Process External Input File via Assistant

Explanation

Use this activity to read an external input file, unpack the file data and call a dedicated interface (API) that will continue with the further processing of the data.

The assistant can handle any file type and file template defined in External Files. This means that this is a multi-purpose assistant that can handle the same actions as existing interfaces, e.g. the External Supplier Invoices Interface in Invoice.

Prerequisites

• An external file type must be available.
• A parameter set must be available if it should be possible to supply parameter values during the input phase.
• A valid and active file template with template definitions for input files that is associated with the file type must be available.
• If an input file is specified then it must exist on the network path if Online processing. For Batch processing the file path and name is of course essential but can not be validated before starting the process.

System Effects

The following is will be a result of this activity:

• The file will be read, unpacked and a call will be made to the interface (API) that will take care or processing the unpacked data further. This may lead to the e.g. for vouchers, that transactions will be defined in the External Vouchers Interface and that the vouchers are checked/validated and then sent to the hold table where the actual vouchers are created.
• The state of the load will be set to Transferred.

Window

External File Assistant

Related Window Descriptions

External File Assistant

Procedure

1. Open the External File Assistant.
2. Choose processing mode, Online or Batch.
3. Click Next.
4. Supply file options on this page, i.e. external file type, parameter set, external file template and the file name.
   The file direction is set automatically according to the following:

• If the referenced parameter set has the parameter FILE_DIRECTION_DB defined then the direction according to the value for this parameter will be used.
• Else if the file template has definitions for either input files or output files then the existing definition will decide the direction.
• If the file template has definitions for both input and output files then output will be the suggested direction.

Make sure that the file direction is InputFile.

5. Click Next.
6. If a parameter set was supplied that has associated parameters then these parameters will be displayed along with defined default values. Modify the values for each parameter if necessary. Click List, if available, to get valid values for each parameter.  The field might also support a drop down list with valid values.
7. If the processing mode is Online then click Finish to start the process, else click  Next.
8. If the processing mode is Batch then define the scheduling of the batch job and start the process by clicking Finish.