PeopleSoft Campus Community 9.0 Fundamentals PeopleBook

Setting Up External Search/Match

This chapter provides an overview of External Search/Match functionality, lists prerequisites, and discusses how to set up External Search/Match.

Understanding External Search/Match

External Search/Match functionality looks and feels much like the standard Search/Match that resides in Campus Solutions (CS). However, External Search/Match integrates with any external system and enables your institution to perform searches within that external system and import records into Campus Community. The goal is to provide complete and meaningful lists of potential duplicate IDs in your entire environment, including IDs that reside outside of the CS database.

External Search/Match executes these searches with the help of two delivered web service operations. You can then use web services to import a matching constituent that does not exist inside the CS database. Web services send outbound search requests from the system of record to an external system and also receive inbound responses coming directly from the external system. As enterprise architectures grow more complex and CS may no longer be the sole source of person data entry and maintenance, searching against external systems ensures that no duplicates exist in your environment.

As with Search/Match, you can perform three types of searches with External Search/Match: applicant, person, and organization. However, the system performs applicant and organizational searches only using Search/Match at this time; you are able to search for only people when using External Search/Match as part of integration with an external system. External Search/Match allows you to search for people simultaneously against the CS database (using the current Search/Match), as well as directly inside an external system; the process displays the combined results inside CS search results pages. If your institution integrates External Search/Match with an external system that allows advanced searching capabilities (for example, External Search/Match is integrated with a data hub that has fuzzy matching capabilities), this extra search logic can be leveraged and the results returned to you contain a richer set of matching candidates.

External Search/Match reuses the same setup parameters and security configuration used for standard Search/Match functionality.

How to Search

You can perform either an online or an automatic search using External Search/Match.

To perform an online search:

Access the Search/Match Integrated component.
Select a Search Type, Search Parameter, Search Result Code, and other search fields as appropriate; this step is the same as the existing Search/Match.
After populating some or all of these fields with search data, click the Search or Selective Search button.

The system validates the external system data settings and determines whether the institution is configured for Search/Match, External Search/Match, or both. This determination causes the system to then perform the search inside the CS database and/or outside to an external system.

If the system determines that an external search should occur, then it generates the outbound search request (Match Request). That search request contains all information known about the search. The XML message might contain the search parameters used, the search fields and their values, and so on.

If your institution integrates with external systems using the Higher Education Constituent Hub (HECH), before the external system can understand the search information contained in the message, search fields must be mapped to fields contained inside the external system. This occurs inside the transformation layer. The external system can then interpret the search data and perform its own search using its search engine, taking advantage of all its search capabilities. If your institution integrates with HCM as an external system, this mapping is not required.

To perform an automatic search, all of the above information applies. When you enter data to create an EmplID on a CS page and then click the Save button, the system invokes additional logic to validate the external data integration settings and then triggers the Match Request.

Search Results

After the external system search process completes its search for potential matches, the result data is sent to CS via the response message (Match Response). When you perform a search that triggers both the Internal Search/Match and External Search/Match processes, the system may not find results on the same search order number. The rule for External Search/Match functionality is to display all search results, beginning with the lowest search order number obtained (the most restrictive search rule where matching EmplIDs are found). The search order is determined by the Results Engine.

Before it can display your search results, the Results Engine receives the results from both the Internal Search/Match and External Search/Match processes. The engine evaluates the search order number from each system's matching candidates.

If Internal Search/Match found matching candidates with a lower search order number than the external system, then the Results Engine displays the results from Internal Search/Match; the lowest search order indicates that it was a more restrictive search.
If the opposite is true, then the Results Engine displays the results found from the external search.
If both searches retrieve results on the same search order number, the Results Engine combines the search results into a single display for the user.

Regardless of whether you invoke Internal Search/Match, External Search/Match, or both, the search results appear on the Integrated Search Results page. This page contains many of the same fields as the Search Results page. In addition, the Results tab contains optional columns such as the external system ID (referred to as the Universal ID), the EmplID (when it exists) and the Score% (or the weight) of each matching candidate found if the external system provides that information. The Results tab uses the same masking configuration that is in place for Search/Match.

When External Search/Match finds a matching candidate that does not exist inside the internal system (the matching candidate is not tied to an EmplID), you can still use the Detail link to view more information about the constituent. This case triggers an outbound web service request for more information (Fetch Request). The external system receives the information and returns detailed constituent information inside its response web service (Fetch Response). The system then displays (but does not store) the detailed information inside a Detail page that enables you to review the data.

If you determine that the matching candidate is the person you are looking for, you can import the person record from the Integrated Search Results page. When you click the Import button, the system generates a Fetch Request (the same web service used to retrieve more details about the constituent) and uses the information contained in the Fetch Response to create the new person record inside the CS database. After you generate the person's EmplID, you can then use it to perform subsequent transactions.

Prerequisites

While your current Search/Match setup can remain unchanged, PeopleSoft recommends that you review it to maximize the search capabilities offered by the external system. For example, if the external system that integrates with External Search/Match does not store National ID information, you could remove this information from your search parameters.

Search Parameter: Additional Search Parameter codes may need to be created for external system integrations with data hubs to accommodate how the transformation layer evaluates the search parameter used and the various Search Order Numbers.

Note. External Search/Match includes in the Match Request only the Search Order Numbers for which potential matches can be found (this is the same concept used by Search/Match).
Search Results: If your results code(s) contain fields that are not stored inside your integrated external system, and if the person returned has an EmplID in the CS system, the Results Engine fetches the data inside the CS database to populate the Results tab.

For example, a user uses a Search Results code that contains the Aid Year field. If your external system does not store that information, the Results Engine uses the returned EmplID to fetch the CS database and retrieve the information. This is also true for matching candidates returned with an EmplID. If the matching candidate is not stored in the CS database (no EmplID exists), then the Aid Year column remains blank for that candidate.
Search Results code masking configuration: The system reuses the existing setup when you use a Search Results code with masking configuration and the external system returns results for display.

In addition, you must set up Integration Broker to trigger the following web services:

SCC_SM_FETCH (Search/Match fetch service).
SCC_SM_SERVICE (External Search/Match service).

Finally, you must grant users security to the Search/Match Integrated component.

Important! If your institution has specified integration with an external system on the External Core Data Integration page, to ensure that all of your users will search the same way Oracle recommends that you revoke their security to the Search/Match component. All searching capabilities included inside the Search/Match component are included inside the Search/Match Integrated component.

Setting Up External Search/Match Functionality

This section discusses how to:

Configure external core data integration.
Configure External Search/Match options.

Note. If you are implementing separate instances of your PeopleSoft Campus Solutions and PeopleSoft HCM systems, you should read the additional documentation describing how to configure and use External Search/Match directly between the two systems. The CS-HCM Integration Information Knowledge Document details the additional documents that describe the setup, functional, and technical implementation considerations.

Pages Used to Set Up External Search/Match Functionality

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
External Core Data Integration	SCC_EXT_SYSTEM	Set Up SACR, Install, External Core Data Integration	Specify an external system that is integrated with CS for core person data.
External System Search Match Options	SCC_CS_HUB_INSTALL	Set Up SACR, System Administration, Utilities, Search/Match, Search Match with External Sys	Specify External Search/Match options when integrating with an external system.

Configuring External Core Data Integration

Access the External Core Data Integration page (Set Up SACR, Install, External Core Data Install).

Is External System Installed

Select this check box to indicate whether CS is integrated with any external system. If you do not select this check box, the other fields on the page are unavailable for input.

When users perform a Search/Match, the system evaluates this indicator and determines whether to invoke External Search/Match functionality.

Integrated External System

Select an option to indicate which system is integrated:

HCM installed as third party: Select to indicate that CS and an HCM system are in separate instances and the administrative user has distinguished the HCM system as an External System with direct integration to it (for example, HCM 9.0, HCM 9.1, or another CS system).

Higher Ed Constituent Hub: Select to indicate that the administrative user has integrated with the Oracle Higher Ed Constituent Hub (HECH) data hub.

If Higher Ed Constituent Hub is selected, the option to select whether to Import External EMPLID appears, with the External Spoke System ID field to be filled in by the user.

Other external system: Select to indicate that an external system other than an HCM system or HECH data hub has been integrated to CS. This could potentially be another third-party data hub.

[Blank]: Leave the field blank to indicate that CS has no external system integrated with it. This is the default setting for this field.

Data Hub Name

Define the name of the external system, based on the selected Integrated External System. If you selected HCM installed as third party, this field changes to HCM Installed as Third Party and is unavailable for input. If you selected Higher Ed Constituent Hub, this field changes to Higher Ed Constituent Hub and is unavailable for input. However, if you selected Other external system, this field becomes active; enter the external system name.

Note. PeopleSoft assumes that only one external system will be used.

Import External EMPLID

Select this check box to indicate that the institution has elected to make use of an imported HCM EmplID from HECH, rather than to generate a CS-unique EmplID as part of the Fetch service within External Search Match. This check box appears only if the Integrated External System value is Higher Ed Constituent Hub.

External Spoke System ID

Specify the unique Spoke ID for the External HCM instance integrated to the HECH. This field appears only if the Import External EMPLID check box is selected, indicating that HCM EmplIDs will be imported. This field is associated with the HCM External System ID within the HECH.

Configuring External Search/Match Options

Access the External System Search Match Options page (Set Up SACR, System Administration, Utilities, Search/Match, Search Match with External Sys).

If the Is External System Installed check box is not selected on the External Core Data Integration page, the following message appears: "Currently, no External System is configured with Campus Solutions. To configure an External System, navigate to External Core Data Integration page."

Search/Match Options

Fields in this group box determine under what conditions the system will use Search/Match, External Search/Match, or both when adding a new person or saving an updated bio/demo page.

Search Type

Select Person, Applicant, or Organization.

Note. At this time, you may only select the Person option. The other search types are not yet integrated with External Search/Match.

Search/Match Option

Select which Search/Match functionality to use when an external system is installed:

If you select Internal Search/Match and you make it Active, then the Search/Match process will search for person IDs inside the CS database.

If you select External Search/Match and you make it Active, then the External Search/Match process will search for person IDs inside the integrated external system.

If you clear the status or make the status Inactive, the system will not trigger a specific Search/Match tool.

Note. Both searches can be selected at the same time, and results appear from both searches on the same Integrated Search Results page.

Static Columns to Displays in the Results Grid

Fields in this group box contain information about additional columns to display inside the Results grid of the Integrated Search Results page.

Default Column Name

Select EmplID, Universal ID, Score, or External Employee ID.

These are delivered translate values; do not modify them.

EmplID is displayed by default (just like for Search/Match).

Universal ID is a generic term that refers to the external system ID in use. When selected the external system ID is displayed inside the Additional Information tab of the Results grid.

Score is a generic term that refers to your external system method for ranking the matches found. It is the weight or the accuracy of the results found. It is sometimes expressed by a percentage or a number. If your external system does not have ranking capability, do not select this option. When selected, the column appears first in the Results grid.

If you select Score, then the system sorts search results in the Results grid by score in descending order and by EmplID in ascending order. If you do not select Score, then the search results appear only by EmplID in ascending order.

External Employee ID refers to the External HCM system EmplID. This value is used to display the EmplID of the HCM system that is integrated with the HECH. It is specifically used when the institution has selected to import external EmplIDs rather than generate a CS-unique EmplID.

Display Name

Enter a custom column name for the static columns that appear in the Results grid.

Is External System Installed	Select this check box to indicate whether CS is integrated with any external system. If you do not select this check box, the other fields on the page are unavailable for input. When users perform a Search/Match, the system evaluates this indicator and determines whether to invoke External Search/Match functionality.
Integrated External System	Select an option to indicate which system is integrated: HCM installed as third party: Select to indicate that CS and an HCM system are in separate instances and the administrative user has distinguished the HCM system as an External System with direct integration to it (for example, HCM 9.0, HCM 9.1, or another CS system). Higher Ed Constituent Hub: Select to indicate that the administrative user has integrated with the Oracle Higher Ed Constituent Hub (HECH) data hub. If Higher Ed Constituent Hub is selected, the option to select whether to Import External EMPLID appears, with the External Spoke System ID field to be filled in by the user. Other external system: Select to indicate that an external system other than an HCM system or HECH data hub has been integrated to CS. This could potentially be another third-party data hub. [Blank]: Leave the field blank to indicate that CS has no external system integrated with it. This is the default setting for this field.
Data Hub Name	Define the name of the external system, based on the selected Integrated External System. If you selected HCM installed as third party, this field changes to HCM Installed as Third Party and is unavailable for input. If you selected Higher Ed Constituent Hub, this field changes to Higher Ed Constituent Hub and is unavailable for input. However, if you selected Other external system, this field becomes active; enter the external system name. Note. PeopleSoft assumes that only one external system will be used.
Import External EMPLID	Select this check box to indicate that the institution has elected to make use of an imported HCM EmplID from HECH, rather than to generate a CS-unique EmplID as part of the Fetch service within External Search Match. This check box appears only if the Integrated External System value is Higher Ed Constituent Hub.
External Spoke System ID	Specify the unique Spoke ID for the External HCM instance integrated to the HECH. This field appears only if the Import External EMPLID check box is selected, indicating that HCM EmplIDs will be imported. This field is associated with the HCM External System ID within the HECH.