Configure Batching for Outbound EDIFACT and X12 Documents

You can configure batching for outbound EDIFACT and X12 documents as part of trading partner configuration. Batching enables you to group messages by document type and send them as a batch. For example, you may want to send a batch of X12 purchase orders or EDIFACT invoices.

Use Case

A common use case is to batch and send all transactions of a specific document type to a trading partner at a scheduled time. For example, you want to send a batch of purchase orders or a batch of invoices at the end of the day.

Guidelines

  • Batching is only applicable for outbound EDI documents (EDIFACT and X12) per trading partner.
  • Batching is applicable only for the same document type and version.
  • Batching is based on a batch schedule that you create per an outbound agreement.
  • You can manage (view, edit, and delete) the batch schedules.
  • When you deploy the agreement, the batch schedule is started.
  • When you undeploy the agreement, the batch schedule is stopped.
  • You cannot add a batch schedule to a deployed outbound agreement. The agreement must first be undeployed.
  • If you delete the outbound agreement or the trading partner agreement that includes the outbound agreement, the batch schedule is deleted.
  • The following behavior occurs at runtime:
    • A message is written to the logs indicating that a batch delivery occurred.
    • When the batch completes processing, a wire message is created and associated with all relevant business messages.
    • Resubmitting an outbound business message again follows the batching process because the agreement is set to batching.
    • Resubmitting an outbound wire message sends the batched messages.

Configure Document Batching

  1. Open the trading partner.
  2. Click Transports & agreements.
  3. In the Outbound agreements section, find the agreement on which to configure outbound EDIFACT or X12 document batching.
  4. From the Actions Actions icon menu, select Add batch.
  5. Enter the following information, then click Add.
    Element Description
    Batching type Based on schedule is the only option available and cannot be deselected.
    Define recurrence Specify the Frequency for running the schedule:
    • Days: Select a daily value in the range of 1 to 7.
    • Hours and minutes:
      • Select an hourly value in the range of 0 to 23.
      • Select a minute value in the range of 0 to 59.

    Note: There is no iCal expression support for creating a batch schedule.

    This schedule is effective
    • From:
      • When agreement is deployed: Select to start the batching schedule when the outbound agreement is deployed.
      • Modify start date: Specify a start time at which to begin the batching schedule.
    • Until:
      • Never (repeat indefinitely): The batching schedule always runs.
      • Choose expiry date: Select and then specify an end date for the batching schedule.
    • Time zone: Select the time zone in which to run the batching schedule.
  6. Once created, you can perform the following batching tasks from the Actions Actions icon menu:
    1. Select Edit batch to edit the batch. This option is only available if the outbound agreement has not been deployed.
    2. Select Delete batch to delete the batch.
    3. Select View batch to view the batch contents.

For an overview of designing a switch action route when batching is enabled on the outbound agreement, see Outbound Message Processing.

Watch a video to learn more: