Getting started with API gateway integrations

IBM Sterling B2Bi SaaS enables seamless, secure, and scalable API-based integrations for modern B2B transactions.

About this task

To onboard and begin using IBM Sterling B2B Integrator SaaS for API-based integrations, refer to the following steps.

Procedure

Setting up the IBM Sterling B2Bi SaaS account
  1. Account Registration
    1. Register through the IBM Cloud or IBM Support portal.
    2. Provide your organization’s details, such as business name, contact information, industry type, and estimated transaction volume.
    3. Select your deployment region and subscription plan.
  2. API gateway configuration
    1. Access the API Gateway through IBM API Hub.
    2. Set up API credentials (or API keys). For more information, see Setting up connections.
    3. Define your base URL and endpoints.
      These connection settings will be used for document submission and retrieval.
    4. Configure inbound connections with IBM Sterling B2B Integration SaaS. For more information, see Setting up inbound connections.
Define trading partner profiles and document types.
  1. Choose from an IBM-supported document type.
    • EDI documents: 850 (Purchase Order), 810 (Invoice), 856 (ASN), 997 (Acknowledgment), and ORDERS.
    • Standards: ANSI X12, EDIFACT, TRADACOMS.
    • Non-EDI formats: JSON, XML, CSV, TXT, PDF (for hybrid integrations).
  2. Partner profile setup
    1. Create trading partner profiles with identifiers.
    2. Define supported document types and communication preferences.
    3. Configure transformation maps.
    4. Configure outbound connection with IBM Sterling B2B Integration SaaS. For more information, see Setting up outbound connections.
Select API and connectivity options
  1. Select integration options based on business requirements.
    • API-Based Integration
      • Use REST APIs to submit (POST), retrieve (GET), and acknowledge or query status (PATCH, GET) documents.
      • Secure access using OAuth 2.0 tokens or API keys.
    • Hybrid Connectivity: For partners not using APIs, configure by using the following options.
      • AS2
      • SFTP
      • HTTPS endpoints
Monitor transactions through InFlight
  1. Use the following IBM Sterling InFlight features to track and manage B2B transactions.
    • Interactive dashboard: View live transaction statuses.
    • Audit logs: Access detailed logs for each transaction.
    • Search and filter: Find documents by type, partner ID, or status.
    • Error tracking: Identify and troubleshoot failed or delayed documents.
    • Acknowledgements: View 997 (X12) or CONTRL (EDIFACT) confirmations.
Configure alerts and notifications
  1. Set up alerts to stay informed about critical events.
    • Email alerts: Set up notifications for business-critical events.
    • Custom rules: Trigger alerts based on document type, partner, or failure status.
    • Webhooks support: Receive push notifications to your systems via API callbacks.