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About the Signals Mechanism

Within Siebel Order Management, you use the Signals mechanism to invoke configurable business logic. Signals are used to hold together the C/OM services, and they are used to call external services. You configure signals in the run-time client.

Nearly all buttons and engines within Siebel Order Management invoke business logic by raising a signal. The business logic invoked comes in the form of one or more business service methods or workflows.

Signals are versioned objects. The numbering assigned to a signal version means that a new version of a signal can be developed while you are using the current version in the same production environment.

A signal action property specifies the business service or workflow to invoke when the signal is raised. Signal action parameters are the input arguments to signal action workflows or business service methods.

Components of the Signals Mechanism

Figure 6 shows how a signal created in the Administration - Order Management screen, then Signals view is routed through a signal dispatcher to invoke a business service method or workflow.

Figure 6. Signals Components

Signals Administration

Administer signals using the Administration - Order Management screen, then Signals view. Use the Signals view for creating new signals, working with existing signals, and releasing signals into production. In the Versions list, click the Work Space hyperlink to access the Actions and Properties tabs, and the Parameters list, for the selected signal.

Signal Dispatcher

Signals are dispatched by the Context Service business service. The Context Service business service reads and caches signal definitions, and then when a business component raises the signal, Context Service executes the appropriate business service or workflow.

For more information on the Context Service business service, see Variable Maps and Context Service Business Service.

Signal Sources

All applications supported by the Siebel Order Management infrastructure can be sources of signals. A signal can be invoked by any C/OM business component. Signals are not supported on non-C/OM business components.

Signals are invoked through the standard InvokeMethod call. If the InvokeMethod is not handled by logic or script on the source business component, then the signal dispatcher (Context Service business service) is invoked to handle the signal.

Signal Actions

A signal action can be either a business service method or a workflow. By setting the Service Type field in Administration - Order Management screen, Signals, then Actions view, you define whether the action is a business service method or a workflow.