Configuring and Using the Business Number Generator

The Business Number Generator (BNG) allows you to define how numbers, such as Order Release IDs, are automatically generated within the system. This page describes how you can configure the BNG to create numbers for both existing fields and for reference numbers. When working with the BNG you will probably never need to create your own business number generator itself.

Configure the BNG for Existing Fields

Note: To change how the BNG generates numbers for existing fields, you must disable the existing BN rule and then make a new one.

1. Find the business number type that is associated with the field for which you want to generate numbers. You can see the relationships between the fields and the BN types in the BN Type Defaults documentation. For example, if you want to generate the Bill Of Lading ID, you can find in the documentation that the BN Type for that field is BILL_OF_LADING.
2. Search for the existing BN rule that uses that BN type.
3. Edit the existing BN rule.
   1. Make sure that it is not set as the Default rule.
   2. Create a new BN rule and set that as the Default.
   3. Specify the rule definition. The rule definition determines how the generated number is formed.
   4. Make sure that the BN Type on your new rule matches the BN type that you found earlier, otherwise the system will not generate the number.

Configure the BNG for Reference Numbers

Reference numbers can be generated by the BNG. However the setup is a little different in that you need to create a new BN type, a new BN rule, and an agent action that creates the reference number.

1. In the documentation, look up the business number context that supports the reference number you want to generate.
2. Create a new BN type that includes the context that you just researched.
3. Create a new BN rule.
4. Specify the BN type that you just created.
5. Set the rule as Default.
6. Enter your rule definition.

There are two ways to further configure the system:

Using an Agent Action

After creating the BN type and rule, create the agent action that causes the rule to be used.

1. Select the event that will cause the generation of the number. For example, if you want to generate reference numbers when shipments are created, select SHIPMENT - CREATED.
2. On the Actions tab, add the action GENERATE REFNUM.
3. Specify the BN Type that you created earlier. The context in that BN type must support the reference number for the agent type that you created.

Not Using an Agent Action

1. Create or edit the reference number qualifier. In the qualifier you must specify a BN Type you created earlier.
2. When you specify a reference number qualifier, for example on an order release, but leave the reference number blank, the BNG will create the reference number for you.

Test BNG Generation

You can test how the numbers for the BNG are generated. Running these tests creates only test numbers that do not affect the numbers generated by the system for actual transactions.

1. After configuring a BN rule, you can test how the numbers are generated by running the Test BN Rule action.
2. After configuring a BN type, you can test how the numbers are generated by running the Test BN Type action.
3. You can reset the numbers generated for the test in addition to resetting the numbers for named ranges.

Examples

• Creating a New Business Number Rule Definition
• Generating Reference Numbers by Agent Actions
• Configuring a Named Range with Recycling
• Configuring Dynamic Named Ranges
• Defining a Checksum Algorithm
• Defining a VICS Bill of Lading