Define the connection to an ECM system and map the ECM fields

You can define the connection to the ECM system, the document types, document fields and properties to be used under edoc archivelink > Setup > Systems > Systems.

Recommendation

Only configure and activate an ECM system.

Although you can activate several ECM systems, this situation can lead to a document first being searched for in the "wrong" ECM system.

To establish a connection to an ECM system and prepare the corresponding document fields and document types for mapping, you need the following data:

Base address of the server with the ECM system.
Base address of the server with edoc platform.
Repository ID of the ECM system.
API key for d.3one (d.velop documents).
User name and password for the corresponding d.velop documents repository or for the lists in Microsoft SharePoint.

Once you have entered the connection data to an ECM system, define the relevant details for the ECM repository and map the fields for the document types and document fields.

Finally, you can synchronize the ECM fields and ECM document types or create them manually.

Establish a connection to an ECM system

In the Systems section, enter an ID and a name for the ECM system as well as the URL for the connection. The data is displayed in the overview of connected systems. You can enter any ID and any name for the ECM system.

System ID: Enter an ID for the ECM system. You can enter any ID (short form), e.g. d.3one for a separate d.velop documents repository or SP for a SharePoint site. You cannot change the ID afterwards.
System Name: Enter any meaningful name for the ECM system. The system name is uniquely mapped to the system ID. You can change the system name at any time, unlike the system ID.
System connection (URL): Enter the URL with HTTPS that establishes a connection with edoc platform. Example: https://<Base address>/api/content-service

Activate the connection if required by moving the slider to Yes.

For information about establishing a connection to a reverse proxy server see: How do I establish a connection with a reverse proxy server?

Establish a connection to an ECM repository

In the Repository section, enter the data to establish a connection to the repository. Different functions are displayed depending on the ECM system.

Repository ID: Enter the ID of the ECM repository. You can also change the name at a later date if necessary.
Repository name: Enter the name of the ECM repository. You can also change the name at a later date if necessary.
Module Id: Enter the module ID from edoc content services for the corresponding repository. You can establish a connection to the following edoc content services modules: d3, sharepoint, d3one

Save the page once to display the corresponding fields of the selected edoc content services module.

In the next step, enter the data for the selected module.

The maximum length of the connection string is limited to 1260 characters.

Data for the edoc content services module "d3"

User name: Enter the name of a service user for the connection to the ECM repository. The service user must have permission to import and export data.
Password: Enter the password for the service user you are using to connect to the repository.
Connection string: Enter the complete connection string (URL) with which you want to establish a connection to the ECM system. The connection string begins with the host name of the ECM application server without HTTP or HTTPS (base address) followed by the following placeholders:
- For the placeholders [user] and [password], the data you have entered under User name and Password is used.
- Enter the ID of your d.3 repository for the repositoryid parameter. Example: PROD1 or P1.

Connection string for d.velop documents (d.3) (example)

targethost=<Base_Address>;user=[user];password=[password];repositoryid=<ID>

Data for the edoc content services module "sharepoint"

User name: Enter the name of the service user for the connection to the ECM repository.
Password: Enter the password for the service user you are using to connect to the repository.
Connection string: Enter the complete connection string (URL) followed by the list ID with which you want to establish a connection to the ECM system. The connection string starts with the SharePoint site name with HTTPS (base address) followed by the following placeholders:
- For the placeholders [user] and [password], the data you have entered under User name and Password is used.
- Enter the list ID from SharePoint for the ListId parameter. Example: 25187c63-9523-4edb-84d3-5d9d91802uda

Connection string for Microsoft SharePoint (example)

targethost=<Base_Address>;user=[user];password=[password];ListId=<SharePoint_list_ID>

A Microsoft SharePoint list represents a separate repository in the edoc archivelink concept. If you want to use multiple SharePoint lists, create a separate ECM connection for each SharePoint list.

Alternatively, you can also change the list ID in the connection string. However, you must execute the Test connection function for each list ID.

Data for the edoc content services module "d3one"

API key: Enter the API key for the connection.
Connection string: Enter the complete connection string (URL) with which you want to establish a connection to the ECM system. The connection string starts with the base URI with HTTPS (base address) followed by the following placeholder:
- Specify the API key of the d.velop documents repository for the apikey parameter.

Connection string for d.3one (d.velop documents) (example)

targethost=https://<Base_Address>;apikey=[APIKey];repositoryid=<ID>

Finally, use Test connection to check whether the connection to the ECM system is working properly. Then map the document fields to the ECM document types.

For more information about changing or copying an already configured connection see:

Map document fields to ECM document types

You can enter the ECM fields and ECM document types (ECM categories) manually or retrieve them from the ECM system in edoc archivelink.

If you want to retrieve the ECM fields and ECM document types automatically, click ECM syncronisation in the Repositories section. Select the required document types whose fields you want to assign. After synchronization, the data of the selected ECM fields and ECM document types are displayed accordingly in the Repository - Document fields and Repository - Document type sections.

If you use Microsoft SharePoint lists, you must select the ECM syncronisation function for each list in order to load the document types per list into edoc archivelink.

However, you can also enter the data for the document fields manually.

In the Repository - Document fields section, first define the document fields (property fields of the ECM system) and the index (field ID) in order to then map these fields to the ECM document types.

Document field ID: Enter a meaningful ID of your choice. The value entered is used for the index of the field mapping for the documents.
Document field name: Enter a meaningful name of your choice. The value entered is used for the name of the field mapping for the documents.
Data type: Specifies the data type of the document field in the repository, e.g. String, Date, etc.
Value list: Indicates whether the field contains several values, e.g. several purchase order numbers.
ECM field index number: Enter the ID of the field (index ID). You can find the index number in the ECM system.
- If you use the d3 module, enter the numbers of the document type fields doc_field[number]. Example: doc_field[15]. Use the array doc_field_array[60] for value lists or purchase order numbers, for example.
- If you use the sharepoint module, enter the technical field name of the fields in the SharePoint list.
- If you use the d3one module, enter the technical ID of the fields (GUID ID format).
Active: The document fields have been activated automatically if you have used the ECM syncronisation function. If you enter the document fields manually, activate each field that you want to use. You cannot use any fields that have not been activated in the document types.

Tip

If you want to make a document field that only exists in one document type available for all document types, deactivate and activate the document field. After reactivating it, you can use the document field for all document types.

In the Repository - Document type section, define the categories (document types) from the ECM system that you want to use in the Dynamics 365 forms. Specify the fields for each document type. There may be several fields per category in the ECM system. Only activate the fields that are useful for your purposes.

Before you start

If you use the ECM syncronisation function, the following rules apply to the names of the ECM document types in the Document type name field:

The character length is limited to a maximum of 30 characters.
Spaces are replaced by underscores.
Hyphens and dots in the name are retained.

Document type ID: Enter a meaningful ID of your choice. The value entered is used for the index of the document type mapping.
Document type name: Enter a meaningful name of your choice. The value entered is used for the name of the document type mapping.
ECM document type: Enter the ID of the document type (category) that this document type has in the ECM system. You can find the ID in the ECM system.
Most recently imported ECM: Contains the document ID of the last ECM document imported into Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations. The displayed document serves as the starting point for the next automatic import process of ECM documents. Only used if the Import field has been activated.

If a sequence of numbers is displayed under Most recently imported ECM, this is the Unix timestamp. In this case, you have entered the timestamp as the value for this criterion instead of the document ID.

You can convert Unix time using a converter on the Internet.

Import: If you activate this function, the corresponding documents are imported from the ECM system to Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations.
Active: Activate the slider for each document type.

Once you have specified and saved the document type, you can activate the fields you require under Document type fields. Only the activated fields are displayed in the linked index definition.

Document field ID: Displays the document field ID of the property in the ECM system.
Document field name: Shows the name of the document field in the ECM system.
Active: Indicates whether the field has been activated. Deactivate the document type field if you do not want to use this field.
Mandatory: Indicates whether this is a mandatory field and must contain a value.

Instead of displaying all document types and their fields, you can get an overview of only the active document types and fields at any time: Move the sliders for Display only active document types and Display only active document field types to Yes.

Activate entire configuration

Once you have completed the configuration, move the slider in the Overview section to Active. The configuration is then activated for your ECM system.

When you initially set up edoc archivelink, configure the indexing definition in the next step: Configure the indexing definition