Details on merging trade links

The merge function is useful for transferring information from a test environment to a production environment.

The Inbound Trade Link and Outbound Trade Link merge functions for X12 and EDIFACT transfer all Trade Link data to another database.

The functions also merge dependent information, such as Folders, Trading Partners and Application Partners (From, To, and Acknowledgement Partners), Post Offices, Contacts, and any Standards needed (EDIFACT, X12, Functional IDs, and Transaction Sets). Carefully review the initial and final analysis messages to ensure the Trade Link merged as you expected.

• The merge functions do not overwrite existing information; information is appended to destination databases. If the destination database has information in it that is identical to the source database, that information is not included in the merge from the source database. This feature allows you to transfer test Trade Links and related information before implementing them.
• Because the merge functions never overwrite information, you can add information to a copy of a production database, test it, and then merge the new information only to the production database.
• Review the initial and final analysis messages carefully on the Select to Merge dialog box to insure the accuracy of the merging databases; this dialog box provides Merge Analysis information about what specifically is to be merged.
• The EDIFACT Trade Link merge does not have the ability to merge a trade link that exists in the destination database.