Setting Up EDI Transactions Using Flat Files
This section discusses how to:
Set up inbound EDI transactions using flat files
Set up outbound EDI transactions using flat files
To set up an inbound EDI transaction using flat files:
If trading partner is not delivering data in PeopleSoft's business document file format, set up mapping software to transform the trading partner's format to the PeopleSoft format.
For a definition of PeopleSoft's business document file format, obtain the file layout for the EDI transaction. For information about obtaining the file layouts, see Obtaining File Layouts, which appears later in this document.
For the appropriate file layout definition for each transaction, refer to the table in the Reviewing PeopleSoft Supported EDI Transactions section.
Perform application specific setup.
Refer to the table in the Reviewing PeopleSoft Supported EDI Transactions section for information on locating documentation explaining application-specific setup instructions for each EDI transaction.
Perform Integration Broker setup.
You must set up and activate nodes, service operations, handlers and routings before you can begin processing inbound transactions.
Set up nodes.
PeopleSoft delivers a sample external inbound node (PSFT_XINBND) used to deliver sample routing definitions for each service operation. For inbound transactions using flat files you need the default local node only. The default local node (PSFT_EP) is packaged with initial delivery of the system. Unless you are changing the local node, no additional node setup is required. If for auditing purposes you wish to differentiate the node from which transactions are received, you may do so by creating a node definition and inbound file rule for each external trading partner or VAN you plan to integrate with, and specifying the sender node name on each inbound file rule.
Activate Service Operations.
PeopleSoft provides Service Operation definitions for each EDI transaction that you must activate before use.
Activate Service Operation Handlers.
OnNotify Service Operation Handlers are subscription processes that are automatically executed by Integration Broker when an inbound asynchronous transaction is received. PeopleSoft provides OnNotify Handlers on each asynchronous service operation that supports inbound integration. You must activate the appropriate OnNotify Handler on each Service Operation before use.
Activate Service Operation Routings.
Service Operation Routings define the sending and receiving nodes for an integration, the external name of the integration, and optionally specify inbound and outbound transformations to be invoked on each transaction. The sender node on inbound routings can be specified as "ANY" node allowing transactions to be received from any valid node. For each trading partner or VAN sending data into PeopleSoft, a routing must be activated either from a specific sender node, or from "ANY" node.
Set up Inbound File Rule.
For integrations using the PeopleSoft flat-file format, the Enterprise Components Inbound File Publish process uses an inbound file rule to identify information about the source file. Most EDI transactions are already set up on the SCM Inbound EDI file rule. If you are processing one of these transactions, then enter the file name on the file rule and activate the file rule.
For integrations using the X.12 EDI flat-file format, the PeopleTools Integration Broker Inbound File Process uses an inbound file loader rule to identify information about the source file. Each sample inbound EDI transaction has been delivered with a sample inbound file loader rule. If you are processing one of these transactions, then enter the file name on the file rule and activate the file rule.
When you are ready to process a trading partner's file, run the Inbound File Publish process.
After you run the Inbound File Publish process, run the appropriate application process to validate and load the transactions.
To set up an outbound EDI transaction using flat files:
If trading partner does not accept data in a PeopleSoft business document file format, set up mapping software to transform the PeopleSoft format to the trading partner's format.
For a definition of a PeopleSoft business document file format, obtain the file layout for the EDI transaction. For information about obtaining the file layouts, see Obtaining File Layouts, which appears later in this document.
For the appropriate file layout definition for each transaction, refer to the table in the Reviewing PeopleSoft Supported EDI Transactions section.
Perform application specific setup.
Refer to the table in the Reviewing PeopleSoft Supported EDI Transactions section for information on locating documentation explaining application-specific setup instructions for each EDI transaction.
Perform Integration Broker Setup.
You must set up nodes and activate service operations, handlers and routings before you can begin processing inbound transactions.
Set up nodes.
PeopleSoft delivers a sample external outbound node (PSFT_XOUTBND) used to deliver sample routing definitions for each service operation. For each external trading partner or VAN you plan to integrate with, a node definition must be set up and activated.
Activate Service Operations.
PeopleSoft provides Service Operation definitions for each EDI transaction that you must activate before use.
Activate Service Operation Handlers.
OnRoute Service Operation Handlers are processes that are automatically executed by Integration Broker when an outbound transaction is published. PeopleSoft provides OnRoute Handlers on each asynchronous service operation that supports chunking. For each Service Operation requiring chunking, you must activate the OnRoute Handler before use.
Activate Service Operation Routings.
Service Operation Routings define the sending and receiving nodes for an integration, the external name of the integration, and optionally specify inbound and outbound transformations to be invoked on each transaction. For each trading partner or VAN you will be sending data to from PeopleSoft, an outbound routing must be activated.
Set up Batch Publish Rules.
The Publish Outbound Message process uses the batch publish rules to identify information about the transaction being published. Batch publish rules have been prepackaged to work with each outbound transaction that is initiated using the Publish Outbound Message process. You must activate these rules and set the intended output format (flat file) before you can use them.
Refer to the table in the Reviewing PeopleSoft Supported EDI Transactions section for information on the names of the batch publish rules associated with outbound EDI transactions.
When using an output format of flat file (PeopleSoft format) on the batch publish rule, the data is never sent to the Integration Broker—the output goes directly to a flat file. Consequently, the node, queue and routings do not need to be set up for outbound transactions published from the Publish Outbound Message process that are going to flat files using the PeopleSoft format. However, you must activate the service operation, as the system performs validations to prevent unexpected transactions from being generated. In all other scenarios, the output format should be set to message.
Note: Batch Publish Rules optionally use a feature called chunking, which enables you to break up data based on unique field values within it. For example, if you were sending purchase orders directly to a trading partner without going through a middleware system (VAN), you must ensure that only that supplier's data is included on the transactions sent to that trading partner. If you were not using chunking, and you had separate nodes set up for each of your trading partners, then every transaction would go to every trading partner. Chunking provides a mechanism to ensure that transactions contain only information for a single trading partner and enables them to be routed to the node of that trading partner.
When using a single middleware product (VAN), you use a single node to identify that product's destination URL; in this scenario, chunking is not required. In this case, all trading partner transactions can be sent together as the segregation and routing by trading partner is performed in the middleware product.
When you are ready to generate EDI transactions, run the appropriate application processes.
Refer to the table in the Reviewing PeopleSoft Supported EDI Transactions section for information on where to find the documentation explaining the application specific information for each EDI transaction.