The Final Installment of Serendipitous Cerebration
This is it. The final installment. The end. Our tunnel of light leading us to the promise land of perfect integrations with Serendipitous Cerebration as our Virgil guiding us through the Malebolge of Content Management.
So we integrated PeachTree to ILINX Content Store via ILINX Integrate and a few weeks pass by with no word from the client. Like most other Engineers, we figured no news == good news. Then like a meteorite dropping from the heavens a client that we will refer to as Dr. Frankenstein, We’d use “Dr. F” for short if any other references to them were made in this blog and they are not, submitted a ticket stating an issue has been identified that will need correcting. Seemingly out of nowhere the Integration project quit opening up Content Store documents. To be a bit more specific, the ILINX Integrate project was no longer able to get past the login screen. Even when we logged in manually, we are still unable to get any image retrieval using the “Magic Buttons”.
When a formal inquisition was placed to the workers, it was learned that an issue showed itself a few days after the project was installed. Nothing like hearing that the project you were working on less than a month ago is completely down, for like 2 weeks! Did I mention we heard about there being 2 issues that broke the project weeks AFTER completion? Oh and the crowning turd in the punch bowl, the client wants the error corrected yesterday.
Shooting the Trouble
ILINX Integrate is fairly strait forward to troubleshoot project issues with. Open the .kap file using the Integrate Studio and run the project. The Studio outputs log messages as part of the user interface, a very nice feature when trying to figure out what could have happened to a once working project.
Earlier we outlined how the project works, but let us take a few moments for a brief review. Scrape values from PeachTree screens and feed the values into a URL search string for ILINX Content Store. Now as much as I hate to admit to this, both parts broke. No values were being gathered from the PeachTree Screens and the search URL no longer worked, but what happened?
Updates to ILINX Content Store
Of the 2 issues correcting the access URL was the first that we noticed. ILINX Content Store had an updated revision that came out about a week after we completed the project and the client updated their system. Part of the update was a modification to the access URL. Easy fix, correct the URL in the project to match the new URL format.
Easy fix on this one, now when we test the URL corrections in a browser and enter in the parameters by hand we get a return from ILINX Content Store. We could not however get the “Magic” buttons to work.
Software Updates Part Duex
Yes, that’s right some more updated/patched software in an integrated system that once updated breaks the integration/system. Most support staff and/or engineers have encountered a software update that wreaked havoc on a system leaving technical support scrambling around like headless poultry. PeachTree had an update, and part of that update has somehow changed the format of the AP and AR forms where the Invoice Number and PO Number fields became unreadable.
We fought with these 2 fields for who knows how long. We tried different adapters, configurations, coding tests, all to no avail. To be honest, it was starting to feel like we were fighting against a greased pig version of the Borg. Blood pressures raised & tensions were high when the sound of maniacal laughter erupted behind me. At first I figured that John “The Hit-man” Hart had snapped and I started checking to see which exits are unblocked. The smile on his face was not that reassuring either, and crap he is looking in my direction and BLOCKING THE DOORWAY! Finally John decided to let me in on what made him start acting like he was just released from Arkham hospital.
Apparently, Serendipitous Cerebration can temporarily cause delirium like symptoms in some people. I managed to defuse the crazy by attempting to use the Jedi Mind trick to convince John that the project was still broken and that David Blaine, Chris Angel, and David Copperfield are casting an illusion making the fields only appear to read properly. Training more Random must do with his Jedi powers, as John wasn’t buying it and I could see an open document in the ILINX Content Store window behind him. Low and behold the fields are reading properly!
What had happened?
John was working with configuring different adapters when out of nowhere it started working. During some of the testing, John was building out adapters and configuring to read frames inside of frames and switching back and forth without deleting the adapters. What he found that ended up working was first building out & configuring a Windows adapter then to changing the configured Windows adapter into a Windows .Net adapter.
The only difference that I can see here is that the configuration for the Windows adapter reads the Secondary Window Information differently. Using Notepad I tested what we found. I was unable to configure the secondary screen to read the entry portion of the Notepad window using a .Net adapter, so I tried configuring a Windows adapter and it is able to find and read the Notepad screen. When I switch to the .Net adapter I found that I had to remap the entry field, but this time it could find the field properly. It’s a strange illogical way to configure a screen but sometimes you are just happy that it started working that finding out the details as to how takes a bit of a back seat, and without Serendipitous Cerebration we’d probably still be fighting this beast.
I apologize for the lack luster conclusion to this blog series, but 1 long blog later I feel that even given the strangeness of the…..OHHH something shiny, is that Nexus?
Co Authors: Random Kurt-Patrick Duncan McParks & John Hart
ImageSource Inc.
Excuse me, you got some AJAX in my UCM.
Now I know that SiteStudio 10gR4 is hardly brand new but for my own work I’m really starting to dig into it. We’re running a version of Oracle UCM here at ImageSource that, well, not to put too fine a point on it, is getting a bit long in the tooth. So, in order for me to play around with it, I ended up installing Oracle UCM 10gR3 on a development system. I got to say that playing with all the new goodies is pushing getting our production system updated much higher up on my personal priority list!
There are so many new features that SiteStudio 10gR4 brings to the table that to go over them all in detail would take more time than I can spare. With that in mind I’m going to focus on a new feature that really excites me: External Application Integration.
Oracle has provided us two brand spanking new services in this latest release: the WCM_PLACEHOLDER service, and the WCM_BEGIN_EDIT_SESSION service. Now, with names like that I can forgive you if you are wondering where the sexiness is located. Let me assure you, it’s in there in spades.
WCM_PLACEHOLDER lets any external application you can think of, be it a custom thick-client, a web portal, or a mashup, get at any piece of content stored in UCM. Wow! Not only that but you can specify a rendering template (also stored in UCM) to format the data that’s returned. Double Wow! So let’s say that you are creating a web portal and want to pull out, say, a word document that happens to contain a press release so you can extol the new virtues of Product 2.0 on the portal page. With WCM_PLACEHOLDER you could load a link like the following using a standard HTTPRequest on the portal page:
http://myecmserver/idc/idcplg?IdcService=WCM_PLACEHOLDER&dataFileDocName=MY_AWESOME_PR_WORD_DOC &templateDocName=MY_HTML_TEMPLATE
And get a fully rendered HTML fragment returned to you. Even though it was a Word document, since we’re pulling it from UCM and using a region template that uses the DynamicConverter to convert that document into HTML, we don’t have to worry about it. Because this is all done over HTTP we can leverage all the powerful AJAX methods that really are what modern website programming is all about.
You might be saying at this point “Okay, getting HTML back is okay I guess, but man, I really wish I could just get it in some easier format to work with it just as data and let my custom application do what I want with it.” Luckily, WCM_PLACEHOLDER still has us covered. If we add the IS_JSON parameter to our request link and set that to 1 then, boom, we get a JSON response back and can do whatever we want with it without worrying about all the pesky HTML. How cool is that?
Now the WCM_PLACEHOLDER services also returns something else interesting. It returns security metadata that specifies what editing actions are allowed. Wait, what? We can edit content displayed using this service? Yes, Virginia, we can edit content in our repository from an external application.
And with all the flair of a featured actor making a dramatic entrance at the start of Act 2 we come to WCM_BEGIN_EDIT_SESSION. Using this service couldn’t be simpler. We preform an HTTPRequest on a URL like the following:
http://ecm/idc/idcplg?IdcService=WCM_BEGIN_EDIT_SESSION&dDocName=MY_DOCUMENT
And that will return a SiteStudio editor (assuming the user has the correct role of course) with the document ready to be edited from an external application. Since WCM_PLACEHOLDER gives us metadata on what editing actions can be taken we can use that in our external application to visualize (or not) the actions that can be taken with that returned content.
These two services, while not complex in and of themselves, really make it easy to start creating dynamic, content driven, applications using the data you already have stored and with all the features you have come to expect from UCM literally anywhere.
One application that comes to my mind would be a UCM and SiteStudio powered blog platform where posts can be created and managed using the security roles already in your UCM installation. Well, a guy can dream can’t he?
Les Harris
Support Engineer
ImageSource Inc.
Oracle Imaging & Process Management – Oracle I/PM 11g
Leigh Woody
Program Manager
Is It Time to Take Your Workflow In For a Checkup?
Almost every business has documents that go through some kind of work process such as expense reports and application processing that uses some kind of Business Process Management [BPM]. BPM is generally defined as a systematic approach to improving and automating an organization’s business processes and workflows. These workflows may be core to your business process and over the years as rules, regulation, and other external factors alter the original flow it is critical to to plan on performing regularly scheduled checkups of your BPM processes.
While supporting systems that have little or no changes to their BPM workflow maps in over a decade it is very common to run into issues and complications caused by knowledge workers who have devised workarounds for changes that have occurred over time. One of the biggest problems I see with not revisiting and performing analysis and research to get a current picture on a regular basis is User Acceptance.
When we run into this type of a situation the knowledge workers are often frustrated and highly irritated with the software and how the system works. The user feels that their performance is based on rules and regulations that no longer apply and will complain stating “I had nothing to do with how this was configured”, “this is how we do it because it has always been like this” and “I don’t understand why we have to do it this way.” The user is often very negative about the inefficiencies and wants to tell everyone and anyone willing to listen. This can have an immense impact on the work environment and acceptance of your ECM system and future applications.
Where to start: The efficient flow of documents through your organization is critical to remaining competitive and document management and workflow solutions are proven to cut cost and improve efficiencies. If you have been using a rules based electronic workflow for over 3-5 years it is a good practice to review the “as is” state of the workflows and update them on a regular basis. BPM workflow updates should be visible to upper management and budgeted for the future along with software upgrades. Most importantly involve the knowledge works in the discovery and development process. “Because we have always done it this way” does not need to be the number one comment about your ECM system. The success of BPM is rooted in starting with the right process and continuing best practices for regular checkups and maintenance.
Leigh Woody
Program Manager
ILINX Capture: Scanning in a Production Environment
ILINX Capture utilizes a web based platform that combines functionality as well as ease of use while scanning in a production environment. This platform allows production workers to remotely tap into the system to perform any task in the production workflow. Capture makes use of many different image enhancement techniques. In ILINX Capture’s production environment, batches move through the processes in an efficient and organized workflow.
ILINX Capture’s web based platform makes it possible for a technician to scan and process batches from remote locations. This feature allows technicians convenient access to the production environment while not at the same locations. Each process in the workflow (ie Capture, Classify and Indexing) can be performed by an operator whether or not they are on site. Knowledge workers can answer questions without having to look over the shoulder of the production worker.
ILINX Capture has many functional image enhancement tools for scanning less than good quality paper. Images can be replaced, inserted or appended at any stage in the workflow process. Images can be copied into various places throughout the batch. Images can also be printed at anytime during the workflow. If images are scanned out of order and need to be corrected, with ILINX Capture you can move images around after they scanned into the system.
The most important aspect of Production Scanning is efficient workflow. ILINX Capture workflow allows batches to move seamlessly from one process to the next. Batches can also be moved backwards in the workflow if they need to be reworked. With ILINX Capture you can use any scanner as long as the PC you are using has the twain drivers installed on it. In the user window, a batch can be easily found at any stage in the workflow without confusion or the necessity of using the Server Manager.
Jeff Martin Ali Adam
ImageSource, Inc. ImageSource, Inc.
Barcode Document Separation with ILINX Capture
While exploring different document separation techniques I discovered that bar code separation may cause the document to be split multiple times. I scanned in a single document that had 334 pages and for some reason it split the document multiple times. There were no other barcodes except one Patch Type T separator at the beginning of the document.
After looking over the settings on the Barcode QSX module inside the ILINX Capture Server Manager I noticed that the Patch Type T document separator and the 3 of 9 barcode separator were enabled. Please see picture below…
ILINX Capture Barcode OSX Module
One of the challenges with setting up barcode separation with both Patch Type T document separator and the 3 of 9 barcode separator is that every time the recognition engine comes across a 3 of 9 barcode it will separate the document automatically regardless if you want it to or not . Unfortunately the software can get tripped up on its own logic and every time the recognition engine comes across a 3 of 9 barcode it will separate the document automatically. ILINX Capture’s recognition engine still separates by the Patch Type T Patch Code as well as every 3 of 9 barcode. This can give unexpected results with the number of documents that are automatically generated. To fix the above example I removed the bar code separation because it was not needed. As you can see in the following example…
ILINX Capture Barcode Settings
However, in some cases this may not meet a client’s needs and different approach to document separation is needed. The best practice for multiple document separation is when using Patch Type T Patch separator pages and 3 of 9 barcode separation you need to add a prefix for each type of document you want to separate.
Here is a good example:
A client may want to separate documents by what’s in the barcode itself, such as capturing the word “ILINX” in the barcode for a document type of “Application” and the word “Invoice” in the barcode for a document type of “Invoice”. To do this you need to add a prefix value with a document type see.
As you can see ILINX Capture has the ability to be customized to fit your needs no matter how basic and/or how complicated the requirements are. The main concept here is ILINX Capture is a very powerful tool and needs to be configure properly to get want you need out of it. The above example is only a small scratch on the surface on what this tool can actually do.
However, in some cases this may not meet a client’s needs and different approach to document separation is needed. The best practice for multiple document separation is when using Patch Type T Patch separator pages and 3 of 9 barcode separation you need to add a prefix for each type of document you want to separate.
A client may want to separate documents by what’s in the barcode itself, such as capturing the word “ILINX” in the barcode for a document type of “Application” and the word “Invoice” in the barcode for a document type of “Invoice”. To do this you need to add a prefix value with a document type see.
ILINX Capture Prefix Settings
As you can see ILINX Capture has the ability to be customized to fit your needs no matter how basic and/or how complicated the requirements are. The main concept here is ILINX Capture is a very powerful tool and needs to be configure properly to get want you need out of it. The above example is only a small scratch on the surface on what this tool can actually do.
John Hart
ImageSource Inc.
Advanced eForms Strategies for LiquidOffice
Information technology can improve operational efficiency and businesses are turning to forms processing for automating complex processes where information is often very dynamic and acted upon in parallel. Many of our clients request very complicated multi-form rule based combinations that can be extremely complex and have data dictionaries exceeding 1,500 form fields. There are two different ways to approach advanced multi-form development and design. One is to use a method called form chaining or you can use tools such as Liquid Office Case Management.
Form Chaining is a method of displaying subsequent forms based on the submission of the original form. This is done when field data from the first form is mapped to the 2nd form – chained forms open sequentially upon submission of a primary form. Simple chaining can be achieved using out-of-the box features of the LiquidOffice Process studio. Outside of a formal workflow, the same results can be achieved. The following is code example for ad-hoc form chaining. In this example, the ‘chained’ form that opens on submission is called ‘FormB2’.
function CSForm_OnSubmit()
{
var auth = CSForm.getField(“Entry1″).getValue(); //get value from 1st form = then on submit, pass this field value to the next chained form
CSForm.setResponseURL(“http://servername/lfserver/FormB2?Entry1=” + auth ); //this loads the 2nd, chained form and populates one of the fields with a value from the 1st form
return true;
}
Alternatively, Autonomy Case Management (ACM) can be used for more complex multidimensional and nested forms. ACM addresses the same need but manages forms and documents as packets or a case. Items within a packet are able to dynamically exist as either standalone entities or as part of a collection depending upon real-time conditions which are automatically detected. Users are guided through the process using a Table of Contents to ensure completion at each step as shown below.
The ACM design studio is a GUI-based point and click tool which is integrated directly into the Autonomy Enterprise Information Processing platform. This means that with a click all information that may contribute to the design of a case is available in real-time directly from within the design environment. Complex rule sets can be developed and applied at any level of the case such as packet, form and field which allows for an extremely tuned process.
Leigh Woody Peter Lang
Program Manager System Engineer
A Different Perspective on How ECM Can Impact Workplaces
I recently was part of a team tasked with working on site to observe a client’s work process to determine what improvements could be made on this clients Process /Imaging system reduce end user pain points, help eliminate unnecessary redundant actions, and ways to streamline the workflow.
I don’t want to name the client directly, but I can say that the client that we are working with is a government agency that provides direct services to its citizens, and at this time they are flooded with citizen requests for services. Some of these requests are complex and require several different workers to evaluate the requests. Also they are on strict time lines in which to process these requests.
In working with both end users and supervisors, we were able to gather enough information and devise several modifications that can be implemented on their system for an immediate and positive effect. One of the most intriguing parts of working on this project was that growing up both of my parents worked for this agency. My mother was even doing the same type of work that we were looking to help streamline, but back in the early 1980’s. I recall the difficulty that this type of work entails and the amount of time it requires to do properly. Growing up and seeing how this agency use to have to perform their normal business duties gave me what I feel is a unique perspective on how huge of an impact implementing an imaging and business workflow system had on this agency.
While I was growing up, I recall the office that my parents worked in as being filled with filing cabinets, some of these cabinets always seemed to have people filing and finding documents required for request processing. If a request made to the agency spanned several regions or required several different departments in the agency to evaluate, there was a ton of lost time in sending documents back and forth. Plus there was also the risk of misplacing or misfiling documents.
A central image repository, with a well structured indexing scheme, for documents drastically reduces the time in accessing documents and also provides a secure location for document storage. With the addition of email, requests and the accompanying documents and almost instantly be transferred between the workers required for request processing. I could go on and on about how this type of system can positively impact a business and reduce costs, but there are already volumes of documentation out there to look through.
I’ve been working with content management and business process systems for a while now, but this was the one moment that the overall impact that this type of system can have really hit home. There was also a fair bit of gratification in the overall effect that helping implement this type of system with a client that directly touches so many lives.
Random McParks
Support Engineer
ImageSource Inc.
Exchange 2010 Upgrade
As part of our Enterprise Content Management system we are upgrading our Exchange servers to 2010 to better handle our enterprise demands for e-mail content and integrate with SharePoint 2010. Upgrading from Exchange Server 2003 to 2010 most users won’t notice a huge difference in E-mail performance but where they will notice changes is the new look and feel of OWA (Outlook Web Access) 2010. OWA 2010 has some great new features such as Conversation view, which allows a user to view the whole chain of responses in one threaded view. Another great feature that I think everyone will be happy about is that in OWA 2010 all messages show up on one page, with OWA 2003 the maximum limit was 100 per page, now with OWA 2010 there is no limit no matter how big your inbox is all your messages are on one page. Also a great feature which we just tested is the function to allow a user to remotely wipe their phone via OWA, so if your phone is lost or stolen you can completely wipe your phone clean of sensitive information.
At ImageSource we represent a variety of software options, our consulting services provide an independent and objective approach. Many consultants use a one size fits all philosophy. Our flexible and proven methodologies allow us to help you define truly suitable solutions for ECM and integration with corporatet office tools.
Will Hart
Support Engineer
ImageSource, Inc.
Things to Consider When Looking to Move to a Paperless Workplace
The rise of instant communication technologies that is made possible through use of the internet (email, texting, IM) and new media (YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter) have brought new ways of handling everyday operations in the world of business. With every new generation, there comes an increased aptitude for technology and evolving work approach using new inventive ways to use that technology. The Net Generation is the first group of “digital natives” that seem to be changing the office workplace like no other age bracket in the past.
It is a known fact that people of the “Net Generation” are more familiar with devices such as cell phones, laptops, and hand held gaming devices. People from this generation think that using paper in the work place is a thing of the past. Most of them usually get their messages through emails, IM’s, and/or Tweets, so it’s no wonder why this generation thinks paper as out dated and archaic. Sending IM’s and emails are much faster, more convenient, and more eco-friendly than using the standard postal system.
Enterprise Content Management systems are getting more and more common in the workplace. Forms, letters, emails, notes, and paperwork need a place to live for quick and easy access. Companies are looking for ways to store their documents electronically rather than using a hard copy filing system in a file cabinet. I can’t think of a better generation to embrace this technology than the Net Generation.
With all of this said, the Net Generation has an advantage over the rest of us because they entered this world with the digital age already in place and we should take advantage of that fact and allow these great minds to thrive and expand their knowledge in the workforce. They will be a great asset in the long run, and will be able to get the older generations up to speed with the new technology.
Here are some good ideas on how to get your company up to speed and maximize your company’s productivity.
- Start moving away from paper based systems, and more towards email, digital forms, and electronic documents.
- Build a good scanning system that can import your documents into a storage system such as a database.
- When scanning the images find software that can do optical character recognition (OCR) to create easily searchable text.
- Build a good storage system that has software that you can add annotations, signatures, highlights, blackouts and whiteouts to scanned documents.
- Try to find software that allows you to build a workflow process of how you do work at your place of business.
- And the most important, hire technology oriented people such as people from the Net Generation and let them be technology mentors in the workplace. This is a great opportunity where the students can become the teachers and let them experiment in ways to drive paper out of the workflows of business – and lead and teach the rest of the organization.
John Hart
Click Button to Subscribe- One Way ILINX® Manages Compound Documents
- Technical Support Providers
- Database Lookups Made Easy
- To Image or Not to Image
- The Final Installment of Serendipitous Cerebration
- Serendipitous Cerebration – Part Next to Last
- Serendipitous Cerebration – Part (X = 5-2) of (X+2)
- Serendipitous Cerebration (Part 2 – Project Planning)
- Serendipitous Cerebration (Part 1)
- Slowing Down?
