Setup Overview
The implementation definition is the main element used to customize the transformation of data exchanged with an external system. Building an implementation definition is a complex task. But many eCommerce installations do not require this activity. QAD provides a set of templates with much of the basic content already in place. eCommerce implementers then use eCommerce programs to copy and modify the template and to perform other required setup tasks.
The setup procedures assume that you have already completed a standard system implementation and have defined common base data such as items, customers, and sites.
A significant step in the EDI eCommerce implementation process is to define the document exchange requirements of an external EC subsystem. During setup, you do this task in terms of several elements:
• Control record structures and formats used by the EC subsystem.
• Data structure definitions of the standards neutral format (SNF) exchange files communicated with the EC subsystem.
• Transformation mappings that describe the actions required to transform data from one system’s specifications to the other’s. If these actions require functions not provided with eCommerce, you can define your own functions. See
Using Transformation Functions.
Typical Setup Workflow summarizes a typical setup workflow. The degree to which you use the setup programs depends on your company’s trading partners and the types of documents you exchange with them.
Typical Setup Workflow
In addition to the initial setup programs, the eCommerce menus provide several other programs you can use to customize the way your system uses eCommerce. These programs allow you to:
• Copy the QAD-provided exchange file, application document, and implementation definitions so that you can modify them for your specific needs.
• Build your own application document definitions for use in designing trading-partner-specific implementations.
• Custom-define additional definitions and functions used in transformation mapping. You can copy existing items to use as the basis for new ones.
• Define cross-references to specific data values that can be converted automatically to new values during processing.
• Define data values that can be validated automatically against specified values during transformation.
• Set up a polling schedule that enables the system to search automatically for files and begin processing when it finds them.
