Different Query Mode in Edit List

I crunched one. This post is an addendum to one of my previous "Food for Thought" post where the main challenge was to display different columns in Query Mode when applet is displayed in Edit List Mode. with some configuration-Scripting-Luck i am able to achieve this scenario.

The key ingredient here is the usage of Dynamic Toggle. Following necessary steps are required to achieve desired solution.

1 - Create a clone of the list applet which should be displayed in Query Mode. Remove unnecessary Columns which are not required to be displayed while querying. Consider two applets are:

a) SR List Applet

b) SR Query List Applet

2 - Make the "SR Query List Applet" as the default applet to be displayed in the view.

3 - Create a calculated field in the Service Request BC with following values:

Name: QueryCalc

Value: IIF(GetProfileAttr('QueryMe') = 'Y','Y','N')

4 - Now create a dynamic toggle in the "SR Query List Applet". Set the "SR List Applet" as toggle applet with following Value in the condition.

Auto Toggle Field: QueryCalc

Auto Toggle Value: Y

5 - Once toggle is created, its time to set Profile Attribute. Following piece of code is required in below applets:

a) SR Query List Applet

Following script is written to toggle to SR List Applet.

function WebApplet_PreInvokeMethod (MethodName)

{

if(MethodName == "ExecuteQuery" || MethodName == "UndoQuery")

TheApplication().SetProfileAttr("QueryMe","Y"); //This is used to toggle back to Applet with More Fields

}

function WebApplet_Load ()

{

TheApplication().SetProfileAttr("QueryMe","Y"); //This is used to toggle back to Applet with More Fields

}

b) SR List Applet

In this applet we will create our own custom method and will invoke NewQuery.

function WebApplet_PreInvokeMethod (MethodName)

{

if(MethodName == "TestQuery") //Instead of Query We are calling our own custom method. Test Query

{

TheApplication().SetProfileAttr("QueryMe","N");

this.BusComp().SetSearchSpec("Id","");

this.BusComp().ExecuteQuery();

this.InvokeMethod("NewQuery");//New query is executed on the default applet in the view

return(CancelOperation);

}

}

The key here is to execute a blank query and then do New query so that the default applet in the View appears,i.e. the SR Query List Applet. Compile the objects and look out for super cool stuff. Siebel Rocks!!!

Disclaimer: There are caveats in this approach. This should be thoroulgy tested before you implement in your scenario.

Happy Crunching!!

SecUsernameFieldSubstitution - User Property

Issues are inevitable as sugar and cholesterol.

In my recent heist in configuring recipient groups i was dumbstruck with some untold user property. We wanted to add Person as recipient group for Service Request. As per siebel support we added desired values in the "COMM_RECIP_SRC" LOV table. Email started to flowing using this recepient group. But the interesting part is "Person" BC is not defined with the Recipient* user properties instead of that only one user property is defined as

Name - SecUsernameFieldSubstitution: EMail Addr

Value - Email Address

Unknown of its usage thought of throwing this to siebel forum. A little insight on this user property will be of great help.

Happy Cracking!!

Popup visibility - Division Based

It is very critical that one should have appropriate access to information available. Thus siebel has given comprehensive access control mechanism which helps in restricting data visibility. We can have visibility filter at multiple levels including View, Business Component, Picklists, Drilldowns, Links .

However the modes which we can set is restricted to following values:

All

Personal

Sales Rep

Manager

Organization

Sub Organization

Group

Catalog

Recently i was asked to have a visibility control based on the Division during the assignment of Service Request. One should see employees related to his division only when he opens employee pick applet.

We opted for Personalization to implement this as it gives a flexibility to change the filter dynamically without any srf change. Steps required are:

1 - Set the Popup Visibility Type to "All" for employee buscomp. (Please check before doing this as this will impact all Picklists based on Employee BC)

2 - Create a Personalization Rule set for "Employee Pick Applet" with below Include Expression:

"EXISTS ([Division] = GetProfileAttr('Division Name'))"

where "Division Name" is the division of Primary Position which is pulled in Personalization Profile BC using join. However this approach fails when user has got multiple positions and he changes the active position from "Change Position" View via User Preferences. In such scenarios we need to set/reset Profile attribute after Change Position is executed.

Happy Configuration!!

Hidden Methods - UpdateRecord

Siebel is mysterious. Along with those magical user properties there exists hidden methods that can do wonders for you. It is a real Archimedes-Eureka-Feeling when we encounter any of these hidden methods in siebel.

Recently i was struggling with Update Siebel Operation Step in Workflow with some context issue till i found "UpdateRecord" hidden method for "Inbound E-mail Database Operations" business service. This method is not displayed in the available list of methods for this business service but however can be comprehensively used in the workflow (we can verify with Business service simulator).

Usage:

Business Service: Inbound E-mail Database Operations

Business Service Method: UpdateRecord

Method Argument:

BusComp - Name of the Business Component

BusObj - Name of the Business Object

Id - Row ID of the record to be updated

Field: FieldName1 - Value to be updated

Field: FieldName2 - Value to be updated

Field: FieldName3 - Value to be updated

The only curse with usage of these methods is if Id is not valid it throws error in processing.

Happy Configuration!!

Cursor Modes for ExecuteQuery

Ignorance is bliss.A lot has been written about the cursor modes when using ExecuteQuery method. As a general rule by birth we are told, when using the ExecuteQuery method in scripting, the recommended cursor mode is ForwardOnly if there is no need to step backward through the result set.

But ForwardOnly cursor mode should not be used in a user interface context, for example, when the business component being queried is displayed within an applet of the current view.

I was victim of this ignorance. We had a requirement of querying on the EBC based on the query spec we get from other applet in the view. I have added ForwardOnly mode in the executequery method and to my horror query results were always returning only one record in the applet. Turning on the ForwardBackword cursor mode in the ExecuteQuery method fixed this isssue. The issue was When accessing database records with a cursor mode of ForwardOnly, only one record at a time is retrieved and kept within the Siebel Object Manager memory as a result only one record was being displayed as query result. When using ForwardBackward cursor mode, all of the qualifying records were retrieved.

Happy Crunching!!

Old Value - New Value

The requirement of auditing the value changes in key fields is one of the common requirements. One can use audit trail or resort to activities for maintaining log. We also faced the same requirement of capturing the Old Value-New value pair in activities, whenever status of Service Request is changed.

There are multiple script less solution available for this. But the one which excited us was the introduction of "GetOldFieldValue" method of buscomp. As per bookshelf

"This method can be called by using a script in the PreWriteRecord event to retrieve an old field value if needed. This method takes an input parameter, which must be a valid field name, and returns a string containing the old field value."

Primarily this method is used for EBC's but one can use this method for any buscomp with effective use. We created a workflow which is used to read older value and new value and then create activity.

1 - Fetch Old Value

Business Service Name: SIS OM PMT Service

Business Service Method:Invoke BC Method

Input Argument

BC Name : Servcie Request

MethodName: GetOldFieldValue

Param 0: Status

OutPut Argument

Type: Output Argument

Output Argument : Return Property Name

Property Name: OldStatus (input property set created for storing Older Value)

2 - Fetch New Value

Business Service Name: Workflow Utilities

Business Service Method: Echo

Input Argument

OutPut Argument

Type: Business component

Business component Name: Service Request

Business Component Field: Status

Property Name: NewStatus

3 - Create Activity

Business Service Name: Inbound E-mail Database Operations

Business Service Method: InsertRecord

Input Argument

BusComp : Action

BusObj: Service Request

Field: SR Id : Object Id

Field: Description: "Status has been Changed from" + [&OldStatus] + "to" + [&NewStatus]

Echo still remains one of the most mysterious yet powerful method. This workflow can be invoked via runtime event on Service Request buscomp.

Happy Auditing!!

50 Up!!

“Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.” - Aaron

As i write my 50th post, it feels good to be quantum of blogosphere. Here we will discuss one of my favorite topic "Workflows". A lot has been suggested about activating multiple workflows but vital thing in this post is importing/exporting multiple workflows from one repository to another and deploying and activating them in one go.

I have posted two workflows here. One is for multiple export of workflows and other is to import and activate the exported workflows. One can download from below links.

1 - Multiple Workflow Export

2 - Multiple Workflow Deploy and Activate

Usage:

Multiple Workflow Export -

Import this workflow in your tools. Modify following input process properties as per your need.

ExportFolder: This is the name of the directory where you want to keep the export of XML files.For eg, "D:\Workflow_Export"

Repository: Name of the repository from where Workflow should be exported.For eg, "Siebel Repository"

SearchSpec: Search criteria to identify what all workflows should be exported.For eg, [Process Name] LIKE 'SR*' AND [Status] = 'Completed'

Once these parameters are modified simulate the workflow and check the export directory. This directory will house all the XML export files of the Workflows given in the searchspec. Once simulation is over check the "NumOffWF" parameter which will give us the count of workflows exported. The only glitch here is it doesn't list the name of workflow which has failed during export operation.

Multiple Workflow Deploy and Activate -

Import this workflow in your tools where you want to import the extracted files. Modify following input process properties as per your need.

ImportFolder: This is the name of the directory where input files are housed.For eg, "D:\Workflow_Export"

Repository: Name of the repository where workflows should be created.For eg, "Siebel Repository"

ProjectName: Name of the project to which all workflows will be associated.For eg, "Service Request Workflow"

SearchSpec: This searchpsec is used to filter out workflows we want to deploy.For eg, "[Process Name] Like 'SR*' AND [Status] = 'In Progress'"

ActivateSearchSpec: This searchspec is used to activate workflows.For eg, [Process Name] Like 'SR *' AND [Status] = 'Completed'

Once these parameters are modified simulate the workflow. "NumOffWF" parameter after each step will give the number of workflows which are processed. The only issue is it doesn't list name of workflows which has failed during the operation.

If you are looking only for multiple workflow activation and comprehensive error logging then one can visit vinay's World. Once again thanking all for your support and comments.

Happy Deployment!!