OIEP - Event-Based - Output Templates Section

An output template defines the data to be exported and connects it to the desired format. This enables you to use one output format for a specific object type, combined with a specific event type, and another output format for a different object type, combined with a different specific event type. Without an output template, even if events are triggered (based on the Event Triggering Definitions parameters), nothing is exported.

At least one output is required, but for event-based OIEPs, using multiple output templates can allow different messages to be generated based on the object type / event type combinations. Keep in mind that batching is restricted to a single template, so only use multiple templates when required. Refer to more information below under the Using Multiple OIEPs or Multiple Output Templates section.

Configuring an output template involves the following steps:

Configure the object types and event types
Specify the format
Configure pre-processor and post-processor, based on availability on your system

Important: For an event-based outbound integration endpoint, an output template must be created for each event trigger, otherwise the trigger will not output any data. For more information, refer to OIEP - Event-Based - Event Triggering Definitions Tab topic.

Configure the Object Types and Event Types

The object type and event type selections determine the STEP data that will be exported. Different output templates (export configurations) can be used to export data based on the event type (core events or derived events) and the object type for which the event is generated.

Important: When exporting delete events, generally events are processed in the same order as they occurred. However, in some circumstances, the order is not reliable. For more information, refer to the Event-Based OIEP Order of Delete Events topic.

In System Setup, select the relevant OIEP > Configuration tab > Output Templates section > click the Add configuration link to display the 'Conditions for output template' dialog.
In the 'Conditions for output template' dialog:
- For the Object Types area at the top, click 'All object types' or 'Specify' to select the object type(s) using the Browse or Search options. Click the right arrow button () to move the object type to the right side of the dialog. To remove an object type, click the left arrow button ().
- For the Event Types area at the bottom, select the event type. Core event types (create, modify, and delete) display on the left side and available derived event types display on the right side. Unlike core events, derived events must be created before they will display. For more information, refer to the Derived Events topic of the System Setup documentation.
  
  When using the Mongo delivery method, specific settings are required to deliver delete events. For details, refer to the 'Delivering Delete Events' section of the Mongo Delivery Method topic.
  
  For delete events in particular, the order of processing can vary based on the scenario. For details, refer to the Event-Based OIEP Order of Delete Events topic.
  
  Note: Selecting an object and event type defines the object types for export but does not necessarily define the objects that are included in the actual message, since the format of the template may dictate that parent, child, or referenced objects are included. Additionally, the advanced settings for format determine if the selected objects, their children, or both should be considered for the export.
Repeat the process until all required formats are displayed, keeping in mind the limitations of multiple output templates defined in the next section.

Note: Only one (1) output template is allowed for each Object type and Event type combination.

In the image below, all of the available system event types (create, modify, delete) were selected for each template created:
If necessary, edit existing Object-Event type settings by clicking into the desired field to display an ellipsis button (). Click the ellipsis button () to display the 'Conditions for output template' dialog discussed above.

Using Multiple OIEPs or Multiple Output Templates

Generating output for multiple recipients can be accomplished in the following ways, which should be evaluated for the best outcome.

Multiple OIEPs

Triggering events for event-based endpoints are global. For example, you may want a change in STEP name to trigger an event on some objects, but not others. This scenario requires a different configuration of triggers on multiple endpoints.
Delivery method is per endpoint, not per output format. If you need a different output to go to each external system, you must use multiple endpoints.
Messages generated via events and those generated via object selection cannot be combined in a single endpoint. Even when the format is the same, this scenario requires separate message generation and therefore requires separate endpoints.

Multiple Output Templates

Multiple output templates can be created to allow data output based on a combination of specific object types and event types.

Important: Be aware that events are processed sequentially and are added to batches, as allowed, by the required output templates. Each batch also involves overhead processing operations. Depending on the data being exported, multiple output templates can result in many batches with relatively few events in each. To optimize processing, it is better to have fewer large batches instead of many small ones.

Using multiple output templates prevents the same data from being exported across all chosen object types and event types. Multiple output templates also help to reduce data output, which increases performance both for STEP and for downstream systems. In addition, the use of multiple output templates should reduce the need for customizations.

For example, consider an event-based OIEP that is configured so that when a change is made to a 'Product Category' object, the export should not include child objects, but when a change is made to a 'Product Family' object, the export should include child products. This can be achieved by configuring multiple XML output templates, and by selecting the specific object and event type.

Limitations of Multiple Output Templates

Output files are only delivered to one destination, regardless of the number of output templates.
Output templates encompassing all object types are only available if all object types are chosen when making the configuration. This prevents excess output from the endpoints.
Batching occurs per template type.
Different output formats cannot be defined for the same object type. Common setup is to avoid combining different output formats (e.g., STEPXML and CSV) in the same endpoint.

Configure the Format

The format selection determines how the STEP data is formatted (XML or tabular).

Click into the format column to display the ellipsis button (). Click the ellipsis button () to display the 'Select format' dialog.
In the Select format window, on the Format tab, select the desired format from the dropdown. The options are the same as in the Export Manager, based on your system licenses.

Use the following links for additional information:
- Advanced STEPXML Format
- Creating Document Indexes with Alphabetical Index - XML Format
- Ariba CIF Format
- Ariba CIF 3.0 Format
- BMEcat Format
- BMEcat 2005 Format
- CSV Format
- cXML Format
- Excel Format
- Excel Smartsheet Format
- Importing Flatplanner Publications in Publication Excel with Flatplanner Format
- Generic XML Format
- Generic JSON Format
- IDoc MATMAS 05 Format
- Exporting and Importing Flatplanner Publications with Publication Excel Format
- STEPXML Format
- STEPXML Configuration Export Format
- xCBL Format
When available, specify how to map data to the export format, including the elements identified in the image below: object super type dropdown, data source, mapping target, and mapping rules.

For more information about the object super type dropdown, refer to the Export Manager - Select Objects topic. For more information about the other elements, refer to the Export Manager - Map Data topic.

Note: The Mapping tab is enabled when the format selected requires mapping. Selected formats, including STEPXML and Advanced STEPXML, are automatically mapped so the Mapping tab is disabled.
On the Advanced tab, a number of advanced export options can be specified.
- Tag conversion: Converts tags to match the selected output format. This setting is optional.
  
  If this box is left unchecked, any formatting tags that are included in attribute values will not be converted in the outbound message. For example, if an attribute value contains bold text (which must be made bold with a STEP Style Tag, e.g., <bold>/</bold>), this tag will not be converted to its corresponding HTML output format (e.g., <B>/</B>) in the export. For more information on STEP Tags, refer to System Setup > Tags in the System Setup documentation.
- Locale conversion from context: Converts numbers into the numeric format that corresponds to the selected locale. If Smartsheets are used for format, this must remain unchecked. By default, the option is not checked.
- Resolve Inline References: Resolves inline references when they are exported. This box is checked by default, along with the option 'Export Inherited Inline References.'
  
  If unchecked, inline references will be exported with the inline reference tagging instead of the actual content pulled in by the inline reference. For example, if an attribute called 'Product Number' has an inline reference to pull in the STEP ID of the object (e.g., 12345), the attribute value will not contain 12345. Instead, it will contain tagging similar to the following:
```
<ref attrid="" equalsign="=" includeattrname="false" resolveto="objid" separator=";"/>
```
  This setting is valid if the user plans to re-import the file and not overwrite the inline reference with a static value. For more information on inline references, refer to Inline References in Attribute Values in the Getting Started documentation.
- Include Calculated Attribute Values: This option is only enabled (and is checked by default) when calculated attributes are being exported, either on the Select Objects step for STEPXML or via mapping for other formats. When checked, calculated attribute values are resolved upon export.
  
  To output empty calculated attributes, you must also enable the appropriate parameter on the Format step of Export Manager or the Format tab of an OIEP tab. For example, if using the Excel format, enable the 'Export Empty Fields' parameter, for the CSV format, enable the 'Empty fields' parameter, and for the STEPXML format, enable the 'Include Empty Fields' parameter.
  
  If not checked, calculated attribute values are exported with empty values, unless the Force Calculation option has been set on an individual attribute. The Force Calculation option is available when mapping a calculated attribute using the Select Attribute data source and is also available as a transformation. For more information, refer to 'Force Calculation' in the Attributes (and Data Containers) - Data Source Outbound topic and the Outbound Map Data - Transform topic.
  
  The value template is exported for each selected context, including a qualifier ID, which makes it possible to import the same data back into STEP. For information about calculated attribute values, refer to the Calculated Attributes topic in System Setup documentation.
  
  Important: If many complex calculated attribute values (traversing hierarchies and/or references) are used, consider if they should be exported, since it can negatively impact performance. If an export is required, consider scheduling for non-peak times. Simple calculations are not detrimental to an export, regardless of the quantity.
  - Select version used to resolve tables: This setting is available for STEPXML if 'Include Tables' is set to Yes and for Advanced STEPXML if the template includes version-dependent content. A publication version should be selected if the tables contain content relevant to a particular publication (such as column or row types that are only valid for certain publication types) or a publication version (such as commercial data). For more information, refer to the Exporting Resolved Tables topic in the Tables documentation.
  - Only Export Selected Objects: Specifies that only objects from the output template are exported. No children are exported. This setting is unchecked by default and is only available if 'Only Export Leaf Objects' is unchecked. This setting does not apply to STEPXML or if on the Mapping tab you select Asset, Attribute, List Of Values, Publication Objects, or Unit for formats that require mapping. For illustrations of how this options works, refer to the Classification and Asset Configuration Examples section below.
  - Only Export Leaf Objects: Specifies that only the leaf objects (lowest level of the export object for both events and selected objects) of the selected top hierarchy are included in the export. Selected objects and triggering objects are only included if they have no children. This setting applies to the CSV or Excel format, but is not applicable if on the Mapping tab you select Asset, Attribute, List Of Values, Publication Objects, or Unit. For illustrations of how this option works, refer to the Classification and Asset Configuration Examples section below.
    
    Note: Uncheck both ‘Only Export Selected Objects’ and ‘Only Export Leaf Objects’ if all objects (both for triggering events and object selection) and their children should be included in the export.
  For more information, refer to the Export Manager - Advanced topic.

Classification and Asset Configuration Examples

When using a format that requires mapping, the following applies to exporting classifications or assets in an OIEP using Choose Data Source = Select Objects:

It is not possible to export both classifications and assets in the same CSV file. Instead, create two separate OIEPs - one for classifications and one for assets.
In the Object Selection Configuration flipper, if a classification object is selected, and in the Output Templates section, the Format field has Classification selected in the Mapping tab (and relevant data sources are mapped):
- In the Advanced tab, checking the Only Export Selected Objects option means that only one classification object is exported.
- In the Advanced tab, checking the Only Export Leaf Objects option means only the children classification objects are exported.
- In the Advanced tab, checking neither option means both the selected classification object and its children classification objects are exported.
In the Object Selection Configuration flipper, if a classification object is selected, and in the Output Templates section, the Format field has Asset selected in the Mapping tab (and relevant data sources are mapped), all assets below that classification object are exported.

Important: If a collection contains both classification objects that have assets below them in addition to other asset objects, and the collection is added to the Object Selection Configuration flipper with Asset selected in the Mapping tab for Output Templates section, then all assets within the collection are exported (including the assets below the classification objects).

Configure the Pre-processor and Post-processor

Pre-processor and post-processor options are available depending on your system configuration.

Pre-processor

Business Action Pre-processor can be applied on event-based OIEPs before exporting events from a batch in an event queue. Applying the pre-processor means a node can be added to a current batch, or an event can be removed from the current batch before a message is created for an export. You can configure a pre-processor for each of the output templates. For more information, refer to OIEP - Pre-processor - Business Action.

A Triggering Object Type event filter or Generate Event option can be used in place of a pre-processor. For more information, refer to the OIEP - Event-Based - Event Triggering Definitions Tab topic.
Product Data Exchange Outbound Pre-processor can be used to handle change events on reference assets, and forwards this information to the PDX product. For more information, refer to the Setting Up the PDX OIEP topic in the Product Data Syndication section of the Data Integration documentation.

Post-processor

Standard post-processing options should be evaluated if multiple contexts are included in the output. You can configure a post-processor for each of the output templates. The Triggering Object Type generate event option can be used in place of a post-processor. For more information, refer to the OIEP - Event-Based - Event Triggering Definitions Tab topic.

Click into the Post-processor column to display the ellipsis button (). Click the ellipsis button () to display the 'Select Post-processor' dialog.
In the Configure Post-processor, select from the following options:
- No post-processing exports files using the standard export functionality.
- Context splitter generates an export file for each configured context. Each exported file will only contain context specific data. For more information, refer to the OIEP - Post-processor - Context Splitter topic.
  
  For the Copy inherited product values parameter, select Yes to copy and save inherited product values to the child product; or select No to use inherited product values in the export, but leave the child product unmodified.
  
  When using Excel or CSV format, and multiple contexts are configured for export, you must select Context Splitter, or a single context will be included in the export.
- Copy Context Dependent Values and References to export context-dependent values and references and add the corresponding ContextID attribute to the value or reference in question. The endpoint generates one file containing values and references for each context specified. For more information, refer to the OIEP - Post-processor - Copy Context Dependent Values and References topic.
  
  For the Copy inherited product values parameter, select Yes to copy and save inherited product values to the child product; or select No to use inherited product values in the export, but leave the child product unmodified.
  
  If you use the Copy Context Dependent Values and References post-processor to add ContextIDs to a cross-context export (exporting data for selected contexts), the downstream system can use the <ContextID> tag to identify specific contexts. Additionally, this facilitates re-importing the exported data into the correct contexts in STEP after processing by a third-party service or application.
- Chained Post-processor as defined in the OIEP - Post-Processor - Chained Post-processor topic.
- Generic STEPXML Splitter splits up STEPXML messages to multiple STEPXML valid fragments containing one single node per STEPXML file.
- STEPXML Splitter produces one file per STEP object as defined in the VCSI: STEPXML Splitter Post-processor in OIEP topic in the Configuration Management documentation.
- Transformation by XSLT transforms data via an XSLT stylesheet before exporting. Under the XSLT-Stylesheet parameter, click the ellipsis button () and browse or search for the stylesheet to use for the transformation. For more information, refer to OIEP - Post-processor - Transformation by XSLT topic.
- GDSN to MDM Post-processor handles an exported STEPXML file that may include many packaging hierarchies and many objects within each packaging hierarchy. The post-processor will split these files up by STEP context and by trade item before applying transformations. The transformed files will have a hash code generated and compared to a previous hash code to verify if there have been changes. Optional business actions can also be executed to affect workflows or other purposes. For more information, contact Stibo Systems.
  
  Note: This post-processor is only available when running the GDSN to Receiver component.