PeopleSoft Related Content

What is Related Content Service Framework?

The PeopleSoft Related Content Framework enables to link application pages with contextually relevant collaborative content. In simple terms Related Content Service Framework allows extension of a transaction without customizing the component, also allows the user to perform more actions, tasks, and to see related information without leaving the transaction.Brings additional, supplemental information into the transaction in a bottom or side frame. Related content services are ideal for the scenarios when the user wants to access two pages at same time, or some display only information like Help instructions etc.,

Some of the Business Benefits:

• User can quickly access all the required information in one place without any additional effort.
• Related Content Service is easy to configure no development work will be required so less maintenance.
• Additional supplemental information helps increase performance.
• Related information from two different Databases can be viewed from one page makes easy to perform tasks.
• Very Secure- uses the same PeopleSoft Security as the application transaction

Sample Business Purpose/ Example:

• Any document related to the page can be displayed as related content. Eg: Staffing Company can get the timesheet document as related content to timesheet entry page.
• For trainings in the learning and development module, the corresponding training material can be placed as related content.
• Reports/ Graphical representation(Charts) of data can be displayed as related content.
• Complex Edit rules of a page can be given as document (External documentation) in related content frame.

1. Development Process of the Related Content Service

Defining the Related Content Service. To define a related Content Service, navigate to

Main Menu -> People Tools -> Portal -> Related Content Service -> Define Related Service

There are 7 different types of services that can be created. Use an application class when Peoplecode needs to be run to execute business logic.Non-PeopleSoft service type accesses any non-PeopleSoft pages, external content, or services. By using  PeopleSoft Component  as service type  the component can be from the local PeopleSoft system or from a remote PeopleSoft system. Embeddable Pagelet service type is used todefine a PeopleSoft Pagelet wizard created embeddable pagelet to be used as a service.OBIEE (Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition) Pagelet is used to define a PeopleSoft Pagelet wizard created OBIEE data source based pagelet to be used as a service. PeopleSoft Query service type is used to access PeopleSoft Query definitions. The query results can also be filtered based on the query definition and the parameters that it requires. PeopleSoft Script can be used in situations in which an iScript has been used to develop the application functionality based on PeopleSoft data or non-PeopleSoft data, such as stock quotes or weather information.

2.   Manage Related Service Definition.

After assigning the related service definition to a PeopleSoft component, user can configure the related content service and related actions. Service parameters, security, layout etc., can be defined.

Main Menu > People Tools > Portal > Related Content Service > Manage Related Content Service > Configure Related Content Page.

After implementing these steps the related content service will be displayed in the component to which it is attached to.

In order to implement the related content services we need to configure the web profile with the Authentication and local node needs to be authenticated with a Password.

Limitations of Related Content:  Some of the limitations of the related content would be we cannot handle the dynamic pages as related content services. A related Content service doesn’t support a language sensitive field to be used as a service parameter.

How to generate XMLP reports in PeopleSoft with desired file name?

In People Tools version 8.49 and earlier, XMLP generates reports with some random names. There is no delivered option for the user/developer to specify desired output report name. However, this can be achieved easily by tweaking the code in the Application Package - PSXP_RPTDEFNMANAGER, Class -ReportDefn, Method  - ProcessReport

Below is the code for the 'method ProcessReport' with the changes highlighted in red:                  

Ø  In the method declaration, add one additional parameter for setting up the report name as shown below:
 method ProcessReport(&TemplateID As string, &LanguageCd As string, &AsOfDate As date,     &OutputFormat As string, &sCustomRptName As string);

Ø  In the method definition, include the below shown code changes:
  method ProcessReport
   ---
CreateDirectory(&sOutputDir | &sDirSep | "RptInst" | &sDirSep | String(&i),     %FilePath_Absolute);
 /*This code is to generate the report with a custom name */
  If %This.UseBurstValueAsOutputFileName Then
          &sOutFileName = &sBurstValue | &sCustomRptName;
   Else
          &sOutFileName = &ID;
   End-If;
                ----
   &oReportOut = create XX_RPTDEFN:ReportOutput(&sBurstValue, String(&i),    &sOutFileName | "." | Lower(&sFileExt), &sBurstDataFile);       
   &arOutput.Push(&oReportOut);
   End-For;        
    End-If;
      Else
  /*******Include report name here if you want to change******/
  If &sCustomRptName <> " " Then
        &ID = &sCustomRptName;
  End-If;
  &sLocalOutputFile = %This.GetLocalOutputFile(&ID | "." | Lower(&sFileExt), "", 1);
   ----
  end-method;

Below is the sample code to generate the XMLP report where 'method ProcessReport' is invoked with additional parameter:

&CustomRptName_prefix = "User Report";
 &ReportDef.ProcessReport(&sTemplateId, "ENG", %Date, &OutputFmt, &CustomRptName_prefix);
 &ReportDef.publish("", "", "", 0);

We implemented this at one of our customer site. It is tested and works fine. We recommend you to test it with various options.

In PeopleTools Version 8.50 and later, PeopleSoft has delivered the option to generate XMLP reports with customized names.

Navigation:  Main Menu > Report Tools>XML Publisher> Report Definition

File Name: Specify a file name template that gets translated at runtime to a physical file name. This field accepts a combination of output variables and plain text. Output variables are enclosed within percent signs (%). More details on PT8.50 report outpput option feature is available at http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E15645_01/pt850pbr0/eng/psbooks/txml/book.htm