The most common way to exchange XML files currently is via FTP File Transfer Protocol. This is a technique that uses the Internet to move files from one computer to another. Although common, it has the downside that you have to make a connection to each of your trading partners to swap XML files. An alternative technique is to attach XML files to otherwise empty e-mails that you send to your trading partners; they similarly return XML files as attachments to e-mails to you.
Whilst you can use your Windows operating system to undertake FTP operations, there are simple and cheap FTP utilities that make the job much easier. Some of these allow you to write scripts to automate the exchange of files with your trading partners. If you have a number of these, it may well be worth exploring this option.
So far as e-mails are concerned, the attachment and exchange of XML file via e-mails can be automated with (for example) the Microsoft BizTalk Server, or Exchange Server.
Article ID: 1759 Created On: Thu, Jul 5, 2012 at 3:55 PM Last Updated On: Thu, Jun 22, 2023 at 10:27 PM