will xCP help me to integrate Documentum with other doc flow system?

GlenLantz

I have just started investigating Documentum; so I need help from experts to make decision. I want to create a software that will integrate Documentum with some other ‘document flow’ system. At first approach the task looks like the following:

-          User of Documentum Content Server creates a workflow; then users of the Documentum process the workflow. On certain stage the worklflow needs to be processed by an external organization (that is not registered in the Documentum server). The external organization uses other ‘document flow’ system (the system also supports documents, workflows etc). ‘Processed’ here means: to receive the workflow, review and (probably) change the documents (and probably to add more documents), add comments into meta-data and send the workflow back with certain status: Rejected, To Be Fixed, Approved etc. The Documentum users get the workflow again, make necessary changes; then send it to the ‘external organization’ again etc – until the external organization returns the workflow with status Approved.

-          That my software must provide the communication between Documentum and the other ‘document flow’ system. Obviously it has to:

-          recognize that Documentum has a workflow to be sent to ‘another side’;

-          retrieve data of this workflow from Documentum; create or update corresponding workflow on the ‘other side’;

-          recognize that the ‘other side’ has a workflow to be sent to Documentum;

-          retrieve data of this workflow from ‘other side’; update corresponding workflow in Documentum;

I have looked at DFS 6.6 development guide and see: Documentum allows me retrieve objects (workflow and its components) from Documentum; allows to create new objects or update existing ones in Documentum. This is OK. But also I apparently need my software also to:

-          allow Documentum users to say ‘this workflow must be redirected to another side’. So I need a GUI element (button or so) in such workflow to be clicked. Is this possible to add such GUI element into Documentum workflows; and how this can be done?

-          monitor Documentum to see that such workflow appeared and has to be processed by ‘other side’. I saw some ‘events’ in Documentum Fundamentals; are they good for this? Or something else should be used?

I also see that another product named Documentum Process Integrator exists; and it has features for communication with external organizations. Apparently the Process Integrator cannot do this my task directly – it knows nothing about the ‘other document flow system’. Process Integrator can only send workflow by email (or HTTP, or FTP) in some format Documentum only knows, correct? Or I am wrong and the format is common one, and there is a chance that the ‘other document flow system’ will understand it and convert smoothly into its own workflow?

Also: even if the Documentum and the ‘other document flow system’ cannot communicate and my software should take care of this: will the Process Integrator help me in this? I mean: Process Integrator may have some extra API (in addition to DFS I see in Documentum Developer Edition 6.6); and this ‘extra API’ will help my software in its task (communication with other document flow system). If so, I will buy Process Integrator too (now I intend to buy Documentum Content Server only).

Message was edited by: GlenLantz

Miller-zzMST

Hi!

Process Integrator can only send workflow by email (or HTTP, or FTP) in some format Documentum only knows, correct?

Not only by email, http, ftp, but web-services, jms. Also you can read/write, execute db stored procedure. The main approach of using PI is to use it's capabilites with Process Builder.

Or I am wrong and the format is common one, and there is a chance that  the ‘other document flow system’ will understand it and convert smoothly  into its own workflow?

As you (as process developer) define the format of the communication in the Process Builder such result you will get. It depends only form you. Documentum only provides transportation of your data using standard protocols.

Frankly speaking, I do not know if anyone uses the PI without PB. I would appreciate it if someone of the community would said if this is possible.

You must understand the ways in which PI provides it's functions: outbond and inbound activities. Outbound activity enable you to send messages and Inbound activity enable you to receive messages. So your process can be started from external system or vice versa call another system, send to it some data and wait for a response.

Let me to digress from the direct question. Lets have a look at the your business requirement.

In fact, all those things of which you asked, they are all well supported by Documentum. But to obtain the maximum benefit, I think, you should use not the "basic" platform Content Server but xCelerated Composition Platform. It will let you to quite simply to build application with minimal programming.

So if you want to get the straight answer to your straight question: "does Process Integrator have special API?", sorry but I don't know .

But if we talk about how you better make your project is to use xCP. Have a look at the home page of xCP (https://community.emc.com/docs/DOC-4209). By the way, most of xCelerators demonstrate decision of requirements like yours.

Regards,

Konstantin