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Setting Up Inline Editing for SharePoint

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This content applies solely to Requirements Management, which must be purchased separately from the Appian base platform.

Introduction

RM can be integrated with SharePoint. To enable and utilize this integration, you must set up your Microsoft Azure environment, create an API key for the connected system object, and configure the application to turn on inline editing. Inline editing enables end users to open documents in SharePoint and collaborate with team members until documents are complete.

This page provides instructions for setting up Microsoft Azure and SharePoint folders, configuring the RM solution, migrating documents from older RM versions, and performing post-deployment configurations.

Set up Microsoft Azure

To use inline editing, the solution needs a location in your Microsoft Azure environment to store the documents when editing them.

To set up a location in Microsoft Azure:

  1. Access your Azure environment and register an application.
    • Copy the Application (client) ID and the Directory (tenant) ID of the registered application.
  2. Add API permissions to the registered application.
    • Add the Files.ReadWrite.All permission to the Microsoft Graph API.
    • Add the Sites.FullControl.All permission to the SharePoint API.
  3. Add a client secret to the registered application.
    • Copy the client secret Value.
  4. Add a certificate to the registered application:
    1. Use a private certificate authority (CA) signed certificate.
    2. Open the certificate in a text editor.
      • If it begins with -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----, save it as my-certificate.pem (private key certificate).
      • If it begins with -----BEGIN ENCRYPTED PRIVATE KEY-----, decrypt the private key:
        1. Install Apache OpenSSL.
        2. Open Terminal (Mac) or Command Prompt (Windows) and navigate to the OpenSSL bin directory.
        3. Run the following command to decrypt the key: openssl rsa -in my-certificate.pem
        4. Save the decrypted certificate as my-certificate.pem (private key certificate).
    3. Create a copy of my-certificate.pem.
    4. Remove the content from -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- to -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY----- in the copy.
    5. Save the copy as my-certificatepub.pem (public key certificate) and add it to the registered application.
    6. Copy the certificate Thumbprint.

Set up SharePoint folders

After setting up the Azure environment, set up folders in SharePoint to store the documents for RM to open in-line editing.

  1. Create a communication site in SharePoint, then find and copy the site ID.
  2. Create the following four document drives in the SharePoint site, then find and copy the document drive IDs.
    • Documents
    • Contract Files
    • Documents Archive
    • Contract Files Archive

  3. Create a folder named Requirements Management in each of the four document drives, then find and copy the folder IDs.

  4. Go to Cloud Database.

    Appian menu showing Cloud Database selected.

  5. Expand Appian > Tables. Search for and open the AS_RM_SHAREPOINT_DRIVE table.

    Appian Tables: Select AS_RM_SHAREPOINT_DRIVE table.

  6. Paste the SharePoint drive, folder, and site IDs copied in steps 1, 2, and 3 in the DRIVE_ID, PARENT_FOLDER_ID, and SITE_ID columns, respectively.

    SharePoint site, drive, and folder IDs in `AS_RM_SHAREPOINT_DRIVE` table.

  7. Go to Appian Designer > Requirements Management Application.

    Appian Designer highlighted in Requirements Management dropdown.

  8. Search for and open the AS_RM_SharepointDrive_SYNCEDRECORD record.

    Search results for AS_RM_SharepointDrive_SYNCEDRECORD in Appian Designer.

  9. Click Sync Options on the sidebar to navigate to the Sync Options page.

  10. Click START FULL SYNC to sync the SharePoint drive values updated in step 6.

    AS_RM_SharepointDrive_SYNCEDRECORD Sync Options for data sync.

Configure RM solution

The RM solution must be configured to integrate and work with SharePoint.

Enable SharePoint integration

To enable SharePoint integration:

  1. Go to Appian Designer > Requirements Management Application.
  2. Search for and open the AS_GAM_BOL_OFFICE_365 constant.

  3. Select True using the Value radio button and click SAVE to use SharePoint. The default value is False.

    `AS_GAM_BOL_OFFICE_365 constant properties showing 'True' selected for SharePoint integration.`

Authorize SharePoint integration

To integrate RM with SharePoint using Microsoft Graph API:

  1. Search for and open the AS GAM CS Microsoft Graph connected system.
  2. Paste the Client ID and Token Request Endpoint fields with the Application (client) ID and Directory (tenant) ID, respectively, copied in the Microsoft Azure setup.
  3. Paste the Client Secret copied in the Microsoft Azure setup.
  4. Click Authorize to confirm successful authorization.
  5. Click SAVE.

Microsoft Graph connected system configured, showing authorization success.

Authorize SharePoint API

To integrate RM with SharePoint using SharePoint API:

  1. Search for and open the AS RM CS SharePoint connected system.
  2. Select Client Credentials - Entra ID using the Authentication dropdown.
  3. Enter your SharePoint URL in the Instance URL field.
  4. Paste the Application (Client) ID and Directory (Tenant) ID in the respective fields, copied in the Microsoft Azure setup.
  5. Open the my-certificate.pem file created in the Microsoft Azure setup, then copy and paste the certificate content from -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- to -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY----- into the Private Key field.
  6. Enter the password of the certificate in the Password field.
  7. Paste the Thumbprint copied in the Microsoft Azure setup.
  8. Click TEST CONNECTION to validate if the connected system properties are successful.
  9. Click SAVE.

SharePoint Connected System properties: API configuration and successful connection.

Authenticate SharePoint update access

To enable users to update documents in SharePoint:

  1. Go to Admin Console

    Navigate to the Admin Console

  2. Click Web API Authentication on the sidebar.
  3. Follow these steps for creating an API key.
    • Create a new service account with a descriptive name and add the service account to the AS GAM Appian Administrators group.
    • Copy the API key. The value of the API key is not displayed after this step.
  4. Go to Appian Designer > Requirements Management Application.
  5. Search for and open the AS_RM_CS_AppianServiceAccount connected system.

  6. Paste the copied API key in the Value field and click SAVE.

    AS_RM_CS_AppianServiceAccount connected system properties: API Key value field.

Note:  If you are using RM 2.2 or later, skip to Post-deployment configurations. Otherwise, continue with the following steps.

Upgrade from RM 2.1 or earlier

Caution:  This section applies only to users using inline editing and upgrading from RM 2.1 or earlier to a later version.

RM 2.2 introduced a new SharePoint integration method, requiring data migration. If you upgraded from RM 2.1 or earlier, a manual migration is required.

Enable SharePoint migration process

To enable SharePoint migration process:

  1. Go to Appian Designer > Requirements Management Application.
  2. Search for and open the AS_RM_BOL_SP_MIGRATION_PROCESS constant.

  3. Select True using the Value radio button and click SAVE to enable the migration process. The default value is False.

    `AS_RM_BOL_SP_MIGRATION_PROCESS` constant properties with Value set to True.

Migrate copied documents

To migrate copied requirements' documents from RM 2.1 or earlier to RM 2.2 and later:

  1. Search for and open the AS RM Finalize Copied SharePoint Documents process model.

    Appian Designer search for 'AS RM Finalize Copied SharePoint Documents' process model.

  2. Click File and select Start Process for Debugging to initiate the process model.

    Appian Process Modeler: Selecting 'Start Process for Debugging' from File menu.

  3. Go to Monitor to confirm the process is successfully completed.

    Tip:  Click Refresh icon to view the latest process status.

    Appian Process Activity: AS RM Finalize Copied SharePoint Documents process.

  4. Go to Cloud Database.

  5. Expand Appian > Tables. Search for and open the AS_RM_MIGR_COPIED_DOCS table.

    Appian Cloud Database: Tables expanded, search for AS_RM_MIGR_COPIED_DOCS.

    The REQUIREMENT_DOCUMENT_ID and OFFICE_365_DOCUMENT_ID columns display the list of documents in the download process.

    The IS_DOC_DOWNLOADED column displays the status of the document download where:

    • 1 is success.
    • 0 is failed.
    • NULL is in progress.

    AS_RM_MIGR_COPIED_DOCS` table showing document download status.

  6. Search for and open the AS_RM_COPIED_DOC_MIGR_LOG to view the document download integration log.

Migrate documents to folders

To create folders and migrate RM 2.1 or earlier documents into them:

  1. Search for and open the AS RM MIGR SP Folders & Docs Wrapper process model.
  2. Click File and select Start Process for Debugging to initiate the process model.
  3. Go to Monitor to confirm the process is successfully completed. Click Refresh icon to update the latest process status.
  4. Go to Cloud Database.

  5. Expand Appian > Tables. Search for and open the AS_RM_REQT_SP_MIGR_STATUS table.

    The REQUIREMENT ID column displays the list of folders in the creation process.

    The IS_DOC_FOLDER_CREATED and IS_CONTR_FOLDER_CREATED columns display the status of Documents and Contract Files drives' creation, respectively, where:

    • 1 is success.
    • 0 is failed.
    • NULL is in progress.

    `AS_RM_REQT_SP_MIGR_STATUS` table: folder creation status (Documents, Contract Files).

  6. Search for and open the AS_RM_REQT_DOC_MIGR_STATUS table.

    The IS_MIGRATED, IS_ACCESS_REVOKED, and IS_FINALIZED columns display the status of document migration, edit access revocation, and latest version synchronization, respectively, where:

    • 1 is success.
    • 0 is failed.
    • NULL is in progress.

    Open AS_RM_REQT_DOC_MIGR_STATUS table

  7. Search for and open AS_RM_DOC_MIGR_TXN_LOG to view the migration integration log.

Post-deployment configurations

To enable email notifications for failed SharePoint integration:

  1. Go to Appian Designer > Requirements Management Application.
  2. Search for and open the AS_RM_BOL_SEND_EMAIL_FOR_FAILED_SP_DOCS_INTEGRATION constant.
  3. Select True using the Value radio button and click SAVE. The default value is False.

To enable document archiving from the working drives to the archive drives:

  1. Search for and open the AS_RM_BOL_SP_ARCHIVE_PROCESS constant.
  2. Select True using the Value radio button and click SAVE. The default value is False.

To enable auto-finalizing documents when the updating session expires:

  1. Search for and open the AS_RM_BOL_ENABLE_AUTO_FINALIZE_SP_DOCS constant.
  2. Select True using the Value radio button and click SAVE. The default value is False.

To customize the document updating session's expiration duration:

  1. Search for and open the AS_RM_SHAREPOINT_LINK_EXPIRATION_IN_MINUTES constant.
  2. Enter the session expiration duration in the Value field (in minutes). The default value is 2880 minutes.

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