Application integration
The successful integration of business messaging into an organisation's business application requires more than the simple technical arrangements necessary to import or export data.
In fact, it is more important to consider how the automatic processing of data will impact on the business operation and system, rather than structure the application data to meet the needs of the business messaging feed. In this case, the application should own the interface.
Important data considerations
The following sections identify a series of key questions to help identify your application requirements.
Data structure
- What structure does the data need to be in for the application interface?
- Where will the data validation, matching and possible data editing take place?
- How will the business messaging transaction be routed to the correct incoming or outgoing interface?
Data alignment
- Where will the cross referencing of trading partner data codes to internal codes take place?
- What are they?
- How will they be maintained?
Process frequency
- What frequency will the automated process run on?
- Will it match the current application process timings?
- If the data transformation process fails on validation, will there be sufficient time to resolve the issue before the next period of processing takes place?
- Does this meet with my service level agreements?
Data exception handling
- How will exceptions to the automated processing of business messaging transactions be handled?
- Will the management of exceptions change job tasks and functions?
- Are exceptions likely to be data mismatches or business transaction exceptions?