Positive Pay (PR170) flow

Author
Messages
Joan Herzfeldt
Veteran Member
Posts: 74
Veteran Member

    We have to create a positive pay file process flow rather quickly.  I'm still learning the complicated pieces of IPA and wondering if anyone had this flow or parts of it already created and were willing to share?  Or some advice on the best ways to create the different pieces (see below).

    Thanks - Joan

    Some additional information/questions:
    Our current production flows are inbound into Lawson, so what is the best way to get data from Lawson if a Service/trigger does NOT already exist?  The user will run the PR170 and create the csv file containing the data I need for the flow.

    We will also be creating a positive pay file from CB170 or AP265, haven't decided which process to use.

    The outbound file to our bank is a fixed width file with header, detail and trailer records.  I'm assuming a message builder that reads the header record first all the details and then the trailer record.  (Creating a header/trailer file is much easier in IPA then it ever was when I wrote interfaces ;-)  but I'm open to suggestions.

    Any tips on fixed width fields?  Assuming I need to define each field.

    Thanks for any insight you share.

    JimY
    Veteran Member
    Posts: 510
    Veteran Member
      Using a File Channel to detect when the file is placed in the folder is one way. The trick is that you only want it to process the file when the program has completed creating it not when it is still writing to it. One of the ways that I resolved this was to modify the program such as PR170 to create an empty file at the end of its processing. The File Channel would detect that file and then the flow would kick off and process the Positive Pay file. As far as fixed length records you will have to use Javascript to format each field to the length that you need. Good luck.
      pbelsky
      Veteran Member
      Posts: 80
      Veteran Member
        Hey Joan, how are you doing with triggering your flow? We use a couple of methods here to trigger a flow that do not involve customizing the Lawson source code. Let us know if we can help in any way.
        Joan Herzfeldt
        Veteran Member
        Posts: 74
        Veteran Member

          A File Channel is what I thought would be best.  I haven't gotten far enough to worry about the timing.  I know it will be an issue but figured I could put a wait node in the flow or something along those lines.  My problem with the File Channel is that I need to pick up ANY file in a specific directory and IPA doesn't like wildcards very much.  We've used them in other File Channels but the beginning of the filename is always the same.  In my case it will not be the same name.  Even if we made a naming convention part of the process/procedure our users wouldn't always do it.

          Another idea was to create a trigger when the PR170 was processed.  We've created custom forms in Lawson, so I have someone who knows Design Studio(?)  But of course the documentation to create a trigger doesn't exist, it just says that you can.  I've played with it, but I'm not the System Admin so some of the information I'm not sure about and/or I keep finding more layers to the Service and don't know what really needs to be completed and what doesn't.

          Does anyone know if there is documentation to create a trigger/service def, etc.  or do you have the steps or list of items that need to be created or modified?  My system admins will help me set it up if I knew exactly what needed to be set up.

          John Henley
          Senior Member
          Posts: 3348
          Senior Member
            While using the file channel approach would not require any customization to PR170, it is tricky since it looks for the *existence* of the file, and might trigger the flow before the file is complete. If you know roughly how long the job runs, you could work around that by putting in a wait in the flow, and then move the file to an archive location.

            Using Design Studio wouldn't work since it's a batch job, and the only trigger you could potentially capture would be the submit of the job, not the completion.
            Thanks for using the LawsonGuru.com forums!
            John
            Joan Herzfeldt
            Veteran Member
            Posts: 74
            Veteran Member

              My Solution: I did get the File Channel/Receiver to work.  My process flow starts with a File Access Node to our LSF (Lawson) server, which is different than our IPA/Landmark server.

              1.      The system configuration for LSF/file access is set up as a remote with the http:\\win1461.ghxyz.com

              a.      The file access node is using this config.

              2.      The File Channel is set up as Local with the directory path \\win1461\directory1\dir2\... (even though the Landmark server is on \\win1462)

              3.      The Receiver is set up with File Name is * (because I want all files in the directory) and the Data field dropdown is File Name.

              4.      In the process flow the File Access Node is using variables that are created in the work order.

              a.      ProcessedFileDirectory and FileName

              b.      The variables do not show up in the Ctrl-Space list. You have to type them in the way they look in the Work Order Variable tab.


              c.     

               

              d.      Note that the File Access Node is using the Processed directory and Not the Monitor directory, because as soon as the File Channel sees a file to process in the Monitor directory it is moved to the In progress directory.

              5.      The process flow needs to determine file type before it starts the data iteration, which is why I am keeping the file access node, and having the File Name sent via the Channel/work order instead of the File Data, etc…

              6.      Note: There are some instructions on setting up a File Channel in the “Infor Process Automation Administration Guide”

               

              A couple of concerns/questions.  #2 above, what issue can this cause (or what should I look for)? Since the LSF server is not the same as the Landmark server, hence it’s not really Local.  Also, I wanted the In Progress directory to be on the Landmark server instead of the LSF server, but I couldn’t get the directory to work.  I think I read this could improve processing time and avoid losing the file due to connection issues.

              I can’t test the timing of the File being created and the File Channel trying to move it, until next week, so there might be some issues with The file channel, which looks every 10 minutes trying to move the file to In Progress directory prior to the file being finished writing.

              Attachments
              PBL
              Basic Member
              Posts: 9
              Basic Member
                Creating/automating Positive Pay was recently discussed in the Infor Communities as well (https://community.inforxt...n/8930/positive-pay)
                Joan Herzfeldt
                Veteran Member
                Posts: 74
                Veteran Member

                  yep... Thanks.

                  ---