Working with control numbers
A control number appears in the header of a business document that is used for validation. When you define a control number, the business documents that are exchanged between partners are processed in order. No documents are lost or stay unprocessed. The control number is used in the EDI document standards EANCOM, ODETTE, TRADACOMS, UCS, UNEDIFACT, VICS, X12, and VDA.
webMethods B2B maintains control number information for unique combinations of:
- Sender and Receiver
- Document standard and version
- Production mode (Production, Test, or Custom).
- Type.
- For ANSI X12 or UN/EDIFACT (and all supported substandards), the type is either
Envelop or Group.
Envelope. If the control number is to be used for an interchange header.
Group. If the control number is to be used for a group header.
For TRADACOMS, the type is Envelope or Batch.
- Envelope. If the control number is to be used for a TRADACOMS transmission header.
- Batch. If the control number is to be used for a TRADACOMS batch header, a TRADACOMS file header (for example, ORDHDR, ACKHDR, and INVHDR), or a message type for a TRADACOMS file type (for example, ORDHDR, ACKHDR, and INVHDR).
- For ANSI X12 or UN/EDIFACT (and all supported substandards), the type is either
Envelop or Group.
You can use the control number definitions through the getControlNumber operation available in the B2B application to generate control numbers for outbound groups, envelopes, and transactions. For details about the operations, see webMethods B2B Operations.
You can view the complete list of control numbers on the Administration > Control numbers page.
The control number list is categorized into two sections:
- Control numbers defined by you
- The control number definitions that you define for groups and envelope segments of the EDI payload. The control number definition includes details such as Sender, Receiver, Production mode, Standard, Version, and Group. Use the search box to search for the required control number. You can delete or modify the settings that are configured for a control number.
- Control numbers defined by webMethods B2B
- The control number definitions that the system defines, which you can use to create control numbers for transaction segments of the EDI payload. You can modify the settings of the control number definition, but you cannot delete these system-generated definitions. You can view the control numbers that are associated with partners on the Partner profile > Control number page.