In this extremely lengthy post, I will show you how to extend a Business Object in ByDesign, then mass load data to the extended fields. I've heard this requested by many customers, and many times it involves creating an extension field post-implementation, and not being able to mass load data to the new field. In this case I chose to use the Customer BO to extend and load stuff too, but you could go with whatever other BO is available to you.

Note that this was done in the FP3.5 ByD Studio and though it seems lengthy this whole deal really only takes about 10 minutes. Another key thing to mention here is that for a customer to use this, they would need to engage a partner or SAP via the customer one-off process. HOWEVER, this process could also be made to be generic, and sold in the SAP Store (bu don't try it, because it's my idea).

Anyway, I've had to separate this into two posts because I've tried to be as thorough as possible in this tutorial, and for some reason the SCN places some limits on blog size or length.

Pause.

Deep breath.

Here we go:

Create a new solution. I’d go with a global solution so you can enable yourself as a key user in case you want to adapt any UI stuff. In this case I’m using the Foundation Deployment Unit because that’s where the Business Partner objects (Customer, Supplier, etc.) hang out.

Go ahead and Enable Key User for good measure.

Next create an extension to the Customer BO, so you can add those fields you forgot to initially migrate.

Now add those fields to the BO extension. Remember that extension fields are limited to a short list of data types, so don’t get any ideas of adding something too fancy.

Here's the BO extension code:

import AP.Common.GDT;

import AP.FO.BusinessPartner.Global;

[Extension] businessobject AP.FO.BusinessPartner.Global:Customer {

              node Common {

              element SomeText:Text;

              element SomeAmount:Amount;

              element SomeQuantity:Quantity;

              element SomeDate:Date;

           }

}

Now create a new BO that you’ll use for staging all the data you want to mass load to your Customers.

Again, here’s the code

import AP.Common.GDT as apCommonGDT;

businessobject ExtensionFieldStaging {

              [AlternativeKey] element CustomerID:BusinessPartnerInternalID;

              element SomeText:Text;

              element SomeAmount:Amount;

              element SomeQuantity:Quantity;

              element SomeDate:Date;

}

Create an AfterModify script for the staging BO. Why? Because when we load stuff to the BO, it’s modified, so it will populate your Customer extension fields after it’s modified.

The AfterModify script finds the customers in our staging table then populates the extension fields on the customer BO. Here’s the script:

import ABSL;

import AP.FO.BusinessPartner.Global;

var query_customer;

var query_customer_selparam;

var query_customer_result;

var customer;

// Get customers in staging

query_customer = Customer.QueryByIdentification;

query_customer_selparam = query_customer.CreateSelectionParams();

query_customer_selparam.Add(query_customer.InternalID , "I", "EQ", this.CustomerID);

query_customer_result = query_customer.Execute(query_customer_selparam);

// Set extension field values for each Customer identified

foreach (customer in query_customer_result) {

               customer.CurrentCommon.SomeText = this.SomeText.content;

               customer.CurrentCommon.SomeAmount = this.SomeAmount;

               customer.CurrentCommon.SomeQuantity = this.SomeQuantity;

               customer.CurrentCommon.SomeDate = this.SomeDate;

              }

Now we want to create a Service Integration to load up our staging BO.

XML File Input is the easiest way to load the staging BO, so let’s go with that!

Select our staging table for XML input (duh).

The next step is the one to pay attention to. First, make sure to check List Mass Processing, unless you want to load stuff one at a time. Then select all the fields in the staging BO, and identify each instance by Customer ID as shown below.

Finish!

Activate the Service Integration, then save the generated .xsd file somewhere convenient, such as a folder on your Desktop.

Look, it’s saved!

And now, because the SCN won't let me use any more images in this post, I'll have to continue to part 2.

Way back in 2008 I was a PeopleSoft consultant, and somewhat of an expert in all its financials and ‘multi’ functionality; multi-ledger, multi-GAAP, multi-company, multi-book, and on and on. Of course this meant that my skills were in demand for all sorts of global companies, which meant one thing: travel. Constant domestic and international travel.

I needed a change.

So I logged onto Dice looking for a cozy Business Systems Analyst job in a single location. I found one very interesting job in LA that was looking to hire someone to implement their ERP system; something called ‘Business ByDesign.’

I did my research and what I saw was a fully integrated, highly functional product that’s delivered in weeks instead of years. I was sold from the start. So I went to LA, nailed the interviews, and figured an offer would be on the way shortly.

That’s not quite how it turned out.

The company had to go through the proper due diligence, get executive alignment, and find the budget. Oh, and I forgot to mention, this company was a start-up (the current king of froyo, Pinkberry, which I proudly own a piece of). It looked like that offer wasn’t coming any time soon.

Long story short, I took one last PeopleSoft gig in (gasp) Buffalo, NY.

Arriving in the dead of winter, I went to work at HSBC Bank. It was a solid 9-5 gig with a 5 minute commute. But it was still in Buffalo (I’m from San Diego), so when I got a call from that start-up offering me the job I’d interviewed for eight months earlier, I said hell yes.

So I started work at Pinkberry, and this is where my love affair with ByDesign began. I was the project manager on the customer side (the best they’d ever seen according to the SAP leadership), and I really got into the work. So much so that migrating from at least four legacy systems, we implemented CRM, Financials, HCM, and a little SCM in just under 11 weeks.

That scope would take 11 years in the PeopleSoft world.

And the best part was, I could implement as much additional scope as I wanted. That’s like puting a kid in a candy store and telling him to take as much as he wants for five cents. My proudest moment was integrating ByDesign with our payroll provider, making the accounting staff grin wildly every other Friday. SAP even filmed us for their Run Better campaign.

That’s not to say there weren’t issues. I was on the phone with our Account Manager and ByDesign Support way more than I wanted to be, and at the strangest hours, day and night. Quite frankly, when there were system issues it was personally embarrassing for me, since Pinkberry basically equated me with SAP Business ByDesign.

But I never lost faith. I could see the vision. I could almost feel the vision.I did many interviews and podcasts with such characters as Jon Reed and Dennis Howlett.

I attended the last two SAPPHIREs (come visit me at the Bramasol pod, 3127a this time around), and my gut instinct was confirmed. When I saw FP2.5 and the ByDesign Studio I almost cried. (Unfortunately, as a customer, I couldn’t get my hands on the Studio, which I complained about very publicly. Just ask Mr. Christian Happel.)

It was at this point that I knew I would be a ByDesign consultant someday. I spent time discussing various partners with various people, including a man I consider a personal mentor, Sina Moatamed. I followed every piece of news and browsed every job site waiting for the market to offer me an opportunity. I took my time, never applying for any openings I saw.

It turns out, I didn’t have to. I alerted the SAP team that I wanted to work for a partner and they recommended me to several. After many flights, business dinners, and interviews, I got an offer from Bramasol and took it. Bramasol, like me, saw huge potential in ByDesign and they just got the vision.

And now I’m where I want to be. I live in San Diego, work wherever I want, and do ByDesign all day long. We’ve got a long way to go with ByDesign and SAP, but that vision continues to unfold. Next week at SAPPHIRE will be very interesting indeed.

And that’s my journey, by design.

(Follow me on twitter and/or visit me at SAPPHIRE)