Procurement offers customers a interface to WebSphere Commerce with a procurement system's networks. The following are examples of purchasing flows using the punch-out and local catalog modes.
Purchasing flow using the punch-out catalog mode
In punch-out catalog mode, suppliers maintain a single catalog within WebSphere Commerce and use it to enable Web presence in the procurement system's network. The following steps represent the purchasing flow:
- The Buyer selects the supplier on the procurement system and the PunchOutSetupRequest message is sent to WebSphere Commerce.
- The PunchOutSetupRequest message is mapped to the PunchOut setup command.
- The PunchOutSetup command calls the AuthenticationHelper command to authenticate the buyer and suppliers user and logon IDs. A task command is called depending on the authentication mode.
- After successful authentication the PunchOutSetup command calls the RegisterRequisitioner task command to check if the requisitioning user is registered with the system. If they do not exist they are registered as a new user and given the role of Procurement Buyer.
- Using the PunchOutSetupResponse message, WebSphere Commerce sends the CatalogDisplay URL and information needed to bind the session back to the procurement system.
- The procurement system launches a new browser window using the PunchOutCatalogDisplay command and the catalog is displayed to the Buyer to begin browsing and purchasing.
- The Buyer checks out the order and the content is put into the PurchaseOrder message and sent to the procurement system for approval.
- The procurement system send the OrderRequest message to WebSphere Commerce to create the order after it has been approved by an approver on the procurement system.
Purchasing flow using the local catalog mode
In local catalog mode, suppliers have their catalog replicated on the procurement system. The following steps represent the purchasing flow:
- Buyers browse the catalog on the procurement system and create an order.
- The procurement system sends the OrderRequest message to WebSphere Commerce with the buyer and supplier logon and user IDs, the order, and billing and shipping information.
- The OrderRequest message is mapped to the BatchOrderRequest command which creates a new order in batch processing.
- After the OrderRequest message is authenticated and processed, the OrderResponse message is sent to the procurement system indicating the success or failure of the order.