Integration overview

With IBM® TRIRIGA® Workplace Reservation Manager (Reserve), especially when integrated with Microsoft Exchange, you can create reservations in different ways. Each method has a different user-interface entry point, and a different integration data flow in terms of how and when Exchange and TRIRIGA communicate.

So, understanding that data flow is critical to ensure that Reserve is working properly, and troubleshooting Reserve issues to identify whether they are related to network settings, SSO settings, Exchange server settings, Exchange mailbox settings, TRIRIGA infrastructure, TRIRIGA properties and agents, TRIRIGA workflows, or other TRIRIGA settings.

Contents

I. Entry points and data flows

The different user-interface entry points and integration data flows are as follows:

Entry point Data flow Description
Microsoft Outlook while using the TRIRIGA Room Search add-in Outlook > Outlook add-in > TRIRIGA > Outlook > Exchange > TRIRIGA You use Outlook to open the TRIRIGA Room Search add-in, find one or more TRIRIGA rooms, and send an event with at least one TRIRIGA room resource. Exchange forwards the email to TRIRIGA. TRIRIGA updates its records with the new event, and creates a TRIRIGA reservation.
Microsoft Outlook without using the TRIRIGA Room Search add-in Outlook > Exchange > TRIRIGA You use Outlook to send an event with at least one TRIRIGA room resource. Exchange forwards the email to TRIRIGA. TRIRIGA updates its records with the new event, and creates a TRIRIGA reservation.
TRIRIGA Perceptive (UX) Room Reservation app Browser > TRIRIGA > Exchange > TRIRIGA You use your browser to open the Perceptive app and create a TRIRIGA reservation. TRIRIGA sends a command to create an event in Exchange. TRIRIGA updates its records with the new event.
TRIRIGA Foundation (UI) Reserve forms Browser > TRIRIGA > Exchange > TRIRIGA You use your browser to open the foundation forms and create a TRIRIGA reservation. TRIRIGA sends a command to Exchange to create an event. TRIRIGA updates its records with the new event.

II. Examples of integration data flows

The following content provides examples of user-interface entry points and integration data flows between IBM TRIRIGA Workplace Reservation Manager (Reserve) and Microsoft Exchange with and without Microsoft Outlook.

III. Click "Send" as Outlook User (Web or Email Client)

a. Data Flow Diagram

A diagram that describes the flow of data between different components as numbered arrows between colored boxes. In the left-most third of the diagram, there are two yellow boxes. The upper yellow box is labeled 'Microsoft Outlook' within which a smaller blue box is labeled 'TRIRIGA Add-in for Outlook'. The lower yellow box is labeled 'Microsoft Exchange'. Spanning the middle and right-most thirds of the diagram, a single large light-blue box is labeled 'TRIRIGA' within which two smaller vertical blue boxes are labeled 'TRIRIGA Platform' and 'TRIRIGA Application'.

b. Step-by-Step Description

Step Description
(1)

If the TRIRIGA Room Search add-in is installed in Outlook on the web or an Outlook email client, and if the user clicks on the Room Search option, then the TRIRIGA application and platform displays the Room Search screen as a side panel in Outlook. From the side panel, the user searches for available rooms. When the user adds an available room to the event, the add-in uses the Microsoft JavaScript API to write data into the attendees, location, and body of the event. For more information about installing Room Search add-in, see Installing the Room Search add-in in Microsoft Outlook.

Otherwise, if the TRIRIGA Room Search is not installed or not clicked, then skip this step.
(2) The user creates an Outlook event with at least one TRIRIGA-managed resource as a recipient. So the user clicks Send. Outlook tells Exchange to send the event.
(3) Exchange handles and forwards the email to the TRIRIGA platform.
(4) The email message is forwarded to the TRIRIGA Reserve SMTP Agent. For more information, see Configuring communication from Microsoft Exchange to IBM TRIRIGA.
(5) The Reserve SMTP Agent processes the email and the TRIRIGA platform creates all system records with the information from the Outlook event. For more information, see Configuring communication from Microsoft Exchange to IBM TRIRIGA.
(6) The TRIRIGA platform fires a workflow with the system records as parameters.
(7) The TRIRIGA application processes the emailed event request and creates or updates the TRIRIGA reservation.
(8a) The TRIRIGA workflow notification engine sends an email to the user in Outlook.
(8b) The TRIRIGA application communicates to Exchange by using the Microsoft Graph API to accept (or decline) the event request. Exchange sends an email to the event organizer with the accept (or decline). For more information, see Configuring communication from IBM TRIRIGA to Microsoft Exchange.
(9) Exchange processes the API request.
(10) Exchange communicates its API response to the TRIRIGA platform.
(11) The TRIRIGA platform processes the API response and updates the system records. This response is simply a success (or failure).
(12) The TRIRIGA platform returns from the workflow custom task with a populated system record that has the API response (success or failure).
(13) The workflow is completed. The TRIRIGA application reacts to whether the accept (or decline) is a success (or failure). At this point, the TRIRIGA reservation and all reserved resources should be updated.

IV. Click "Submit" as TRIRIGA User (Foundation UI)

a1. Data Flow Diagram

A diagram that describes the flow of data between different components as numbered arrows between colored boxes. In the left-most third of the diagram, there is a green box above two yellow boxes. The green box is labeled 'Browser' within which a smaller blue box is labeled 'Foundation UI'. The upper yellow box is labeled 'Microsoft Outlook'. The lower yellow box is labeled 'Microsoft Exchange'. Spanning the middle and right-most thirds of the diagram, a single large light-blue box is labeled 'TRIRIGA' within which two smaller vertical blue boxes are labeled 'TRIRIGA Platform' and 'TRIRIGA Application'.

b1. Step-by-Step Description

Step Description
(1) From the browser (in the TRIRIGA foundation UI), the user fills out the details of the TRIRIGA reservation and wants to submit it. So the user clicks Submit.
(2) The TRIRIGA platform transitions the form. This process is normal behavior.
(3) The TRIRIGA platform fires a workflow. This process is normal behavior.
(4) The TRIRIGA application creates the new TRIRIGA reservation.
(5) The TRIRIGA application fires a workflow custom task to update the room's Exchange mailbox by using the Microsoft Graph API. This API process shows the room as "busy" in Exchange. For more information, see Configuring communication from IBM TRIRIGA to Microsoft Exchange.
(6) Exchange processes the API request.
(7) Exchange communicates its API response to the TRIRIGA platform.
(8) The TRIRIGA platform processes the API response and updates the system records. This response is a success with a new Exchange event ID (or failure).
(9) The TRIRIGA platform returns from the workflow custom task with a populated system record that has the API response (success with a new Exchange event ID, or failure).
(10) The workflow is completed. The TRIRIGA application reacts to whether the creation of the Exchange event is a success (or failure). At this point, the TRIRIGA reservation and all reserved resources should be updated.
(11) The TRIRIGA application transitions the form.
(12) The TRIRIGA platform finishes the form transition and returns to the user.
(13a) The TRIRIGA workflow notification engine sends an email to the user in Outlook.
(13b) From the browser, the user sees that the TRIRIGA reservation is created.

V. Click "Create" as TRIRIGA User (Perceptive App)

a2. Data Flow Diagram

A diagram that describes the flow of data between different components as numbered arrows and lettered arrows between colored boxes. In the left-most third of the diagram, there is a green box above a yellow box. The green box is labeled 'Browser' within which a smaller blue box is labeled 'Perceptive App'. The yellow box is labeled 'Microsoft Exchange and Outlook'. Spanning the middle and right-most thirds of the diagram, a single large light-blue box is labeled 'TRIRIGA' within which two smaller vertical blue boxes are labeled 'TRIRIGA Platform' and 'TRIRIGA Application'.

b2. Step-by-Step Description

Step Description
(a) The TRIRIGA Perceptive app communicates with Microsoft Exchange by using the Microsoft Graph API. The information from Exchange to TRIRIGA includes recent contacts and global address book entries for attendees. The information from TRIRIGA to Exchange includes creating and updating events in the Outlook user's personal calendar or any delegate calendars to which the user has rights, by using the Graph API delegated permissions scope.
(b) The TRIRIGA Perceptive app communicates with the TRIRIGA platform by using REST API endpoints to query space attributes, availability, and floor plan graphics.
(c) The TRIRIGA platform communicates with the TRIRIGA application to trigger workflows and state transitions.
   
(1) From the browser (in the TRIRIGA Perceptive app), the user fills out the details of the TRIRIGA reservation and wants to submit it. So the user clicks Create. The Perceptive app communicates to Exchange by using the Graph API to create an Exchange event.
(2) Exchange processes the API request.
(3) Exchange communicates its API response to the Perceptive app. This response is a success with a new Exchange event ID (iCalUid). Meanwhile, Exchange synchronizes the new event with Outlook.
(4) The Perceptive app processes the API response.
(5) The Perceptive app communicates to the TRIRIGA platform by using the REST API to create a new TRIRIGA reservation with the Exchange event ID (iCalUid) and the reservation details from the user.
(6) The TRIRIGA platform transitions the form. This process is normal behavior.
(7) The TRIRIGA platform fires a workflow. This process is normal behavior.
(8) The TRIRIGA application creates the new TRIRIGA reservation.
(9) The TRIRIGA application transitions the form.
(10) The TRIRIGA platform finishes the form transition and returns to the user.
(11) From the browser, the user sees that the TRIRIGA reservation is created.

VI. Click Sync with Exchange (Step 14) as TRIRIGA User (Perceptive App)

a3. Data Flow Diagram

A diagram that describes the flow of data between different components as numbered arrows and lettered arrows between colored boxes. In the left half of the diagram, there is a vertical yellow box beside a vertical green box. The yellow box is labeled 'Microsoft Exchange and Outlook'. The green box is labeled 'Browser' within which two smaller blue boxes are labeled 'Foundation UI' and 'Perceptive App'. Spanning the right half of the diagram, a single large light-blue box is labeled 'TRIRIGA' within which two smaller vertical blue boxes are labeled 'TRIRIGA Platform' and 'TRIRIGA Application'.

b3. Step-by-Step Description

Step Description
(a) The TRIRIGA Perceptive app communicates with Microsoft Exchange by using the Microsoft Graph API. The information from Exchange to TRIRIGA includes recent contacts and global address book entries for attendees. The information from TRIRIGA to Exchange includes creating and updating events in the Outlook user's personal calendar or any delegate calendars to which the user has rights, by using the Graph API delegated permissions scope.
(b) The TRIRIGA Perceptive app communicates with the TRIRIGA platform by using REST API endpoints to query space attributes, availability, and floor plan graphics.
(c) The TRIRIGA platform communicates with the TRIRIGA application to trigger workflows and state transitions.
   
(1) From the browser (in the TRIRIGA foundation UI), the user fills out the details of the TRIRIGA reservation and wants to submit it. So the user clicks Submit.
(2) The TRIRIGA platform transitions the form. This process is normal behavior.
(3) The TRIRIGA platform fires a workflow. This process is normal behavior.
(4) The TRIRIGA application creates the new TRIRIGA reservation.
(5) The TRIRIGA application fires a workflow custom task to update the room's Exchange mailbox by using the Microsoft Graph API. This API process shows the room as "busy" in Exchange. For more information, see Configuring communication from IBM TRIRIGA to Microsoft Exchange.
(6) Exchange processes the API request.
(7) Exchange communicates its API response to the TRIRIGA platform.
(8) The TRIRIGA platform processes the API response and updates the system records. This response is a success with a new Exchange event ID (or failure).
(9) The TRIRIGA platform returns from the workflow custom task with a populated system record that has the API response (success with a new Exchange event ID, or failure).
(10) The workflow is completed. The TRIRIGA application reacts to whether the creation of the Exchange event is a success (or failure). At this point, the TRIRIGA reservation and all reserved resources should be updated.
(11) The TRIRIGA application transitions the form.
(12) The TRIRIGA platform finishes the form transition and returns to the user.
(13) From the browser (in the TRIRIGA Perceptive app), the user sees that the TRIRIGA reservation is created.
(14) From the browser (in the TRIRIGA Perceptive app), the user reviews the details of the TRIRIGA reservation and wants to convert it into a full Microsoft Exchange event that appears in Microsoft Outlook. So the user clicks Sync with Exchange. The Perceptive app communicates to Exchange by using the Graph API to create an Exchange event.
(15) Exchange processes the API request.
(16) Exchange communicates its API response to the Perceptive app. This response is a success with a new Exchange event ID (iCalUid). Meanwhile, Exchange synchronizes the new event with Outlook.
(17) The Perceptive app processes the API response.
(18) The Perceptive app communicates to the TRIRIGA platform by using the REST API to update the new TRIRIGA reservation with the Exchange event ID (iCalUid) and the reservation details from the user.
(19) The TRIRIGA platform transitions the form. This process is normal behavior.
(20) The TRIRIGA platform fires a workflow. This process is normal behavior.
(21) The TRIRIGA application updates the new TRIRIGA reservation.
(22) The TRIRIGA application transitions the form.
(23) The TRIRIGA platform finishes the form transition and returns to the user.
(24) From the browser, the user sees that the TRIRIGA reservation is converted.