When clients have certain requirements that cannot be met with the standard product features, APIs are utilized.  The Application Program Interface (API) is a layer to enhance and add custom features into the MDO application.  Whenever a client has custom requirements which cannot be handled by the configurable features available in the MDO platform, APIs are written to implement and fulfill those requirements.  

Below are a few instances where an API could be used.  

(X field and C field will be used as references) 

JavaScript API   

• When X field populates C field with same data: 
• When X field becomes populated specifically, C field is populated in another manner: 
  • Field X Postcode to field C State 
• When X field converts to a C field in a certain manner: 
  • Field X Litres to convert to field C Millilitres 
• When X field prompts or restricts C field value 
  • Field X is under Field C value – prompts 

Java API  

• When a certain action result in another 
  • Creation of a record will populate GRID datasets X, Y, Z  
  • Modifying a record will notify selective recipients 
• When a result of an action is to commence another action 
  • When X records have been created, Action Y will commence 
  • When X record has a certain dataset recorded, any Action Y will commence 
• When another system or database needs to be connected 

As mentioned above, there are two types of APIs: 

• JavaScript API: It is written to implement client-side validation and displaying pop-up windows and dialog box, confirm dialog box and prompt (dialog box). 
• Java API: A Java API refers to a program code which works in the back end and helps in: 

1. 1. Populating default values 
   2. Form validations 
   3. Validate things from backend with third party 
   4. Populate field values from some other system 
   5. Determining workflow path  
   6. Populating grids 
   7. Fetching data for reports 
   8. Integration 

Prerequisites: 

• Modules and scope need to be identified 
• API Development Specification needs to be approved and filled 

Below is the API Development Specification Format: 

API Specification Name 

<Put a name> 

Estimated Date of Completion 

<Put a date> 

Version 

Version	Requestor	Date
<Put Version No.>	<Put Requestor Name>	<Put a date>

Details 

Area	Owner
Server URL	<https://www.example.com>
Module ID	<Put an id>
Module Name	<Put a name>

Target Product 

Product	Target
ConnektHub Platform	YES/NO
Master Data Online	YES/NO
Work Safe Online	YES/NO

Customers 

Customers	Tenant ID
<Customer name>	<Put a tenant ID if tenant specific>

User Story 

<Put the scenario details> 

Triggers 

Standard API 

Process	Action	Type
<Create/Change etc>	Online/Workflow/Background	Internal/Javascript

Grid API 

Grid ID	Process	Event

Field API 

Field ID	Event

Html API 

Sample HTML	Event

Development Specification 

TEST CASE #1 

Input 

<Sample input> 

Output/Expected Behaviour 

<Sample output/behaviour> 

Delivery Specification 

Test Results 

Input 

<Screenshot> 

Output 

<Screenshot> 

Impact Assessment 

DB Insert 

System	Table Name	Column Name

 DB Update 

System	Table Name	Column Name

DB Delete 

System	Table Name	Column Name

File Create 

<Put path> 

File Update 

<Put path> 

File Delete 

<Put path> 

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Event Based API 

Event based APIs are triggered when an event occurs. 

Below is the list of fields, processes and events for an Event based API: 

Field ID	Description
Select Object	Select object (module) from the list
Description	Enter the API description (E.g. Send email to manager after approval)
Action	Online	Executes code at runtime based on the event selection
	Background	Executes code at backend (Schedule jobs and call API on scheduled based)
	Workflow	Executes code based on the workflow event
Enhancement Type	JavaScript	JavaScript validations at server side based on the event selection
	Internal API	Server level API to execute code on event base
Process	Create	On record Creation
	Copy	On record Copy
	Change	On record Change
	Reject	On workflow Rejection
	Extend	On record extend
	Delete	On record delete
	Summary	On record summary load
	Print PDF	On print PDF
	List View	On list page load
	Mass Create	On mass upload (Creation)
	Mass Change	On mass upload (Change)
	Mass Extend	On mass upload (Extend)
	Integration	On records integration
	Task Forward	On task forward to users
	Excel Upload	On excel upload (Mass dump)
Event	Initiate Create	Before initiate create/change/delete
	Before Next	Before creation page loaded
	After Next	After record creation page loaded
	Before Save	Before record saved
	After Save	After record saved
	After Data Save	After all standard data saved
	After Approve	After workflow approved from the inbox
	After Data Approve	After standard workflow data saved
	Before Approve	Before workflow approved from inbox
	After Reject	After workflow rejected from inbox
	Before Reject	Before workflow rejected from inbox
	Before Continue	Before “Continue” to the next page on workflow approval (Only when there is a criteria field)
	After Continue	After “Continue” to the next page on workflow approval (Only when there is a criteria field)
	On Load Tab Page	After Creation/Change page loading through JavaScript values can be defaulted or modified
	On Load Create Page	After Creation Middle page loading through JavaScript values can be defaulted or modified
	Before Print PDF	Before print PDF
	After Create Print	After print PDF
	Before Print PDF Template	Before print PDF (Custom PDF template if any)
	After Execute	After workflow approval page loaded
	Before Execute	Before workflow approval page loaded
	Description Generate	Only applicable for Material Module
	E-Sign Continue	After E- Signature submission
	Before Copy	Before record copied
	Before Change	Before record change page loaded
	After Change	After record change page loaded
	Before Extend	Before record extended
	After Extend	After record extended
	Delete	On record delete
	Print PDF	On print PDF generation
	Action Change	Restrict change from List page
	Action Copy	Restrict copy from List page
	Action Create	Restrict create from List page
	Action Deletion	Restrict deletion from List page
	Action Extend	Restrict extend from List page
	Action Delete	Restrict delete from List page
	Action Reset	Restrict change from List page
	Mass Create Before	Before mass data upload
	Mass Create After	After mass data upload
	Mass Approve After	After mass data approve
	Mass Change Before	Before change mass data upload
	Mass Change After	After change mass data upload
	Before Publish	During integration through this event values can be modified
	After Data Object Preparation	During integration through this event values can be modified
	Before XML Read	During integration through this event values can be modified
	After XML Read	During integration through this event values can be modified
	After XML Generation	During integration through this event values can be modified
	After EDI Generation	During EDI integration through this event EDI data can be changed
	Before Forward	Before task forward to users
Order	Select the order to be executed if there are multiple APIs written for the same module.
Enhancement Flow Type	Select Synchronous for all APIs
Activate	To activate or deactivate API
Plan Code	Enter Zero as default “0” (Plant Code requires only if there are multiple companies hosted on same application)

 

Grid Based API: 

Grid based APIs are implemented on grids and are triggered on grid events. 

Below is the list of fields and events for a Grid based API. 

Field ID	Description
Select Object	Select object (module) from the list
Description	Enter the API description (E.g. Send email to manager after approval)
Action	Online	Executes code at runtime based on the event selection
	Background	Executes code at backend (Schedule jobs and call API on scheduled based)
	Workflow	Executes code based on the workflow event
Select Grid	Select required field from the list
Process	Create	On record Creation
	Copy	On record Copy
	Change	On record Change
	Extend	On record extend
	Summary	On record summary load
Event	On Load	On Grid Load
	On Save	On Record Save
	On JavaScript	Grid JavaScript validation
	After Description Generate	Applicable for Material Module only
	On BOM Confirm	Applicable for Bill of Material Module only
	Before Form Save	Form data can be validated before saving
	After Form Save	Form data can be changed after saving
	On Row Delete	Validation can be performed after deletion of row
Order	Select the order to be executed if there are multiple APIs written for the same module.
Enhancement Flow Type	Select Synchronous for all API
Activate	To activate or deactivate API
Plan Code	Enter Zero as default “0” (Plant Code requires only if there are multiple companies hosted on same application)

 

Field Based API 

These APIs are implemented on fields and are triggered when an “On search” field event occurs. 

Below is the list of fields and events for a Field based API. 

Field ID	Description
Select Object	Select object (module) from the list
Description	Enter the API description (E.g. Send email to manager after approval)
Action	Online	Executes code at runtime based on the event selection
	Background	Executes code at backend (Schedule jobs and call API on scheduled based)
	Workflow	Executes code based on the workflow event
Select Field	Select required field from the list
Event	On Search
Order	Select the order to be executed if there are multiple APIs written for the same module.
Enhancement Type	Internal API
	Web Services
Enhancement Flow Type	Select Synchronous for all APIs
Activate	To activate or deactivate API
Plan Code	Enter Zero as default “0” (Plant Code requires only if there are multiple companies hosted on same application)

 

Report Based API 

These APIs are used to generate reports. 

Below is the list of fields for a Report based API. 

Field ID	Description
Select Object	Select object (module) from the list
Description	Enter the API description (E.g. Send email to manager after approval)
Select Field	Select required field from the list
Enhancement Type	Internal API
	Web Services
Enhancement Flow Type	Select Synchronous for all APIs
Activate	To activate or deactivate API
Plan Code	Enter Zero as default “0” (Plant Code requires only if there are multiple companies hosted on same application)