Event listeners

Event listeners are the integration point between client applications and Asset Lifecycle Manager, enabling them to exchange the required data needed to conduct workflow processes. Event listeners let you define specific conditions that will automatically initiate the specified workflow. Asset Lifecycle Manager can use the following client applications to initiate a workflow process:

You can configure event listeners from the navigation pane's Process tab's Event listeners panel.

In general, forms are the most common way to trigger workflows and forms are easier to configure. Asset Lifecycle Manager is limited to three active listeners.

Details

Use the Details tab to name the listener and specify which workflow to start when the event occurs. Once you have finished configuring the event listener's parameters, and you have saved the listener, return to this tab to start the listener. Once an event listener has been started, its listener status is reported in the Last time listened and Next time to listen text boxes.

You can also specify the interval (in minutes) at which you want the listener to poll the database (for database listeners) or the e-mail account (for e-mail listeners).

Settings

On this tab, you provide the login credentials, queries, and other information to access or retrieve data from the source being listened to. The settings that appear on this tab depend on the type of listener you are defining. Refer to the three event listener types above for specific instructions.

For database and e-mail listeners, you can click Test to insure the login or authentication information you use are entered correctly and that Asset Lifecycle Manager is able to successfully connect to the database or e-mail account.

Mappings

Each event listener requires an external unique system identifier to be defined, in order to create a traceable link between each workflow instance and the specific event on the external system that triggered it. The external system identifier indicates the application that initiated the workflow and serves as a reference number to the client application. The Mappings tab lets you autogenerate this system identifier, or you can specify one yourself.

Finally, if you don't want to define your own field mappings (see Process fields), you can click Autogenerate field mappings to have Asset Lifecycle Manager automatically generate mappings for every column in the data source you specified on the Settings tab.

NOTE: You can share event listeners between users on your system. See Exporting and importing event listeners.