Mass Maintenance

Create an External Request Scenario for an Excel-initiated Request

An external request scenario allows Mass Maintenance to create a request when an external contact sends an email to an email address designated to Mass Maintenance workflows. Refer to Use External Request Scenarios for more information.

NOTE: If the template associated with the external request scenario is active, no external request scenarios can be added, edited or deleted for that template. Updates are restricted. Refer to Edit an Active template with an external request scenario that uses an Excel-initiated request for more information.

In an external request scenario that creates an Excel-initiated request, an external contact sends an email with an Excel file (with one or multiple worksheets) attached to an external data email account configured for Mass Maintenance.

NOTE: The Excel file must be in the following format.

The first row contains the column names of the table that will be created for the lowest priority Data Entry role for the request.

The second row is ignored, and could contain column descriptions to assist users when entering data.

The third row is the first data record imported into the staging table.

Before creating this type of scenario, some configuration is required. Refer to Configure Settings for External Request Scenarios that Create Excel-initiated Requests for more information.

To understand the external request scenario process, refer to External Request Scenarios that Create Excel-initiated Requests for more information.

Some settings for an external request scenario that creates an Excel-initialed request can be automatically populated when a spreadsheet is uploaded. Refer to Automatically Set Settings when Creating an External Request Scenario that Creates an Excel-initiated Request for more information.

To create an external request scenario for an Excel-initiated request:

  1. Select Team from Navigationpane.
  2. Click Templates for a team.
  3. Click Vertical View for a template.
  4. Click Configuration tab.

  5. Click External Request Scenarios.

    NOTE: This icon is disabled if the template has not been generated. If the template is active, the Template (External Request Scenario)page opens in display mode.

    NOTE: If conditions allow a scenario to be added and no records exist, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    View the field descriptions for the Template (External Request Scenario) page

  6. Enter a value in the SUBJECT ALIAS field.

    NOTE: When Mass Maintenance receives an external email, if the subject line of the email contains this text, Mass Maintenance uses this external request scenario for the template to create a request.

  7. Enter the name or a brief description of the scenario in the SCENARIO DESCRIPTION field.

    NOTE: Use this field to identify the scenario, and, if the template has multiple scenarios, to distinguish it from others attached to the template.

  8. Enter a description in the REQUEST DESCRIPTION FORMAT field.

    NOTE: The text entered in this field displays on the Request page in the DESCRIPTION field for a request created from this external request scenario. The field defaults toRequest from #RequesterEmailAddress# - #Date#where the RequesterEmailAddress is the address of the user who submitted the email to create the request, and the Date is the date that the email was received at the External Data Email Account.

  9. Click the EXCEL ALLOWED check box to enable it.

    NOTE: This check box cannot be disabled if:

    • The template has been activated, even if the template is in Developer mode

    • The template has not yet been activated, but an Excel file has been added to the external request scenario.

    • The check box can be disabled if the template has not yet been activated, an Excel file has been added to the external request scenario, but the user clears data from all fields on the Template (External Request Scenario) page's Vertical View on the Advanced tab.

  10. Select the SAP connection ID from the TARGET ERP SYSTEM list box.

    NOTE: The TARGET ERP SYSTEM is the connection ID to use for the created request. SAP connections are added in Common. Refer to Establish an SAP Connection for more information.

  11. Click Save; the Vertical View displays.

  12. Click the Advanced tab.

    NOTE: The Request Excel Initiate check box is enabled.

  13. Click the Finish First Role check box to enable it if the Data Entry role with the lowest priority is to be finished once the data from the spreadsheet has passed validations and been written to the Data Entry table.

    NOTE: In this case, the request moves to the next role in the workflow, either the next Data role or a Review role, and a user assigned to this next role receives a workflow message that the role is ready. The FINISHED BY column on the Request (Roles) page displays the email of the user who submitted the Excel file. The FINISHED ON column displays the date the email was received. If the Finish First Role check box is disabled, the Data Entry role with the lowest priority receives a workflow message that the role is ready after the data from the Excel file has passed validations and been written to the Data Entry table. The Data Entry role will not be finished until the user assigned to this role clicks the Finish button.

  14. Enter a name in the Sheet Name field.

    NOTE: The Sheet Name is the name of the worksheet in the sample Excel file that will be uploaded in step 19 below. A version of this worksheet with request-ready data will be mailed to the external data email account to create requests for this template.

    NOTE: This name is case sensitive.

  15. Press the Enter key.

  16. Select an option from the Staging Data Source ID list box.

    NOTE: The dspCompose_Data data source is the recommended selection and is where the staging table will be created and stored.

  17. Enter a name in the Staging Table Name field.

    NOTE:  The Staging Table Name is the name of the table that will be used to import Excel attachment spreadsheet data. Once the data has passed validations, it will be written to the data entry table for the Data role with the lowest priority for the request.

  18. Click Save.
  19. Click Upload Sample Sheet.
  20. Navigate to the Excel file that contains the worksheet entered in step 14 and select it.

  21. Click Open.

    NOTE: The spreadsheet must be in the following format.

    • The first row contains the column names of the table that will be created for the lowest priority Data Entry role for the request.
    • The second row is ignored, and could contain column descriptions to assist users when entering data.
    • The third row is the first data record imported into the staging table.

    NOTE: The only files that can be uploaded are Excel files (with an .xls or .xlsx extension).

  22. Click Build Staging Area; a confirmation message displays.
  23. Click Ok.

NOTE: Mass Maintenance creates a staging table in the cMass_Data database. The column names in the table match the column headers in the Excel file.

NOTE: In some cases, the table may need to be rebuilt if the sheet in the Sheet Name field is uploaded again. Clear the staging table by clicking Clear Staging Area, then click Build Staging Area. 

Refer to Map Columns from the Scenario to Columns from the Spreadsheet for more information to continue configuring the external request scenario.