PSIcapture Administrator Guide: Configuration: Automation

version 7.7.x

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Overview

The Automation tab of the PSIcapture Configuration root is the central product area in which to adjust major configuration elements specific to how that machine will process Auto Import enabled Capture Profiles. It is also the main area in which Administrators can adjust key settings such as Impersonation permissions and Workflow Auto Processing configurations.

 

For an overall description of how our Automated Services work, as well as how to balance and tweak your Automated Import and Workflow Auto Processing configurations to suit your unique needs, please see our PSIcapture How-To: Automation Services and Load Balancing article.

 

Table of Contents

 

 

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Local Automation Service

This feature allows the Administrator to enable the automated processing of documents based on monitored directories. These directories can be set for individual document types during Capture Profile Configuration.

To enable Auto Import check the box(es) that best apply:

Enable the automation service (action applied immediately) - This is the most basic prerequisite for the current machine to take part in Automation Services or processing. The selection of this checkbox actually enables or disables the Capture.AutoImportProcessor.exe in the root installation directory of PSIcapture. The above executable will only be active, and create a corresponding service, when a configured batch is processed using Auto Import and applicable files are placed in the monitored directory, email inbox, etc. When Auto Import is complete, the executable and service shut down until a new batch is created.

NOTE: Regardless of whether the station is set to Capture Server or Workstation, when the Administrator selects "Enable the Automation Service (action applied immediately)" checkbox, a PSIcapture License will be consumed immediately and in perpetuity (always). 

Suspend the automation service when the Capture application is open - PSIcapture suspends the AutoImportProcessor.exe while the application is open and running.

Enabled detailed logging for the local machine - Enables listing of imported documents, batch creations, and other actions taken during the import process.

Include detailed logging of activity for Email monitored locations - This added level of detail includes email subject titles, imported attachments, staging start/stops, and email movement procedures.

 

Advanced Settings (Impersonation)

 

The advanced settings allow PSIcapture Administrators to account for windows LDAP or AD permissions required to read, write, and modify files in the monitored directory.

 

 

Impersonation

PSIcapture's services, including their spawned executables such as AutoImportProcessor.exe & CaptureServices.exe, are set up by default to be run by the Local System Administrator. Impersonation allows the Auto Import process to access local and network resources using an alternative set of credentials. Otherwise the Auto Import process will use the credentials specified in the Platform Services - Service (services.msc) area under "Capture Services" > Properties > "Log on" tab. To avoid needing to elevate Capture Services, the Impersonation feature can be used to specify credentials when PSIcapture attempts to:

• Log on and run Capture Services outside of a User Session (run while logged-off).
• Access Storage Locations on the Network, or in a restricted environment.
• Access Monitored Directories or Auto Import Monitored Locations which are located on the network or in a restricted environment.
• Spawn AutoImportProcessor.exe and other executable utilities employed by PSIcapture in certain modules.
• Create Configuration, Batch Manager, and other temporary files included in PSIcapture's ProgramData.

 

Elevating Capture Services or Using Impersonation

In some cases, you may opt to elevate your Capture Service to run as ("Log on" tab in Service Properties) an Administrator or other Authorized resource. In this case, the service will run as the specified user, generating all data in the following directories & registry entries:

• C:\ProgramData\PSIGEN
• C:\Program Files (x86)\PSIGEN
• C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Local DB\
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\PSIGEN Software, Inc.
• Any Storage locations, Migration Paths, & Monitored directories 

All of this data will instead be generated using the credentials you specify in the aforementioned Windows Services panel (services.msc). Performing this step requires a clean generation of the ProgramData, or for permissions to be set for that user accordingly to modify (Full Control) the existing files. In cases of elevating an existing system with ProgramData previously created by a different user (or the default Local System Administrator), the ProgramData will need to be completely re-created. Contact PSIGEN support for assistance with this process.

 

NOTE: Setting Impersonation may have unexpected results and should only be set by a qualified IT Professional. Please contact PSIGEN support before making alterations to your Configuration and Batch Manager ProgramData. Always backup C:\ProgramData\PSIGEN before making changes to this area.

 

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Automated Import

 

 

Enable automated import on the local machine - This checkbox allows the current machine to create batches based on Auto Import configuration options. This is important to note for many specific workflows, as the ability to create queued batches for processing may need to be restricted to the Capture Server or a specific machine(s). Note that there is a functional difference between Automated Import and Workflow Auto Processing. Automated import creates batches in PSIcapture by monitoring a specific location or inbox, pulls in the corresponding documents, and places the batch in the "Capture/Import" workflow step. Continued processing of the batch only occurs with Workflow Auto Processing, which (as explained in more detail below), actually processes a PSIcapture batch once imported via Auto Import.

 

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Automation Monitor

 

 

This list of Automated Workers shows the Location (computer name) and Status of each PC that has enabled the Auto Import service. This tool can also be run in a separate window via Utilities > Automation Monitor as seen in the screenshot below:

 

 

NOTE: Error messages can be found by clicking on the Details button on the bottom right of the screen. 

Use the Restart Automation button to clear automation's current, internal lists of active and suspended queued directories, and to restart the process that detects queued directories in all monitored locations.

NOTE: the Restart button is only active on the Capture Server. 

 

Automated Import Tab

 

 

Monitored Locations shows the locations of the monitored folders configured during Auto Import setup in Capture Profile configuration.

Queued File Sets shows the number of file sets which are queued up awaiting processing. These are managed by the Capture Server which passes these file sets to available PCs.

in-Process File Sets shows the number of file sets currently being processed.

Suspended File Sets shows the number of file sets that are suspended due to manual processing steps.

 

Workflow Auto Processing Tab

On this tab is a list of batches that have been suspended due to processing errors. The user has the options to:

• Refresh List - Refreshes the list of current batches which may be ignored due to processing errors or specific settings in your Workflow Auto Processing configuration.
• Remove Selected Batches - Removes the selected batches from the error list and attempts to re-process them. This setting is typically used after making adjustments to the Capture Profile configuration and using the "Update Batches" function, or after manually processing the batch(es).

 

 

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Workflow Auto Processing

 

 

Enable workflow processing on the local machine

Checking this box enables workflow processing. This feature allows the user to automatically process workflow steps for existing, checked-in batches in the central Batch Manager. 

Processing Mode

• Process individual workflow steps - This option searches for shared batches that are ready to perform one of the selected workflow steps below. The search ignores exception batches, suspended batches, and batches derived from Capture Profiles with the "Attempt to auto-process the Batch through the workflow" option enabled. Choose the steps to process from the list of available workflow steps and add the to the selected workflow list. The order of the selected steps determines precedence.
  
  
• Auto process all steps beginning with the next available step - This option searches shared batches derived from Capture Profiles with the "Attempt to auto-process the Batch through the workflow" option enabled. The search includes exceptions batches but ignores suspended batches. The processor will attempt to restart batch auto processing beginning with the next workflow step.

Workflow Steps to Process

Administrators can choose which steps batches should automate through.

 

 

Capture Profile Filtering

On this tab the user can choose to process all document types or specific document types. However, document types cannot be processed if the automated workflow option was not configured in the Workflow Configuration.

 

Process all Capture Profiles - Processes all capture profiles on this machine. In this case, the Automation worker (a machine with WAP enabled) will process all capture profiles available in the configuration.

 

 

Select specific document types - Processes only the selected capture profiles on this machine. Note that for specific Workflow Auto Processing configuration, the Administrator may wish to restrict specific machines to specific Capture Profile processing, allowing for fine-tuning of workflow and workload balancing.