Integrating With Vertex Q Series

This chapter provides an overview of the PeopleSoft Business Interlinks used to integrate with the Vertex Q Series application and discusses how to:

• Identify Vertex plug-in locations.

• Identify Vertex dll and shared library locations.

• Set up variables for the Vertex database location.

• Set up PeopleSoft installation options for Vertex Q Series.

• Test the Vertex installation.

• Troubleshoot installation errors.

See Also

Integrating with Sales and Use Tax Applications

Vertex SoftLink Supplement to the C Programmer's Guide for use with PeopleSoft

Understanding PeopleSoft Business Interlinks to Vertex Q Series

PeopleSoft delivers two business interlink objects to interact with Vertex for both online and batch transactions: VERTEX_CALCTAX and VERTEX_GEOCODES. The business interlink objects communicate with Vertex Q Series through an interlink plug-in provided by Vertex. The interlink plug-in file name is psbivrtx.dll and it must be installed in the interface drivers directory.

UNIX Environments

In UNIX environments, the business interlink algorithmically converts the file name format from that of a Windows DLL to that of a UNIX shared library or shared object. The business interlink adds the prefix lib to the name, and replaces the extension, DLL, with the appropriate extension for the current UNIX platform.

For example, the business interlink changes the file name psbivrtx.dll to libpsbivrtx.sl before each call to the interlink plug-in.

See Also

https://support.oracle.com/CSP/ui/flash.html

Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: PeopleCode API Reference

Identifying Vertex Q Series Plug-in Locations

By default, the PeopleSoft system searches for the interlink plug-in in the interface drivers directory, as described in the following table:

These directories also contain the XML script files that describe the interlink plug-in structure which were used to create the delivered business interlink objects in the PeopleSoft system. The XML script files have the same name as the Windows DLL plug-in, except that the .XML extension is used instead of the .DLL extension.

When you purchase the Vertex software, Vertex provides an interlink plug-in that you must place in these directories. The copy under the Windows directory <PS_HOME>\bin\client\winx86\InterfaceDrivers is not used in production. The PeopleSoft Process Scheduler server and the application server use the plug-in copy in <PS_HOME>\bin\server\winx86\InterfaceDrivers on Windows, or <PS_HOME>/bin/interfacedrivers on UNIX.

Application Server Configurations

The application server configuration file has the following entry, which you can use to change the plug-in default location:

[PSTOOLS]
=============================================================
; General settings for PSTOOLS
=============================================================
;Uncomment this to specify an alternate directory to search for Interface Drivers.
;Business Interlink Driver Directory=

Process Scheduler Configurations

The PeopleSoft Process Scheduler configuration file contains the following entry, which you can use to change the plug-in default location:

;-------------------------------------------------------------------------
;Uncomment to specify an alternate directory to search for Interface Drivers.
;Business Interlink Driver Directory=

Identifying Vertex Q Series DLLs and Shared Library Locations

Vertex-supplied DLLs or shared libraries can be placed in the following locations:

Note. Refer to the Vertex documentation for more information.

Windows NT

Typically, the Vertex DLLs should be placed in the same directory as the PeopleSoft main executable file:

UNIX

Typically, the Vertex shared libraries should be placed in the same directory with the other PeopleSoft libraries. This directory is <PS_HOME>/bin. It is usually one of the directories pointed to by the LIBPATH environment variable set up in the psconfig.sh UNIX shell script.

If the system cannot find either the plug-in DLL/shared library or Vertex DLLs/shared libraries, an interlink connectivity error appears.

Setting Up Variables for the Vertex Database Location

This section discusses how to:

• Set up Vertex on a Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 2000 platform.

• Set up Vertex on a UNIX platform.

Setting Up Vertex on a Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 2000 Platform

Vertex provides a registry file to populate entries in the Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 2000 registry. A typical file contains the following entries:

For a Vertex ISAM database, provide values for xxxDBDataSrc. The value would be the directory containing the Vertex database. For relational database connection, the typical setup is to provide values for xxxDBServer, xxxDBPassword, and xxxDBUser, as follows:

RateDBDataSrc=
RateDBServer=qsu
RateDBPassword=solaris25
RateDBUser=solaris25
GeoDBDataSrc=
GeoDBServer=qsu
GeoDBUser=solaris25
GeoDBPassword=solaris25
RegDBDataSrc=
RegDBServer=qsu
RegDBUser=solaris25
RegDBPassword=solaris25
TDMDataSrc=
TDMDBServer=qsu
TDMDBUser=solaris25
TDMDBPassword=solaris25

There should be no blanks between the equal sign and the parameter entered.

See the Vertex Softlink documentation for additional information.

Setting Up Vertex on a UNIX Platform

Vertex provides a configuration file called PSVTXCFG that contains similar entries to the ones in a Microsoft Windows registry. This file must be accessible to the Vertex-supplied shared libraries. Define an environment variable called PSVTXCFG in psconfig.sh, and assign it the location of the configuration file. Define the variable for both the application server and PeopleSoft Process Scheduler so that the variable can be used by the Vertex software.

Setting Up PeopleSoft Installation Options for Vertex Q Series

The Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Install, Tax Provider Installation page provides one option for Vertex Q Series: Using TDM. Although PeopleSoft applications as delivered do not currently support this option, it is included in case you want to configure it to work with your business processes. Set up the Using TDM (using Tax Decision Maker) option in your Vertex environment settings. Use of TDM is set up in the Vertex registry on a Windows NT platform and in PSVTXCFG.SH on a UNIX platform.

Note. To display options for Vertex Q Series, Vertex must be chosen as the Tax Vendor on the Overall Installation Options page and Vertex Q Series as the Vertex Tax Application on the Tax Provider Installation page.

Testing the Vertex Q Series Installation

To test the Vertex Q Series installation, click the Test Tax Install button on the Tax Provider Installation page. The system will send a test transaction to Vertex and should report a Geocode and nonzero tax amount. If an error message appears or the tax amount is zero, then there is a problem with the tax installation that must be corrected.

Troubleshooting Installation Errors

The sections discuss error messages that you may receive and suggestions for resolving the errors. For batch processing, similar error messages are placed in the message log of each failed process.

Two-Tier Testing, Interlink Tester With Plug-in or Vertex DLLs Not Accessible

This message appears:

Check the client directories to ensure the plug-in and the Vertex DLLs are in the correct directories. Check the Vertex documentation for a complete list of required DLLs. This error may also be related to changes that you make to the Configuration Manager to change the location of the default interlink directory.

Three-Tier Geocode Look-Up With the Interlink Plug-in Not Accessible

Check the directories on the computer running the application server and ensure that the plug-in and the Vertex DLLs are in the correct directories. Check the Vertex documentation for a complete list of required DLLs. This error may also be related to changes that you make to the Configuration Manager to change the location of the default interlink directory. Also check permissions of the plug-in and Vertex shared libraries.

Three-Tier Where the Vertex Open Fails on Geocode Look-Up

This error message appears when the Vertex software detects invalid Vertex database pointers, permissions issues or other open failures:

Check the Microsoft Windows registry or Vertex UNIX configuration file PSVTXCFG to ensure entries are pointing to the correct locations. For a UNIX installation, ensure that the variable PSVTXCFG is defined in psconfig.sh, pointing to the directory that contains the PSVTXCFG file. Additionally, check for permissions problems.