Chapter 1   What Is BuyerXpert/SellerXpert?


BuyerXpert is an internet-based purchasing system that allows an enterprise to automate their procurement processes. SellerXpert is an internet-based solution that allows an enterprise to deploy a sales channel for selling to consumer and business customers. Together they provide a solid base for implementation of an e-commerce solution for an organization.

This chapter includes the following topics:

• BuyerXpert Product Overview

• SellerXpert Product Overview

• ECXpert Interface

• Customization Overview

BuyerXpert Product Overview

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iPlanet BuyerXpert is an internet e-commerce application that provides centralized control for buying goods and services for enterprise operations. Since it is a business-to-business application, consumers are not usually direct users of the BuyerXpert product.

Instead, BuyerXpert is designed for use by business-level procurement professionals who are employees of buyer organizations. These buyers generally purchase items and services from catalogs owned by seller organizations on behalf of people who are employees in the buyer organizations.

Other non-procurement employees of the buyer organization can use BuyerXpert to purchase items such as office supplies, equipment, and services if the organization has authorized these employees as members of the BuyerXpert community.

The core functionality of BuyerXpert involves ordering items from electronic catalogs that are supplied to the buyer organization by seller organizations. For example, a manufacturing organization might buy parts from various parts sellers. Using BuyerXpert, a buyer for the manufacturing organization can view the catalogs for the parts sellers, select items for an order, send the order for approval, and receive the goods, all using the graphical interface of BuyerXpert.

BuyerXpert also supports purchasing services from service sellers, such as contractors or consultants. Timecards for these services can be submitted and approved for payment.

The main tasks in the BuyerXpert procurement process are:

• Browsing seller catalogs

• Creating requisitions

• Submitting requisitions and timecards for approval

• Approving requisitions and timecards

• Tracking orders

• Receiving items

After a requisition is approved, BuyerXpert electronically submits a purchase order to the seller (or to multiple sellers if the requisition is created this way).

BuyerXpert Features

Key BuyerXpert features include:

• Online seller catalogs

• Advanced search capabilities to quickly find goods in catalogs

• Automatic routing of requisitions and orders

• Notifications and reminders automatically sent by e-mail

• Scalability to support buyer company future growth

• Online tracking of purchase orders status

• Receiving of goods ordered

• Reporting capabilities

• EDI and OBI compliance

• Web portal (optional)

• Import utility

• Contract tracking

• Seller performance tracking

• Invoice matching

• Upgrade utility

These features are described in Chapter 2 "How Does BuyerXpert/SellerXpert Work?."

BuyerXpert Architecture

Figure 1-1 illustrates the BuyerXpert architecture.

Figure 1-1    BuyerXpert Architecture

BuyerXpert has a component-based architecture, consisting of a JSP servlet-based top layer, a business logic middle layer, and an engine-driven bottom layer. BuyerXpert was designed to take advantage of strengths of the various components. Those components include:

• iPlanet Portal Server—Allows you to perform a single sign-on to BuyerXpert, as well as a customized portal interface.

• iPlanet Process Manager—Handles the approval process, customizable to your organization.

• ECXpert—Accepts inbound orders and transmits outbound orders and timecards. It is also used to accept communication from sellers.

• iPlanet Directory Server—The iPlanet implementation of LDAP that stores the membership and location data.

• Oracle—Database that stores the ordering and catalog information.

• iPlanet Application Server (iAS)—Processes transactions and is the primary engine of BuyerXpert/SellerXpert.

OBI Interface

The Open Buying on the Internet (OBI) standard is an open, flexible framework for business-to-business internet commerce solutions. The purpose of the OBI specification is to provide a standard framework for secure and interoperable business-to-business internet commerce with an initial focus on automating high-volume, low-dollar transactions between trading partners.

The OBI process flow can be described as the interaction of three entities:

• A requisitioner

• A buyer organization

• A seller organization

Figure 1-2 shows how these entities interact.

Figure 1-2    OBI Process Flow

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Note	For more information, refer to the access chapter of the Administrator's Guide.

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SellerXpert Product Overview

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iPlanet SellerXpert is an internet e-commerce application that manages the key aspects of online selling, including product selection and ordering, order tracking, and customer service.

There are three types of buyers, or shoppers, in the SellerXpert environment:

• Business-to-Business (B2B) buyer—An organization that is permitting authorized members of the organization to shop in its name. The interface to the selling environment is controlled by an administrator who is authorized by the organization to establish rules that define the buyer's authorization limits.

• Business-to-Consumer (B2C) buyer—An individual customer who has registered in the selling environment. Registration involves submitting a name, address, and user preferences such as preferred language and currenty, payment information, and so on.

• Guest user—A person who is not a member, but who can browse a catalog, add items to the shopping cart, and check prices before deciding to register as a SellerXpert B2C buyer.

The core functionality of SellerXpert involves buyers (as individuals or as members of an authorized organization) ordering items from electronic catalogs that belong to a selling organization. For example, a manufacturing organization might be in the business of selling parts to buyers from various organizations. The available parts are listed in an electronic catalog on the selling organization web site. Buyers can search the selling organization's catalog for the parts they want, select items for an order, and send a purchase order to the selling organization, all using the SellerXpert graphical interface.

After a shopping cart is checked out, SellerXpert electronically submits orders to the selling organization for fulfillment.

The main tasks in the SellerXpert selling process are:

• Browsing one or more catalogs

• Selecting items to create an order

• Verifying shipping and payment information

• Placing the order

• Tracking the status of an order

SellerXpert Features

Key SellerXpert features include:

• Order management

• Search capabilities

• Customizable catalog

• Customizable business rules

• Payment services

• Import utility

• EDI compliance

• Guest login

• Sales quote

• Email shopping cart

These features are described in Chapter 2 "How Does BuyerXpert/SellerXpert Work?."

SellerXpert Architecture

Figure 1-3 illustrates the SellerXpert architecture.

Figure 1-3    SellerXpert Architecture

SellerXpert has a component-based architecture, consisting of a JSP servlet-based top layer, a business logic middle layer, and an engine-driven bottom layer. SellerXpert was designed to take advantage of strengths of the various components.

SellerXpert components include:

• ECXpert—Provides communication between SellerXpert and the legacy systems of the selling organization.

• iPlanet Directory Server—The iPlanet implementation of LDAP that stores the membership and location data.

• Oracle—Database that stores the ordering and catalog information.

• iPlanet Application Server (iAS)—Processes transactions and is the primary engine of BuyerXpert/SellerXpert.

ECXpert Interface

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ECXpert provides the foundation for order submission, and the communication between customer legacy systems and BuyerXpert/SellerXpert.

The interface with ECXpert allows the following:

• Support for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ASC X12 and other standards

• Use of a graphical tool for any-to-any mapping, and translation to convert any file format, such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), to any other file format

• Support for the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME)

• Storage of documents, tracking services, and management tasks

• Secure transmission of data over public and private networks

• Use of certified interfaces for Oracle applications

• Legacy integration, with batch scheduling, and robust communications capabilities to interface with mainframe operating systems, UNIX, or NT
  

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  Note	For more information, refer to the Administrator's Guide and the ECXpert documentation.

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Customization Overview

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BuyerXpert/SellerXpert can be customized on two levels:

• Administrator-level customizations—customizations that can be done by a non-programmer, typically the BuyerXpert/SellerXpert administrator

• Developer-level customization—customizations that must be done by a programmer

Administrator-Level Customizations

Administrator customizations generally affect the system settings or look and feel of the product and do not affect the underlying code.

Typical administrator customizations include:

• Modifying the look and feel of the product by changing such elements as company logo, colors, fonts, or adding graphics or text

• Modifying system elements, such as time-out and reminder parameters, login elements, or the text for error messages

• Creating additional information fields (AIFs)

Developer-Level Customizations

Developer customizations can affect any part of the SellerXpert or BuyerXpert system.

Typical developer-level customizations include:

• Adding new fields to a data object

• Adding new fields to the import file for ECXpert

• Creating new reports; modifying existing reports

  
  

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  Note	For more information, refer to the customizations chapter of the Administrator's Guide.

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