Sending ad-hoc information to vendors using Punchout Attributes/"Extrinsic" elements

Vendors may request that you send additional information in the PunchOutSetupRequest document. This is accomplished by using the XML element known as "extrinsic."

The mechanism for entering this ad-hoc information is through Punchout Attributes (ED53). This is where name/value pairings are defined. For example, the punchout-enabled vendor ACME Corp. requires that you send contact information about the requester doing the punchout. Specifically, they want the individual's first and last names and the email address. They specify that this information must be conveyed in <EXTRINSIC> elements in the PunchOutSetupRequest document. They require that the Extrinsic elements that contain this information are named "FirstName", "LastName", and "EMailAddress".

Implement this request using Punchout Attributes (ED53). Each attribute contains two fields, one for the name of the attribute and one for the value for the attribute. Using the example above, create three Punchout Attributes, one each for the "FirstName", "LastName" and "EMailAddress". Enter "FirstName" in the "Attribute Name" field, and the actual requester's first name into the "Attribute Value" field. Repeat this process for all of the extra information that the vendor is requesting. When the attributes have been added, find the appropriate Punchout Users (ED43) record and associate the relevant Punchout Attributes to the user's record. Next time you punchout to that vendor you should see one or more <Extrinsic> elements in the PunchOutSetupRequest document, each one representing the new information you set up. Click the Attributes button to transfer to Punchout User Attributes (ED49.1).

If the information that is required by the vendor is not user-specific, for example, applies to all requesters who punchout to that vendor, you can set up the Punchout Attribute as described above, but instead of associating the attribute with a particular Punchout User record, you can associate it with the Punchout User Group (ED41) record representing the vendor. Click the Attributes button to transfer to Punchout User Group Attr (ED47.1).

In summary, Punchout Attributes can be defined to convey ad-hoc information that a punchout vendor requires, at the vendor- or user-levels. The Punchout Attributes are converted to <Extrinsic> elements in the PunchOutSetupRequest document.