Integration Approach for Changent Xplora Application and PeopleSoft Human Capital Management Applications

Technology White Paper

Xplora is a smart card enabled technology solution for personnel tracking and training.  The nature of employee information maintained and updated via the Xplora application is important to any human resources application.  PeopleSoft is the acknowledged leader of human resource applications and provides a comprehensive suite of HR applications that make up what is termed a human capital management system (HCM).  This document is designed to illustrate the optimal approach to integrating data between these functionally related technologies.

Interface Approaches

Xplora utilizes a web platform for communications to remote and/or disconnected client sites.  The PeopleSoft 8.x applications release places the entire functionality of its product suite onto an internet applications platform (PIA- PeopleSoft Internet Architecture).  The PIA architecture leverages a number of internet technologies and concepts to deliver simple, straight forward access to PeopleSoft applications and to enable open, secured flow of information between a wide range of systems. 

The delivered PeopleSoft 8.x applications incorporate embedded integration tools to allow communications to external applications, web based applications and other programs in a consistent, generic and low maintenance manner.

Xplora can communicate to and from a PeopleSoft application in a number of ways.  The timeliness of data needs for a given client will dictate the type of approach taken for integration.  

Tightly Coupled Integration (Synchronous)-  this is a real time communication approach.  The called component must return some type of information before the initiating component can complete the transaction.  In this scenario, one system is dependent on timely data from the other system to complete an action.  The type of data to/from Xplora would not normally be so time or transaction sensitive. 

Loosely Coupled Integration (Asynchronous)- This type of integration provides sharing of data but said sharing does not have to be immediate.  With the current focus of Xplora being directed to training and learning, asynchronous integration would be the recommended approach.  Since a large number of human resource processes are not time nor activity dependent, this loosely coupled, publish/subscribe integration methodology is the most cost effective approach.

PeopleSoft Application Messenger

Application Messenger is the title PeopleSoft gives its publish/subscribe toolset.  With both Xplora and PeopleSoft utilizing internet standard communications protocols (XML, HTTP)  the integration of data between systems is straight forward, simple and flexible.  It is simple in that an event can trigger the creation of a publish message at the same time the database is updated which Application Messenger creates and transmits.  Xplora can subscribe or pull the information at anytime without impacting the operations of the PeopleSoft application.  When Xplora publishes a message, PeopleSoft can be configured to pull that data on a periodic cycle based on client needs for such information.  Additionally, PeopleSoft can be configured to utilize a Component Interface tool which forces the inbound data to conform to business rules the PeopleSoft application has created to validate the integrity of data populating its database.

Summary

In essence, the integration of data between Xplora and PeopleSoft is no different from the numerous interfaces the typical human resources system is required to create and/or maintain.  For example, various time and attendance applications (Kronos, etc.) routinely feed PeopleSoft payroll modules.  PeopleSoft HCM applications generally maintain multiple two way interfaces to various third party administrators ranging from benefit providers like Hewitt or Fidelity to administrative providers like ADP or TALX.  The use of a publish/subscribe toolset and standard interface protocols by otherwise independent systems on diverse platforms results in improved quality of the integration while lowering the on going maintenance cost for communications across platforms.

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