Remote Action Service - Getting Started

Remote Action service is used in conjunction with Extender workflow to enable approvals of Sage 300 records outside of the Sage 300 environment. Approvers receive a one time email link that they can use to complete the Approval (or rejection) form.

For details on how it works - refer to Remote Action Service : Progress Extender Workflow remotely

In most cases, you configure the Extender Workflow as per your required flowchart first without Remote Action Service. Once you have tested the workflow template, you can add a Remote Action Service action to send the email to the approvers with the link to approve outside of Sage 300.

Example: Tutorial: A/R Credit Limit approval with Remote Action Service

Requirement!

The following modules are required to use the Remote Action Service: 

  • Extender (Configurator or Developer)
  • Workflow Users
  • Remote Action Subscription
  • Process Scheduler Level 1 and above to automate completed form retrieval (optional but highly recommended)

Prerequisites - install Extender and Remote action service

Extender setup

  • Ensure the latest product update for Extender installed and activated.
  • In Extender Options, set the Python version to version 3.8.8 - Refer to Python Version
  • In Extender Options > Email Tab, configure the SMTP Details as Remote Action service needs to email. Refer toExtender Email Tab
  • Configure Workflow Users. Extender License and Workflow Users

Install Remote Action Service

  • Subscribe to the Remote Action Service through your Sage 300 Business partner and have the token available.
  • Import the RemoteAction.vi module

The Remote Action module includes the Extender custom tables and scripts required to configure and manage the service.

Remote Action Scripts

Workflow Actions

It also includes three workflow actions to build the form hyperlink and email the on-time link to the workflow users.

SendRemoteActionCommentAmountFormEmail includes a comment and an amount field for the approver to complete. Amount defaults to the requested value in the workflow.

Example: Used to Approve A/R Credit limit

SendRemoteActionCommentFormEmail: includes a comment field only.

SendRemoteActionFormEmail: No user input is captured. Form only includes the buttons configured in the workflow template.

Custom Table and Configuration record

Remote Action includes a default handler in the Remote Action Handlers custom table for use with the workflow. This is created when you install Remote Action module. In some rare cases, if the configuration record is missing, you may need to add it manually.

Form Type: workflow_approval

Handler Class: remote_actions.handlers.workflow_approval.WorkflowApprovalFormHandler

 

Install Process Scheduler

Although this is optional, it is highly recommended to automate the retrieval of the completed remote action forms. Refer to Running the Poller with Process Scheduler

Configure Remote Action module

Step 1: Go to Remote Action menu, select Configure and enter the token provided.


Note: If you don't have a token, contact your Sage 300 Business Partner to enable the service.

Step 2: Run Remote Action Option - Optionally, enter a website address for the logo you want to see on the form and an email address to be displayed on the form. For details, refer to Remote Action Admin.

Step 3: Add Extender Message templates to configure the notification email and the remote form content. For details, Remote Action Message Templates

Step 4: Include one of the Remote Action in a workflow template - For details, Add Remote Action to Workflow Template

Configure Remote Action poller

To process the remote requests into Sage 300, you can run the Extender RemoteAction.poller script. The script is in the Extender > Remote Action menu

Note: The script can only be run manually by the ADMIN user.

Poller is an Extender script designed to process all completed requests and bring the action results into Sage 300 to progress the workflow.

The RemoteAction.poller connects to the Remote Action Service to retrieve and process completed forms. For each form, it progresses the workfow according to the details submitted by the user on the Remote Action form.

For example, if the user approves the workflow request, the workflow status is updated as per the Approve step configured in the workflow template.

If the poller encounters any error, for example another user has already approved the workflow, using their Remote Action link or using the Extender console, the poller will log an error.

Running the Poller with Process Scheduler

In most cases, you configure Process Scheduler to run the script and use Windows Task Scheduler to update the data automatically as often as required.

Setting Up Process Scheduler - Configure Process Scheduler to run the poller automatically

Setting Up the Windows Scheduled Task - Task Scheduler

Tips:

The user configured in Process Scheduler Companies needs to have "Modify all workflow" rights in Sage Security Groups as it needs to progress the workflow records. It also needs to have all the Sage security rights to perform the actions in the Approve/Reject steps (e.g. Post batches, update Customer or Vendor).

It is important that an admin user reviews the Process Scheduler Logs regularly.