How to control Records Management programatically?

[jonvargas]

Hello. Question to developers:

I want to automate archival of documents in RM. To accomplish this, I have these questions to start analyzing/designing the solution:

1. Does Alfresco RM expose a way to create a Disposition Plan programatically via a Java API, Webscripts API, REST API, or something else? If so, where should we look for?

2. Does Alfresco RM expose a way to create a Categories programatically via a Java API, Webscripts API, REST API, or something else? If so, where should we look for?

3. Does Alfresco RM expose a way to set a Disposition Plan for existing documents in the File Plan that had no previous Disposition Plan set?

4. What could I do to create a Disposition Plan for a document before archiving it when the path is created using the "Create path automatically if doesn't exist"?

Thank you so much in advance for your comments, it would be really helpful.

[dasielod]

I have the same question, @jonvargas _ do you have any solution to your question?? Thank you very much

[rossgale]

Hi Guys

Back in June we released an API that should allow you to do some of this. Heres a link to the post:

https://community.alfresco.com/community/ecm/blog/2017/06/27/records-management-community-26a 

Hope this helps!

[tpage]

1. Creating disposition schedules (or "retention schedules") programmatically is not really a supported use case.  There is a v0 API for this, but note that we are currently working on our v1 API, which will eventually replace this. You can see the v0 endpoint description in dispositionactiondefinitions.post.desc.xml  There is also a java service for this, but we have explicitly decided that it is not ready to be supported as part of our public Java API.

2. As mentioned by Ross Gale‌ creating categories can be done using the v1 REST API. If you are running 2.6.a or later then you can see http://localhost:8080/gs-api-explorer/#!/file-plans/createFilePlanCategories for more details.

3. Rentention schedules can be set for record folders or records through the UI. See Retention schedules | Alfresco Documentation for more details.

4. Assuming part of the record path already exists (e.g. the root category) then it's possible to set up the retention schedule there. This will automatically be applied to new records (or record folders) entering the category.

Thanks for the question!

Tom.

[jarkusk90]

Hello. Another question for developers:

Is it possible to eliminate a retention schedule to a record folder and restart it when it is deemed convenient programmatically?

Thanks a lot.

[tpage]

Hi Jarkusk,

I'm not exactly sure what the desired behaviour is here.  It doesn't sound like a use case that we've considered though.

If you want to keep a record folder from being affected by the retention schedule then could you just move it to another category?

Cheers,

Tom.

[jarkusk90]

Hi Tom:

First of all, I apologize for the delay and thank you very much for the response. The scheme is the following:

I have a structure in the content (with series, sub-series, etc.) and the same structure in the record(record category, record folder), which I created using the REST RM API and applying the retention schedule to the categories ( within each record category there are several record folders), all developed from Java.

The points are:
1- Is it possible to start / stop the retention schedule programmatically (from java) independently for each record folder?

2- It is possible to eliminate / interrupt the retention schedule that had a specific record folder (as if it had never been retained) to restart it at another time and without altering the retention schedule of the remaining record folders contained in the same record category?

I'm developing in Java. Any suggestions?

Thanks you

[tpage]

Hi Jarkusk,

Thank you for your clarification, but I'm still not sure I quite understand how you're trying to use the feature.

There's no way to "stop" the retention schedule - it's a list of actions that will happen at particular times or events. For example you could destroy a record 10 years after its creation date.  There's no way to disable the retention schedule, if that's what you mean.  You can however update the retention schedule step, i.e. set the step to happen after a period of "None".  You could then set it back to "10 years" at a later point.

You can't exempt record folders from the retention schedule, but you can move them to a different category.  You should also be able to override the retention schedule by using a subcategory.  Record folders and records should follow the 'nearest' retention schedule to them (or a combination of retention schedules if a record has been linked to multiple categories).

I hope this helps, and if not then feel free to ask for more details!

Cheers,

Tom.

[jarkusk90]

Hi Tom,

That was exactly the answer I needed, very good contribution, very good advice, I'm very grateful.