Both inbound and outbound interface data file formats are predefined by Oracle e-Commerce Gateway The interface data file format may be used as defined or customized to match your specific business requirements.
Some of the reasons to modify the predefined interface data file format include:
Exclude unused columns and unused records.
Change column size.
Rearrange interface data file records within the same interface table.
Activate data elements in the transaction tables.
Change sequence of the five external fields resulting from code conversion.
Change the record layout code.
Change the record layout qualifier.
By making the interface data file formats table-driven, your format changes take effect immediately without any code changes.
Note: You cannot use this window to add data elements to the interface data file, unless they are already defined in the e-Commerce Gateway transaction tables. At the end of each table (indicated by level at the top of the window), there are data elements without record numbers, positions, and lengths indicated. You can activate these data elements to appear in the interface file by assigning a record number, position, and length. You cannot move data elements to another table level by assigning a record number in the other table's record number range.
Navigate to the Interface File Definition window.
Select the transaction type. See: EDI Transaction Support.
Select the transaction data level.
This identifies the level of data within the transaction defined in the e-Commerce Gateway for outbound transactions, and in the application open interface tables for inbound transactions. The levels may differ when compared to the base application tables as data is denormalized.
All the records for the data level are displayed. The data format for outbound transactions is displayed by e-Commerce Gateway interface column. The data format for inbound transactions is displayed by application open interface column. You cannot change the data in these two columns.
Change the record number.
You can change the record number to another number within the same table level or enter blanks to exclude the record from the interface data file. The record number indicates the relative position of a group on that record in the file. No record can exceed 600 bytes.
Note: To activate data elements, you must define the record number, record position number, and the width of the data element.
Change the record position number.
You can change the position number to another number within the record or enter blanks to exclude the column from the interface data file.
The position number identifies the relative position of a data item in a record.
Change the width of the data element.
Most data elements have lengths based on standards. Those lengths are usually longer in Oracle Applications. You may increase the length up to the length in the Oracle application as needed per data element.
Change the sequence of external codes.
This identifies which external code (1 - 5) in the code conversion values table is placed on this data element in the transaction interface data file. The default is that external code 1 in the code conversion values table is moved to the external 1 code in the interface table, external code 2 in the code conversion values table is moved to the external 2 code in the interface table, and so on.
For example, placing a sequence 5 next to data element external 1 means that the external code from the code conversion values table is moved into the data element external 1 in the transaction interface data file.
A conversion sequence of 0 is reserved for the Oracle internal value. Do not change.
Change the record layout code.
This identifies the data content of a data element. These codes are predefined for the transaction. Standard record layouts for addresses and flexfields are defined and used across all transactions. Other record layouts are defined for a specific transaction. You may modify the predefined value. See: Record Layout Codes, Oracle e-Commerce Gateway Implementation Manual.
These codes have no significant data mapping in business processes. They are used for reference for reviewing the file for research.
Only the record layout code and record layout qualifier from the lowest numbered record position is used in the interface data file.
Change the record layout qualifier.
This identifies the type of data in the record. For example, a generic record layout code for addresses may have a record layout qualifier that identifies the address as a ship-to, bill-to, or remit-to address type. You may modify the predefined value.
These codes have no significant data mapping in business processes. They are used for reference for reviewing the file for research.
Only the record layout code and record layout qualifier from the lowest numbered record position is used in the interface data file.
If you want to define process rules, choose Process Rules. If you want to define column rules, choose Column Rules. The number of rules is displayed for reference.
For additional information, see:
Interface Data File Structure, Oracle e-Commerce Gateway Implementation Manual