Sun B2B Suite ASC X12 Protocol Manager User's Guide

Chapter 4 Configuring ASC X12 PM

This chapter explains how to configure eXchange Partner Manager (ePM) parameters for use with ASC X12 PM and X12.

This chapter contains the following topics:

Configuring eXchange Partner Manager: Overview

This chapter explains the configuration parameters required for ASC X12 PM Projects and their operation with X12 and other Java CAPS applications. You can configure these parameter values for ASC X12 PM using the eXchange ePM user interface.

Note –

For more information on how to do these operations in ePM, including default values for general eXchange parameters and how to override them, see the eXchange Integrator User’s Guide.

ePM, B2B Hosts, and Trading Partners

You may use ePM to set up and configure ASC X12 PM parameters at the B2B Host configuration level for the Projects in a business scenario. In ePM, B2B Host components can be created from scratch or imported. These components derive their default parameter properties from the B2B Host you built in Enterprise Designer, which contains ASC X12 PM configuration parameters.

eXchange ePM

The eXchange ePM interface allows you to set essential parameter properties for your ASC X12 PM eXchange Projects. This tool also allows you to configure the specific business and messaging functions you want implemented by your B2B Hosts and Trading Partners (TPs).

Ensuring that you have configured the appropriate values in ePM allows the B2B Hosts and TPs you configure to operate seamlessly with eXchange, ASC X12 PM, and X12 within your B2B scenario. Also, TPs in ePM can be either created from scratch or imported.

For more information on B2B Hosts and TPs, see Constructing the B2B Host Project and Importing and Configuring Components in ePM.

Using ePM: Overview

In eXchange, each TP contains information identifying the values for using ASC X12 PM with eXchange, as well as communication with the X12 B2B Host and TP delivery and transport information used for sending and receiving B2B information.

Categories of Configurable Properties

There are three categories of configurable parameter properties in ePM, as follows:

Business Protocols
Delivery Protocols
Transports

In general, you may use parameters under Business Protocols to configure data payload-related operations within your business. Also generally, parameters under Delivery Protocols determine data payload-unrelated messaging operations. Parameters under Transports are directly related to eXchange and remain the same regardless of which PM you are using.

Note –

See the eXchange Integrator User’s Guide for more information.

You may locate the current B2B Host or TP in ePM Explorer, by clicking the B2B Host Configuration or Trading Partner Configuration tab. The B2B Host acts as a top-level “parent” component that supplies all default parameter properties to the components under it, including the TP. These components include Action Groups and Transaction Profiles.

Business Actions

You define Business Actions within the B2B Host, as constructed in Enterprise Designer. Business Actions are already a part of the B2B Host in ePM when you begin to configure in ePM. They are the message type, inbound or outbound, for example, 270 FromPartner.

Action Groups

Under B2B Hosts, you may create Action Groups. They function as “child” components that inherit parameter properties from their “parent” B2B Host. By associating one or more Action Groups with a TP, you define the TP’s general operation.

In terms of usage, for example, you might want to place all of your Transaction Profiles for purchase order requests and responses in one Action Group and give it a name that represents its function.

Note –

You cannot create an Action Group within a TP.

Transaction Profiles

Each Transaction Profile enables a specific messaging function and is associated with a B2B Host. For example, you may create Transaction Profiles at the B2B Host level (in the B2B Host Configuration tab in ePM), whose parameter values are inherited at the TP level (in the Trading Partner Configuration tab in ePM).

A Transaction Profile consists of a Business Protocol Action Group, a Delivery Protocol Action Group (if necessary), and a Transport. Therefore, a given Transaction Profile inherits parameter values from each of its constituent Action Group and Transport components.

At the TP level, a B2B Host Transaction Profile may be used as a part of the configuration of a TP component, that is, one of the TP’s Transaction Profiles. In these cases, the TP is said to “inherit” the configuration values of the B2B Host Transaction Profile it is using.

Defaults and Overrides

ePM allows you to override the default parameter properties at any “parent” or “child” component level. Overrides inherit from “parent” to “child” components. Default overrides cascade from B2B Hosts to TPs. You can also configure specific overrides for individual TPs.

Note –

For information on Lookup parameters and how they operate in ePM, including how they are inherited and overridden, see the eXchange Integrator User’s Guide.

The current TP configuration inherits the current B2B Host configuration. Additionally, ePM allows you to override any inherited parameter values at this level or at any lower level in the TP, if necessary (see Table 4–1). For example, a TP’s Action Group’s overrides are inherited from the current B2B Host’s Action Groups.

Review the previous example of the B2B Host Transaction Profile used as a part of the TP configuration. Since this Transaction Profile also belongs to the current TP, the inherited parameter values may be overridden at this level, effectively “customizing” the Transaction Profile for the TP.

Inheritance and Override Hierarchy

Table 4–1 illustrates this ePM hierarchy of default override inheritance. Keep in mind that parameter categories only inherit from the same categories, for example, B2B Host Action Group Business Protocols from TP Action Group Business Protocols, and so on.

Table 4–1 ePM Override Inheritance Hierarchy


Major Component Being Configured	Row in This Table	Selected in ePM Explorer	Parameter Categories in ePM Canvas	Parameter Values Inherit Overrides as Follows:
B2B Host component:May have one or more Action Groups, which in turn may have one or more Transaction Profiles.	Row 1	B2B Host under B2B Host Configuration tab	Business Protocols	Top level; no inheritance
			Delivery Protocols
			Transports
	Row 2	Action Group; “child” component relation to “parent” B2B Host above	Business Protocols	From B2B Host Configuration tab values set on ePM canvas
			Delivery Protocols
	Row 3	Transaction Profile; “child” component relation to “parent” Action Group (and “grandparent” B2B Host) above	Business Protocols	From B2B Host ⇒ Action Group configuration values set on ePM canvas
			Delivery Protocols
			Transports
Trading Partner (TP) component:May have one or more Action Groups, which in turn may have one or more Transaction Profiles.	Row 4	TP under Trading Partner Configuration tab	Business Protocols	This Row 4 inherits from Row 1 above
			Delivery Protocols
			Transports
	Row 5	TP Action Group; same as Row 2 above (cannot be created at this level)	Business Protocols	This Row 5 inherits from Row 2 above
			Delivery Protocols
	Row 6	Transaction Profile	Business Protocols	This Row 6 inherits from Row 3 above
			Delivery Protocols
			Transports

It is recommended that you set your necessary configurations at the “highest” level possible, according to the hierarchy shown in the previous table. For example at the B2B Host Business Protocol level or at the TP Business Protocol level. See the sample scenario ePM configuration for an example of these recommended configuration practices.

Note –

For more information parameter override inheritance in ePM, see the eXchange Integrator User’s Guide.

Configuring B2B Hosts and TPs in ePM

Before you can use a TP, you must configure its associated parameters specifically for eXchange, ASC X12 PM, and your B2B operation.

Tabs on ePM Canvas

You can set certain parameters under the following tabs in ePM that are used by the ASC X12 PM Projects at runtime

B2B Host Configuration
Trading Partner Configuration

These tabs offer you the following sets of properties in the Host Explorer tree (left column):

Business Protocols
Delivery Protocols
Transports
Transaction Profiles
Contacts
Schedules

Configuration parameters for your ASC X12 PM Projects are located under the Business Protocols, Delivery Protocols, and Transports categories of properties. See Categories of Configurable Properties for a description of these categories.

Parameter Types

Each set of ePM parameters contains the following parameter types:

General eXchange parameters common to all PMs, for example, Transports
ASC X12 PM-specific parameters present only for this PM

Configuring ASC X12 PM ePM Parameters

This section explains how to configure ASC X12 PM-specific parameter values in ePM.

Configuring ePM: ToPartner and FromPartner Messaging Model

The following list explains the outbound and inbound messaging model used for Environments and TPs during ePM configuration:

When you are configuring ePM for a component related to the current TP’s Environment, you must take the viewpoint of that Environment.

For example, Company A is the current TP with its own Environment. You are configuring a component related to Company A’s Environment envA. Therefore, in terms of the companies, ToPartner means from Company A (outbound from envA) and FromPartner, to Company A (inbound to envA).
Following the same model, when you are configuring ePM for a component related to a different TP’s Environment, you must take the viewpoint of that Environment.

For example, Company B is a TP with an Environment outside of Company B. You are configuring a component related to Company B’s Environment envB. Therefore, in terms of the companies, ToPartner means from Company B (outbound from envB) and FromPartner, to Company B (inbound to envB).
Therefore, if TPs in the previous examples are named as follows:
tpB is Company A’s TP.
tpA is Company B’s TP.

The following relationship holds true:
tpA is the TP for envB.
tpB is the TP for envA.

ASC X12 PM-specific Parameter Types

ASC X12 PM-specific parameters are of two basic types as explained under:

Interchange Envelope Parameters
Functional Group Parameters

Note –
When ePM displays both sets of parameters in the previous list, parameters appear, which are generic to eXchange and are not explained in this chapter. See the eXchange Integrator User’s Guide for details on these parameters.

For additional information on how to configure ePM parameters, see Importing and Configuring Components in ePM, as well as the eXchange Integrator User’s Guide.

Interchange Envelope Parameters

This section explains how to configure Interchange Envelope (outer envelope) ePM parameters for ASC X12 PM. Figure 6–4 shows an ePM example with these parameters displayed. This section describes the following parameters:

ISA01 Author Info Qual

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the code used to identify the type of information in the Authorization Information; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the Authorization Information.

Default

None

ISA02 Author Information

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the information used for additional identification or authorization of the interchange sender or the data in the interchange. The type of information is set by the Authorization Information Qualifier (ISA01).

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the Author Information.

Default

None

ISA03 Sec Info Qual

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the code used to identify the type of information in the Security Information; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the Security Information type.

Default

None

ISA04 Security Information

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing security information about the interchange sender or the data in the interchange. The type of information is set by the Security Information Qualifier (ISA03) value.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the Security Information.

Default

None

ISA05 IC Sender ID Qual

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the qualifier used to designate the system/method of information code (IC) structure employed to designate the sender ID element being qualified; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the IC sender ID qualifier.

Default

None

ISA06 Interchange Sender ID

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the IC published by the sender for other parties to use as the receiver ID to route data to them. The sender always codes this value for the sender ID element; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the interchange sender ID.

Default

None

ISA07 IC Rcvr ID Qual

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the qualifier used to designate the system/method of IC structure used to designate the receiver ID element being qualified; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the IC receiver ID qualifier.

Default

None

ISA08 Interchange Rcvr ID

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the IC published by the receiver of the data. When you are sending, this value is used by the sender as their sending ID, thus other parties sending to them use this as a receiving ID to route data to them; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the interchange receiver ID.

Default

None

ISA11 IC Control Standard Identifier

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the IC used to identify the agency responsible for the control standard used by the message that is enclosed by the current interchange header and trailer; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the IC control standard identifier.

Default

ISA12 IC Version Number

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the current IC version number. This number covers all the current interchange control segments; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the current IC version number.

Default

00401

ISA13 IC Control Number

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the data interchange IC control number. This value is a setting that starts calculating the unique identifier for outbound messages. The identifier increments by 1 from this number, for each additional message; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the IC control number for the first message. It is recommended that you use the default, unless your system needs dictate otherwise. This number cannot be 0.

Default

ISA14 Acknowledgment Requested

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the code sent by the sender to request an interchange acknowledgment (TA1); required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the acknowledgment code.

Default

ISA15 Usage Indicator

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the code used to indicate whether data enclosed by the current interchange envelope is for testing, production, or information only; required.

Required Values

P, T, or I.

Default

ISA16 Comp Elem Sep

Description

Allows you to enter a value that changes the component element default delimiter.

The data element type is not applicable. The component element separator is a delimiter and not a data element. This field provides the delimiter used to separate component data elements within a composite data structure. This value must be different from the data element separator and the segment terminator.

Required Values

Enter the appropriate delimiter override character.

If you use nondefault delimiters (for example, if you use “!” for segment terminator in v4060), you must ensure that your business rules manually pass the nondefault delimiters into the ExStdEvent/PayloadSection/Envelopes/BusinessProtocol/ location, that is, pass the ISA into .../Batch/Header, the IEA into .../Batch/Trailer, the GS into .../Group/Header, and the GE into .../Group/Trailer.

To use a control character as a delimiter, pass the escaped Unicode UTF-16 representation of the character (\uXXXX). For example, if you wanted to use a carriage return (ASCII 0x0d) as a delimiter, you would pass the string \u000d.

Default

Colon (:) character

Segment Terminator

Description

Allows you to change the segment terminator default delimiter. See ISA16 Comp Elem Sep for more details.

Required Values

Enter the delimiter override character.

Default

Tilde (~) character

Element Separator

Description

Allows you to change the element separator default delimiter. See ISA16 Comp Elem Sep for more details.

Note –

XML reserved characters, for example &, <, or >, cannot be used as delimiters. See the appropriate XML information source for a complete list of these characters.

Required Values

Enter the delimiter override character.

Default

Asterisk (*) character

Functional Group Parameters

This section explains how to configure Functional Group (inner envelope) ePM parameters for ASC X12 PM. Figure 6–5 shows an ePM example with these parameters displayed. This section contains the following parameters:

GS01 Functional ID Code

Description

Allows you to set a value to match the Group Name attribute of this business action, set in the B2B Host’s Business Service; required.

Required Values

For example, a Group Name of “HS” is for a 270 action; “HB” for a 271; “PO” for an 850; “PR” for an 855; “FA” for a 997.

Default

None (depends on the current business action)

GS02 Application Sender Code

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the code identifying the party sending a message transmission. These codes are predefined and agreed upon by the TPs; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the application sender code.

Default

None

GS03 Application Rcvr Code

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the code identifying the party receiving a message transmission. These codes are predefined and agreed upon by the TPs; required.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the application sender code.

Default

None

GS04 Date Format

Description

Allows you to set the date structure for this transaction set, in a format specified under “Required Values;” required.

Required Values

CCYYMMDD or CCYYYYMMDD; choose from the list to use a four-digit or two-digit year format, for example:

20041201 = December 1, 2004
050112 = January 12, 2004

Default

CCYYMMDD

GS05 Time Format

Description

Allows you to set the time structure for this transaction set, in a format specified under “Required Values;” required.

Required Values

HHMM, HHMMSS, HHMMSSD, or HHMMSSDD.

Choose from the list to specify seconds and degrees of accuracy, for example:

2359 = 11:59PM
235959 = 11:59:59PM
23595999 = 11:59:59.99PM

The time is expressed in 24-hour (military) clock time as follows: HHMM, or HHMMSS, or HHMMSSD, or HHMMSSDD, where H = hours (00-23), M = minutes (00-59), S = integer seconds (00-59); and DD = decimal seconds; decimal seconds are expressed as follows: D = tenths (0-9) and DD = hundredths (00-99).

Default

HHMM

GS06 Group Control Num

Description

Allows you to enter the group control number assigned and maintained by the sender.

Required Values

The appropriate valid integer that represents the group control number.

Default

GS07 Resp Agency Code

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the code used in conjunction with data element (DE) 480 used to identify the issuer of the current X12 standard; required.

Required Values

The appropriate correct transaction set code (X is recommended, but you may have to use others, for example, T, as required by the current X12 standard being used.

Default

GS08 Vers/Rel/Indust ID Code

Description

Allows you to enter a value representing the code indicating the X12 version, release, subrelease, and industry identifier of the EDI standard being used, including the GS and GE segments; required.

Required Values

If the responsible agency code under the GS07 segment is X (recommended), enter values as follows in the appropriate DE 480 positions:

1 through 3 = the current version number
4 through 6 = the release and subrelease levels of the current version
7 through 12 = the current industry or trade association identifiers (optionally assigned by the user)

If code entered for the GS07 segment is different, for example, T, then other formats are allowed, as required by the current X12 standard being used.

Default

None