Inbound Integration Endpoints

Inbound integration endpoints (IIEPs) offer a centralized interface for monitoring and maintaining integrations with systems that send data to STEP in the form of files or messages.

IIEPs can poll different data sources for new files or messages to import on scheduled intervals–the minimum interval being one minute. As such, IIEPs offer functionality for 'near real-time' integrations. However, when the data source is REST, a POST will invoke the endpoint. For alternative real-time integrations with STEP, access the Technical Documentation accessible at [system]/sdk or from the Resources section of the system's Start Page, for information on SOAP and REST APIs.

IIEPs provide a way to automatically manage the functionality for the standard STEP import functionality. Without any extensions, files, or messages being imported, data is handled by the STEP Importer, and the same options for mapping and manipulation are available as when importing manually.

Setup Requirements

Setting up and using an inbound integration endpoint involves the following steps:

  1. Create a setup group to hold the endpoint as described in Initial Setup for an Inbound Integration Endpoint.
  2. Launch the inbound integrations endpoint wizard as described in Creating an Inbound Integration Endpoint.
  3. In the wizard, add an ID, name, description, and user as described in IIEP - Identify Endpoint.
  4. In the wizard, select the receiver of the data as described in IIEP - Choose Receiver.
  5. In the wizard, specify processing, context, and recommended priority or legacy queue settings for the endpoint as described in IIEP - Configure Endpoint.
  6. In the wizard, if available, configure defined pre-processors for customer-specific solutions as described in IIEP - Configure Pre-processor.
  7. In the wizard, specify the data format and map the data, among other options as described in IIEP - Configure Processing Engine.
  8. In the wizard, if available, configure defined post-processors for customer-specific solutions as described in IIEP - Configure Post-processor.
  9. In the wizard, specify how often the endpoint should search for data to be processed as described in IIEP - Schedule Endpoint.
  10. In the wizard, specify, select, and configure an error reporter that is activated if an endpoint-related background process fails as described in IIEP - Error Handling & Reporting.
  11. Enable the endpoint and invoke it as described in Running an Inbound Integration Endpoint.

Additional Information

The following information is useful once an inbound integration endpoint is set up:

  1. Understand each element of an IIEP as described in Inbound Integration Endpoint Structure.
  2. Understand the effects of the transactional setting on an IIEP as described in Integration Endpoint Transactional Settings.
  3. Maintain or modify the endpoint as described in Maintaining an Inbound Integration Endpoint.
  4. Monitor the endpoint as described in Monitoring an IIEP via Background Process.
  5. Monitor the endpoint as described in Monitoring an IIEP via External System.
  6. Resolve failed background processes as described in Handling Failed IIEP Background Processes.
  7. Export an inbound integration endpoint definition for comparison purposes in an external source control system for comparison purposes as described in the Configuration Management documentation.
  8. Parallel imports involving multiple references on object types as described in Reference Target Lock Policy on Object Types.