Adding supplier connections provides the ability to link a single supplier with one or more external supplier systems. Supplier connections determine which External Supplier System Tourplan will connect with to access rate and availability data.

NOTE: To add Supplier Connections organisations must have configured the External Service in System Setup.

There are three procedures covered in this topic:

• Add Supplier Connections

• Editing a Supplier Connection

• Editing XML Elements

Supplier Connections are available at two levels in Tourplan:

• Master Suppliers - connections configured for a Master Supplier apply to all Suppliers linked to the Master Supplier. To configure mapping at a Master Supplier level - open the Master Supplier.

• Suppliers - connections configured for a Supplier apply that supplier only. To configure mapping at a Supplier level - open the Supplier.

This feature is also designed to assist with XML formatting by automatically configuring settings into XML elements. The XML configuration field can be edited if there are additional XML elements that need to be included at a Supplier level.

Adding a Supplier Connection

1. You can add supplier connections from Product Setup > Supplier > Connections.

   1. Click the Product Setup menu to expand it:

      

   2. Search and find the Supplier and the Product:

      

   3. Click the Supplier menu option to expand it:

      

   4. Click the Connections menu option to expand it:

      

2. Click Insert to add a new entry.

   

3. On theInsert Connectionscreen select an External Service, and if known enter the External Supplier ID.

   

4. Click Save to keep the changes.

   

Mapping Tab

This tab contains commonly used fields for supplier mapping.

External Service

A dropdown selection displays a list of configured connections. The connections available are unique to your organisation and will depend on the supplier systems that are configured for your system. The External Service can be applied at a Supplier or Master Supplier level.

External Supplier ID

Each connection has a unique Supplier ID. Enter the Supplier Code from the Tourplan DX (TPM) for channel manager connections or the code provided from your support team for other connections.

NOTE: This setting is applied to Suppliers - and not Master Suppliers.

 

Additional Tab

This tab stores the XML mapping for the ESA (External Service Adapter) and the Supplier ID.

Configuration

Common XML elements are automatically generated from the Mapping tab fields. Click on the link Editing XML Elements for more information.

Editing a Supplier Connection

1. You can add supplier connections from Product Setup > Supplier > Connections.

   1. Click the Product Setup menu to expand it:

      

   2. Search and find the Supplier and the Product:

      

   3. Click the Supplier menu option to expand it:

      

   4. Click the Connections menu option to expand it:

      

2. Open the Connection to Edit.
3. On the Connection screen, Mapping tab, edit the External Supplier ID.

   NOTE: Note the External Service field cannot be edited.

   

4. Click Save to keep the changes.

   

5. The changes made to the External Supplier ID field now displays in the Additional tab, Configuration field.

6. Click Exit to close the modal.

   

Once a connection is created it can be edited. The contract you have with the supplier determines the level of targeted data elements required to refine and improve the request. Refer to the Setup and mapping article available in our Knowledge Base for more information on mapping elements.

Editing XML Elements

1. You can add supplier connections from Product Setup > Supplier > Connections.

   1. Click the Product Setup menu to expand it:

      

   2. Search and find the Supplier and the Product:

      

   3. Click the Supplier menu option to expand it:

      

   4. Click the Connections menu option to expand it:

      

2. Open the Connection to Edit.
3. On the Connection screen, open the Additional tab, and edit the XML Configuration.

   

4. Click Save to keep the changes.

   

5. NOTE: If an error message displays, fix the XML formatting, and re-save.

6. Click Exit to close the modal.

   

   Changes made to the Supplier ID Tag will automatically update the field entry in the Mapping tab.

Tourplan validates the XML code when Save is selected. Validation of XML formatting ensures that the XML code adheres to a defined structure and rules. Below is a brief overview of XML formatting:

• Open and Close Tags - each XML element must have an opening tag (e.g., '<tag>') and a corresponding closing tag (e.g., '</tag>'). Tags must be properly nested, meaning that if an element is opened with another, it must be closed before the parent element is closed.

• Element Hierarchy - XML documents are structured in a tree format, where elements can contain other elements in a parent child relationship. Validation checks that elements are arranged according to their hierarchical rules, ensuring the XML structure matches the Document Type Definition or DTD file.

Validating XML formatting ensures that the XML code is well formed (correctly tagged and nested) when saved.

Error Message

If there is an error in the XML code, an error message will appear on saving. The error message details the line number, position and specific formatting issue which requires amendment to save.