PeopleSoft Blackberry Integration

Prepared by Srinivasa Siddagangiah

Introduction
Blackberry Integration with PeopleSoft opens a wide range of integration features. The Workflow and Self Service oriented modules that require an approval process can benefit to a great e tent. !nd users could provide their response using their Blackberry device and even without connecting to the PeopleSoft application environment.

Basic Architecture
Blackberry Integration is done using the PeopleSoft Integration Broker "IB# architecture. PeopleSoft delivers various elements that should be configured to enable Blackberry Integration. Below listed are the basic configurations to enable the integration $ %. P&P' or I()P !mail account "I()P is the preferred over P&P'# *. IB +ode configuration a. PS delivered IB node (,-./!T()I0 should be configured b. -ollowing attributes have to be defined $ i. P&P'1I()P ii. Port %%2 for P&P' or %3' for I()P iii. !mail Server4 5ser "account# and password "where emails are sent1received through this account# iv. (ethod "(ail count4 6ead (ail# '. !mail notification template a. Sender attribute should be set to System Blackberry b. The attribute to include the GUID "/lobal 5ser Identification# in the email notification must be defined. 3. !mail notification program a. PS delivered )pplication Packages like PT.(,-.()I0 and PT.(,-.+&TI-I,)TI&+ have to be used to publish the notification emails. 7. !mail subscription process a. This could be an on demand process to read the P&P'1I()P email account or a scheduled process. +ote that PeopleSoft $ Blackberry Integration works with email accounts on POP3 or IMAP email servers.

Process Diagram
E!d U(er #l c$)err* Device

POP3% IMAP E& il Acco'!t

PS I!te"r tio! #ro$er Service

PeopleSoft Applic tio!

Process Flow
%. The PeopleSoft 8 Blackberry notification is routed to the end user9s email account by the S(PT service on the PeopleSoft )pplication Server. The FROM email address will be configured to point to the P&P'1I()P email account. This will also be used as the REPLY-TO email address. *. The end user should respond to the notification message using the REPLY-TO mailing option. The response from the Blackberry is received in the P&P'1I()P account. '. The response message would be embedded with the /5I: that identifies the blackberry response for a particular notification. In addition4 user response message would also be available as part of the message te t. a. In a typical approval based application4 user response would include the key works like Approve4 Reject4 Hold4 etc. 3. )n email polling process should be established to read the end user response and activate appropriate function. a. The delivered application package functions should be used to read the email messages b. )n email message is divided into various parts like header4 sub;ect4 message te t4 sender and reply8to. c. The function also identifies if a response is from a Blackberry device or through other means. d. The email response is authenticated by verifying the /5I: in the received mail which should match the /5I: in the notification mail. These controls have to be built into the process.

Setup
,hoose a component which requires a approval process. ! ample< Self Service 0eave approval. 1. ,reate Template variables "PeopleTools8Work-low8+otification8 Template=ariables# :efining template variables is the first step in setting up component templates. Template variables are page buffer variables that are always accessible to the component for which the template is being created. ,omponent data variables that are populated from specific locations on the component buffers. ,omponent 560 variables that are e panded into 560s in the outgoing notification to help in navigating to the PeopleSoft system. ,omponent 560 variables enable users to navigate to a specific PeopleSoft page when the template containing the variable is activated. >ou can specify a portal4 node4 menu4 component4 market4 page4 and action for the 5604 as well as key values for navigating to a specific target transaction for the selected component. ,omponent 560 variables values come from the search record keys in the component and must be resolved to bypass the search page. ! ternal 560 variables that are e panded into non8PeopleSoft component

2. 560s4 such as an iScript 560 or www.yahoo.com.

3. ,reate +otification Template"PeopleTools8Work-low8+otification8 +otification

Template#

Write this Peoplecode to send email on blackberry /*********************blackberry code*********************************/import PT_W _!"T# #$%T#"!&!oti'ication(import PT_W _!"T# #$%T#"!&!oti'ication%ddress(import PT_W _!"T# #$%T#"!&!oti'icationTemplate(/******************************* *****************************/ /************************balckberry code************************/ )ocal array o' PT_W _!"T# #$%T#"!&!oti'ication%ddress *mynoti'yto( )ocal PT_W _!"T# #$%T#"!&!oti'ication%ddress *mynoti'yaddress( )ocal PT_W _!"T# #$%T#"!&!oti'ication *mynoti'ication( )ocal string *email_addr( /***********************************************************/ /*Test code 'or +lackbery email*/ *name , -PW$_).%/.S -( *email_addr , -dan.peters01s.p2c.com(ryan.kno2les01s.p2c.com-( *mynoti'ytemplate , create PT_W _!"T# #$%T#"!&!oti'icationTemplate34$omponent5 46arket5 *name5 -$-7( *8ml/ars , *mynoti'ytemplate.Set1p$omp/ars%nd9cpts3:et)evel;377( *mynoti'ytemplate.:et%nd.8pandTemplate34)ang1age5 *8ml/ars7( *mynoti'ication , create PT_W _!"T# #$%T#"!&!oti'ication3--5 4<atetime5 4)ang1age7( *mynoti'yto , $reate%rray9ept3*mynoti'yaddress5 ;7( *mynoti'yaddress , create PT_W _!"T# #$%T#"!&!oti'ication%ddress3--5 --5 --5 *email_addr5 -.mail-7(

*mynoti'yto.P1sh3*mynoti'yaddress7( *mynoti'ication.!oti'yTo , *mynoti'yto( *mynoti'ication.S1b=ect , *mynoti'ytemplate.S1b=ect( *mynoti'ication.6essage , *mynoti'ytemplate.Te8t( *mynoti'ication.Send37( /*********.nd $ode 'or +lack+ery******/

Prerequsite: Peopletools!IntegrationBroker!"onfiguration!#ateway$
%. Integration Broker /ateway. (ake sure IB properties are loaded successfully

2. ,onnector id /!T!()I0T)6/!T class name and its properties should be

configured.

'. ,onfigure +ode (,-./!T()I0 "Peopletools8 IntegrationBroker8 IntegrationSetup8+odes#

>. ,heck for ,onnectors "loaded or not#. %ll the properties set1p here sho1ld be con'ig1red at appserv.c'g 'ile and P"P3/#6%P email server sho1ld be enabled.

Schedule Blackberry response program

3Peopletools?Work'lo2?!oti'ications?+lack+erry9esponseProgram7

%. /ive 6uncontrol Id. *. Specify +odename "(,-./!T()I0#. The application engine will use this node to read the email messages from P&P' server. '. This program W0.6I(6!SP should be customi?ed to call sections from our application engine programs based on the responses we have defined above ")pprove1:eny#. 3. W0.6I(6!SP application engine program make connection with P&P' server using (,-./!T()I0 node. It reads the emails at server and only valid responses from blackberry will be read "/5I: has to be there in blackberry response emails#. Then it will look into the te t "body part# and search for )pprove1:eny keyword. Based on keyword matched it will call the section from our dummy application engine. We have to accommodate all the peoplecode written on )PP6&=!1:!+> push button on 0eave approval page in the application engine program to keep it working as it is working online approval1denial. +ote< We should educate the users1managers to do @6!P0>T&A to the message got on Blackberry so that the valid /5I: will be there in the response sub;ect and write only )pprove or :eny in body te t so that4 will get processed by BB response program.