Punchout technical capability assessment worksheet

The intent of this worksheet is to ascertain the Business-to-Business (B2B) requirements and capabilities of two business partners for project scoping purposes.

First is a brief summary of what Infor supports today in the context of B2B integration. Following the summary are two brief questionnaires, one intended for the customer and one for their business partner.

EDI

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is one of the most mature standards and frameworks available today for the exchange of business data. X.12 is used in North America, EDIFACT is used by Europe and the rest of the world. Most industry vertical markets have at least a few documents defined in the EDI standards for use within that market space.

Infor supports most ANSI-X.12 versions of EDI and has implemented these transactions:
  • Purchase Order (850)
  • Purchase Order Acknowledgments (855)
  • Invoice (810)
  • Advance Shipment Notice (856)
There is some support for other transactions (820, 832, and 867) but they are not widely used today by Infor customers. Other transactions and formats can be evaluated as necessary.

Punchout

Punchout is a relatively new process.Tthe idea is to leverage Internet protocols and browser-based thin client connections to direct business partners to a vendor-managed catalog, hosted by the vendor, from which one may choose items and services from.

Punchout, as implemented by Infor, is a requisitioning activity only. It is not a guarantee of purchase. It may or may not result in an order being issued. Infor currently supports the Ariba Punch-out(TM) model, using cXML v1.2x. See www.cxml.org.

The PunchoutSetupRequest (create mode only, no edit), PunchoutSetupResponse, and PunchoutOrderMessage are the three transactions currently implemented by Lawson from the cXML specification. Support for other cXML transactions is possible. Contact your Infor representative to discuss support for other cXML transactions.

With the exception of the Punchout-related documents, Infor cannot accept any INBOUND cXML-formatted documents at this time. If inbound documents, for example, invoices in response to a purchase order issued, are required by your particular business requirements, then you must use X.12 / EDI for this purpose.

Data encryption

No specific encryption schemes are supported today, but this can be discussed as needed.

Infor customer or buyer questions:

  • Describe your request. Be specific as possible.

  • Explain the business reason that is driving the request.

  • What is the desired time line?

  • Have you discussed this request with your business partner to ascertain gross feasibility?

  • Do EDI capabilities exist within your organization today?

  • Are there any other specific or unique requirements?

  • Provide contact information - both business and technical.

Vendor questions

  • Do you support Punchout processing, as described by the Ariba Punchout(TM) model? If so, which cXML versions? Which documents are implemented or required by you?

  • Do you support EDI? If so, which versions? Which transactions do you implement or require?

  • List the methods of document exchange that you support: FAX. Dialup/modem, FTP, HTTP, AS2, other?

  • What is the estimated lead time required before a punchout integration project begins?

  • Are there any other specific or unique requirements?

  • Provide contact information, both business and technical.