Imagination To Realization

Transcription

1 Imagination To Realization Creating Useful Workflows Presented by: Alexei Tetenov, SunGard Higher Education Managed Genesee Community College Monday, April 3, :30 4:30 pm April 2-5 Orlando, Florida

2 Introduction Workflow is very cool, but enhancing it can be difficult if you are not experienced with PL/SQL or Java. My goal is to construct workflows so that there is very little data entry and no extraneous screens. We will review the Genesee Community College solution to the challenge of managing the approval process for re-hiring hundreds of adjuncts every term. 2

3 Agenda Brief overview of Workflow Enhancing Workflow Using Baseline Banner to manage custom approval queues. Creating PL/SQL packages to retrieve/update Banner. Implementing and using open source itext pdf creation code written in Java. 3

4 Imagination To Realization Overview of Workflow Helping you move work along April 2-5 Orlando, Florida

5 Overview of Workflow Workflow helps automate business processes that require a lot of interaction between people. Very good at managing an approvals process. Can easily and electronically track what step you re at in a business process. Will automatically forward completed items to the next approver s queue and can optionally setup notification. Ex. Hiring an employee. Workflow will let you assign people to be approvers and provide for electronic tracking and movement of relevant info to the next person. No more calling around to see who still hasn t approved hiring the new person. 5

6 Imagination To Realization Genesee s Electronic Personnel Action Form Managing dynamic approval queues April 2-5 Orlando, Florida

7 Managing dynamic approval queues We did not want to hard-code approver s names into a workflow. We wanted to use baseline Banner and minimize the effects of approver turnover. We created new approval queues using the Banner HR approvals forms that are typically used for Employee Self-Service web time entry and approval. The Banner EPAF approval forms did not meet our needs. 7

8 Managing dynamic approval queues For any area that would do adjunct Payroll Authorizations Set up approvers in NTRRQUE (by Org.) Set up approvers in NTRALVL (by Dept) Use a NTRRQUE (by Org.) for re-hiring most adjuncts. Call a local pl/sql package from the workflow to determine the next approver. 8

9 Managing dynamic approval queues Set up approvers in NTRRQUE (by Org.) For each Chart of Accounts and Org, Use the same Approval Category (e-pa s) and create: Approval sequence Approver position/current Incumbent Approver Action Approve/FYI 9

10 Managing dynamic approval queues Set up approvers in NTRRQUE (by Org.) 10

11 Managing dynamic approval queues NTRALVL (by Dept) Approval Level Code for each department/area multiple codes if they report to different supervisors, deans, vp s. Approval Level 10 for Supervisor Approval Level 20 for Deans Approval Level 25 for Executive VP s Approval Level 30 for HR review Approval Level 40 for the President Approval Level 50 for HR approval Approval Level 60 for HR to apply the re-hire to Banner 11

12 Managing dynamic approval queues NTRALVL (by Dept) For each level there is a code for each dept. 12

13 Managing dynamic approval queues NTRALVL (by Dept) 13

14 Managing dynamic approval queues Call a local pl/sql package from the workflow to determine the next approver. The workflow passes in the org and current approver sequence number to the package. If the sequence number is null, then find the lowest sequence number for the org and put the workflow into this incumbent s approval queue. 14

15 Imagination To Realization Genesee s Electronic Personnel Action Form Local PL/SQL packages April 2-5 Orlando, Florida

16 Local PL/SQL packages to retrieve/update Banner Create a local package with most packages and functions. Create standalone functions for retrieving mostly static information. Ex. Legalese comment. I create all of my pl/sql under a local schema/user instead of Baninst1 to easily distinguish local enhancements I will need to test for Banner upgrades. Need to grant appropriate privileges to select/update/insert/delete data and execute other functions/procedures. Many Banner schools just create local packages under Baninst1 to eliminate extra grants Steven Fueuerenstein s PL/SQL books and game of SET is a good resource. The game of SET is a useful mindset altering tool to assist learning new computer languages. 16

17 Local PL/SQL packages to retrieve/update Banner CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE BODY WOKWLIB AS DESCRIPTION of PROCEDURE p_get_person_info: This procedure retrieves the SPRIDEN_ID, full name, SPBPERS_SSN for any -- current or former id. The end user can provide the current id or the SSN. -- Created for the Genesee Community College Personnel Action (PA) Form -- Workflow. -- DESCRIPTION END -- PROCEDURE p_get_person_info(par_id IN spriden.spriden_id%type, par_pidm OUT spriden.spriden_pidm%type, par_current_id OUT spriden.spriden_id%type, par_full_name OUT varchar2, par_ssn OUT spbpers.spbpers_ssn%type, msg OUT varchar2, msg_type OUT varchar2) 17

18 Local PL/SQL packages to retrieve/update Banner Calling Local PL/SQL package from Workflow. Create a new category in the Business Component Catalog for your local enhancements. Add Business Components Format: package.procedure or package.function Product Type: Banner Technology Type: Stored Procedure Client launch parameter: procedure=package.procedure(@workflow_context_parameter) Parameters use same types and names as in local package and workflow context parameter mappings for simplicity. 18

19 Local PL/SQL packages to retrieve/update Banner Ex. WOKWLIB.p_get_crn_info This procedure retrieves the following info for a term and CRN: term_code_in, crn_in, term_code_desc, subj_code, crse_numb, seq_numb, crse_title, credit_hrs, ptrm_weeks, ssrmeet_start_date, ssrmeet_end_date, and section meeting times. Product Type: Banner Component Type: Internal 19

20 Local PL/SQL packages to retrieve/update Banner 20

21 Local PL/SQL packages to retrieve/update Banner Calling Local PL/SQL package from Workflow. In the Workflow Modeler Search and find your new Business Component Add any needed Component parameters to store the output of your local package.procedure. Map your Context Parameters to Component Parameters Context Parameters available to entire workflow Component Parameter scoped to your workflow step Use the same names, changing a name in one place will erase all other existing context and component parameters and you will be forced to re-insert the changed name everywhere it is used, again. 21

22 Local PL/SQL packages to retrieve/update Banner 22

23 Local PL/SQL packages to retrieve/update Banner 23

24 Imagination To Realization Printing PDF s Implementing and using open source itext pdf creation code written in Java. April 2-5 Orlando, Florida

25 Printing PDF s Many different options all $0 purchase price options involve learning some code. itext pdf One of many open source creation projects. Written in Java. Modify Workflow to add a Cascading Style Sheet for printing (print.css) Apache Formatting Objects Processor (FOP) print formatter driven by XSL Instructions are available to implement into Oracle HTMLDB aka Oracle Application Express. PL/PDF - ~$500/database Web Services new enhancement in Workflow 4.2 to call/execute service on same/different server. Oracle Report execution via Banner Job Submission Open a Self-Service pl/sql page to login and generate a pdf file. Reporting Tool Brio/HPS for printing in batch. 25

26 Printing Workflows without the boxes Modify Workflow to add a Cascading Style Sheet for printing (print.css) Add reference to print.css in style.jsp D:\Oracle\OAS10g\j2ee\OC4J_wfDPROD\applications\wfDP ROD\workflow\templates\style.jsp Created a css for printing called print.css D:\Oracle\OAS10g\j2ee\OC4J_wfDPROD\applications\wfDP ROD\workflow\css\print.css Modified header.jsp to encompass the stuff we don t want to print within <div>" tags and closed the table data, row, table. This simple mod has to be re-done after every re-deployment and upgrade of Workflow. 26

27 Printing PDF s I chose itext pdf Very minimal requirements and will work from within Oracle 9i database on OpenVMS Alpha running Java Can be deployed using Servlets in Oracle Application Server (OAS) Many examples available online and initially seemed simpler to implement than other open source alternatives. If I were to do it over again, I would use Web Services to execute/call an itext web service. 27

28 Printing itext PDF s itext implementation steps Load itext jar into the database and verify relevant classes are valid. For older Java versions, ex , need to load collections.jar into the database as well. Create a pl/sql package.function wrapper for the Java program. Grant schema user write permission to complete path and file name, at least on OpenVMS. Create Java program to create the pdf file. Create anonymous pl/sql block for testing. Call pl/sql package.function wrapper from Workflow. 28

29 Printing itext PDF s Load itext jar into the database. $proddb define/nolog classpath ".:/j_l/rt.jar:/j_l/i18n.jar:/ojvm/aurora_client.jar:/ojdbc/classes111.z IP:/osqlj/TRANSLATOR.ZIP:/ojvm/AURORA.ZIP:/onet/JAVAX-SSL- 1_1.JAR:/onet/JSSL-1_1.JAR:sys$common/java/lib/jdk118_classes.zip PROD>show sym jre JRE == -resolve -user genesee/password@dprod.world -v itext.jar For older Java versions, ex , need to load collections.jar into the database as -resolve -user genesee/password@dprod.world -v collections1_1.zip 29

30 Printing itext PDF s Create a pl/sql package/procedure (or function) wrapper for the Java program. ***The LANGUAGE line has to be one line with no line breaks.*** *** For package/procedures with a call to a java program, you have to put the call in the package/procedure spec. *** Also, the package/procedure has to be named differently from the java source if you are going to have a public synonym. CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE WOKWPDF authid DEFINER IS Procedure gen_epa_pdf(pathfilename IN varchar2, <snip> result IN OUT varchar2) AS LANGUAGE java name 'WOKPDFJ.gen_epa_pdf(java.lang.String, <snip>, java.lang.string[])'; END WOKWPDF; grant execute on GENESEE.WOKWPDF to PUBLIC; create or replace public synonym WOKWPDF FOR GENESEE.WOKWPDF; 30

31 Printing itext PDF s Grant schema user write permission to the complete path and file name. On OpenVMS, I could not find a way to grant the user the ability to create any filename they wanted. Just specifying the path did not work. dbms_java.grant_permission( 'GENESEE', 'SYS:java.io.FilePermission', <<ALL FILES>>', 'write'); commit; Verify: select * from DBA_JAVA_POLICY 31

32 Printing itext PDF s Create Java program to create the pdf file. CREATE OR REPLACE AND RESOLVE JAVA SOURCE NAMED "WOKPDFJ" AS import com.lowagie.text.*; import com.lowagie.text.pdf.pdfwriter; import java.io.*; import java.awt.point; public class WOKPDFJ { 32

33 Printing itext PDF s Create Java program. Note: I used the FileOutputStream class to avoid a problem of the Java failing after 1 execution. This necessitated the use of ) throws IOException, DocumentException{ exception handling in the function declaration. public static String[] gen_epa_pdf(string pathfilename, <snip> { String[] result) throws IOException, DocumentException result[0] = "successful"; Document doc = new Document(); OutputStream os = new FileOutputStream("USER:[BANJOBPROD]alexei_tetenov_e_pa _1234.pdf"); 33

34 Printing itext PDF s Create Java program to create the pdf file. try { PdfWriter.getInstance(doc, os); doc.open(); doc.add(new Paragraph(new Chunk("Full Name: " + full_name))); doc.add(new Paragraph(new Chunk("Position: " + position))); doc.add(new Paragraph(new Chunk("Department: " + department))); } catch (Exception ex) {result = ex.getmessage(); } doc.close(); os.close(); return result; } } / Note: I used the os.close method to avoid having Java fail after 1 execution, due to the stream remaining open. 34

35 Printing itext PDF s Create anonymous pl/sql block for testing. Note: ***The genesee.generatepdf.write function call line has to be one line with no line breaks.*** BEGIN DECLARE result VARCHAR2(200); BEGIN DBMS_OUTPUT.enable; result := GENESEE.WOKWPDF.GEN_EPA_PDF ('pathfilename-test', <snip> 'comments'); DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(SUBSTR('iText result=' result, 1, 250)); EXCEPTION WHEN others THEN DBMS_OUTPUT.PUT_LINE(SUBSTR('iText error=' sqlerrm, 1, 250)); END; END; 35

36 Printing itext PDF s Call pl/sql package.function wrapper from Workflow. This is done just like a regular pl/sql package.procedure or package.function call. See screenshots from above. Depending on OS, may need to first grant file creation permissions before executing the pdf creation function to get around the problem of having to specify the full path and filename for the dbms_java.grant_permission. 36

37 Printing itext PDF s Resources Banner queues PL/SQL packages Search and use Banner and Workflow PL/SQL libraries. SunGard Higher Eduction EdCenter classes on pl/sql. Free Oracle webinars via OTN. Workflow- running pl/sql packages itext PDF and Servlet Apache FOP HTML DB Web services 37

38 Summary Making it easy for end-users to use Workflow will lead to greater use of Workflow. Start out simple and enhance your workflows as needed. Use baseline Banner and Workflow as much as possible to avoid problems during upgrades. Use delivered Banner/Workflow PL/SQL libraries as much as possible. Use well documented open source products like itext. 38

39 Questions & Answers??? Acknowledgements Many thanks to my wife and son for sacrificing time with me so I could work on this project. Thanks to Muldair Moore, for helping me out with my lack of Java knowledge. 39

40 Thank You! Alexei Tetenov Please complete the on-line Evaluation Form 40

41 Acknowledgements Many thanks to my wife and son for sacrificing time with me so I could work on this project. Thanks to Muldair Moore, for helping me out with my lack of Java knowledge. Without limitation, SunGard, the SunGard logo, Banner, Campus Pipeline, Luminis, PowerCAMPUS, Matrix, and Plus are trademarks or registered trademarks of SunGard Data Systems Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. Third-party names and marks referenced herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners SunGard. All rights reserved. 41