OSDC 2008 Talk Implementing a Custom B2B System Using Apache Ofbiz: Stories from the front line Guy Gershoni [email_address] http://www.conchus.com/

Outline Our situation What is Ofbiz Our Development Journey Conclusion

Our situation

What is Ofbiz

Our Development Journey

Conclusion

Our Situation Client required B2B E-commerce solution Small number of users (around 4000) Huge range of products (around 100,000) Complex and large orders ($ 10,000 + not unusual) System to be expanded to act as portal to: information stored on ERP access custom business processes (which we had to implement :-) )

Client required B2B E-commerce solution

Small number of users (around 4000)

Huge range of products (around 100,000)

Complex and large orders ($ 10,000 + not unusual)

System to be expanded to act as portal to:

information stored on ERP

access custom business processes (which we had to implement :-) )

Our Situation (cont) Constrains Small budget Small development team Pressure to release functioning system early Vague and fluid requirements

Constrains

Small budget

Small development team

Pressure to release functioning system early

Vague and fluid requirements

Our Situation (cont) We decided to give Ofbiz a go because: Cost $0 to buy and after contacting one of the authors relatively cheap support if we got into trouble. OOTB (Out of the Box) functionality provided E-commerce and Order Management was there Good quality code build from the data model up We felt confident the applications and frameworks would grow nicely as our system evolved

We decided to give Ofbiz a go because:

Cost

$0 to buy and after contacting one of the authors relatively cheap support if we got into trouble.

OOTB (Out of the Box) functionality provided

E-commerce and Order Management was there

Good quality code build from the data model up

We felt confident the applications and frameworks would grow nicely as our system evolved

What is Ofbiz - Overview Ofbiz = Open For Business Enterprise Automation Software Part of Apache: http://ofbiz.apache.org/ Started in 2001 Founders David E. Jones [email_address] Andy Zeneski [email_address] Apache License Version 2.0 Framework AND Applications

Ofbiz = Open For Business

Enterprise Automation Software

Part of Apache: http://ofbiz.apache.org/

Started in 2001

Founders

David E. Jones [email_address]

Andy Zeneski [email_address]

Apache License Version 2.0

Framework AND Applications

What is Ofbiz – The Inspiration (Code)

What is Ofbiz – The Inspiration (Data Model)

What is Ofbiz - Technologies Written in Java BUT logic can be written in Beanshell, Groovy Jython Ofbiz XML language called Minilang Is a set of Java web application so sits happily in any Java Web or Application Container Composed of two sections Framework Applications

Written in Java BUT logic can be written in

Beanshell, Groovy

Jython

Ofbiz XML language called Minilang

Is a set of Java web application so sits happily in any Java Web or Application Container

Composed of two sections

Framework

Applications

What is Ofbiz – Framework AND Applications +

What is Ofbiz - Framework Framework Elements (some) Entity Engine (so good!!!) How we interact with database Service Engine How we interact with the system User Interaction Request Mapper Screen Widget Thingy XML form generation

Framework Elements (some)

Entity Engine (so good!!!)

How we interact with database

Service Engine

How we interact with the system

User Interaction

Request Mapper

Screen Widget Thingy

XML form generation

What is Ofbiz – Framework (cont) Framework Integration Integration of third party tools for: Reporting (Jasper and FOP) Workflow (Shark)... deprecated IO tools for reading and writing CSV files Fixed width files (was very useful) Framework Tools For traversing and managing framework elements.

Framework Integration

Integration of third party tools for:

Reporting (Jasper and FOP)

Workflow (Shark)... deprecated

IO tools for reading and writing

CSV files

Fixed width files (was very useful)

Framework Tools

For traversing and managing framework elements.

What is Ofbiz – Framework: Entity Engine Ofbiz does not do ORM but keeps data relational Works for many DBs and can transparently use multiple DBs in a single system Also supports replication at the framework level!!! Gives user tools for CRUD operations Entity model and seed data written in XML

Ofbiz does not do ORM but keeps data relational

Works for many DBs and can transparently use multiple DBs in a single system

Also supports replication at the framework level!!!

Gives user tools for CRUD operations

Entity model and seed data written in XML

What is Ofbiz – Framework: Entity Engine - Entity Model <entity entity-name=&quot;Party&quot; package-name=&quot;org.ofbiz.party.party&quot; title=&quot;Party Entity&quot;> <field name=&quot;partyId&quot; type=&quot;id-ne&quot;></field> <field name=&quot;partyTypeId&quot; type=&quot;id-ne&quot;></field> ... <prim-key field=&quot;partyId&quot;/> <relation type=&quot;one&quot; fk-name=&quot;PARTY_PTY_TYP&quot; rel-entity-name=&quot;PartyType&quot;> <key-map field-name=&quot;partyTypeId&quot;/> </relation> <relation type=&quot;one&quot; fk-name=&quot;PARTY_CUL&quot; title=&quot;CreatedBy&quot; rel-entity-name=&quot;UserLogin&quot;> <key-map field-name=&quot;createdByUserLogin&quot; rel-field-name=&quot;userLoginId&quot;/> </relation> ... <index name=&quot;PARTYEXT_ID_IDX&quot;> <index-field name=&quot;externalId&quot;/> </index> </entity>

<entity entity-name=&quot;Party&quot;

package-name=&quot;org.ofbiz.party.party&quot;

title=&quot;Party Entity&quot;>

<field name=&quot;partyId&quot; type=&quot;id-ne&quot;></field>

<field name=&quot;partyTypeId&quot; type=&quot;id-ne&quot;></field>

...

<prim-key field=&quot;partyId&quot;/>

<relation type=&quot;one&quot; fk-name=&quot;PARTY_PTY_TYP&quot; rel-entity-name=&quot;PartyType&quot;>

<key-map field-name=&quot;partyTypeId&quot;/>

</relation>

<relation type=&quot;one&quot; fk-name=&quot;PARTY_CUL&quot; title=&quot;CreatedBy&quot; rel-entity-name=&quot;UserLogin&quot;>

<key-map field-name=&quot;createdByUserLogin&quot; rel-field-name=&quot;userLoginId&quot;/>

</relation>

...

<index name=&quot;PARTYEXT_ID_IDX&quot;>

<index-field name=&quot;externalId&quot;/>

</index>

</entity>

What is Ofbiz – Framework: Entity Engine - Seed Data <entity-engine-xml> <AgreementItemType agreementItemTypeId=&quot;SUBAGREEMENT&quot; description=&quot;Sub-Agreement&quot; hasTable=&quot;N&quot; parentTypeId=&quot;&quot;/> ... </entity-engine>

<entity-engine-xml>

<AgreementItemType agreementItemTypeId=&quot;SUBAGREEMENT&quot; description=&quot;Sub-Agreement&quot; hasTable=&quot;N&quot; parentTypeId=&quot;&quot;/>

...

</entity-engine>

What is Ofbiz – Framework: Entity Engine – Data Model Implementation of “The Data Model Resource Book” by Len Silverston Highly flexible and comprehensive with over 700 tables and useful seed data in default install What we really loved about the system

Implementation of “The Data Model Resource Book” by Len Silverston

Highly flexible and comprehensive with over 700 tables and useful seed data in default install

What we really loved about the system

What is Ofbiz – Framework: Entity Reference Tool

What is Ofbiz – Framework: Service Engine Can be written in: Java, Jython, Beanshell/Groovy Minilang (Ofbiz XML language) Anything you want with customised handler Filtering of data coming in/out of service Have ECA (Event Condition Action) Transactional Synchronous, Asynchronous and Scheduled

Can be written in:

Java, Jython, Beanshell/Groovy

Minilang (Ofbiz XML language)

Anything you want with customised handler

Filtering of data coming in/out of service

Have ECA (Event Condition Action)

Transactional

Synchronous, Asynchronous and Scheduled

What is Ofbiz – Framework: Service Reference Tool

What is Ofbiz – Framework: Integration All the parts of the framework work well with each other i.e. Entity Created CRUD Services created based on Entity Form created based on Entity

All the parts of the framework work well with each other i.e.

Entity Created

CRUD Services created based on Entity

Form created based on Entity

What is Ofbiz – Applications (Marketing Speak) Open source enterprise automation software project i.e. Open Source ERP Open Source CRM Open Source E-Business / E-Commerce Open Source SCM (Supply Chain Management) etc.

Open source enterprise automation software project i.e.

Open Source ERP

Open Source CRM

Open Source E-Business / E-Commerce

Open Source SCM (Supply Chain Management)

etc.

What is Ofbiz – Applications (What You See) Applications E-commerce Product Management Price Management User and Party Mangement Workeffort Application Accounting Application etc.

Applications

E-commerce

Product Management

Price Management

User and Party Mangement

Workeffort Application

Accounting Application

etc.

What is Ofbiz – Applications: Accounting App

What is Ofbiz – Applications: Ecommerce App

Our Development Journey Requirements Gathering What does the client want What can Ofbiz do Exploring Ofbiz processes and data model helped us clarify clients requirements (we were geeks not business analysts) Importing Data From existing ERP (Fixed width tango) From divisions (saved $$$ for client) From customers (CSV and MS Excel magic for non-GUI bulk entry)

Requirements Gathering

What does the client want

What can Ofbiz do

Exploring Ofbiz processes and data model helped us clarify clients requirements (we were geeks not business analysts)

Importing Data

From existing ERP (Fixed width tango)

From divisions (saved $$$ for client)

From customers (CSV and MS Excel magic for non-GUI bulk entry)

Our Development Journey (cont) Exporting Data Orders to existing ERP Generating customer reports, orders and invoices etc (50,000+ pages per month... yes we email most of them now) Customisation of Applications Work on e-commerce and order managements

Exporting Data

Orders to existing ERP

Generating customer reports, orders and invoices etc (50,000+ pages per month... yes we email most of them now)

Customisation of Applications

Work on e-commerce and order managements

Our Development Journey (cont) Creating own Application Originally created own Accounting app Now Ofbiz has own Accounting app Web portal for existing ERP Created marketing CMS Used Drupal (PHP) integrated Ofbiz and Drupal with CAS (Central Authentication Server)

Creating own Application

Originally created own Accounting app

Now Ofbiz has own Accounting app

Web portal for existing ERP

Created marketing CMS

Used Drupal (PHP)

integrated Ofbiz and Drupal with CAS (Central Authentication Server)

Our Development Journey (cont) Recruiting Talent Not many Ofbiz experts around Working with Ofbiz developers Excellent response time on mailing lists Getting code added to trunk...

Recruiting Talent

Not many Ofbiz experts around

Working with Ofbiz developers

Excellent response time on mailing lists

Getting code added to trunk...

Conclusion: Is it for me? Ramp up time Support and training Problem domain relates to Ofbiz Is technology sexy?

Ramp up time

Support and training

Problem domain relates to Ofbiz

Is technology sexy?

Conclusion: Is it for me? (cont) Alternatives Ofbiz based: Opentaps http://www.opentaps.org/ Neogia http://www.neogia.org/ Java based: Compiere http://www.compiere.com/

Alternatives

Ofbiz based:

Opentaps http://www.opentaps.org/

Neogia http://www.neogia.org/

Java based:

Compiere http://www.compiere.com/

Conclusion: Happy Hacking Docs Website http://ofbiz.apache.org http://docs.ofbiz.org/display/OFBADMIN/OFBiz+Documentation+Index Related Books http://docs.ofbiz.org/display/OFBADMIN/OFBiz+Related+Books Book http://www.packtpub.com/apache-ofbiz-development-beginners-tutorial/book

Docs

Website

http://ofbiz.apache.org

http://docs.ofbiz.org/display/OFBADMIN/OFBiz+Documentation+Index

Related Books

http://docs.ofbiz.org/display/OFBADMIN/OFBiz+Related+Books

Book

http://www.packtpub.com/apache-ofbiz-development-beginners-tutorial/book

Conclusion: Happy Hacking (cont) Videos Framework videos http://docs.ofbiz.org/display/OFBTECH/Framework+Introduction+Videos+and+Diagrams Old conference videos http://ofbiz.apache.org/VideosConf.html Demo https://demo.hotwaxmedia.com/ecommerce https://demo.hotwaxmedia.com/webtools

Videos

Framework videos

http://docs.ofbiz.org/display/OFBTECH/Framework+Introduction+Videos+and+Diagrams

Old conference videos

http://ofbiz.apache.org/VideosConf.html

Demo

https://demo.hotwaxmedia.com/ecommerce

https://demo.hotwaxmedia.com/webtools

Questions?