EDI connectors overview
Boomi supports EDI and B2B document exchange through a set of technology connectors that work alongside the Trading Partner step. These connectors handle how data moves between you and your trading partners. You use EDI profiles and the Trading Partner step to define what the data is: the standard (such as X12, EDIFACT, or HL7) and the structure of the document.
The transport method and data format are independent layers. For example, a purchase order in X12 format can move over AS2, SFTP, FTP, or HTTP. The connector handles the transport and the profile handles the format.
Connector categories
Not all connectors that work with the Trading Partner step are EDI-specific. They fall into three categories:
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Protocol-specific EDI connectors are designed exlusively for EDI and B2B integrations. They map directly to a specific communication protocol and are almost always used with a Trading Partner step.
Connector Protocol Direction AS2 Client AS2 Outbound AS2 Shared Server AS2 Inbound AS2 Server (Legacy) AS2 Inbound MLLP Client MLLP Outbound MLLP Server MLLP Inbound OFTP2 Client OFTP Outbound and Inbound OFTP2 Server OFTP Inbound -
General-purpose connectors support a range of integrations, including B2B and EDI. The Trading Partner step supports the following as valid communication methods:
Connector Protocol Direction Disk Local file system Read/Write Disk (Legacy) Local file system Read/Write FTP FTP/FTPS Get/Send FTP (Legacy) FTP/FTPS Get/Send HTTP Client HTTP/HTTPS Get/Send SFTP SFTP Get/Send SFTP (Legacy) SFTP Get/Send
Connector pairing: client and server
Protocol-specific EDI connectors come in client/server pairs:
- Client connectors send outbound data to a trading partner.
- Server connectors listen for inbound data from a trading partner and are used in the Start step of a process with the Trading Partner option selected.
Each pair corresponds to a protocol:
| Protocol | Outbound (client) | Inbound (server) |
|---|---|---|
| AS2 | AS2 Client | AS2 Shared Server |
| MLLP | MLLP Client | MLLP Server |
| OFTP2 | OFTP2 Client | OFTP2 Server |
General-purpose connectors, such as Disk, FTP, SFTP, and HTTP, are bidirectional by configuration. They do not follow the client/server pairing model.
Legacy connectors
Several connectors have legacy versions that are still supported but will only receive critical security fixes. For new integrations, use the current version.
Licensing
EDI and B2B capabilities are available in a separate Integration edition. The following connectors require that edition to be enabled on your account:
- AS2 Shared Server
- AS2 Server (Legacy)
- MLLP Client and MLLP Server (HL7/MLLP edition)
- OFTP2 Client and OFTP2 Server
Deploying server connectors (AS2 Shared Server, AS2 Server (Legacy), MLLP Server, OFTP2 Server) does not consume connection licenses. You can deploy them an unlimited number of times across runtimes and environments.
To enable EDI and B2B capabilities, contact your Boomi account representative.
