AutoStore: Reasons to Consider Using the Document Writer

A really great tool tucked inside the AutoStore toolbox is the Document Writer process component. Essentially, it provides the ability to create a text-based file within an AutoStore task. The text produced can include both static elements, and well as RRT values. Here are a few practical reasons why the Document Writer can be so useful.

Testing RRT Values

Sometimes, we need to confirm the value of a particular RRT as it makes its way through the process. Include one or a group of RRTs in the Document Writer for the resulting text file to reveal the answer. For example, take an unfamiliar process component where the exact RRT values need to be analyzed. Just add those RRTs into the document writer to reveal the output, and it's a great way to get through the testing phase.

Testing OCR Text

OK, this is similar to Testing RRT Values, but different. Yes, we are testing an RRT value, but not from a logical data point in the process. What's really being tested is the recognized text from the OCR process component of a scanned image, and the integrity of the image. Perhaps scan settings need to be addressed, or maybe the document is best suited for human handling rather than going through a server-side process.

Workflow Data Files

It is common practice for many systems to consume documents paired with an accompanying file with additional metadata. For example, many fax servers have the ability to take a PDF or TIF, and with a properly formatted XML file, it can parse it so that the document can be sent to the intended fax destination. Appropriately structure the information for that system, and the route integration is simple and flexible.


In Closing

These are just a few reasons why the Document Writer is a very cool component, and in no way limited to. I find it to be invaluable for testing, and a time saver.

Cheers!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

VBScript: Ensure Backslash Folder Path

Image
To preface what could be regarded as a very small thing, I am reminded of a common turn of phrase concerning the amount of perspiration that should be afforded to the "stuff" belonging to a particular size-category, and pretty sure there was a book written about that topic. Not to come across as disagreeable, but rather to invite a little balance based on my own general observations over time, an increase in cost with things such as time, money, even relationships, can be avoided when the "small stuff" is given the regard that it deserves. One of these tiny details has to do with string variables that reference folder paths within a script. There are times when it is important that a defined directory for a particular folder should and must always end with a backslash. As an example: folderPath = "C:\Example"   Of course, it really is not very difficult to manually enter that backslash into the path. folderPath = "C:\Example\" ...
Read more

AutoStore: Workflow Loop Example

Image
Regardless of the programming language, a looping-statement is a common declaration for iterating through collections of things, such as the items of an array, records selected from a database, elements within an XML file, or the files inside a directory. A recent AutoStore challenge was presented where a script was used to fetch data in a process that returned either one or many items. This was the easy part. However, each return record needed to be specific to an individual Route based on one of those items returned. Example Example1@email.com Example1/URL Example2@email.com Example2/URL Example3@email.com Example3/URL Although the captured document being processed would be common for all in the return, the recipient belonging to one of these unique records should not be aware of  nor  receive any of the information that would belong to a different recipient. Because an unknown number of return records would be expected, this presents a challenge due ...
Read more

AutoStore: Create a Custom RRT

Image
Have you ever needed to dynamically create a custom RRT for an AutoStore process? In my previous post AutoCapture Default Date , I described my very first AutoStore script where the value of an  Invoice Date  field in an AutoCapture Vendor Invoices  form was assigned a default value of the day prior from the current date. This Invoice Date  needs to be part of the file name, however its format contains slash (/) characters that cannot be part of the file name. So, we'll use the AutoStore VB/JScript process component to create a new RRT that's more friendly. To do so, we'll look at how to do the following: Bring the existing Invoice Date  value into the script Reformat the Invoice Date  to a Windows-friendly file name Output the reformatted Invoice Date to a new custom RRT After adding the VB/JScript process component in between the capture component and the Send to Folder route component of the configuration file, we open the AutoCap...
Read more