Maximo Automation Scripts Object Launch point - Part 2

In my earlier blog I have explained in brief about MBO/Object Launch point scripts. These scripts are created when we must perform validations/actions when the object is initialized/created/updated/deleted. Below screenshot shows various events available on object launch point which we will be discussing in detail in this blog.

Launch Point: Provide the name of the launch point and description.

Object: Provide the name of the object on which the script needs to be written (WORKORDER, ASSET etc.).

Object Event Condition: Object event condition is used when you want to filter the records first using a condition (e.g. status==”APPR”) and then execute the code only on that filtered set. This is very useful for performance improvement as the number of records to be processed are filtered even before the code is executed.

There are three sections visible while creating a new object launch point: Events, Save and Script. 

Under Events we have:

• Initialize Value: Whenever a record is opened (work order, assets etc.)/object is initialized in Maximo, this event will be triggered. With this event we can initialize the values of fields displayed on the record. This event should strictly be used for this purpose only and no other complex business logic/validations should be written in this event as it will create performance issues in the application. This event is same as init() method in the java class.
• Validate Application: This event is used when mbo needs to be validated against certain business rules and before saving it. For example, validate if a location is entered on SR before it is allowed to be saved. This event is same as appValidate() method in java class.
• Allow Object Creation: If you want to make certain validations before creating the object, you can do so in this event. As an example, you don’t want users to add anymore PRLINE if the PR is approved. You can write this logic on PRLINE object and check if the associated PR is APPR or not. If PR is in APPR status, you can throw an error. This event is same as canAdd() method in java class.
• Allow Object Deletion: With this event, you can stop an object from being deleted until certain validations are passed. For example, do not allow to delete an asset (though we do not delete asset ideally and just decommission it) if it has open work orders associated with it. You can throw an error in the script if the validations do not pass. This event is same as canDelete() method in java class.
• Save: This event is same as save() method in java class. This event can be used when you want to perform any validations/actions when the record is being saved. Save is called from lot of places like, from user interface when we click on save button, can be called when external system is sending requests to Maximo to update objects, can be called from automation scripts/java classes etc. As soon as we select Save option, options under Save section are enabled.

      Under Events we have:

• Add: This event is called when a new record/object is being created. This is same as toBeAdded () method in java class. For example, when a new record is created, you may want to create another child record and save it along with parent record.
• Update: As the name suggests, it is triggered when a record is being updated. As an example, you may want to validate certain field values if they are correctly filled in (or not empty), you may want to check the data in other related tables (if related tables have all the information captured) before saving the record. This is same as toBeUpdated() method in java class.
• Delete: This event is triggered when a record is being deleted. As an example, when a parent record is deleted, you may want to delete all its child records. This event is same as toBeDeleted() method in java class.
• Before Save: In this event insert/update/delete sql’s are yet to be fired. Such an event can be used in scenarios such as, you want to validate if the WONUM field on the work order follows certain naming convention. If not, throw an error message.
• After Save: In this event insert/update/delete sql’s are fired but database commit is yet to happen. This event can be used where we must perform certain transactions but if the transactions fail, rollback the transaction since commit has not happened yet. For example, sending a record to an external system through integration. But if sending the record fails due to certain issues, rollback the entire transaction from source (Maximo) system as well.
• After Commit: In this event, database commit is done post insert/delete/update sql’s are fired. That means the transaction is saved in the database. Such an event can be used when we want to perform an action only when all the Maximo level validations are passed, and the data is committed in the DB. Sending notifications to the users only after a PO is received, is an example where we can use this event.

Under Script we have:

• New: This radio button is checked when we are creating a new script. By default, this button is selected.
• Existing: Check this radio button if you want to add this script as a part of an existing script. You can select the existing script name using the script option specified next to the radio button. This will add this script as a launch point in the existing script. As an example, you may have a common code that you want to run from multiple places. You can create a single script and add the common logic in the script. You can then create multiple launch points as per your requirement (from where you want to execute the common code) using “Existing” radio button and select the common script that is created using the lookup next to the radio button.

        In the next blog we will discuss attribute launch point in detail. Happy learning!