Creating an Integration Interface for Use with CSV or Excel Files

Create an integration interface by using an action form for a business process (BP) or an attribute form for a manager. These forms help you verify that all required fields are included in the interface design.

After you define the fields for the interface, create an interface template as a CSV or Microsoft Excel file. Import this template, along with the other integration interface details, into Unifier with the BP or manager.

Tips for Successful Interface Design

• Include required data elements (DEs) from the validation form in the integration interface, and set their Direction to Input or Both.
• Set standard DEs to Output only. Do not use standard DEs for CSV input integration.
• Use the Import and Update options for DEs to control how many DEs appear in templates used to create BP records and to use Bulk Edit and Bulk Update features.
• Ensure that all field labels on a form are unique. If a form contains two fields with the same label, Unifier stops the integration and displays an error message. For existing forms, either remove the duplicate field from the integration interface or change one of the duplicate labels to a unique value. (Changing a label affects all forms that use that DE.)
• Do not override the template project currency by using the Project/Shell Creator BPs.
• Use CSV import only for a Simple-type Project/Shell Creator BP.
• Excel truncates CSV files with 15 or more rows and drops the additional commas from row 15 onward, which causes an error when you import the file. To avoid this issue, place a required field in the last column of the design. This placement avoids empty columns at the end of the file.
• If you add new DEs to your forms after you create the integration interface, the new DEs do not automatically appear in the existing integration design. Add them manually if you want to include them in the design.
• If you remove a DE from a form after you create the integration interface, the DE does not automatically disappear from the interface design. Remove it manually to avoid an error.
• If you change the design of your integration interface, export the new XML or CSV template before you import new records.
• Unifier updates workflow BP records with workflow details and uses the step action form for validation. This allows an integration user to use the workflow step form to validate when creating or updating a workflow BP record through the new REST services. When you define an integration form in a workflow BP, the following note appears under the Validation Form list: The Validation Form will be used for business process methods of REST Web Services V1 type. This note does not appear for non-workflow BP records or other attribute forms in uDesigner.
• Unifier does not preserve query conditions for BP pickers that are enabled to receive values through any type of integration. Oracle recommends that you use BP data pickers instead of BP pickers. When you use BP pickers, ensure that the display element value is unique. Otherwise, the integration fails if multiple BP records use the same display element value.