Service Order Field Activity Communication
This section outlines how service order field activities communicate with field work systems.
When a service order field activity enters the "Communication in Progress" state, it sends an outbound communication to the field work system, and waits for an inbound communication response.
See Understanding the Service Order Field Activity Communication Process below for more information about the role of communications in the service order field activity communication process.
Outbound Communications
Outbound Communications represent messages sent from Service Order Management to. an external field work system Outbound communications use the following types of objects:
Outbound Communication Business Objects
An outbound communication business object exists for each type of message to be sent to an external system. For service order field activities, the following base package outbound communication objects can be used.
|
Type of Outbound Communication |
Outbound Communication Business Object |
|---|---|
|
Initial service order field activity outbound communication |
Field Activity Outbound Communication (D1-FieldActivityOBComm) |
|
Modify outbound communication Used to send an update to a service order field activity previously sent to the field work system. |
Field Activity Outbound Communication (D1-ActivityModifyOBComm) |
Outbound Message Types
A outbound message type must also be created for each type of message to be sent to an external system. Again, this is based on the types of messages the system is designed to accept. For service order field activities, the following outbound message types are needed:
|
Type of Outbound Communication |
Outbound Message Type |
|---|---|
|
Initial Service Order Field Activity Message |
Field Activity Outbound Message |
|
Modify Existing Service Order Field Activity |
Modify Field Activity Outbound Message |
Refer to the Oracle Utilities Application Framework documentation for more information about outbound message types.
External Systems
You must also create an External System for each external system to which Service Order Management will send messages. Each external system defines a set of outbound message types that will be sent to that system. Each external system outbound message type also specifies the following:
-
The processing method used to send the message (Batch, XAI, or Real-time)
-
Message Sender (if Processing Method is set to Real-time or XAI)
-
Batch Control (if Processing Method is set to Batch)
-
Message XSL, W3C Schema, and Response XSL (as applicable)
To continue the example above, you might create the following external system:
|
External Application |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Outbound Message Type |
Processing Method |
Batch Control |
|
Field Activity Outbound Message |
Batch |
Sync Request Monitor (F1-SYNRQ) |
|
Modify Field Activity Outbound Message |
Batch |
Sync Request Monitor (F1-SYNRQ) |
Refer to the Oracle Utilities Application Framework documentation for more information about external systems.
Inbound Communications
Inbound Communications represent messages sent from an external field work system to Service Order Management. Inbound communications are typically sent in response to a service order field activity. Inbound communications use the following types of objects:
Inbound Communication Business Objects
An inbound communication business object must be created for each type of message to be received from an external system. For service order field activities, the following base package inbound communication object can be used.
|
Inbound Communication Business Object |
|---|
|
Field Activity Inbound Communication (D1-FieldActivityIBComm) |
Inbound Web Service
You must also create an Inbound Web Service for each type of message to be received from an external system. Inbound web services define the details of how messages are received from an external system, including the inbound communication business object (or business service or service script) to be invoked when the response message is received. As in the case of inbound communication business objects, the set of inbound web services you need to create is based on the types of messages the system is designed to send. To continue the example above, you might create the following inbound web services:
|
Inbound Web Service |
Schema (Inbound Communication Business Object) |
|---|---|
|
Field Activity Inbound Communication |
Field Activity Inbound Communication D1-FieldActivityIBComm |
Refer to the Oracle Utilities Application Framework documentation for more information about Inbound Web Services.
Field Activity Remarks
Inbound communications can contain activity remarks, which represent notes entered by the field worker as they perform and complete their field work. These can be solely informational, or can reference completion events via the "Remark Processing" section of the Field Activity Remark Type extendable lookup. This allows information sent with the inbound communication to initiate business processing if necessary.
Completion events specified on this extendable lookup are created by the inbound communication, and then executed when the service order field activity enters the "Execute Completion Events" state.
Understanding the Service Order Field Activity Communication Process
This section provides an overview of the communication process that takes place when a service order field activity is initiated. For each step in the process, the table below provides a brief description of the processing that takes place, and lists the specific base package objects used by Service Order Management
Note that the process outlined below has been simplified for illustrative purposes, and does not reference every step performed in this process.
|
Step |
Process |
Base Package Objects |
|---|---|---|
|
1. |
An orchestration activity creates a service order field activity as part of its processing. A service order field activity business object is instantiated for the command. |
Field Activity Business Object: Field Activity (D1-FieldActivity) |
|
2. |
When the service order field activity enters the Communication in Progress tate, it creates an outbound communication. |
Outbound Communication Business Object: Field Activity Outbound Communication (D1-FieldActivityOBComm) |
|
3. |
A Enter algorithm on the "Awaiting Response" state of the outbound communication retrieves information needed by the outbound message to be sent to the field work system based on processing scripts specified on the field task type. |
Enter Algorithm: Populate Send Detail for Field Activity (D1-POPSNDDTL) |
|
4. |
A Enter algorithm on the "Awaiting Response" state of the outbound communication creates an outbound message. |
Enter Algorithm: Create Outbound Message (D1-COUTMSG) Note: An outbound message type for this message is not included in the base package. |
|
5. |
The outbound message is sent to middleware components via an External System and Batch Control. Middleware components utilize Business Process Execution Language (BPEL). |
External System: MWM Batch Control: Sync Request Monitor (F1-SYNRQ) |
|
6. |
The middleware converts the outbound message from SOM format into the format used by the field work system, and sends the message to the field work system. |
|
|
7. |
When the field work system sends a response, the middleware receives the response message from the field work system, and converts it from the format used by the field work system to SOM format and invokes an Inbound Web Service. |
Inbound Web Service: D1-FieldActivityIBComm |
|
8. |
The Inbound Web Service picks up the message, and creates a corresponding inbound communication. The specific type of inbound communication business object created is determined by the Inbound Web Service. |
Inbound Web Service: D1-FieldActivityIBComm Inbound Communication Business Object: Field Activity Inbound Communication (D1-FieldActivityIBComm) |
|
9. |
The inbound communication identifies the parent outbound communication. |
Outbound Communication Business Object: Field Activity Outbound Communication (D1-FieldActivityOBComm) |
|
10. |
The inbound communication creates the completion events defined on the field activity field task type (Successful or Canceled, as appropriate) in the "Pending" state. If the inbound communication contains field activity remarks, it also executes any field activity remark completion events. |
Inbound Communication Business Object: Field Activity Inbound Communication D1-FieldActivityIBComm |
|
11. |
The inbound communication updates the outbound communication. This update is performed by an Enter algorithm on the “Completed” Status of the inbound communication business object’s lifecycle. |
Inbound Communication Business Object: Field Activity Inbound Communication D1-FieldActivityIBComm Outbound Communication Business Object: Field Activity Outbound Communication (D1-FieldActivityOBComm) |
|
12. |
The outbound communication updates the “Completion Flag” and the original service order field activity business object. This update is performed by an Enter algorithm on the “Completed” Status of the outbound communication business object’s lifecycle. |
Outbound Communication BO: Initiate Connect Disconnect (D3-InitiateConnectDisconnect) Field Activity Business Object: Field Activity (D1-FieldActivity) |