Batch Interface: subscription creation

The batch interface for subscription creation allows the oppsition, gathering subscriptions into a file and send them for further processing to dsb.

The interface is based on XML (eXtensible Markup Language). The entire XML-structure is transferred into a data. The XML-structure consists in substance of a Header-Part in which the general document descriptions (XML-Version, encoding, etc.) are stored which count for the entire data. The specific order data is within the <body>-tag in the actual XML-structure stored.

There can be multiple business partner with a specific role implementation at one subscription. There can be multiple premiums and multiple messages.

Data is transferred per ftp to dsb-server. The address of the server is called: ftp.dsb.net. At this point data is transferred to the list of dsb. Name of data is freely selectable. To be able to collect the data you need FTP-access. Your customer service will tell you that.

We reserve change in structure of element structure and element attributes (see therefore also section 2.5)

Some filed attributes depends on client specific settings(master data or customizing). For further information about client specific customizing, please contact your customer service.

All orders are sent within a XML-document and therefore within a XML file. The subscriptions are summarized within the <body>-Tag. The elements of a single subscription-order are surrounded by a <subscription-order> or bei a <subscription> tag.

The filename of the XML structure relies on the following pattern.

a3<three-character abbreviation><client><date><counter>.xml
The three-character abbreviation represents an three-character combination, which is
individually for each input office. Your customer service will tell you that.

Client ist the three-digit client number. Your customer service will tell you that. This number must be inserted in the <client> element inside the 'header' structure.

Date pattern is DDMMYYYY (e.g. 17102002). The date should be the day, where the
submitted subscription data processed. By contrast, the date in the header should be the date of the file creation. If the content of the file is created on multiple days, the date of the transmissionday can be inserted.

Counter is a two-digit counter, which increments from 01 up to 99. This counter will be
incremented on each file. This means: the first transferred file has number 01, the second file number 02 and so on. This mechanism guarantees, that no file ist lost(counter must be continuous).
If the counter reaches 99 the next file will be start at 01.

Furthermore, there must be an “OK” file transferred, after each data file copied, on the ftp server. This file schould be empty and with the name of the corresponding data file and additionaly “.ok” at the end.

Example:

Name of the XML-file: a3gul5221510200201.xml

Name of the OK-file: a3gul5221510200201.xml.ok

The XML data file will only be processed, if the file is completely transferred and a corresponding “OK” file is available

shematic description:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<message system="avs/3" version="1.0">
    <header>
        <creation-date/>
        <creation-time/>
        <collection-office/>
        <file-name/>
        <file-number/>
        <client/>
        <number-of-entries/>
    </header>
    <body>
        <!-- contains one order -->
        <subscription>
            <!--Structure and element definitios as described -->
            <business-partner>
                <!-- Structure and element definitios as described -->
            </business-partner>
            <premium>
                <!-- Structure and element definitios as described -->
            </premium>
            <order-attribute>
                <!-- -->
            </order-attribute>
        </subscription>
        <subscription>
            <!-- additional order -->
        </subscription>
        <subscription>
            <!-- additional order, and so on -->
        </subscription>
    </body>
</message>

The structure of the served XML fragments subscription-order (new) respectively
subscription (deprecated) has the same composition in the batch- as in the realtime modus.