The function Externally received EDI data can be used to import EDI messages that were received via other ways than the communication modules available in !MC5. !MC5 regularly searches in the corresponding search directories for matching files and processes them as if they had been received regularly. This means that it tries to identify the message content and if a licensed message is detected, it will be imported into the EDI Inbox and processed according to the settings for the respective message type.
To create a rule for importing externally received EDI data, proceed as follows:
1 Open the Automation item in the settings.
2 Click the Create new rule button.
3 Click on the item Externally received EDI data.
4 In the Path and file mask field, specify both the directory in which new files are to be searched for and the file mask used to identify the files to be imported. The file mask can contain the characters * and ? as placeholders .* stands for none or more characters,? for a single character. With only * as the file mask, all files in the selected directory are imported.
5 Select the partner from whom the files were received.
Activate EDI processing for the partner
In an import rule, you can only select partners for which EDI processing is activated (see Reference / Partner Management / EDI Settings ). Therefore, before you create an import rule, activate EDI processing for the relevant partner so that it is displayed.
6 If the data to be imported is in EBCDIC format, then activate the Convert data from EBCDIC to ASCII option. In addition, you can specify a filter that excludes files from import by their content, or edit the content of a file before import.
7 If the standard tasks are not to be used for messages imported via this rule, then activate the Override standard EDI processing option and then select the tasks to be applied. These settings only apply to messages imported via this rule.
8 Clicking OK saves the new rule and closes the dialog. Newly created rules are initially deactivated. To apply the rules, click the checkbox in front of the corresponding entry in the rule list so that it displays a check mark.
9 Save the changes with a click on Save changes. If the new rule is activated, from now on matching files from the search directory will be imported to the search mask and processed as if they had been received regularly from the corresponding partner.
