cXML and OCI PunchOut Integration, Simplified: Your Bridge to E-procurement Systems
Entering the world of B2B supply for large corporations means speaking their language. In the digital context, this language is almost always one of two global standards: cXML (Commerce eXtensible Markup Language) or OCI (Open Catalog Interface). These are the protocols that allow your e-commerce store to communicate seamlessly and securely with your clients’ e-procurement systems, such as SAP Ariba, Coupa, Jaggaer, or Oracle.
However, implementing these integrations from scratch is a notoriously complex undertaking. It requires an in-depth study of dense technical documentation, management of rigid XML schemas, development of secure endpoints, and months of testing and debugging. It’s a significant investment of time and resources that diverts focus from your core business.
This is where PunchOut Rocket, backed by Weblink’s decade of experience integrating dozens of e-procurement systems, steps in as your expert translator. We have distilled this complexity into a plug-and-play solution that handles all the technical nuances of cXML and OCI, allowing you to connect your WooCommerce, Magento, or NopCommerce store in days, not months.
cXML: The Detailed Standard for Structured Integrations
cXML is a robust and highly descriptive XML-based protocol, favored by many of the world’s largest e-procurement platforms, including SAP Ariba. Its strength lies in its rigorous structure, which ensures that every communication is clear, complete, and traceable.
How Does a cXML PunchOut Work with PunchOut Rocket?
- Session Initialization (PunchOutSetupRequest): When a user from your client’s company clicks on your catalog link in their system (e.g., Ariba), they aren’t just redirected to your site. The client’s system sends a PunchOutSetupRequest to our endpoint. This request is an XML document containing a “digital passport” to identify who is initiating the session. The key credentials are:
- FromIdentity & SenderIdentity: These uniquely identify the client’s company.
- SharedSecret: A shared “password” that ensures the request is authentic and comes from a trusted source.
PunchOut Rocket receives this request, validates the credentials against what you’ve configured for that End Customer, and initiates a secure, personalized session on your e-commerce store.
- Shopping Cart Return (PunchOutOrderMessage): Once the user has filled their cart and clicks “Submit Order” (or a similar button), our plugin captures the cart’s contents and sends them to PunchOut Rocket. Our platform translates it into a perfectly formatted PunchOutOrderMessage cXML document, containing all product details, and sends it to the client’s specified return URL. The client’s system receives this data and uses it to create an internal Purchase Requisition, ready for approval.
Managing Custom Data: CXML Extrinsics
Often, a client needs you to return fixed, specific information in every transaction, such as a department code or a contract ID. cXML handles this through Extrinsic fields. Instead of forcing you to modify your e-commerce code, PunchOut Rocket provides a simple text field where you can input this information. We will automatically include it in every PunchOutOrderMessage, ensuring total compliance with zero development effort on your part.
OCI: The Fast and Direct Connection
OCI is a standard originally developed by SAP that is more direct and less verbose than cXML. It uses a key-value pair approach sent via an HTTP call, often making it quicker to implement for simple catalogs.
How Does an OCI PunchOut Work with PunchOut Rocket?
- Session Initialization: Authentication in OCI is more akin to a traditional login. When the user punches out, the client’s system sends a series of parameters to PunchOut Rocket, including:
- Username & Password: Unique credentials for each client company, which you have previously configured on our platform.
PunchOut Rocket validates these credentials and, just as with cXML, redirects the user to a personalized session on your site.
- Username & Password: Unique credentials for each client company, which you have previously configured on our platform.
- Shopping Cart Return: At the end of the shopping experience, the cart is sent to PunchOut Rocket. Our platform converts it into an OCI data string, where each product and its attributes (quantity, price, code) is a specific field (e.g., NEW_ITEM-DESCRIPTION[1], NEW_ITEM-QUANTITY[1]). This data is sent to the client’s return URL, instantly populating their purchase request.
The PunchOut Rocket Advantage: Our Experience, Encapsulated in a Solution
Without PunchOut Rocket, your team would need to become experts in both standards, interpret the slight but crucial variations implemented by each e-procurement system, and maintain these complex integrations over time.
We have already done that work. Our platform is the result of years of real-world integrations. We know exactly what data SAP Ariba expects, how Oracle handles OCI sessions, and the specific quirks of Coupa. Our plugins for WooCommerce, Magento, and NopCommerce (with Prestashop coming soon) are the endpoint of this knowledge, handling the transparent communication with your store.
Instead of studying standards, with PunchOut Rocket you just need to enter your client’s credentials into clear, intuitive text fields. We handle the translation, security, and reliability of the communication.
Free up your resources and accelerate your time-to-market. Let PunchOut Rocket manage the complexity of cXML and OCI, and focus on growing your B2B sales.
