APfeed: ALEPH to PeopleSoft Interface

The ALEPH to PS Interface Basics  The interface utilizes the Service, Invoice Report (acq-10), in the Acquisitions Module.  Data needed for PeopleSoft is input in the General Invoice form so it will display in the XML output of the Report File from acq-10.  The APfeed program reads a tab delimited text file that is based on PS chartfields with default data and XML data from acq-10 output to create a flat.dat file for transmission.  The file is picked up from FCLA’s server by the library system’s office via FTP, encrypted and transmitted via FTP to the universities’ Accounts Payable office.

Coordination Among Agencies  University Accounts Payable Department that runs PeopleSoft  Library Acquisitions staff  Satellite Library Acquisitions’ Paying Departments (e.g., Main, Health, Law)  Library Systems Department  FCLA

ALEPH to PeopleSoft AP File Definition  Initially we received the University’s Accounts Payable File Definition

Describe XML Fields  From the PS File Definition we created a spreadsheet:

Describe XML Fields  From the File Definition spreadsheet, we saved it as a tab delimited.txt file that the program reads

General Invoice and Vendor Record Data is taken from Z70 and Z77 fields: The PS vendor ID is the Aleph vendor code, z70- vendor-code. The vendor address file is taken from PS and maintained in PS. The Invoice ID is the z77-invoice-number. The Invoice Date is the z77-i-date. The Total Invoice amount is from z77-i-total- amount. PS Fund Code is from z77-vat-receiver. PS codes, such as Department, Program Code, Funds Source, Budget Reference, are taken from z77-i-note which are separated by semi-colons.

Library Acq Staff Input PS Data In the General Invoice Form: The PS Fund Code is selected. We’ve reused the Vat Recipient field populated in pc_tab_exp_field.eng. The Note field is used for additional PS Codes which are semicolon separated. If a specific code isn’t needed then a space is used:  Department; Program Code; Funds Source; Budget Reference

Library Acquisitions Staff In the General Invoice Form tab 2.Payment: Change the Status to A - Preliminary Approval for first acq-10 report. Change Approval Department to Acquisitions Paying Department.

Run Invoice Report (acq-10) The first run of acq-10 for checking invoice accuracy: Change the Status A to B – Approved and Printed. Compare Summary Report File to hardcopy of invoices to correct and make changes to Aleph invoice and line items if needed.

Final Run of acq-10 for PS Interface Must have “apfeed” in Report File name. Allows for all Paying Units to be combined into one flat.dat file:  mainapfeed , healthapfeed , lawapfeed Change the Status B to P – Paid.

XML Output from Final Invoice Report

APfeed Program  The C++ program runs on the ALEPH server.  The program reads DescribeXMLFields.txt file that resides on the server and the XML output from the Invoice Report File acq-10 to create the flat.dat file.  After reading the Report File output from acq-10, mainapfeedyyyymmdd, the program moves the file to a Save directory on the server.  The program then moves the.dat file to FCLA’s ftp server for pickup by the library.  The PS managers at the university AP requested an empty file be sent if no invoices were processed. The script that calls APfeed handles the empty file requirement.

Workflow Coordination  Library Acq Paying Depts have the final acq-10 run on the server by 4:00 PM using the naming convention, mainapfeedyyyymmdd, healthapfeedyyyymmdd, lawapfeedyyyymmdd.  FCLA’s APfeed program is set up on job_list to pick up the files, combine them and run at 4:20 PM.  The flat.dat file that is produced from the program is put on our FTP server for pickup by the Library Systems’ Department at 5:00 PM.  Library Systems’ Department runs a script to encrypt the data using PGP encryption specification and transmits the data file electronically via FTP to Accounts Payable.  The following morning Library Acq staff verifies payment accuracy in PS by checking the latest vouched payment list against the acq-10 summary report and records voucher number on the original invoice hardcopy to complete the audit trail.

Contact Information  Ellen Bishop Systems Librarian, Acquisitions and Serials Florida Center for Library Automation  Ned Stewart Senior Computer Programmer Analyst Florida Center for Library Automation