EDI4STEEL Platform

Sending a message

The sending of a message is shown in the accompanying image. Click on the image to enlarge.

A message is sent from an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to an Access Point (AP)
AP of sender shall request and receive from the address book the address, communication and security method of AP of the recipient. It also checks whether the type of message can also be received by the user's ERP.
AP of the sender sends the message to AP of the receiver.
AP of the recipient sends the message to the ERP system of the recipient

Messages are preferably sent with a fixed standard.

A user of EDI4STEEL can send messages to both customers and suppliers. In other words, the user can be active within EDI4STEEL at the same time as a supplier and as a customer.

Access Points (AP)

The user's ERP system is linked to an AP. This AP can receive or send messages in different ways. EDI4STEEL provides the following options for an AP

API
SaaS
Staalweb
SFTP

It is also possible that users with a self-developed AP hook up to the platform of EDI4STEEL.
For the technical explanation of sending and receiving messages via the different types of access points, see Connecting to the network.

Multiple users can use an AP. It doesn't matter whether they are suppliers or customers.

Address Book

A number of things are kept in the address book.

Which users are connected to the EDI4STEEL platform
Which AP a user uses
Which communication and security mode the user's AP uses
What types of messages the ERP system can receive from the user

The address book consists of two parts.

Service Metadata Locator (SML): This server is managed by the EU
Service Metadata Publisher (SMP): The software is developed by the EU and the server is managed by EDI4STEEL

How to connect to EDI4STEEL

Connecting to the network