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.

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Note –

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

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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.

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Note –

You cannot create an Action Group within a TP.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Note –

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

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