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Siebel - learn

- intro
- learn Siebel
 
Volume 1: - #v1.sec1.mod1-3#v1.sec1.mod4-6#v1.sec2.mod7-9#v1.sec2.mod10-13#v1.sec3.mod14-18
Volume 2: - #v2.sec4.mod19-21 - #v2.sec4.mod22-24#v2.sec4.mod25-29#v2.sec4.mod30-33#v2.sec4.mod34-37
Volume 3: - #v3.sec5.mod38-41 - #v3.sec6.mod42-49#v3.sec7.mod50-54

- common environment

 
intro home - top of the page - email

Siebel is a company producing a CRM product (CRM = Customer Relationship Management). Founded in 1993 by Thomas Siebel. Grew in 1995-99 from 13% to 69% market share !! Consumed most its competitors and became de-facto market leader.

Main product - "Siebel eBusiness Applications" - a set of 114 components, organized into 16 separate product lines.
Turn-key specific solutions: eFinance, eInsurance, eCommunications, eEnergy, ...
Siebel is flexible - but not very flexible, because it consists of pre-built blocks. It is more like MS Word, than like programming language.

Typical Siebel Screen - click to see 100% size:

One logical database (~1700 tables).
One set of configuration tools (Siebel Tools)
Client interfaces: MS Windows (siebel.exe), Java, HTML
Siebel Server - application server (talks to clients and DB, talks to other servers and messaging services)
Siebel connectors to backoffice (ERP, Supply chain, Procurement, Legacy, etc.)
Siebel Anywhere

Siebel provides services ("Siebel Global Services") - SupportWeb, Expert Services, University, End-user and partner education, consulting, etc.

Deployment options:
  Connected Client - client application talks directly to central DB and App.Server
  Mobile & Handheld Clients - store local database
  Thin & Wireless Clients - via Internet


 
What you need to learn Siebel: home - top of the page - email

What you need to learn Siebel:
 
1. Siebel Client CD & BookShelf CD 

2. Set of 3 volumes "Siebel eBusiness Essentials" + 1 volume of Labs for it. 
  - vol.1 - common terms, navigation, visibility, data, query, architecture, installation, server manager, creating an Organization, Using S.DataSources, Exploring Application: Object definitions, using S.Tools, data model (tables and table relationships)
  - vol.2 - configuration process: configuring and compiling objects, configuring applications, screens, views, applets, understanding business components (BC) and business objects, adding fields to BC and configuring them, configuring navigation, packlist, multi-value fields, visibility. Using scripting.
  - vol.3 - Data loads ( Enterprise Integration Manager : data mapping, setting options, running it), Business Rule Automation (Assignment Manager to assign rules - sales, service, ...;  Workflow process and policies, configuring components for WF Policies), Deployment using S. Remote and S. Packager

3. Training on CD (Siebel University): "Siebel eBusiness Aplications", "Siebel Call Center Fundamentals", etc.

Siebel has their own training (costs thousands of dollars). And it has documentation manuals which come with software. But not any technical manuals in book stores. The situation has changed a bit recently. I saw books on amazon.com:

Implementing Siebel - by Vivek Kale ($59.00)
Migrating Siebel Database from DB2/Oracle for Nt to DB2 for Os/390 - by IBM Redbooks (2001)
Siebel 2000 Database Implementation on OS/390 Using NT Siebel Servers (IBM Redbook)

You can also search for siebel on IBM site:
  http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/Redbooks.nsf/redbooks/

and even download them for free:
  http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg246211.pdf

This web site is a good place: http://siebel.ittoolbox.com


 

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Some key words:
SRF - Siebel Repository File
SSE - Siebel Sales Enterprise
Siebel eBusiness Enterprise - suite of many products:
Industry applications:  eFinance, eInsurance, eCommunications, eAutomotive, eEnergy, ePharma, ePublic Sector, eConsumer Goods, eApparel & Footware, eTechnology
.COM Applications: eSales, eMarketing, eService, eChannel, eTraining
Call Center: Call Center, Service, Telesales
Field: Sales, Field Service, Configurator, Phone, HandHeld, Pricer
Channel:  eChannel
Marketing:  Marketing

Siebel MidMarket Edition - simplified version, web-based architecture

S.eBusiness applications have a common structure and look and feel. Call Center is used as a sample application for training.

Common eBusiness Entities:
Account - represents current or potential client, partner or competitor. Has an account team (permitted to view/change data)
Opportunity - potential revenue-generating event. Potential revenue, probability of completiong, ending date, sales methodology. Has a sales team (permitted to view/change data)
Service Request - a request from customer (severity, priority, status). Is owned by ONE employee (doesn't have a team).
Contact - external individual (name, email, title, ...). Has an access list (who can view/change the data).
Activity - who should do the task, start and due date. Can be associated with an Account, Opportunity, Service request, and/or Contact.

Organization - group of users (inside: sales, marketing, cust.service. outside: Channel Partners, Customers, Prospects)
 

Select:  Start -> Programs -> Siebel Enterprise Applications 6.0 -> Siebel Call Center
Logon: (username, password, data source)
Help -> Technical Support (to view connection information).
File->Connect - to logon as a differen user
File->Change Password - to change password

User Interface structure: Application -> Screens -> Views -> Applets

Applets: List, Form, Tree
Views: List, Detail, Explorer
    - List View - list on top, form on bottom (like MS Money)
    - Detail View - Form on top, list of related items on bottom
    - Explorer view - tree on left, list on right (like MS Windows Explorer)

Navigating:
  Select screen from menu or from Tab Bar on the top.
  Then select view from menu on the left.
  Click inside an applet to select it (or use Ctrl +  or use special toggle-button)

Siebel window elements:
  Title bar
  Menu Bar
  Tool bar (and query list)
  History/Threads bar
  Horizontal tab bar - to select screens
  Left view bar - to select a view

During navigation a query is created to load data for ~1 screen only.

Navigatin between records in a list:
  - use arrows buttons in the toolbar
  - use vertical scrollbar on the right
  - use alphabet bar on the bottom
  - mouse and arrow-keys
Navigating inside a record: mouse, Tab & Shift-Tab
Drilling Down: some fields may be made links to navigate to a different view.
    - click on them
    - select and press Ctrl-E
    - right-click and select from the pop-up menu
    - double-click on the row indicator

Thread Bar - tracks your path through the views (history) - and allows you to return to previous views (threads).
Help menu - has info about Record (who/when created/modified, version info about SRF file, configuration info)
Context-Sensitive help - select arrow/queston mark from toolbar to activate this feature.

Navigation in thin client is different:
  List views and Detail views are read-only.
  List views - no form appears on the bottom.
  Entry forms function differently. You can do only one record at a time.

 
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Users (employees) - loginID, organization, at least one position, at least one responsibility
Visibility: which users can see which views and which records
  record access - is controlled by position (, organization, login)
  view access - is controlled by responsibility

record access:
Some records are personally owned (service requests, quotes, activities, contacts) - by LoginID 
Some records are team owned (Opportunity, Account, Contact, Campaign) - by position
  - An employee may have more than one position. 
  - One position may be shared by many employees (then one of them is "Active"). 
Primary position on a team - manager record access rule active 
    ( view all data in the team, merge/delete records, forecast an oportunity). 
Change position: File->Change Position 
Primary position occupied - default (login) 
To view positions for an employee: 
      Screens->Application Administration->Employees , and then press on  [...] near position field in the form 

Some records are restricted by Organization(s) - for example grouping geographically (US, Europe, etc..) 
Multiple Organizational Visibility - allows to create groups for visibility (for example to allow external organizations to see seom data in the Siebel database).

View Access:
View Access - based on responsibility = job function or role. 
A user may have one or more responsibilities - thus they will see a UNION of all the views associated to their responsibilities 
View types: 
  - My Personal View - user is the owner, only he has access 
  - My View - shows records for a team (of which the user is a member) 
  - My Team's View - manager can see records of his team members 
  - All View - records for the organization, where primary position has been assigned to the team 
  - All Accross Organizations View - records for all organizations, where primary position has been assigned to the team 
  - Marketing Administration View - ALL records in the database (even those without valid primary or owner) 
       Screens->Marketing Administration->

Modifying data:
Inserting/Adding/Copying Records: 
  buttons on the toolbar (add new, insert, copy) 
  menu:  Edit->Insert Record  (Ctrl-i),   Edit->Add New Record (Ctrl-N),  Edit-> Copy Record (Ctrl-B) 
  right-click - select from popup menu (copy or new) 

The data will be committed to the database as soon as you move from this record (select another record or another area on the screen) 

Note: for easier data-entry, many fields have "Field Control" - a button at the end. Pressing it pop-ups a list or a date selector or a calculator or a multi-line edit window, etc. 

Add multiple values - using MVG (Multi-Value Group) applet for one-to-many relationships 
Associate multiple values - using an Association applet for many-to-many relationships 

Delete record, Undo/Redo (from Edit menu) 
Merge records (select them using shift-click or Ctrl-click). 
   Note - merged records can not be unmerged. 
   Note - the last record selected will be the one left after merging 

You may attach some external documents to records using an Attachment applet. Just drag and drop it (like attaching files in MS Outlook). Note, though, that Siebel will make and attach a compressed copy of the document as it is at the moment. If the documents changes - Siebel will still have the old version.  Also, If the document is very large - this may create memory problems. 

Use Help->About Record to see who/when created and modified it.

Query Operations:
Query - retrieves information from a database (Case sensitive or not - switch for all application) 
QBE - Query By Example 
To run a query:  create a new query, define query criteria - and execute it 
To create a new query: 
  Click on the magnifying glass button in the toolbar (or press Ctrl-Q  or select Query->New Query) 
  Enter query criteria in the list or in the form on the screen 
  Execute query by pressing on the second mugnifying glass icon, or select Query->Execute Query, or simply press ENTER. 

To query MVG field(applet) 
  - use EXISTS( ) clause, for example, if you enter this into the address city field: 
     EXISTS(San Francisco) 
  The query will return all entries (accounts) which has SanFrancisco as at least one city in their addresses. 
  Without EXISTS it will return only accounts, which have San Francisco in ALL their addresses 

Sorting by a column - select a column and press a button on the toolbar. 
Sorting by multiple columns - View->Sort Order  (or right-click on the field and choose "Sort Order") 

Modify query:   Query->Refine Query 
Save Query:  Query-> Save Query 
Delete query:  Query->Delete Query 

Cancel  a query which is running too long: 
     View->Options->Query  : Enable query cancelation and set a timeout after which it should show a dialog to cancel the query. 

Predefined queries (by Sys.admin for each screen) 
Application Administration->Predefined Queries 

Additional query operators:  <=  <>  OR  * (wildcard)    (for example *Ma* ), etc. (see Help for Operators for Queries) 

Find command (and a button on the toolbar)


 
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Siebel Application Environment:
  database, file system (to be accessed by clients), clients (dedicated, mobile, thin):
    - dedicated client doesn't store data localy. It is connected directly to database adn file system
    - mobile client - operates off-line, uses local database to store subset of data, periodically accesses the server to synchronize the data
    - thin client - in the browser via internet, accesses data via server.

There are several different thin clients:
 - HTML - shows interface using HTML in a standard browser, needs web server
 - Java - stand-alone Java applet
 - WML - wireless, using WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)
 - Thin Client for Windows - and ActiveX control or Netscape Plugin - to work in a browser.

Siebel Enterprise Server - one or more servers working together.

Execution engine (siebel.exe)
SRF file (Siebel Repository File) - contains the application configuration (~16 MB).
CFG file - small configuration file (10KB).
Multi-layer Architecture:
    User Interface
    Object Manager
    Data Manager - between Object Manager and database, generates real-time SQL,
    Data Exchange Layer - separate DLL for each target database

Server Architecture:
 - Gateway server - load balancing (option - using Resonate Central Dispatch)
 - Enterprise server - group of several Siebel servers running server components (import/export data, database configuration, processing for thin and mobile clients). Each Siebel Server runs on NT service and uses ODBC (or as Unix Daemon).
 - Database & File system

Dedicated client - starts with siebel.exe using command line parameters,  .cfg and .srf files. Directly talks to the database adn Siebel File system using native drivers, talks to Gateway server to determine correct Siebel server to access if a component is desired.

Mobile Clients - similar to dedicated client, but instead of talking to the remote database server - it talks to local (database & file system), which are getting synchronized (from tme to time) with the server (via Siebel Server).

Windows & Java Thin clients - from the browser launch tclient.htm (on the server). This file knows where Gateway server, Enterprise Server, object manager component, and Siebel server are. Accesses server-side .cfg and .srf files.

HTML clients: browser <=> web server <=> ... <=> object manager component.
    start with html page which specifies a .swe page, which invokes  SWSE (Siebel Web Server Extension) - which defines where .cfg is ...
WML client: WAP => web server ...

Siebel server side: 4 main parts:  Gateway server, Siebel Server, Database, File System.  Can be implemented on one machine - or spread across multiple boxes.

Installing Siebel Software:
  Create Siebel Service Owner Account and Siebel Monitoring Account.
  Create database
  Create File System (a directory on disk with sufficient space) - must be accessible from other machines running Siebel Servers and dedicated clients, must support long and case-sensitive filenames.

NOTE: use short directory names, avoid spaces.

Install and verify:
  - Gateway server (invoke gtwysrvr installation program, then inspect directory and GTWsetup.log file),
  - Enterprise and Siebel Servers (invoke siebsrvr installation program, then inspect directory and SRVRsetup.log file),
  - Database Server (invoke dbsrvr installation program, run grantusr.sql script to create datbase users, edit and run install.ksh script to create database schema and populate seed data, edit and run imprep.ksh script to populate repository data, then inspect everything),
         Example:
Destination Directory: C:\sea601\dbsrvr
Siebel Server Directory C:\sea601\siebsrvr
Database User/Password SADMIN/SADMIN
Database/Tablespace Owner SIEBEL/SIEBEL
ODBC System Datasource SiebSrvr_siebel
  - Dedicated Client (invoke sea installation program to create client program and ODBC data sources,  then inspect directory and SEAsetup.log file),
       Example:
Destination Directory: C:\siebel00
Siebel Remote Server S1
File System: HQ\G1\c:\siebfile
Database Machine Name: D1
Database/Tablespace: siebeldb
Gateway Machine Name: G1
Enterprise Server Logical Name: siebel

ODBC User Data sources:
SAE Local Db c:/siebel00 
SAE MMerge c:/siebel00 
SAE Text c:/siebel00 
SAE Search c:/siebel00 
SAE MSQL c:/siebel00

  - Windows Thin Client (invoke thinclient installation program, then inspect directory and WINMTCLsetup.log file),
  - Siebel Web Engine (invoke eappweb installation program on the web server machine, then inspect directory and EAPPSsetup.log file).
Destination Directory: C:\sea601\SWEApp
Gateway Machine Name: G1
Enterprise Server Logical Name: siebel
Siebel Server Logical Name siebel_S1

 
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Section 2 mod 10: Server Manager.

- enable/disable/startup/shutdown components, start/stop/resume tasks, monitor status/statistics, set parametrs for components/tasks, manage Siebel Enterprise, assign components to execute on specific Siebel servers.

- start SM from client or from DOS prompt (srvrmgr /g <gateway> /u <user> /p <password>)

- SM connects to gateway – and to all Servers within the enterprise – and run tasks on them.

Server Component = a program which executes as a task on a server (for example, components to import/export data, processing to support clients, configuring te database, enforcing bus.rules).

S.Components can be arranged into groups – allowing to enable/disable, … all components in a group at once.

Server parameters: static (upon server restart) and Dynamic.
Levels of parameter settings:  Enterprise, server, Component, Component definition, Task.
Task can execute in 3 run modes: background, batch, interactive.
S. Component can be in 4 states: Online, Running, Offline, Shutdown.

Select Screens > Server Administration > Servers -> Server Components
Then select component to modify and click the appropriate action

Screens > Server Administration > Servers -> Server Tasks
Click New, parameters, start
Look at the task column to monitor
Drill down into it to see the log

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Section 2 Mod. 11 Creation an Organization

Page 256
Define hierarchy, divisions, positions, responsibilities, set up employees
Screens -> Application Administration -> Divisions
Screens -> Application Administration -> Positions
Screens -> Application Administration -> Responsibilities
Positions – define data access, Responsibilities – devine views access

Define employee:
  Screens -> Application Administration -> Employees -> Employees View
Define user: Last and First names, and Login name, Responsibilitie(s) and Position(s)

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Section 2 mod 12  Using Siebel Datasources

DataSources:  Local, Server, Sample – specified in *.cfg file (as ODBC datasources), can be selected in the login screen.

Sample database can be SQL Anywhere (.dbf file) or MS SQL Server (.mdf file).

Attention: selection of the data source is done by first 8 char of te file name (NOT by full path).

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Section 2 mod 13  Defining a Development Environment

Development -> QA Testing -> Production

Data in Siebel database:
  Seed data – from install.ksh script
  Repository data = from imprep.ksh script – initial definitions for objects
  User data = supplied by user

Modify object definitions, create custom .srf file, use Enterprise Integration Manager server component to bulk-transfer data in/out Siebel. Use Assignment Manager and Workflow Manager server components to automate business rules.

Backup srf file into a flat file using script   exprep.ksh

 
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Section 3 mod 14  Exploring the application

Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD):
    Account : Contact, Opportunity, Product, Activity

One2one and one2many (1:1 and 1:M) relationships between entities

Relationships in reverse direction
Service request has 1 or more product defects
Product defect has 1 or more Service Requests
 

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Section 3 mod 15  Object definitions behind a Siebel Application

Help -> About View – to see UI and business object definitions
  (enable te “About” view by adding the /x switch in the command line

UI:  Screen, View, Applet

Business Component – one per applet
Business Object – one per view

Data Object definitions – include tables and columns, provide a representation independent of underlying physical database.

Business Component fields map to fields of one or more database table(s).
Business Object – represents a major functional area (Opportunity, Account, Contact) – a collection of business components (one of bus. components is the master/driving)

One bus. Component can be used in many different object contexts.

Applet – occupies a portion of the Siebel application window, allows access to te data of __ONE__ business component for viewing, editing and modifying data.

View – a collection of applets that appear onscreen at the same time. – maps to __ONE__ bus. Object. (and each applet maps to a bus. Component in tht bus. Object).

Screen – a collection of related views
Application – a collection of screens

Page 330 – useful diagram of 3 layers:  UI, Bus. Object, data objects:

List column or control  =- applet =- View =- screen =- application
Field            =-  bus.component =- bus.object
Column    =-   Table

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Section 3 mod 16  Using Siebel Tools to Examine Object Definitions

Object definitions (user-defined names, properties, numeric values, etc.) – stored in the Siebel repository, are created and edited using Siebel Tools.

In Siebel Tools:
on the left – Object explorer and properties window. (View -> Properties Window)
On the right – Object list editor (looks like regular list applet)

Some object types contain child object types (for example, Applet type has Control child type)
  You can see them both at the same time.

Object explorer has 3 tabs: Types (normal hierarchical view), detail ( ), flat (flat list regardless of hierarchy).

Repository -> Find in Repository – to search object types

View -> Applet Editor    - to design applets

View -> View Details – to see columns and tables behind single value fields, and business components behind multi-value fields

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Section 3 mod 17  The Siebel Data Model – Tables

Tables, Columns, Indexes, User Keys

Primary key – a column that uniquely identifies each row in a table, named ROW_ID (created and maintained by Siebel).

Tables - ~1700 tables in 3 major types: Data (S_xxx), Interface (EIM_xxx), Repository ()
Examples od data tables:
  S_ORG_EXT – Account
  S_SRV_REQ – Service Request
  S_CONTACT – Contact
  S_OPTY – Opportunity

  S_EMPLOYEE, S_POSTN, S_RESP, S_ORG_INT

Interface tables (EIM_xxx) – are staging tables for importing/exporting data, are used only by the Enterprise Integration Manager server component.

Repository tables – contain application definitions for one or more Siebel Applications, are edited using Siebel Tools.

All tables have several system columns maintained by Siebel.

User Key – specifies one or more columns that must contain a unique set of values.  Prevents users from entering duplicate records based on the user key.

Custom indexes – can be created by configurators

SQL spooling   -     /s “d:\sqlspool.doc”     - is recreated at the application start and appended while it is working.

You can inspect his file.
You can generate a report (Tools: Report -> Tables)

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Section 3 mod 18  The Siebel Data Model – Relationship between Tables

Xxx_ID
Foreign key
1:M relationships
M:M relationships
Intersection table

To locate an intersection table (in tools):
  Select the flat tab in the Object Explorer
  Re-arrange the columns to display Parent Table, Name, Foreign Key Table, and User Key
Execute a query for which [User Key Sequence] = 1 or 2   and {Foreign Key Table] = S_CONTACT or S_EVT_ACT
Sort results by Parent Table – and look for a Parent table which appears 2 times (in 2 adjacent rows) where the foreign key table is S_CONTACT  in one row  and S_EVT_ACT in the other row.

Verify tables and foreign keys by inspecting the generated SQL.

 
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common environment home - top of the page - email

Install Siebel Client  (includes siebel.exe and a bunch of DLLs).
Install Siebel tools - for development
   Use "Client Disk" and answer some questions:
      Server:  SOMESERVER01
      Siebel File System: SOMESERVER01\FS
      Database Alias (Connect string):  SIEBDEV
      Table Owner: SIEBEL
copy cfg file (~ 10 KB)
copy srf file (~16 MB) - or compile it ( takes hours)

Start application like this:
       C:\local\data\sea\client\BIN\ siebel.exe     /c  T:\siebel\ mytest.cfg       /d QAServer
Example of login:
   :   sadmin
   :   pleasechange
   :   QAServer

Starting development tools:
     C:\sea630\tools\BIN\siebdev.exe       /c "c:\sea630\tools\bin\ tools.cfg"
Example of tools login:
   :   sadmin
   :   pleasechange
   :   local
===========================================
Hierarchy:
  - Application > Screens > Views > Applets > (fields, buttons, tree)