Altec Docklink APM Manager Not Recognizing SSRS ERM Reports

Kinetic ERP
,
1

We recently migrated some reports from SAP Crystal Reports to SSRS. On our APM server, we run Altec’s Doclink Version 2.7.46 to manage APM print requests, and we have predefined document types to capture document requests.

After the migration, some documents are being caught and processed smoothly, but one in particular does not seem to be captured, causing interruptions.

Troubleshooting Steps Taken

  1. Changed output format
  • Initially generated/printed to APM as a PDF.
  • Issue: PDFs were being rasterized, making text unselectable and unreadable by Doclink.
  • Switched to EMF File format instead.
  1. Verified text extraction
  • Opened the EMF viewer and traced boxes over words.
  • Verified that text could be extracted.
  • Despite this, the program still failed to identify the document type.
  1. Expanded identifier criteria
  • Adjusted the search box to cover the entire top half of the document.
  • Identifier is always located in the header.
  • Still unsuccessful.
  1. Tried different printer drivers
  • Changed APM printer drivers to HP LaserJet 5.
  • Restarted the print spooler service.
  • Purpose: prevent rasterization and preserve selectable text.
  • Still unsuccessful.

Current Status

Despite multiple changes:

  • Text is selectable (not rasterized).
  • Search box is broad enough to capture the identifier.
  • Driver adjustments have been made.

Yet, the document type is still not being identified.

Request for Suggestions

Any practical next steps to work around this issue would be appreciated.

  • Could this be related to font encoding or character recognition within Doclink?
  • Is there a way to force text-only mode or inspect the raw metadata captured by APM?
  • Would adjusting document type matching logic or print processor settings help?
2

Have you looked at the SSRS breaking and routing add-on?

3

I have not, what I believe it ended up being was an incorrect keyword under one of our ERM properties. Changed that and the document type is now processing. For reference, where could I find the SSRS breaking and routing add-on? I am not familiar with that.

4

APR - Advanced Printing and Routing. It works directly from the Report Style and you can create a ‘BPM’ style routing in the report style itself. We had Doclink in E9 and have converted one of our sites reports that went through that to APR. So much better.

3 Likes
5

It is a licensed module but if I recall correctly pricing is reasonable. It’s infinitely easier than Doclink APM.

1 Like
6

@cmoody I would highly encourage you to look at APR as highlighted above by @Daniel_White.

1 Like
7

APR is nice and we use it for most customers - I still think it has a gap which needs addressing that it doesn’t allow visibility of successful vs failed emails and the ability to retry them. System Monitor shows it, but doesn’t allow retries.

2 Likes
8

I agree, though I thought I saw something interesting in Kinetic the other day about an email log?

9

There is an EMail Log in Kinetic but as far as i am aware it doesnt allow you to resend an email from it if it errors (I havent had any errors yet so cannot confirm). I guess you could however create a BPM or some code that if an email errored it would try and resend :thinking:

1 Like
10

Good point, I was just trying to let @markdamen know that at the very least you could see successful or failed emails maybe?

11

Yeah it certainly does that and it also details what the error is.

1 Like
12

There have been a couple of Epicor Ideas to improve email that have been merged into one.

Comprehensive request to re-engineer all of the Email actions and components in Kinetic| Epicor Ideas Portal

2 Likes
13

I just remembered that i created a BPM on the SysTask table on a specific task description that would ping an email to A.N Other if something Errored :face_with_peeking_eye:.

image
image1449×754 33.6 KB

image
image1434×170 6.22 KB

You could use that as something that could be used or even in the routing of the report you could create a rule if it errors then resend?

1 Like
14

I’m not sure the current state, but adding directives to SysTask was removed according to Rich. People were abusing it apparently.

1 Like
15

It would be a very interesting table to do that on as well. A lot could go wrong.

1 Like
16

To be fair since i set the bloody thing up we havent had any errors :rofl: but i do see what ‘could’ be done :+1:

2 Likes
17

There is a separation of concerns going on here. I think there SHOULD be a way to kick off another process to do the work (webhook, etc.), but the Task Agent should not be sending out emails, doing retries, handling bounces, etc.

2 Likes