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BizTalk How To for EDI

I have been asked to create a system that accepts invoices from a company via AS2 EDI (and in the very soon future from many other companies). Through some research I came to the conclusion that I need a Biz Talk server to translate the company's invoice, convert it into XML, and then send that XML to a system we have for processing/validation. I am completely stumped as to how to make all of this work.

I've been learning what I can from Microsoft's BizTalk tutorials & videos, and a little bit from Pluralsight. But there are things that I just don't get at all. One of those things is customer interaction: how are they supposed to know what data to send to us (what document do I give them?), or how do I read this paper they sent me listing their message encryption. How does X12 or EDIFACT tie into all of this?

Do I have this right: I am supposed to create an X12 document with the fields (data) I need in order to process their invoice, and then I am supposed to send them this X12 document and say "here, send us this thing"? And then on my side, create the mapping from that X12 document, the orchestration for validation, and then return them a success or fail?

My process done in MSPAIN

What resources can I use to learn how to answer these questions? Where do people even go to learn BizTalk Server when they're beginners?

I really appreciate any help from anyone. Thank you for reading.

Solution

  • A few things:

    • You don't have to create the X12 transactions, BizTalk Server ships with schemas X12 and EDIFACT. You probably don't even need to customize them.
    • In the beginning, you can probably rely on the Trading Partners to provide Companion Guides, especially if they have a more established EDI implementation.
    • If they don't, and you need to create something, an spreadsheet is really all they need listing exactly which Segments and Elements need to be populated and how.

    If you Bing the transaction you have to work with, "x12 850" for example, you will find other companies companion guides you can 'take inspiration' from.