Integrating with Direct Connect Suppliers

This chapter provides an overview of supplier integration and discusses how to:

Set up common components for direct connect.
Link to suppliers using PunchOut.
Link to suppliers using RoundTrip.
Troubleshoot error messages.

Understanding Direct Connect Supplier Integration

This section discusses:

Direct connect.
Shared data synchronization.

Direct Connect

Direct connect enables eProcurement Requisition users to interact directly with a supplier's website. This interaction enables the user to browse and search the supplier's online catalog to select items to add back into the eProcurement Requisition using an approved standard process such as PunchOut (Ariba's standard) or RoundTrip/OCI (Commerce One's standard.)

You set up direct connect methods and supplier details, such as URLs (uniformed resource locator). You then run through a series of background processes. PeopleSoft eProcurement:

Passes and receives strings of data which are transformed from XML into PeopleSoft messages.
Makes it possible for users to access and browse supplier catalogs.
Adds requisition lines using supplier shopping carts.
Sources purchase orders (POs) to suppliers.

The product or service items that you select are brought into a PeopleSoft eProcurement requisition, which is processed through PeopleSoft approval workflow. The requisition is eventually converted to a purchase order, which can be routed to the supplier’s website. This integration enables you to access multiple vendor catalogs in realtime, without loading or maintaining catalogs within PeopleSoft applications, including eProcurement.

Direct connect supplier integration enables you to create configured orders for products or services such as:

Computer systems with various types of processors, memory requirements, and peripherals.
Printing jobs with varying text, colors, types and sizes of paper, numbers of copies, and output formats.
Catered events with different locations, times, types of food, and levels of service.

PeopleSoft eProcurement supports:

RoundTrip integration that uses OCI (Open Catalog Interface) to format the data returned from the shopping session.
PunchOut integration that uses cXML.

Note. Using either RoundTrip or PunchOut, you can access a supplier's existing, web-based catalog to from within PeopleSoft eProcurement. You can add goods and services to a shopping cart, which is sent back to eProcurement for order fulfillment. You can access supplier catalogs and streamline the purchasing processes.

Note. The Direct Connect Supplier feature requires some set up by the organization. The steps for entering an order with a direct connect supplier vary according to the supplier and the set up. Because direct connect order processing involves integration with another website, the PeopleSoft eProcurement change request feature might not be available for purchase orders that are created in this manner.

Note. The terms marketplace and marketsite are interchangeable in this PeopleBook and refer to conducting business using the internet.

Shared Data Synchronization

To prevent validation errors when requisition information is passed between PeopleSoft eProcurement and the direct connect supplier’s website, the common control data should use these codes:

Control Data	Standard Used by cXML
Units of measure	UN/CEFACT
Currency codes	ISO 4127
Country codes	ISO 3166
Language codes	ISO 639

Setting Up Common Components for Direct Connect

This section lists prerequisites and discusses how to:

Set up direct connect suppliers.
Set up Integration Broker node definitions.
Set up contacts.
Set up connectors.
Set up transactions.
Create an Integration Broker relationship definition.
Define transaction modifiers.
Create direct connect methods.
Create linked supplier definitions.
Identify supplier properties.
Map PeopleSoft field values to supplier field values.

Pages Used to Set Up Common Components for Direct Connect

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Node Definitions	IB_NODE	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Integration Broker Node Definitions, Node Definitions	Create an Integration Broker node for each process you utilize with direct connect.
Contacts	IB_NODECONTACT	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Integration Broker Node Definitions, Contacts	Add PeopleSoft vendor contact definitions by defining information about the people associated with the current node. Each node represents a database or other software entity managed by one or more people. You also enter a description for the supplier using this page. This is the description that appears on the Web page when you are creating a requisition.
Connectors	IB_NODECONN	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Integration Broker Node Definitions, Connectors	Set up nodes.
Transactions	IB_NODETRXLIST	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Integration Broker Node Definitions, Transactions	Define the basic unit of work in an integration. Each transaction is associated with a specific node. Transaction designate messages that the current node can send or receive, whether messages are inbound or outbound, and whether the message is synchronously or asynchronously transmitted.
Relationships	IB_RELATIONSHIP	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Integration Broker Relationships, Relationships	Define a node/transaction relationship to a transformation object.
Transaction Modifiers	IB_RELTRXLIST	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Integration Broker Relationships, Transaction Modifiers	Establish relationships by defining a transaction modifier with respect to a specified pair of nodes, which forms a relationship. All the transaction modifiers that apply to a given node pair are part of the same relationship definition.
Direct Connect Methods	PV_DC_TYPE	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Direct Connect Methods, Direct Connect Methods	Set up direct connect method components.
Linked Suppliers	PV_MS_SEC_SUPPLIER	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Linked Suppliers, Linked Suppliers	Associate vendor ID, vendor location, and the direct connect node together.
Supplier Properties	PV_MS_SEC_SUP_NV	Select the Supplier Properties tab on the Linked Suppliers page.	Store details of how the particular vendor interacts with the direct connect method.
Supplier Value Cross-Reference	PV_MERCHANT_XREF	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Supplier Value Cross-Reference, Supplier Value Cross-Reference	Map PeopleSoft field values to supplier field values by creating a cross-reference between the item categories and the values that are returned by PunchOut direct connect suppliers.
Vendor Information	VNDR_ID1_SUM	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Vendors, Vendor Profile, Vendor Information	Create new vendor profiles. See Maintaining Vendor Information.

Setting Up Direct Connect Suppliers

There are several activities that need to be completed before a vendor is enabled for direct connect.

Exchange contact information with the supplier.
Execute and contractual agreements required between the two companies.
Set up the direct connect supplier as a PeopleSoft vendor.

See Maintaining Vendor Information.
Create a node for each supplier you will connect to.

See Setting Up Integration Broker Node Definitions.
Create a link supplier definition for each supplier.

See Creating Linked Supplier Definitions.

Contacting Suppliers for Authentication Data

These steps describe the setup for direct connect suppliers:

The supplier creates an account for the organization.
The organization administrator and the supplier establish an organization wide password (shared secret) that authenticates XML messages from PeopleSoft eProcurement.
The supplier gives the organization the URL for the vendor.

Creating a Vendor Profile

If the supplier is not already a vendor, you need to create it. These are the fields for use when creating a linked supplier definition:

Vendor SetID
Vendor ID
Vendor Location

See Maintaining Vendor Information.

Adding PeopleSoft Vendor Contact Definitions

Before you save an order on a PeopleSoft eProcurement requisition, you must first establish the supplier as a PeopleSoft vendor. After you set up this connection, the vendor ID is saved on the requisition line, and this supplier is listed as the vendor on the purchase order.

Setting Up Integration Broker Node Definitions

Access the Node Definitions page.

You need to create an Integration Broker node for each supplier and each standard process you utilize with the suppliers.

Note. Before setting up Integration Broker nodes, you must have the Integration Broker Gateway established.

Details

Description	The data in the Description field is used as the text for the link to the vendor in the eProcurement requisition.
Active Node	The Active Node check box should be selected.
Node Type	The Node Type for direct connect should be equal to External. External designates the node as an entity that doesn't use PeopleSoft Integration Broker.
Routing Type	The Routing Type is Explicit. Explicit defines that the current node won't be included as a target node unless you specify it directly.
Authentication Option	The Authentication Option should equal None.

Setting Up Contacts

Access the Contacts page.

Contact Manager

Enter the name of the contact manager. You must use the PeopleSoft standard name format, which is last name, followed by any suffix or prefix such as MD or Jr., a comma, and then the person's first name. (for example: Smith MD,John).

Description

Enter a description. The system displays the contents of the Description field to the right of the vendor link on requisitions.

Setting Up Connectors

Access the Connectors page.

Gateway ID

This is the Integration Broker gateway.

See Setting Up the Gateway for a Marketplace.

Connector ID

This should equal HTTPTARGET.

Properties

These four rows are the properties of the connector HTTPTARGET. These properties give the connector details of how to connect to the vendor using HTTP.

Property ID	Property Name	Value
HEADER	Content-Type	text/xml
HEADER	sendUncompressed	Y
HTTPPROPERTY	Method	POST
PRIMARYURL	URL	Value should equal the URL given to you by the vendor. For PunchOut, this is the URL that accepts the PunchOutSetupRequest. For RoundTrip, this is the URL that accepts the Outbound Request.

Setting Up Transactions

Access the Transactions page.

You do not need to create transactions for RoundTrip. For PunchOut, you need to complete these steps:

Click the Add Transactions button.

Define the node transactions.

Node Name	Enter the current Node Name.
Transaction Type	Enter Outbound Synchronous.
Request Message	Enter PV_DC_CONNECT_REQST, which is a delivered value.
Request Message Version	Enter VERSION_1.

Click the Add button.
The system displays the Transaction Detail page.

Status

Select Active.

Routing Type

Select Explicit.

Access the Messages tab.

Synchronous Logging	Select Header and Detail if you wish to log direct connect messages to the Integration Broker message monitor.
Request Message - External Name	Enter PunchOutSetupRequest.
Response Message - Message Name	Enter PV_DC_CONNECT_RESP.
Response Message - Message Version	Enter VERSION_1.
Response Message - External Name	Enter PunchOutSetupResponse.

Click Save.
Click the Return to Transaction List link.
Save the work.

Creating an Integration Broker Relationship Definition

Access the Relationships page.

A relationship definition relates the Node/Transactions that you created to a pre-defined transformation object. The transformation is what takes the data from the PeopleSoft message format and converts it to the format that the supplier is expecting. To create a relationship, you need to identify both relationship nodes and transformation modifiers.

Note. Broker relationships are not needed when you are using RoundTrip.

Relationship Status	Select Active to activate the relationship.
Node Name	Both Node Name fields should equal the node you are using for direct connect.

Defining Transaction Modifiers

Access the Transaction Modifiers page.

Click the Add Transaction Modifier button.

Initial Node	This node should be the same as the node you created for direct connect.
Request Message Name	Enter PV_DC_CONNECT_REQST.
Source Request Message Version	Enter VERSION_1
Transaction Type	Select OS (Outbound Synchronous.)
Result Node	This node should be the same as the node you created for direct connect.
Request Message Name	Enter PV_DC_CONNECT_REQST.
Target Request Message Version	Enter VERSION_1.

When the system displays the results, select OS as the Transaction Type in the Results group box. Then define the request and response message.

Request	Use PV_DC_POSR.
Response	Use PV_DC_PORSP.

Note. These transformations follow the cXML 1.2.008 standard.

To complete the relationship set up, select the Return to Transaction List and then click the Save button.

Creating Direct Connect Methods

Access the Direct Connect Methods page.

Methods enable you to define code specific to a supplier. PeopleSoft eProcurement delivers the methods and classes for you to use in establishing and changing supplier connections.

Note. After you create methods, you can use the Linked Suppliers link on the Maintain Supplier Integration page to make changes to the method. Direct Connect Methods are only needed when a customization is made. This is not a required step.

Setting Up Direct Connect Method Components

Use this page to define new direct connect supplier methods when you have made customizations to the system. Also, you can change versions of the PunchOut or RoundTrip methods for those suppliers who do not follow the published standards defined for the two methods. You also define the application class where the new or changed code for the method resides.

PeopleSoft supplies the PUNCHOUT method with eProcurement. The standard follows the PunchOut standard defined in the cXML 1.2.008 specification. This specification is available online.

PeopleSoft also supplies the ROUNDTRIP method with eProcurement and uses the published RoundTrip standard. RoundTrip was built to expand on the OCI 2.0b specification which is also available online.

Direct Connect Method	Enter a new method value or an existing value. A method is the means that you use to link PeopleSoft eProcurement with a direct connect supplier. A method has properties containing object attributes that define basic information about the eProcurement and supplier connections.
Root Package ID	Select the primary application package. This is the parent class for other packages or for child application classes. It determines where the method resides.
Application Class Path	Select an application class to use as the source for this user list. When you select this option, you must also select a value in the Root Package ID field as well. Optionally, you can use the Application Class Path field to define specific classes containing the logic for this direct connect method.
Property Name	Enter a property name. This is an attribute of how this particular vendor utilizes the direct connect method. For example, you can define passwords, keywords for searches, and view and edit properties for the method. You create properties using PeopleCode.

Note. Direct connect methods may be created to connect to suppliers who may not follow the standards or are not up to date with their support of a particular standard.

Creating Linked Supplier Definitions

Access the Linked Suppliers page.

Use the Linked Supplier page to create a relationship between the vendor ID, the direct connect node, and the method you use to move the data.

Linked Supplier Type	Select Direct Connect Supplier
Vendor ID	Select the vendor you wish to use as a direct connect supplier. Note. If a vendor was previously linked, it can't be linked to another node. That vendor will not appear in the Vendor ID prompt.
EDX PO Dispatch Type	Use this field if you are dispatching to the supplier using Dynamic Dispatcher. See Setting Up Dynamic Dispatching.
PO Dispatch Node	Use this field if you are dispatching to the supplier using Dynamic Dispatcher. See Setting Up Dynamic Dispatching.
Direct Connect Method	Select the method you wish to connect to the supplier with. PunchOut uses the cXML 1.2.008 standard, and RoundTrip uses the RoundTrip standard based off of the OCI 2.0b spec.

Identifying Supplier Properties

Access the Supplier Properties page.

Supplier properties store the details of how a particular supplier interacts with a direct connect method and identifies some of the information that the supplier expects to be sent in the XML. You can also enter a default value for each field on the requisition line for this particular supplier's direct connect items.

You can enter default information for items that are returned from the direct connect supplier on this page. This default value only applies to a field if the supplier sends a null value for that field in the message passed back to PeopleSoft; otherwise, the supplier's value overrides the defaults.

Load Direct Connect Properties

Click to load the property name and descriptions of the direct connect method specified on the Linked Suppliers page.

Mapping PeopleSoft Field Values to Supplier Field Values

Access the Supplier Value Cross-Reference page.

When using direct connect, there are times that the data sent by the supplier needs to be translated to the desired data value for the PeopleSoft database. Use this page to map PeopleSoft eProcurement values to values with the same meaning but with different field names that the supplier uses. The most common use of this mapping is when a unit of measure, such as dozen is described by PeopleSoft as DZ and the supplier as DOZ.

There are several fields that might need to have some translation, or mapping, done. These fields may include:

Unit of Measure
Currency code
Country Code
Category ID
Vendor ID

Translation always occurs after the item data is received from the supplier and transformed into the PV_DC_ITEMS (Direct Connect Items) message format. On each line of this message, every field in the PV_DC_REQ_LINE (Direct Connect Requisition Line) record is examined to determine if translation is required. The system then queries the data within the Supplier Values Cross-Reference page to determine if the field name and value passed need translation. If the system finds translation is needed, the field is updated with the corresponding PeopleSoft Value.

If no data is sent by the supplier for a particular field, you can assign default values. These values are configured on the Supplier Properties page.

The system uses values that you define on this page both for sending and receiving direct connect supplier data. You can add or change the cross references. Before you access this page, you first select the field to which the mapping applies.

Supplier ID	Select the supplier node for which this mapping is to apply.
Supplier Value	Enter the value that the supplier uses to describe this field.
PeopleSoft Value	Enter the value that PeopleSoft uses instead of the direct connect supplier value.
Vendor SetID, Vendor ID and Vendor Location	Select the values for the vendor that you want the system to use when a supplier messages data to PeopleSoft eProcurement.

Setting up a Category Cross-Reference

Category cross-references have their own process. The system goes through these steps to translate a category ID value that is sent by a supplier:

The system looks up the Category field in the Item Category table to determine if any category codes match the value sent by the supplier.
If the value sent by the supplier is not matched, then the supplier cross reference data is queried to determine if there is a matching category ID for this supplier.
If the supplier value cross reference does not contain the category either, the default value is taken from the linked supplier properties.

Setting up Vendor Cross-Reference

There are times when the supplier is a marketplace and they broker items from many vendors. The result of this scenario is a different vendor ID for each item is provided by the supplier. When this happens, the supplier sends only one field value to identify the vendor for the item using direct connect. There are three keys that identify the vendor within PeopleSoft:

Vendor SetID
Vendor ID
Vendor Location

The Supplier Value Cross-Reference page is used to store the mappings from the supplier's value to the three PeopleSoft values.

The system goes through these steps to match vendor IDs for the supplier:

The supplier value cross-reference data is queried to determine if there is a matching vendor ID for this supplier.

If there is a match, then, instead of using a PeopleSoft Value, all three vendor keys are placed into the PV_DC_ITEMS message.
If no match is found, then the three vendor keys that are specified as default values in the linked supplier properties are placed into the PV_DC_ITEMS message.

Connecting to Suppliers Using PunchOut

This section provides an overview of definitions and relationships and discusses how to:

Set up node information for PunchOut.
Create relationships.
Define linked suppliers for PunchOut.
Define linked suppliers properties.

Overview of Definitions and Relationships

This section discusses:

Integration Broker definitions and relationships.
Direct connect supplier transformations.
Process flow for direct connect supplier integration using PunchOut.

Integration Broker definitions and relationships

Using broker definitions and relationships, you define the parameters for communicating with external suppliers using PunchOut. PeopleSoft eProcurement requires at least one local gateway through which it can send and receive messages.

You set up suppliers as a node in the integration profile. Nodes are to or from locations from which the system routes messages. Nodes can also be an application, a database, or a server. Multiple nodes can share the same local gateway, which might be the only gateway you will need for all integrations. When a node is linked to a particular message, the relationship is called a transaction.

A relationship reconciles incompatible parameters to transmit data successfully from the source to the target. Each integration requires at least one transaction at each PeopleSoft Integration Broker node. One node uses a transaction to send a message, and one or more nodes use transactions to receive the message. The sending node might apply a transaction with different parameters than those applied by the nodes that receive the message, with respect to routing, transmission type, message structure, or message content.

Direct Connect Supplier Transformations

Before defining direct connect supplier relationships, you need to create transformations. They convert an XML document from one format to another. Since the transformation is associated with a relationship, there can be a separate transformation for each supplier relationship. The system creates transformations using the Application Engine definition.

The system uses a step type of XSLT along with PeopleCode steps to perform the transformation. XSLT documents are tools that hold the structure of a document, as well as the rules of how to transform a XML document from one format to another.

There should be at least one transformation for each message. This transformation follows the standard defined for each XML document (for example, PunchOutOrder Message).

For some suppliers, you might need to change the standard transformation to support extrinsic values or other departures from the standard. In most cases, the modified logic should be saved as a separate name from the standard transformation, and the newly named transformation should be associated with the relationship.

When you create a transformation that follows a newly published version of the standard, you should save the new transformation with the standard’s version name suffixed at the end (for example, PunchOutOrder Message). You can use only 10 characters. When determining whether to use PeopleCode or XSLT, make the decision on a transformation-by-transformation basis.

These transformations are already created for PunchOut in Application Designer:

PV_DC_POSR (direct connect request) applies to the PV_DC_CONNECT_REQST message (authentication on start of direct connect session).
PV_DC_POSRSP (direct connect response) applies to the PV_DC_CONNECT_RESPONSE message (response from supplier of authentication request).
PV_DC_POOM (direct connect items) applies to the PV_DC_ITEMS message (shopping cart information sent by supplier upon return to PeopleSoft eProcurement).

Note. The RoundTrip direct connect method does not use transformations.

Process Flow for Direct Connect Supplier Integration Using PunchOut

This illustration describes the process flow of the integration between PeopleSoft eProcurement and a direct connect supplier who uses PunchOut:

PunchOut process flow

Warning! PeopleSoft and the direct connect suppliers might have site time-outs that could cause you to lose unsaved state information.

This table lists the steps illustrated in the previous diagram for using PunchOut to create an eProcurement requisitions:

Step	System Actions
1.	The system saves all levels of the current requisition to a global rowset. This preserves the state of the requisition so that changes made since the creation or the last save of the requisition are not lost. Then, based on the supplier, the system selects the proper connection method, and the code transfers to the component that handles the method.
2.	Based on the direct connect method registered to the selected supplier, the system loads the appropriate application class and runs the code to connect to the supplier. This code uses requisition data and properties for the supplier to populate a PeopleSoft message. The Integration Broker then transforms the message into the XML PunchOutSetupRequest, which contains authentication information to facilitate a single sign-on into the supplier’s system. If a supplier implements the sign-on differently than the standards for the selected method, you should code the supplier’s sign-on logic in a separate direct connect method application class or Integration Broker transformation. This XML also contains a PeopleSoft eProcurement component URL to which the supplier posts the results of the shopping cart in step 8.
3.	After building the XML, the system sends it to the supplier’s URL as defined in the supplier's node definition. The supplier receives this request document and authenticates the user.
4.	The system returns a response to PeopleSoft eProcurement, if the user is successfully authenticated, that contains the supplier’s URL for redirection.
5.	PeopleSoft eProcurement receives this response in the form of a message object. Integration Broker runs a transformation from the PunchOutSetupResponse to the message behind the scenes. Note. The system synchronously returns the response from the original authentication request. It is not a separate process. The supplier’s URL is extracted from the message.
6.	PeopleSoft eProcurement redirects the user to the URL sent in the response from the supplier.
7.	The user browses the supplier’s site and places an order. Based on sign-on information, the supplier can maintain customer specific pricing. Typically, this is done at a business level, not a user level.
8.	After the order is complete and the user checks out, the supplier’s site packages the shopping cart into an XML string and places it in an HTML hidden form field. The user is redirected to the PeopleSoft eProcurement component URL specified at sign-on in step 2.
9.	The PeopleSoft eProcurement component that has been redirected to extract the XML string from the hidden form field. The string is parsed into a PeopleSoft message using another Integration Broker transformation. Just as in the authentication process in step 2, the application class or transformation might need to be customized if the supplier does not follow the standard document structure or has unique extrinsic fields. The user is transferred to the originating requisition.
10.	When the requisition component is reinitialized, the global rowset from step 1 containing the original requisition information is reloaded. The items from the external item message, containing the shopping cart data, are added as new rows to the requisition. These lines inherit the requisition’s line default values just as any other item being added. The system displays the requisition Summary page to the user.

Note. Items that are selected on a supplier’s website are not transmitted to PeopleSoft eProcurement unless the connection is initiated through the supplier’s link in eProcurement.

Pages Used to Link to Suppliers Using PunchOut

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Node Definitions	IB_NODE	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Integration Broker Node Definitions, Node Definitions	Set up node information for PunchOut.
Relationships	IB_REALTIONSHIPS	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Integration Broker Relationships, Relationships	Define a node/transaction relationship to a transformation object.
Linked Suppliers	PV_MS_SEC_SUPPLIER	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Linked Suppliers Select the Marketplace Suppliers type on the Linked Suppliers page in Add mode.	Define linked suppliers for PunchOut.
Supplier Properties	PV_MS_SEC_SUP_NV	Select the Supplier Properties tab on the Linked Supplier page.	Define linked supplier properties for PunchOut.

Setting Up Node Information for PunchOut

Access the Node Definitions page.

Use this page to define PeopleSoft eProcurement’s internal representation of a system with which it exchanges messages. Because an application can send messages to itself, a default local node definition that represents the application is delivered as part of the integration engine.

Node definitions define how to connect to a supplier and store:

General information about suppliers.
The connection URL.
Which transactions (messages) suppliers implement.
Which connector to use as the conduit for the messages to the supplier using the gateway.

The relationship element binds transaction data with a transformation object. Transformations convert messages from one structure to another. To save time when creating a new node, you can copy an existing node and then make changes to the new node.

Note. When defining a node, make sure you enter a description that will not be confused with other links that you established for the supplier using the Merchant Profile menu option.

Creating Relationships

Access the Relationships page.

For PunchOut, the request PV_DC_CONNECT_REQST is transformed into the cXML document PunchOutSetupRequest. The response is also transformed from PunchOutSetupResponse to the PeopleSoft message PV_DC_CONNECT_RESP.

See Creating an Integration Broker Relationship Definition.

See Setting Up Relationships.

Defining Linked Suppliers for PunchOut

Access the Linked Suppliers page.

Select Linked Supplier to associate suppliers to nodes and then associate suppliers and nodes to their PunchOut direct connect method. Then, use the Supplier Properties tab to store authentication and behavioral properties specific to the method for this supplier and node.

You distinguish between creating a PunchOut or RoundTrip connection when you add a linked supplier. To access the page, select eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Linked Suppliers. Select the Add a New Value tab. Along with defining the set ID, vendor setID, and vendor location, select a value for the Linked Supplier Type field. Values include:

Catalog Management Supplier:

Select to set up links for a catalog management supplier.
Direct Connect Supplier:

Select to set up links for a direct connect supplier. On the Supplier Properties page, you can select between PunchOut and RoundTrip. When you select this option, the PeopleSoft eProcurement delivered PUNCHOUT and ROUNDTRIP methods are made available for you to work with on the Supplier Properties page.
Marketplace Supplier:

Select to set up links for a Marketplace supplier.

EDX PO Dispatch Type (electronic data transfer purchase order dispatch type)	Select the dispatch type for use with the PUNCHOUT method. After shopping with a supplier the system uses this type to source the PO to the supplier.
PO Dispatch Node (purchase order dispatch node)	Select the node to be used for the dispatch type. This is used in the dynamic dispatching process. See Setting Up Dynamic Dispatching.
Direct Connect Method	Select the direct connect method that you want to use to do business with the vendor that you selected.
Direct Connect Node	Select the node that you want to use to link to the vendor. Use the Integration Broker Node Definition link to create a node and its characteristics.

Defining Linked Supplier Properties

Access the Supplier Properties page.

Use this page to set up or change properties for a PunchOut supplier connection. Before defining properties, you should have already discussed descriptions for the fields with the supplier. For example, the authentication paths should be familiar to you because the supplier should have communicated the values they require for these paths in the XML.

Note. Make sure that you select the PUNCHOUT value for the Direct Connect Method field on the Marketplace Suppliers page to populate PunchOut property values on this page. When you click the Load Direct Connect Properties button, the system populates this page with predefined properties for the PunchOut method.

This table lists property values that the system uses for the PunchOut direct connect method:

Property Name	Description
ALLOW_EDIT	Equals Y if vendor allows editing of items using PunchOut. This enables users to connect back to the supplier's website to update their shopping carts. This is a behavioral property.
ALLOW_SHIPPING_EDIT	Equals Y if vendor allow editing of shipping information. This enables customers to include/exclude shipping info while editing a Direct Connect item. This is a behavioral property.
ALLOW_VIEW	Equals Y if vendor allows viewing of item descriptions using PunchOut. This is a behavioral property.
CATEGORY_ID	Default category for this vendor. This is a behavioral property.
FROM_DOMAIN	Header.From.Credential.domain. This is an authentication property.
FROM_IDENTITY	Header.From.Credential.identity. This is an authentication property.
KEYWORDS	Search keywords. This is a behavioral property.
LOAD_PORTAL	Load portal upon return from vendor's site, (Y/N). This is a behavioral property.
SENDER_DOMAIN	Header.Sender.Credential.domain. This is an authentication property.
SENDER_IDENTITY	Header.Sender.Credential.identify. This is an authentication property.
SHARED_SECRET	Header.Sender.Credential.Shared Secret. This is an authentication property.

Connecting to Suppliers Using RoundTrip

Setting up RoundTrip methods are similar to those for PunchOut with several differences. This section highlights those differences and discusses how to:

Set up node definitions for RoundTrip.
Define linked suppliers for RoundTrip.
Define linked supplier properties for RoundTrip.

Pages Used to Link to Suppliers Using RoundTrip

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Node Definitions	IB_NODE	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Integration Broker Node Definitions, Node Definitions	Set up node information for RoundTrip.
Linked Suppliers	PV_MS_SEC_SUPPLIER	eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Linked Suppliers Select the Marketplace Suppliers type on the Linked Suppliers page in Add mode.	Define linked suppliers for RoundTrip.
Supplier Properties	PV_MS_SEC_SUP_NV	Select the Supplier Properties tab on the Linked Suppliers page.	Define linked supplier properties for RoundTrip.

Setting Up Node Definitions for RoundTrip

Access the Node Definitions page.

When you access this page, you distinguish the direct connect supplier method for which you want to define node information. Based on the selection, the system provides delivered information for you to associate the node and supplier with the direct connect method that the supplier uses. In this case it's the RoundTrip method. The key differences between RoundTrip and PunchOut are the authentication method, format of the shopping cart data, and the format of the purchase order.

The relationship element binds transaction data with a transformation object. Transformations convert messages from one structure to another.

To save time when creating a new node, you can copy an existing node and then make changes to the new node.

Note. When defining a node, make sure you enter a description that will not be confused with other links that you established for the supplier using the Merchant Profile menu option.

Defining Linked Suppliers for RoundTrip

Access the Linked Suppliers page.

Select Linked Supplier to associate suppliers to nodes and then associate suppliers and nodes to their RoundTrip direct connect method. Then use the Supplier Properties tab to store authentication and behavioral properties specific to the method for this supplier and node.

You distinguish between creating a PunchOut or RoundTrip connection when you add a marketplace supplier. To access the page, select eProcurement, Administer Procurement, Maintain Supplier Integration, Linked Suppliers. Select the Add a New Value tab. Along with defining the setID, vendor ID, and vendor location, select the Linked Supplier Type. Field values include:

Catalog Management Supplier:

Select to set up links for a catalog management supplier.
Direct Connect Supplier:

Select to set up links for a direct connect supplier. On the Supplier Properties page, you can select between PunchOut and RoundTrip.
MarketSite Supplier:

Select to set up links for a marketplace supplier.

Note. After you complete a transaction using RoundTrip, you can return to view the shopping cart contents, but you cannot return to the supplier's shopping cart and make changes to the order.

Note. Make sure you select a RoundTrip value for the Direct Connect Method field on this page. When you click the Load Direct Connect Properties button on the Supplier Properties page, the system populates this page with properties for the RoundTrip method.

Defining Linked Supplier Properties for RoundTrip

Access the Supplier Properties page.

Use this page to set up or change properties for a RoundTrip supplier connection. Before defining properties, you should have already discussed descriptions for the fields with the supplier. For example, the authentication paths should be familiar to you, because the supplier should have communicated the values they require for these paths.

Note. Make sure that you select the ROUNDTRIP value for the Direct Connect Method field on the Linked Suppliers page to populate RoundTrip property values on this page. When you click the Load Direct Connect Properties button, the system populates this page with predefined properties for the RoundTrip method.

This table describes property values the system uses for the RoundTrip direct connect method:

Property Name	Description
ALLOW_VIEW	Enables the user to connect back out to the vendor's website to view ordered items. (Vendor must support FUNCTION=DETAIL in the outbound request.) This is a behavioral property.
CATEGORY_ID	Default category ID for this vendor. This is a behavioral property.
KEYWORDS	Search keywords. This is a behavioral property.
LOAD_PORTAL	Load portal upon return from the vendor's site, (Y/N). This is a behavioral property.
PASSWORD	Password to load into the vendor's RoundTrip website. This is an authentication property.
RT_BUYER_MPID	Buyer marketplace ID. This is an authentication property.
RT_BUYER_ORGANIZATION	Buyer organization name. This is an authentication property.
RT_LANGUAGE	Buyer language. This is an authentication property.
RT_OCI_VERSION	Version of RoundTrip/OCI. This is an authentication property.
USERNAME	User name to log onto vendor's RoundTrip website. This is an authentication property.

Troubleshooting Error Messages

There are several errors that can occur during the direct connect process. This table contains a list of potential errors, and the means to resolve the error.

Error Text Displayed	Description	Resolution
Java exception thrown: java.net.UnKnownHostException: <machine name>	The machine specified as the Local Gateway in the Integration Broker configuration cannot be reached.	Change the URL to the Local Gateway in PeopleTools, Integration Broker, Gateways.
There was no response from the vendor's website while attempting to connect Error Details: … (18036, 3454)	This is thrown by RoundTrip when the Supplier’s website is inaccessible.	Contact the supplier to determine if their URL has changed, or if their site is down.
An error occurred while preparing to connect to vendor's website Error Details: …. (18036, 3459)	An error occurred in PunchOut while setting extrinsic elements.	Modify the extended SetReqstExtrinsic() method.
An error occurred while connecting to vendor's website Error Details: …. (18036, 3455)	This is a generic error, thrown by the PunchOut GoToApp() method.	This can be thrown then the PunchOutSetupResponse from the vendor is not well-formed XMLIt can also be thrown prior to that, when filling the message with data in this method.
An error occurred when transferring to the vendor's website Error Details: …. (18036, 3453)	This error message will only be thrown when there is a problem when redirecting the user to the supplier’s website (using the URL that the supplier specifies in the PunchOutSetupResponse).	Contact the supplier to determine if their site is down.
An error occurred while retrieving items from vendor's website Error Details: … (18036, 3456)	This error will be displayed if there is an error when adding item data into the REQ_LINE fields.	This error requires debugging of PeopleCode in the RequisitionContext class, in the FillNewReqLine() or FillExistingReqLine() method.
An error occurred while transforming the items from the vendor Error Details: (18036, 3452)	This message will occur in PunchOut when a Transformation Application Engine program, or the LoadItems() method generates an error.	Examine the PunchOutOrderMessage log on the appserver to determine if the supplier is not following the transformation for the PunchOut standard. This log can be found on the Application Server in this path: PS_HOME\appserv\<domain>\files\PV_CXML_PUNCHOUTORDERMESSAGE.txt
An error occurred while adding the new items to the requisition Error Details: (18036, 3451)	This error will be displayed in the UpdateXREF() method of the requisition context class, which fills the external item cross-reference rowset with item data from the supplier and the requisition line.	This occurrence is highly unlikely, and would have to be examined on a case by case basis to determine what caused it to happen.
The vendor's website did not return item information. (18036, 3450)	This is thrown by RoundTrip in the LoadItems() method, when the Supplier does not send item information back to eProcurement at the time of checkout, or if the item information was not in a format expected by eProcurement.	Examine the PunchOutOrderMessage log on the appserver to determine if the supplier is not following the transformation for the PunchOut standard.

Contact Manager	Enter the name of the contact manager. You must use the PeopleSoft standard name format, which is last name, followed by any suffix or prefix such as MD or Jr., a comma, and then the person's first name. (for example: Smith MD,John).
Description	Enter a description. The system displays the contents of the Description field to the right of the vendor link on requisitions.