Guidelines

Message Type and Info Exchange Display Name

The relevant Message Type (e.g. SOM_DESTROY_EVENT) and Info Exchange Display Name (e.g. Destroy Event) are included above each Guidelines Table. The Message Type is used when setting up B2B connections. Use the Info Exchange Display Name in Info Exchange to monitor and troubleshoot messages exchanged with Partners. See the Info Exchange Online Help for additional information.

How the Message Type is used depends on the type of B2B connection:

  • AS2: The Message Type is in the AS2 header (e.g. SOM_DESTROY_EVENT).
  • HTTP Post: The Message Type is part of the URL (e.g. https://prodb2b.tracelink.com:5443/server?request=send&directory=inbox/SOM_DESTROY_EVENT&filename=<filename>).
  • SSTP: The Message Type is the folder in which the message is saved.

In Info Exchange Profiles, the Message Type is included in the "transaction" column of the Transactional Maps CSV file.

Guidelines Table

A Guidelines Table contains field/element requirements for a message:

Data Element Occurs Format Length Enums Req Description
som:SOMVoidShipment 1…1 - - - M Root element of message.
  som:ControlFileHeader 1…1 - - - M XML file control header record.
    cmn:FileSenderNumber 1…1 String 1/20 - M File sender's company identifier.1
    cmn:FileReceiverNumber 1…1 String 1/20 - M File recipient's company identifier.2
    cmn:FileControlNumber 1…1 String 1/* - M Unique file control ID number.3
    cmn:FileDate 1…1 Date 1/* - M Date file generated in XML YYYY-MM-DD format.4
    cmn:FileTime 1…1 Time 1/* - M Time file generated in XML HH:MM:SSZ format.5
  som:MessageBody 1…1 - - - M Main body of message.
    cmn:DeliveryLocation 0…1 String 0/* - O Specifies identifier of facility or warehouse to scope the Sales Shipment Status update for the serial numbers matching the specified item code and lot number only at the specified location. If the location is omitted, the Sales Shipment status update will be applied globally to all matching serial numbers in the system.6
      @type 1…1 String 1/1 LocationId C Location identifier type.7

Mandatory if cmn:DeliveryLocation is present.

The following columns are included in the Guidelines Table:

This column indicates the source/element name included in the message.

This column indicates the minimum and maximum amount of times that the particular element may occur within the message. In the example above, the cmn:FileDate element must occur a minimum of once and may only occur up to once for the maximum occurrence as indicated by the "1...1". The "*" character indicates this is an unlimited maximum occurrence.

This column indicates the element's data format type (such as String, Integer, Boolean, Date, or Time).

This column indicates the length of the value for the given element. For the cmn:FileDate element above, the value must have at least one character, but does not have a maximum restriction (therefore can be any length). However, be mindful of the description column, as further criteria may be indicated that impacts the field length (e.g. serial number formatting).

Certain fields are restricted to specified enumeration values. A link to the enumerations and their definitions is provided in this column. For example, cmn:DeliveryNumber | @type has LocationId enumeration values.

Each table indicates whether the element is required for the message. Use the key below to interpret the information in this column:

  • C = Conditional: A "C" indicates that this element is contingent on other factors. For example, an element could be required for the U.S. but not for any other country. Therefore the element's requirements are contingent on location. Another conditional scenario is that an element may be mandatory, but only if another related element is present.

    • If indicated as "C", read the "Description" column as conditional values may actually be mandatory depending on use case.

  • M = Mandatory: An "M" indicates the element must be included in the message.
  • O = Optional: An "O" indicates that a element may be included in the message but is not required.

Any important notes regarding this section of the message are included here (country requirements, formatting notes, etc.) along with a brief description of the element.

Hover over a footnote to display the data input sample for that Data Element. If using the printed version of the document, refer to the matching footnote at the bottom of the table.

Export a Guidelines Table to Excel

  1. Navigate to a message in the appropriate API Guide and open the Guidelines table.
  2. Click the Download icon ().

    The file downloads locally.

In the Excel output of the API Guidelines:

  • The Occurs and Length values will be enclosed by square brackets (i.e. [1...1] or [1/20]). These brackets do not change the value of the data and are present to prevent Excel from interpreting the Occurs and Length values as dates or fractions.

  • The footnote data input sample is located in the data element description. Format is *[footnote number] †[footnote content]. The two footnote character symbols do not change the value of the data and are present to visually separate the footnote number from the footnote content.