Siebel Communications Guide > Defining Integration Workflows for Siebel Communications >

Terminology for Integration Workflows in Siebel Communications

This topic describes some terms used in this chapter in the context of workflow processes.

Siebel EAI. Siebel Enterprise Application Integration (Siebel EAI) is a set of tools, technologies, and prebuilt functional integrations that facilitate application integration. It supports message-based integration with external applications. Using Oracle's Siebel Enterprise Application Integration (Siebel EAI) module, a service provider can connect Siebel Communications directly to another application within the operational support architecture or connect to a hub or queue. This process allows middleware vendors to build their own Siebel-to-third-party connectors.

NOTE:  Integration with specific back-office applications or middleware packages is performed by your company. Siebel Business Applications offer prebuilt connectors to some back-office applications.

Integration Objects. Integration objects define the content of the messages that are initiated or received by Siebel Communications. They are based on business objects. The repository stores both integration objects and the mapping between business objects and integration objects.

Business Services. Business services act on objects to move data, convert data formats, and perform calculations. The Siebel Communications repository contains some business services that specifically help with integration tasks. You can also build your own in Siebel Tools (at design time) or in the Siebel Web client (at run time).

Workflow Processes. Workflow processes are sequences of steps that are used by Business Process Administration to automate a business function. Workflow process steps call business services that perform the procedures needed to perform a business process.

Synchronizing Phone Number Data with an External System

End users create or modify a phone number in Siebel Communications, and the phone number is synchronized with one or more back-office systems using the CUT Send Phone Number Data workflow process. The workflow process used to perform this scenario is CUT Receive Phone Number Data Workflow.

NOTE:  This process describes the exchange of phone number data. It is assumed that the phone number data are stored as Assets in the Siebel database. This process can be applied to any Asset data.

Synchronizing External Phone Number Data with Siebel Communications

End users create or modify a phone number in an external application, and the phone number data is synchronized with Siebel Communications using the CUT Receive Phone Number Data workflow process. The workflow process used to perform this scenario is CUT Receive Phone Number Data Workflow.

NOTE:  This process describes the exchange of phone number data. It is assumed that the phone number data are stored as Assets in the Siebel database. This process can be applied to any Asset data.

Responding to an External Inquiry for Phone Number Data

The external system requires phone number (asset) data. The external application calls the CUT Get Phone Number Data workflow process using the available Siebel object interfaces. The external application retrieves the data from Siebel Communications using the workflow process as an API. The workflow process used to perform this scenario is CUT Get Phone Number Data Workflow.

NOTE:  This process describes the exchange of phone number data. It is assumed that the phone number data are stored as Assets in the Siebel database. This process can be applied to any Asset data.