I co-presented at the Voyager End User Group meeting about a home-grown tool to to facilitate EDI to and from

1. Designing Tools and Implementing
Workflows to Enhance Serials EDI
Christian Burris
Erik Mitchell
Z. Smith Reynolds Library
Wake Forest University
EndUser 2003 April 25, 2003

2. Scope of Presentation
 What is EDI
 Serials EDI workflows
 EDI outside Voyager
 Workflow / software
solutions

3. What is EDI?
 Electronic Data Interchange
EDIFACT is an international
standard format for
exchanging data
A string of data elements
representing an order
transaction (www.whatis.com)

4. Serials EDI Invoice Workflow
 Vendor notifies staff via E-mail
 Systems transfers the file to
Voyager
 Serials loads the file and
produces the invoice(s)
 Serials resolves unmatched line
items

5. Serials EDI Invoice Importing

6. Serials EDI Invoice Workflow
 Serials periodically deletes the
EDI messages from the
incoming section
 Systems performs routine file
maintenance on the EDI
directories

7. Serials EDI Claiming Workflow
 Serials reviews problem list and
produces claims
 Serials processes claims via the
EDI processing section
 Serials periodically removes EDI
messages from outgoing section

8. Serials EDI Claim Processing

9. Serials EDI Claim Processing

10. Serials EDI Claiming Workflow
 Systems transfers EDI claim files
to EBSCO
 EBSCO sends an e-mail
confirmation
 Monthly claim checker is done
via E-mail or US mail

11. Workflow Problems
 File transmission/maintenance
separated from Serials
 FTP profiles difficult to manage
 Too many steps, staff
 Daily EDI claim transmissions
illustrated need for a solution

12. Managing EDI Outside Voyager
 File availability notification
 File transfer and maintenance
 FTP connection profile settings
 EDI transmission logging

13. The Goal
 To enable staff to easily transfer
and manage files
 To more effectively manage FTP
connection information
 To keep track of EDI
transmissions

14. Required Functionality
 Basic FTP operations
 Upload, download, delete, log
 Secure access
 Maintain connection profiles
 Server name
 Default transfer type
 Default upload type
 Username / Password
 Default directories

15. Possible Solutions
 UNIX FTP
 Cron jobs
 Windows FTP Software
 Web Based FTP Software

16. Train Serials Staff in UNIX
 Pros
 No client configuration
 No specialized software
 Cons
 Extensive Training
 High level of technical knowledge
 Security concerns / multiple user profiles
 No profile management solution

17. Run Server Cron Jobs
 Pros
 Little staff training required
 No client configuration
 No user interface required
 Cons
 Lack of staff control over transmissions
 Transmission problems must be resolved
by system administrator
 EDI workflow does not follow predictable
schedule

18. Windows FTP Software
 Pros
 Easy to implement
 Staff control of EDI transmissions
 Staff can easily configure new vendors
 Cons
 Client / Host solution not streamlined
 Profile info located on multiple machines
 FTP access to entire Voyager box
 Feature overload

19. Windows FTP Software
 Satisfies main functional
requirements
 Simple, cost effective solution
 Specific Applications
 WS FTP(Host to Client)
 http://www.ipswitch.com/
 XProFTP (Host to Host)
 http://www.remotetek.com/xperts/

20. WSFTP

21. XProFTP

22. Web FTP Software
 Pros
 Custom, simplified interface
 Web based, portable
 Easiest to implement for multiple users
 Satisfy specific vendor requirements
 Cons
 Large development investment
 Security concerns of web interface

23. Web Interface Development
 Development software
 Perl
 DBI, NET::FTP, CGI
 Oracle
 FTP profile database
 Application setup
 FTP application lives on Voyager box
 Profile database lives on University
Oracle server

24. Profile Application

25. FTP Application

26. Security Concerns / Solutions
 Write access to Voyager box from
web
 Apache runs as nobody, owns all
downloaded files
 Web access limited to incoming /
outgoing directories
 EDI connection profiles in database
entirely separate from Voyager box

27. More Security
 Require authentication
 Validate library staff users in Voyager
database
 Cookie acts as authentication token
 Additional measures
 Could run secure connection if we put
certificates on server
 Considered user / security setting
combinations but decided on current
setup

28. NET::FTP Module
 Create a Connection
 $ftp = NET::FTP->new(servername)
 Login
 $ftp->login(uname, password)
 FTP commands
 $ftp->get($rfile, $lfile)
 $ftp->put($lfile, $rfile)
 $ftp->append($lfile, $rfile)
 $ftp->ascii, $ftp->binary

29. DBI, DBD::Oracle DB Module
 Database connection
 $db = DBI->connect(host, sid)
 Create a recordset
 $rs = $db->prepare($SQL)
 $rs->execute
 Retrieve data from that recordset
 $hsref = $rs->fetchrow_hashref
 %hash = %{$hsref}

30. CGI Web Application Module
 Form Creation
 $cgi->start_form(method, action)
 $cgi->form_element(name, value, label)
 $cgi->end_form
 Element retrieval
 $cgi->param(ParamName)
 Cookies
 $cgi->cookie(name, value, expires)
 HTML header
 $cgi->header(HTML, Cookie, etc)

31. Standard Perl Functions
 File management
 Open(FILE, “>>$filename”)
 Unlink $filename
 Chmod(0777, $filename)
 Data Output
 Print “”
 Print FILE “”

32. Modules and Documentation
 Modules
 http://www.cpan.org
 Documentation
 http://www.perldoc.com
 Books
 Wall, Larry. Programming Perl.
O’Reilly 2000. 3rd
edition.
 Christiansen, Tom. Perl Cookbook.
O’Reilly. 1999.

33. What's Next
 Consider Windows FTP application
 Host to Host ftp software offers same
functionality without support /
development issues
 Scheduled tasks feature enables cron
like functionality without extra
development

34. What’s Next
 EDI for monographs
 Beginning YBP invoice testing
 Expanded EDI for serials
 Include Standing Orders, Continuations
 Add Vendors

35. Contact Information
 Christian Burris
Serials Unit Coordinator
burriscj@wfu.edu
 Erik Mitchell
Systems Librarian
mitcheet@wfu.edu

36. EndUser 2003
Presenter Name(s) and Affiliation(s):
1) Erik Mitchell Z. Smith Reynolds Library Wake Forest University
2)Christian Burris Z. Smith Reynolds Library Wake Forest University
3)
Session Title: Designing Tools and Implementing Workflows to
Enhance Serials EDI
Session Number: __30_________ Session Date/Time: Fri at: __1pm_________
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