IBM Sterling OMS Interview Questions Series 2 – Part 2: APIs, Sourcing, Holds, and Agent Logic

Sterling OMS Interview Guide

Part 2: APIs, Sourcing, Holds, and Agent Logic

11

What is Hub, Node, and Enterprise/Organization?

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Hub:

Central managing org (like HQ).

Node:

Physical or virtual location (store, DC).

Enterprise:

Business entity processing orders (seller or supplier).

12

What is the Difference Between Scheduling and Sourcing?

Core Concept

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Scheduling:

Allocating inventory from a node to fulfill an order.

Sourcing:

Selecting the most appropriate node based on rules (proximity, availability).

13

What is a Work Order?

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A document used to manage production, repair, or kitting of an item before shipping. Often used in advanced fulfillment setups.

14

What Are Data Security Group, User Group, and Permissions?

Security

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These define user access:

Security Group:

Defines application permissions.

User Group:

Logical grouping of users.

Permissions:

Control access to transactions and screens.

15

What Are Web Services in OMS?

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Sterling supports both SOAP and REST web services to allow communication with external systems for order, inventory, and shipment processing.

16

Explain Basic Sales Order Pipeline Flow You Worked On.

Pipeline

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Typical Flow:

Create Order → Schedule → Release → Ship Confirm → Invoice → Payment.

Each stage has validations, holds, events, and APIs attached.

17

What is the Difference Between Agent Server and Integration Server?

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Already answered in Part 1 (Q6) but summarized here:
Agent = Background processor.
Integration = Handles API and messaging-based integrations.

18

How Does a Sterling Agent Work?

Technical

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An agent is scheduled to poll the database based on a defined interval. When eligible records exist, it invokes the associated service chain.

19

Is an Agent Multi-Threaded or Single-Threaded?

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Agents can be multi-threaded, and their thread count is configured in agent criteria, allowing parallel execution.

20

What APIs Have You Worked On?

Experience

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Example:

createOrder, changeOrder, getShipmentList, releaseOrder, cancelOrder, getInventoryAvailability, and several custom APIs for integration and validation.