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.
Once you select Online or Batch process click on Next to give
the relevant file options such as 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.
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.
- For Online processing, the file path and name is of course essential but cannot be validated before starting
the process.
- IFS Connect/Reader and Example_External_File_Import routing rule must be enabled in
order to batch process an external file.
- For Batch processing, the input file must be placed at the specified network path with the file name prefix
mentioned in the routing rule and the External File Template.
System Effects
The following 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.