Documentation for External Authorization Check in udf

[michael_louey]

Hello colleagues,

I'm looking for additional information on how to set up a working example for external authorization checking using a udf in ePOS. The documentation in the ePOS 3.1 Configurator User Guide describes well enough what the parameter field settings are used for but give no clue where to look for detailed information to realize this.

Further, if there's anyone who has experience in using this function before, I would welcome your comments.

Michael.

[steve_walker1]

Hello Michael,

What is it that you're trying to authorize? Is it a tender (e.g. credit card) or are you trying to authorize something else?

steve

[michael_louey]

Hi Steve,

We wish to use this feature for general user access control (the standard ePOS permissions authorization control would only be needed in case the POS client goes off-line). The udf definition has several field settings (listed below) that allow a message to be sent to an external system to check whether the user has authorization to execute the User Defined Function;

• Enable Function Authorization

• Function Authorization Request Time-out

• Time Out Action

• Decline Response Action

The external system returns a value that I presume is matched with the authorization level value defined in the field below to determine whether the user has the authorization to execute the function;

• External System Authority Level

I imagine this feature is be applicable to any udf and not just Tendering.

This feature isn't to be confused with the Authorization options available in the Function-Specific Parameters section which deals with non-financial EFT transactions.

REgards, Michael.

[steve_walker1 · Accepted solution]

Hello Michael,

It appears that additional development is requried to make this work with an external system. I'm not sure if this is going to work for you. The attached note is from a developer of EPOS.

If I recall correctly, this feature was developed for a customer's rental system, they had a requirement to restrict some of the video rental feature for the operators currently logged onto the POS. Generally it works as follows:

u2022 if an UDF is configured with an External System Authority Level, and an External System Signon has not yet been performed, then the 'UDF to External System Logon' as configured in the Store Operations configuration component is triggered, if an External System Sign on has been performed (we have an external system authority level for the operator currently logged on), we compare the authority level to the required level and will either allow the UDF, or reject it

u2022 the External System Sign On UDF (as set in Store Operations) should be configured with Enable Function Authorization enabled so a message is sent to the external system to obtain the external authority level (the dataform associated with the External System Signon UDF should have the prompts set with Include in Function Authorization) as required

u2022 the Transnet Adapter (would have to be developed for the particular system) is responsible for populating the response to include the External System Authority Level and optionally an External System Operator Id)

u2022 the external system authority level is then cached for the current cashier session and will be used for any subsequent external system authority level checks for all UDFs being processed with a required external system authority level

u2022 a default external system authority level can be set in Store Operations and is used when the function authorization does not complete successfully

[michael_louey]

Thanks for your insightful reply Steve.

The scenario you outlined certainly didn't match my interpretation of the use of the feature. This is a good case in point of the need for better user guide documentation.

Many thanks again.

Regards, Michael.