Automation Keys: What They Are and Why You Should Use Them
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The document provides an overview of automation keys in FME Server, explaining their types and functions in creating complex workflows. Automation keys store JSON-formatted messages that enhance data processing and integration efficiency, improving both time and data quality. It also includes a demo on building automations and suggestions for future enhancements in FME Server's capabilities.
Automation Keys: What They Are and Why You Should Use Them
- 1. Automation Keys! What They Are and Why You Should Use Them with Mark & Holly
- 2. Meet the Presenters Mark Warren FME Server Technical Support Specialist Holly Coxon FME Server Technical Support Team Lead
- 3. Agenda ● Automation Keys ○ What and Why ● Demo: Build an Automation using Keys ○ Bonus: Intro to Split-Merge Block functionality ● Q&A
- 4. POLL: Have you ever used FME Server Automations? A. I have never used FME Server B. I use FME Server but have never built an Automation C. I have created basic Automation workflows D. I have built complex Automations
- 5. Automating processes saves time, money, improves data quality, helps businesses scale and so much more.
- 6. What are Automation Keys? FME Server Automations allow you to build complex enterprise integration workflows by sending JSON-formatted messages between components (Triggers & Actions). Automation Keys store the JSON key-value pairs in a user-friendly format so they can be used downstream in the workflow.
- 7. Event Keys What: predefined output keys specific to the trigger, internal and external action type. Why: to create dynamic workflows that process event information in real-time.
- 8. User Keys What: output keys that can be defined on a component by the user building the automation. Why: when the same action is present more than once in a workflow to prevent overwriting certain keys or use keys from multiple events in the same downstream parameter.
- 9. Automation Writer Keys What: output keys that store attribute values from each feature processed by a workspace. They are present on the Run Workspace Action only when there is an Automation Writer in your workspace Why: Enhance Automations functionality by orchestrating data-driven workflows.
- 10. Global Keys What: text values defined by the user building the Automation for use at the Automation level without ties to a specific component. Why: reduce maintenance efforts by enabling you you to reference the same value in multiple places.
- 11. For ultimate flexibility use keys to create dynamic Automation workflows
- 12. DEMO The Goal Breakdown a State into Counties & Blocks for processing, then send a single email once the entire Automation is complete. The Obstacles There are many key types and it’s confusing to know when to use them. Plus the Merge action cannot be used with the Automation Writer. The Solution Use Automation Keys to pass information between workspaces and send messages downstream and use the Split-Merge Block to send a single email. The Result The various types of keys allow you to pass event, feature attribute, or user-defined information throughout an Automation.
- 13. Step One: Manual Trigger Keys ● Provide a user-defined JSON message at Automation runtime ● Create keys from the JSON key-value pairs {“state”:“Hawaii”} Note: This also applies to the Webhook Trigger Resources Run an Automation using the Manual Trigger
- 14. Step Two: Run Workspaces using Automation Writer Keys ● Create an additional output port per Automation Writer Feature Type ● Use the Automation Writer to parse attributes out of a workspace downstream in an Automation workflow ● Trigger one downstream event for every feature that enters the Automation Writer Resources Building Integrations with the FME Server Automation Writer
- 15. Tip To use Keys in a Workspace Action, the Workspace must contain Published Parameters!
- 16. Demo
- 17. POLL: How can we consolidate workspace actions? A. Merge Action B. Run a Workspace C. Split-Merge Block D. Filter Action
- 18. Step Three: Rethinking Keys with the Split-Merge Block ● Split-Merge Blocks will output one event key per input ● Compatible with Automation writers ● Event keys aren’t aggregated, you’ll only receive information from the very last job Resources Job Orchestration with Automations
- 19. Step Four: Global Keys and Email Recipients ● Global keys can be used anywhere in an Automation! ● Great for repeatedly-used parameters (i.e: Email recipients, file paths) ● One single key to manage our Email To recipients Resources Send email from Automations
- 20. Custom Email Subject & Body using Event Keys ● Multiple keys can be used in a single parameter ● Concatenate key values together or build custom text bodies
- 21. Demo
- 22. Final Tip The Log a Message action is your best friend when authoring with keys!
- 23. What next? Download FME 2021.1 Check out the additional resources and download the project shared with this webinar Build your first Automation and use keys to create a dynamic workflow Free Trial | Upgrade
- 24. Resources Article: Working with User and Global Keys in an Automation Article: Job Orchestration with Automations Blog: Enterprise Integration Wins: 5 Reasons to Add Automation Documentation: Working with Output Keys in Automations Workflows
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- 26. Have Ideas for Improvements? ● Server-wide global keys for FME Server ● Allow date/time parameter values to be set via Automation Global Keys ● Password support for FME Server Global Keys (data types) ● Add log file URL as available key from completed workspaces in Automations Share them on the FME Community
- 27. Q&A
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