles updates to documents as well as the first time they are created) OR LastModifier <> ‘<insert DocuFlow FileNet Username>’ AND <insert error property name> IS NULL (which omits error documents and also handles updates to documents) OR r_modifier <> ‘<insert DocuFlow Documentum Username>’ (which handles updates to documents as well as the first time they are created) OR r_modifier <> ‘<insert DocuFlow Documentum Username>’ AND <insert error property name> IS NULL (which omits error documents and also handles updates to documents) For Box implementations you must enter in a filter clause which is the input to the metadata search web service for Box. For SharePoint: this is not applicable	(Box example): Search API mdfilters=[{"templateKey":"scmContracts", "scope":"Hi enterprise","filters":{"docuflowSaplinkTrigger":"True"}}] &limit=50&offset=0 (Box example): Metadata query: {"from":"enterprise_761921826.metadatatemplate","query":"docuflowSaplinkEnabled = :value","query_params":{"value":"True"},"ancestor_folder_id":"131865107948"} (FileNet example not including documents in error) AND DocuFlow_SAPLinkError IS NULL
Location	An optional location to further limit where documents are searched for. This is only possible with FileNet and Documentum implementations and not possible with Box and SharePoint implementations.
Order By	An optional order by clause to order the returned results. Make sure to include the metadata being ordered by in the metadata comma separated list. This is only possible with FileNet and Documentum implementations and not possible with Box and SharePoint implementations.
SourceTriggerProperty	An optional property or attribute associated to trigger when sign task is completed. (BOX SIGN)	middlewareOriginalDocId
LineItemColumn	An optional property which is referred to csv file containing line item information. (Reference to a csv file)
Sub.	If enabled sub folders will be searched. For more information refer to the Search Utility in the appendix for help. This is only possible with FileNet and Documentum implementations and not possible with Box and SharePoint implementations.

Setting	Description	Sample Value(s)
Metadata	The comma separated list of metadata to send to SAP in the specified order.	title,contract,name

Updated 24 Nov 2023

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