Output Connectivities

To manage the platform output connectivities, you must go to the Configuration menu and click on Output Connectivities. This section of the platform allows you to configure the connectivity for your outbound files.

The configuration for output connectivities is restricted to specific roles. If you do not have access to this part of the platform and you need to manage output connectivities, please contact your administrator.

Output connectivities configuration

To be able to send financial messages from the platform, you need to configure output connectivities. There are four types of output connectivities that you can configure: MQ, SFTP, API, and S3.

  • The IBM MQ messaging tool allows the sending of financial messages through a queue specified in the output connectivity configuration.

  • The SFTP connectivity allows the sending of financial messages through a server specified in the output connectivity configuration.

  • The API connectivity allows the sending of financial messages to an API by providing the URL or to an external provider.

  • The S3 (Simple Storage Service) connectivity allows the sending of financial messages to another organization (a child or sub-organization) within the platform.

Output connectivities list

Output connectivities list

In the output connectivities list screen, you can:

  • Filter the list to view a more restricted list of output connectivities or perform a search.

  • Create a new output connectivity. For more details on how to create a new output connectivity, please refer to the sections below for output connectivity creation.

  • Reload the table content by clicking on the Refresh button.

By selecting a specific output connectivity from the list, you can:

  • Display the entire history of the selected output connectivity. All changes made to the output connectivity since its creation are listed with the corresponding dates and the identity of the modifier.

  • View the output connectivity details.

  • Edit the information of the selected output connectivity.

  • Delete the selected output connectivity. You will be prompted to confirm this action. This action is final, please perform it with caution.

Output connectivities details

For each output connectivity to which the user has access, the following information is available:

  • Id: platform identifier.

To access or copy this identifier, click on the copy icon located in the first column: it will be copied to the clipboard. You can use it to document issues for example.

  • Name: name used to identify the output connectivity.

  • Type: type of the output connectivity. The user-configurable types are MQ, SFTP, API, or S3. Note: You might also see MFT, which is a special type for platform use. You can view and see the history, but you cannot make changes to the MFT type.

  • File name pattern: If the output connectivity has been configured with an output file name pattern, it will be displayed. The Product default name pattern is IPCWS_{%Y%m%d%H%M%S}_{uuid}.txt.

  • Organization: the organization to which the output file will be pushed.

Output connectivities creation for MQ

Select the organization associated with the output connectivity, click on Create, and select MQ.

When creating a new output connectivity, you need to specify the following.

Create an MQ output connectivity

Create a new MQ output connectivity - Has SSL and No SSL options shown Create a new MQ output connectivity - Has SSL and No SSL options shown2

  • Give a meaningful name to your output connectivity; this is useful for searching.

  • File name pattern: Enter a file name pattern if needed. Click on the Help on pattern button in the UI for syntax information or see the “file name pattern help” documentation section at the bottom of this page.

  • MQ Parameters: Fill in the MQ parameters. All fields are mandatory. Contact your MQ administrator for information on what to specify for each field: Queue Name, Queue Manager, Channel, Hostname, Port, Username, and Password.

  • MQ SSL: Select either Has SSL or No SSL. If SSL is selected, fill in the mandatory fields: KDB File, STH File, Certificate Name, and Cipher.

  • Specify an optional File Encryption Transformation Type. This is the encryption type that the platform will use when pushing the output file to the destination. If the file is encrypted, PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is the most common. If the file encryption transformation type is set to something other than None, fill in any additional options.

After reviewing the fields, click the Create button.

When editing pre-existing MQ Connectivities, if it has SSL then a Replace SSL button is shown. If the Replace button is clicked, it disappears and is replaced by the KDB/STH and Certificate Name fields. As such for PGP, if it was configured with PGP as well, the Replace Encryption button will be shown. If the Replace button is clicked, it disappears and is replaced by the Public Key, Sign, and Check Sum Fields.

Output connectivities creation for SFTP

Select the organization associated with the output connectivity, click on Create, and select SFTP.

When creating a new output connectivity, you need to specify the following.

Create an SFTP output connectivity

Create a new SFTP output connectivity

Fill in the SFTP parameters. All fields are mandatory except where noted. Contact your SFTP administrator for information on what to specify for each field.

  • Give a meaningful name to your output connectivity; this is useful for searching.

  • File name pattern: Enter a file name pattern if needed. Click on the Help on pattern button in the UI for syntax information or see the “file name pattern help” documentation section at the bottom of this page.

  • SFTP Parameters: Fill in the SFTP parameters. All fields are mandatory. Contact your SFTP administrator for information on what to specify for each field: Hostname, Port, Username, Path, and Authentication Type (either Password or Private Key: Depending on the authentication type selected: Password or Private Key File and optional Passphrase).

  • Specify an optional File Encryption Transformation Type. This is the encryption type that the platform will use when pushing the output file to the destination. If the file is encrypted, PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is the most common. If the file encryption transformation type is set to something other than None, fill in any additional options.

After reviewing the fields, click the Create button.

When editing pre-existing SFTP Connectivities, if it was using a Private Key then a Replace Private Key button is shown. If the Replace button is clicked, it disappears and is replaced by the Private Key File and Passphrase fields. As such for PGP, if it was configured with PGP as well, the Replace Encryption button will be shown. If the Replace button is clicked, it disappears and is replaced by the Public Key, Sign, and Check Sum Fields.

Output connectivities creation for API

Select the organization associated with the output connectivity, click on Create, and select API.

When creating a new output connectivity, you need to specify the following.

Create an API output connectivity

Create a new API output connectivity - External Provider No and Yes options show Create a new API output connectivity - External Provider No and Yes options show2

Fill in the API parameters. Contact your administrator for information on what to specify for each field.

  • Give a meaningful name to your output connectivity; this is useful for searching.

  • File name pattern: Enter a file name pattern if needed. Click on the Help on pattern button in the UI for syntax information or see the “file name pattern help” documentation section at the bottom of this page.

  • API Parameters:

    • External Provider: can be Yes or No.

      - If No, provide the URL of the API where the output file should be sent and provide optional Authentication with bearer token for the header. Select whether the Body Content should be File Content (send the actual output file to the API) or Download Link (send a link to the API so that the file can be downloaded for a limited time by using the link).

      - If Yes, select the External Provider from the dropdown list. Using an external provider is useful when the header or body is complex and it needs to go to an external provider for processing. The external providers shown in the dropdown list are those that are configured with Services set to Output Connectivity in the external provider configuration. See the External Provider topic for more information.

  • Specify an optional File Encryption Transformation Type. This is the encryption type that the platform will use when pushing the output file to the destination. If the file is encrypted, PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is the most common. If the file encryption transformation type is set to something other than None, fill in any additional options.

After reviewing the fields, click the Create button.

Output connectivities creation for S3

Select the organization associated with the S3 (Simple Storage Service) output connectivity, click on Create and select API.

When creating a new output connectivity, you need to specify the following.

Create an S3 output connectivity

Create a new S3 output connectivity

  • Give a meaningful name to your output connectivity; this is useful for searching.

  • File name pattern: Enter a file name pattern if needed. Click on the Help on pattern button in the UI for syntax information or see the “file name pattern help” documentation section at the bottom of this page.

  • S3 Parameters:

    • Flow Organization: From the dropdown, select the child or sub-organization where the output file will be sent.

    • Flow: From the dropdown, select the flow of the flow organization to process the file. The output file will be sent from the parent organization and processed by the flow of the child organization.

  • Specify an optional File Encryption Transformation Type. This is the encryption type that the platform will use when pushing the output file to the destination. If the file is encrypted, PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is the most common. If the file encryption transformation type is set to something other than None, fill in any additional options.

After reviewing the fields, click the Create button.

File name pattern help

For help on the file name pattern, expand the documentation section below.

Help on file name pattern

How to use

File name pattern field let you define the output file name with static and/or dynamic data:

  • Static data: Use any characters "like another file"

  • Dynamic data: Use specific keywords to enable dynamic data like date, ids, sequence...

Note: Using specific filenaming instead of default, will impact the performance.

Keywords

Keywords can be use with the following pattern {XXX:YYY} or {XXX:NUMBER:NUMBER} (if XXX equal SEQ or DAILYSEQ), where:

  • XXX: Represents the type.

  • YYY: Represents the specifications or values required.

  • Available types are:

    • DATE for date format:

    • SEQ for unique sequence for this configuration.

      • Specification available:

        • Optional: "n" where n is a number that represents a starting value for the sequence.

        • "n" where n is a number that represents digits length required ( Zero-padding ). You can set 0 if you want undefined length.

      • Can be used only once / pattern

    • DAILYSEQ for unique daily sequence for this configuration.

      • Specification available:

        • Optional: "n" where n is a number that represents a starting value for the sequence.

        • "n" where n is a number that represents digits length required ( Zero-padding ). You can set 0 if you want undefined length.

      • Can be used only once / pattern

    • CUST for custom values returned by a format transformation.

      • Values available:

        • "originator_id": Identification for the originator, only available for format PaymentFileToCPA005.

    • INBOUND for values from the inbound file.

      • Values available:

        • Filename: Use the entire filename string with no extension included.

        • Can be used multiple times.

Example

"CLIENTNAME_TEST123-{SEQ:10}-{DAILYSEQ:2}-{DATE:%Y-%m-%d}-{INBOUND:filename}-{CUST:originator_id}.txt"

  • Result: "CLIENTNAME_TEST123-0000001296-84-2019-06-28-CL190628001-1234567890.txt"

  • Explanation:

    • "0000001296" is the unique id for this configuration on 10 digits

    • "84" is the daily unique id for this configuration on 2 digits

    • "2019-06-28" is the sent date with the format "%Y-%m-%d"

    • “CL190628001” is the inbound file name

    • “1234567890” is the originator’s identification for the CPA005 format

    • Everything else is static data