integration and xml 101
TRANSCRIPT
Integration and XML 101
Jai Shahpuri
Consology Solutions
• Integration and XML explained
• OTM Team’s Responsibility
• Tools Needed
• How to extract/create an XML
• XML Samples
• Testing your XML
• Integration Mappings
Outline
• An integration is a means of passing information to and from OTM
• The ‘language’ OTM ‘speaks’ is called XML
• XML stands for Extensible Markup Language
Integration and XML Explained
Middle Ware
XML EDI/Others
• All inbound integration messages to OTM need to be ‘translated’ to XML, and outbound messages from OTM need to be translated to other languages/formats depending on the receiving systems
• A Middleware software package is used to do the translations
o Some examples of middleware systems are: WebMethods, BPEL, BizTalk etc
o They translate and transform data as needed by the receiving application
• OTM supports various Communication Methods
o HTTP/S, FTP, EDI, Advance Queues
Integration and XML Explained
• Do not expect your ‘non-OTM’ integration resource to know OTM and its data structureo Unless they have specifically worked with OTM, they cannot be
expected to understand OTM and its data structure
o YOU are expected to have that knowledge
• The OTM team is the one that fills in the OTM specific data and fields in the mapping sheets
• The non-OTM fields will be filled by resource with knowledge of their respective systems
OTM Team’s Responsibility
• A good XML readero e.g. Altova XML Spy
• OTM Data Dictionary
• SQL Query Toolo SQL Developer
o SQL Toad
• OTM Schema
Tools Needed
DEMO TOOLS
Tools Demo
• Create necessary data in OTM
• Extract XML based on data entered
• Adjust XML – Remove and add any data or segments are needed
• Create XML Mappingo This will not only include the XML segments and elements, but also
details of the type of data and any transformations needed
• Hand off the XML Sample and the XML Mapping to the Resource knowledgeable of the receiving system for completing the non-OTM fields
Integration Process (OTM Team)
• Start with a sample from OTM
• Create an object with the data as needed, say Order Release and then extract the XML from OTM
• Two ways to extract the XML
o Perform integration command and extract XML
o Or, Send Interface to dummy external system and
extract XML from Transmission Manager
• NOTE: This will need the setup of an External System
an Out-XML Profile
How to Extract/Create an XML
• Once extracted, edit XML as needed, including adding or removing XML Segments
o PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE… Keep the XML as small as possible (Use MIN Default Mode in the OutXML Profile)
o No un-necessary segments or elements… as long as they are not required fields by OTM or the receiving application
o This will help improve performance
How to Extract/Create an XML
XML Sample – Invoice
• TEST TEST TESTo Never assume that the XML will work until OTM accepts (without
errors) and the data persists as expected
o Test with some variations of data as needed
o Simply validating the XML structure against the Schema is NOT GOOD ENOUGH
Test your XML
• The Mapping document is what dictates how the data is to be translated and transformed, which fields are required and which ones are optional
• A Mapping Document is usually a simple Excel Spreadsheet, which contains at least the following columns (OTM specific fields):o Segment Separatoro OTM Element Nameo Field Required or Optionalo OTM XML X-Patho Business Logic/Transformationo OTM Data Exampleo Notes
Creating an XML Mapping
