Inventory optimization API token expiry causes automated stock sync failures

SCM Infor SCM
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1

Our automated inventory synchronization jobs are failing intermittently due to API token expiration. We’re using Infor SCM IS 2023.1 inventory optimization module with OAuth2 authentication for our integration layer.

The error we’re seeing:


HTTP 401 Unauthorized
Error: invalid_token - The access token expired
at InventorySyncService.syncStock(line 247)

Our current implementation requests a new token at job startup, but jobs running longer than 1 hour fail mid-execution. We’ve tried implementing token refresh logic, but the refresh token itself expires after 24 hours. This causes our overnight batch jobs to fail. How should we properly handle OAuth2 token lifecycle in long-running automated processes?

2

Thanks for the suggestions. I’m implementing a token manager now, but I’m concerned about the re-authentication for long jobs. Should we break up our batch jobs into smaller chunks that fit within the refresh token lifetime, or is there a better approach?

3

You need to implement proactive token refresh before expiration. Don’t wait for 401 errors. Check the expires_in value from your token response and refresh when you’re at 80% of the lifetime. For the refresh token expiry, you’ll need to re-authenticate completely when that expires - there’s no way around it.

4

Breaking up jobs is one approach, but I’d recommend implementing a robust token management strategy instead. Your token manager should handle both access token and refresh token expiry gracefully. Store your OAuth2 client credentials in a secure vault and implement automatic re-authentication when the refresh token expires. This way your jobs can run as long as needed without manual intervention. Also consider implementing exponential backoff for API calls to handle temporary failures.

5

I’ve dealt with similar issues. The key is implementing a token manager that runs in a separate thread. It monitors token expiration and refreshes proactively. For jobs longer than your refresh token lifetime, you’ll need to store your client credentials securely and re-authenticate. Make sure your error handling catches 401s and triggers immediate token refresh before retrying the failed request.

6

I’ve implemented this exact solution for IS 2023.1 inventory optimization API integrations. Here’s a comprehensive approach addressing all three focus areas:

OAuth2 Refresh Token Flow: Implement a TokenManager class that handles the complete lifecycle:

public class TokenManager {
  private String accessToken;
  private String refreshToken;
  private long expiresAt;

  public synchronized String getValidToken() {
    if (System.currentTimeMillis() >= expiresAt - 300000) {
      refreshAccessToken();
    }
    return accessToken;
  }
}

The key is refreshing 5 minutes before expiry (300000ms). When refresh token expires, re-authenticate using client credentials stored in your secure vault.

API Client Error Handling: Implement retry logic with exponential backoff:

public Response callAPI(String endpoint) {
  int attempts = 0;
  while (attempts < 3) {
    try {
      return executeRequest(endpoint, tokenManager.getValidToken());
    } catch (UnauthorizedException e) {
      tokenManager.forceRefresh();
      attempts++;
      Thread.sleep(Math.pow(2, attempts) * 1000);
    }
  }
}

This catches 401 errors, forces token refresh, and retries with exponential backoff.

Automated Job Scheduling: For your batch jobs, implement these patterns:

  1. Job Initialization: Always validate token at startup:

    • Check if access token exists and is valid
    • If expired or missing, obtain new token before processing
    • Log token acquisition for audit trail

  2. Long-Running Job Pattern: For jobs exceeding 24 hours (refresh token lifetime):

    • Store OAuth2 client_id and client_secret in HashiCorp Vault or similar
    • Implement automatic re-authentication when refresh token expires
    • Use job checkpointing to resume from last successful sync point

  3. Monitoring: Add health checks:

    • Monitor token refresh success/failure rates
    • Alert when re-authentication is required
    • Track API call retry patterns

For your overnight batch jobs specifically, configure your scheduler to:

  • Validate credentials before job start
  • Implement checkpointing every 1000 records
  • On token refresh failure, pause job and alert ops team
  • Resume from last checkpoint after credentials are renewed

This approach has eliminated token-related failures in our production environment running 8-hour nightly inventory sync jobs.

7

One thing to add - make sure your scheduled jobs have proper startup logic that checks token validity before beginning work. I’ve seen cases where a job starts with an already-expired token because it was scheduled right after the previous job finished. Validate and refresh tokens as the first step in your job execution.