ERP Connector - Initial Seeding

[TomU]

Version: Windchill 13.0

Use Case: Newly configured ERP Connector needs all existing released data in Windchill sent to it.

Description:

How does one send all existing released Windchill data out a newly configured ERP connector connection without altering the existing data in Windchill?  Normally the data will automatically be sent based off a state change or being part of a change notice.  Both of those things require creating or changing existing data in Windchill.  What options exist (if any) to push all existing released data out a newly configured ERP connection without changing states or creating new CNs for millions of existing objects?  Thanks.

[avillanueva]

I know this. There is a way to bulk load "release" records on items to indicate they are already in your ERP system. 

and here it is:

Loading Release History

[TomU]

Hi @avillanueva,

Sorry to disappoint, but I need to do just the opposite.  I need to mass-push from Windchill to ERP because these objects are not in ERP yet.

[Marco_Tosin]

You must associate a distribution target with the object to be sent and then manually send it to the distribution target.

In our system, we also have a customization feature that allows you to send multiple items to the same target at the same time.

I forgot to mention that Windchill is connected to the ERP via Tibco through ESI.

Below the guide section where the above is explained

[TomU]

How do you do this at scale (millions of objects) in some automated fashion?  Is customization the only solution?

[Marco_Tosin]

I think so, given what is written in this article.

Is it possible to use the "Send To Distribution Target" action on a multiple selection of objects in Windchill Enterprise Systems Integration

[avillanueva]

https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS116739?source=search

I think the above link is the right starting point. I would be concerned with the overhead with millions of objects. Not only is this taxing Windchill to create the records, workflows and XML exports, the ERP system must not consume them. What might be easier is to load the datat to the ERP system using its normal bullk load method. Then using the load file I showed earlier to mark it complete on Windchill side. 

[TomU]

This is the article PTC sent me:

Article - CS318762 - How to send a part or enterprise data to a distribution target using API in Windchill Enterprise Systems Integration

As @Marco_Tosin mentioned, it seems like customization is the only way to mass-push things.

[avillanueva]

Should be easy to write a client to consume a list and ka-chunka-chunka its way through it. Again, my concern would be the overhead and exception you will see when the ESI workflow has an issue. The users will be getting hundreds of workflow tasks to address the ESI failures.