Setting Up EDI Transactions Using XML

This section discusses how to:

  • Set up inbound EDI transactions using XML

  • Set up outbound EDI transactions using XML

To set up an inbound EDI transaction using XML:

  1. If the trading partner is not delivering XML data in a PeopleSoft format, then set up mapping software to transform the trading partner's XML to a PeopleSoft format.

  2. Configure the Integration Gateway and identify the connector to use when communicating between gateways.

    Use the Integration Broker Gateway for all transactions in and out of the PeopleSoft system. Detailed definitions and setup information can be found in the PeopleTools Integration Broker documentation.

    If you use one of the industry standard connectors compatible with Integration Broker, then transactions may be sent directly from the source site's gateway to the PeopleSoft Integration Broker Gateway. If a compatible connector is not available, you can develop a custom connector, or complete communications using a middleware supplier that provides this connector.

  3. Perform application specific setup.

    Refer to the table in the PeopleSoft Supported EDI Transactions section for information on locating documentation explaining application-specific setup instructions for each EDI transaction.

  4. Perform Integration Broker setup.

    You must set up and activate nodes, service operations, handlers and routings before you can begin processing inbound transactions.

    1. 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.

    2. Activate Service Operations.

      PeopleSoft provides Service Operation definitions for each EDI transaction that you must activate before use.

    3. 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.

    4. 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.

  5. When the trading partner sends XML to the PeopleSoft Integration Broker Gateway, it will automatically be processed by a handler.

    In most cases the transactions are loaded into staging tables where they wait for you to run the appropriate application process to validate and load them into the PeopleSoft application database.

To set up an outbound EDI transaction using XML:

  1. If the trading partner is not accepting XML data in a PeopleSoft format, then set up mapping software to transform the PeopleSoft XML to the trading partner's format.

  2. Configure the Integration Gateway and identify the connector to use when communicating between gateways.

    Use the Integration Broker Gateway for all transactions in and out of the PeopleSoft system. Detailed definitions and setup information can be found in the PeopleTools Integration Broker documentation.

    If you use one of the industry standard connectors compatible with Integration Broker, then transactions may be sent directly from the PeopleSoft Integration Gateway to the destination's gateway. If a compatible connector is not available, you can develop a custom connector, or complete communications using a middleware supplier that provides this connector.

  3. Perform application specific setup.

    Refer to the table in the PeopleSoft Supported EDI Transactions section for information on locating documentation explaining application-specific setup instructions for each EDI transaction.

  4. Perform Integration Broker Setup.

    You must set up nodes and activate service operations, handlers and routings before you can begin processing inbound transactions.

    1. 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.

    2. Activate Service Operations.

      PeopleSoft provides Service Operation definitions for each EDI transaction that you must activate before use.

    3. 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.

    4. 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.

  5. 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 (message) before you can use them.

    Refer to the table in the PeopleSoft Supported EDI Transactions section for information on locating documentation explaining application-specific setup instructions for each EDI transaction.

    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.

  6. 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.