Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Integration

Overview

Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is an integrated suite of business management software used to manage and automate back office functions. CSM integrates with ERP so that ERP Customer data can be shared with and used within CSM (ex: Populates a Customer Record).

How the Integration Works

Shared external data is either imported or linked. Both imported and linked data is accessed using a created External Connection; however:

• When importing external data into CSM, import it into the Cherwell database. From that point forward, the records can diverge, although data can be re-imported (entirely replacing existing data or appending/updating changed data) if desired. Re-imports can be run manually or they can be regularly scheduled using the CSM Scheduler. A Business Object keeps track of the external data and facilitates viewing/updating that data in CSM.
• When linking to external data, view (and sometimes update) the external data in CSM but it continues to reside in the external database. A special External Business Object keeps track of the external data and facilitates viewing/updating that data in CSM keeps track of the external data and facilitates viewing/updating that data in CSM.

Typically, ERP Customer data is imported into the Customer-Internal Business Object. CSM provides several wizards to walk Users through the steps to create the External Connection and import the external data.

Recommendations

When sharing data with ERP, Users will most likely want to:

• Create a View of the ERP Customer data.
• Create an External Connection (SQL Server) to the ERP data.
• Import the ERP Customer View into the CSM Customer-Internal Business Object (after mapping he Customer-Internal Business Object to the View).

Steps to Integrate

Perform the following high-level steps to import ERP data. For detailed step-by-step instructions, refer to the Create an External Connection to an External Database section in our online help.

1. Create a Customer Information/Profile View of the ERP data to which to connect.
   Create the Views in the ERP database or in the CSM database. (If choosing to create Views in a CSM database, an onsite DBA might need to create a Linked Server in SQL.)
2. Create a Blueprint.
3. Create an External Connection to the ERP data. Data is either in the external ERP database or in the database Views, which are accessed through a Linked Server. Accessing a Linked server depends on the configuration of your CSM.

   Use the External Connection Wizard (CSM Administrator>Blueprint>Tools>External Connections) to create an External Connection. Typically:

   • Data Source: Select SQL Server.
   • Database Location, Name, and Login Options for the ERP database: Ask a DBA.
   • Database Owner or Schema: Auto-populated by the database selection.
   • Pooling Options: Keep defaults.

   The new connection is shown in the External Connections window.

4. Map each CSM Business Object to the appropriate ERP View:

   Use the External Data Wizard (CSM Administrator>Blueprint>"Business Object">Map to external Data) to map the data. Typically:

   • Import vs. Linked: Click Import Data.
   • Data Source: Select the External Connection you just created.
   • External Table to Map: Select the View in the external database.
   • Fields to Map: Map each individual field from the View to a field in the Business Object.
   • Unique Key: Varies (uses the field mapped to the Unique ID value).
   • Timestamp Fields: None.
5. Import the SQL View into the appropriate CSM Business Object.

   Use the External Data Import Wizard (CSM Administrator>Database>Import External Data) to import the data. Typically:

   • Select Business Object: Select the Customer-Internal Business Object.
   • Existing Records: Select Update Existing Records.
   • Choose Filter: Select All Records (typically, data in a View is already filtered).
6. (Optional) If there is additional mapped data, Users might want to edit the Business Object Forms and Grids to the display the additional information.

   Use the Form Editor to contain controls that show (and allow editing) of the values in the fields, and the Grid Editor to define how the Business Object is displayed.

7. Publish the Blueprint.