BIP: How to Create XML Data from Integration Object in Siebel 8.1.1.10

To create report template requires XML sample data which can be created following the below process.

1. Log in to the Siebel client with administrator privileges.

2. Navigate to the Administration - BIP Publisher Reports screen, and then the Sample Data File Generation view.

The Integration Objects with names starting with "BIP" or "XMLP"  are listed in this view. This is because there is a search specification in the applet. Because of this, you need to follow this naming convention when  you create your own Integration Object for Siebel Reports.

3. In the Sample Data File Generation list, select the "BIP Contacts - Current Query" Integration Object.

4. Click "Generate Sample XML" button

For Siebel 8.1.1.10, this is an known issue that requires a temporary fix before you can move on.

5. In the File Download popup window, click Save button to save the XML file.

6. The generated XML file is located in the relative path set by the parameter "XMLP Report Data.cfg Dir" in the "XMLP Report Server" component under the Install Directory.

Navigate to the folder. The XML file contains 10 rows of sample data according to the selected Integration Object.Give the file to the report developer who can use it to create or modify the report template.

More Reading:

Bookshelf: Creating XML Files from Integration Objects

Error: SBL-EAI-50228: Error While Generating the Sample XML for Siebel Reports 8.1.1.10

Symptom:

In Siebel 8.1.1.10, while generating the sample XML, an error occur as "File could not be created as the directory specified for the file creation is not valid.(SBL-EAI-50228)"

Root Cause:

Issue is already identified as Known defect "16449316 ERROR WHILE GENERATING SAMPLE XML FROM ADMIN-BI PUBLISHER REPORTS PAGE", It is targeted to be fixed in Siebel 8.1.1.11 Fix pack.

This occurs because of 1) a new parameter EAIFileTransportFolders introduced as new feature in 8.1.1.10 Fix Pack. This parameter allows you to restrict write access for the EAI File Transport to specific folders within the Siebel file system. 2) parameter "XMLP Report Data.cfg Dir" for "XMLP Report Server" component in Unix format for Windows environment.

Solutions:

1) As a temporary workaround change the parameter "XMLP Report Data.cfg Dir" for "XMLP Report Server" component with value "\TEMP\" and then it will generate the sample xml data files in this folder

2) Or, rather than generate the xml file in the temp folder, do the following:
a. For Windows environment, change the path format to \xmlp\data\. No change is required for Unix environment for this part

b. Change the "EAI File Transport Folder List" parameter in the Enterprise and "XMLP Report Server" server component to include the correct path.

 

c. Restart the  "XMLP Report Server" server component.

More Readings:  

Why does the error SBL-EAI-50228 occur after applying Siebel 8.1.1.10 Fix Pack?
Important points to note for BI Publisher Reports Integration in Siebel 8.1.1.10

BIP: How to Generate a Report in Siebel 8.1.1.10

This post is to illustrate the process of generating a report in Siebel 8.1.1.10 HI mode. This example is to describe how a sales representative can pull a report of contacts who live in Chicago when he is preparing a trip to this city.

1. Log in to Siebel Web client.

2. Navigate to the Contact screen, and then My Contact List View

3. Identify the records to be captured in the report. Click on the Query button and enter the search criteria 'Chicago' in the City field. Click Go bottom.

The query result shows only the contacts in Chicago.

 4. In the application toolbar, click the Reports button.

5. In the Run Report pane, in the Report Name list, choose Contact List. Depending on the current view, the reports shown in the Report Name List will be different.

6. In the Output Type pop-up applet, select the Report Output Type as HTML or your desired Output Type, key in the Custom Name as 'Chicago Contact List' or whatever you want to put in, keep the Report Local unchanged, and click Submit button.

7. The application will go back to the My Contact List view, same as before you run the report, with only a notification on the application tool bar beside the Reports icon, when the report is completed.

8. To access to the completed report, you can do one of the following,
8a. Click the Reports icon in the application tool bar, select My Competed Reports, click on Chicago Contact List.

 In the File Download popup, click Open button.

8b. Or, click the Reports icon in the application tool bar, select My BI Publisher Reports

The application will bring you to the BI Publisher Report screen, and My Reports view (This can also be achieved by Site Map-> BI Publisher Reports-> My Reports). Click the drill down of "Chicago Contact List" in the Report Name column.

 In the File Download popup, click Open button.

9. Reviw the Report.

OPEN ISSUE 1: In the generated report, some contacts have empty address information. Use contact Paul Smith as example, in the report, the City is empty, while in the UI, the City is Chicago. Will find out the reason later.

OPEN ISSUE 2: When using CTRL  key to select multiple contacts to generate a report, the generated report doesn't capture only those selected contacts. This is because the report template is set to allow users to choose the records that a report contains yet. Will address it later.



More reading:
Running Reports in Siebel Report Guide 8.1