Print Introduction

Tech Data’s XML service provides a full suite of real-time, highly available business transactions. This service opens the door to Tech Data’s infrastructure and enables you to execute a wide variety of transactions empowering you to make the best decisions and interact with Tech Data. We are constantly reviewing our suite of services for completeness, accuracy and usefulness.

The format of Tech Data’s XML transactions are defined by Document Type Definition (DTD) documents.

XML is a highly flexible and extendable standard, in a relatively short period of time it has become the de-facto standard in electronic data interchange. To use Tech Data’s XML service, you simply POST XML documents to our URL. Our server receives your document, validates its content, performs the transaction and returns a response XML document. Most transactions are completed in less than a second.

If you are new to XML, there are a number of online resources available to get you started.  You will find that it is the most cost-effective way to integrate your systems with Tech Data's.  For further information on XML, visit the following Web sites:

Tech Data's XML service provides the following transaction types:


Note:
  XML transactions can use the following types of part numbers:
  • VP - Tech Data
  • MG - Manufacturer
  • UP - UPC
  • BP - Your (Reseller)
If you plan to submit your own part numbers, you must contact your Tech Data Sales team to have your part number to Tech Data item number cross-reference established on our system.  Note that while Tech Data part numbers and UPCs are always unique numbers, there are duplicate manufacturer part numbers.  In the event that you submit an order with a manufacturer part number, we check for duplicates and if any are found, the order is not submitted and an error message is returned.  We recommend using Tech Data part numbers.  We suggest that you build a cross-reference table using the product database that is available for download from the Tech Data Web site.

 

Typical Flow of an XML Exchange

The Process Steps:

  1. Customer establishes an HTTPS connection with Tech Data's XML URL
  2. Customer sends an XML submit document through the connection
  3. Tech Data executes the appropriate transaction and forms a response XML document
  4. Tech Data sends an XML response document back through the same connection established in step 1

Data Flow Through Transactions:

The following diagram shows the flow and relationship of key data elements throughout transactions.  One way to interpret a portion of this diagram is:

"Use the value received in the <RefID> element of the order response document in the <RefID> element of an order status (02) submission."

System Requirements

The only system requirement is that your client have a Static (registered) IP address.

 

Hours of Operations

Tech Data's XML infrastructure communicates with the same systems that power the Tech Data Web site, therefore XML is operational only during our normal Tech Data Web site hours.

Weekdays 3:00 a.m.     -    2:30 a.m. (EST)
Saturdays 6:00 a.m.     -    midnight (EST)
Sundays 12:00 noon   -    8:00 p.m. (EST)

The toll-free support line is staffed Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (EST). If you have any problems connecting to the site, please Contact Us.

Sample Source Code

To assist new customers in getting started with our XML web services, Tech Data provides sample source code in the following methods

JavaScript

TCP/IP

Java

 C Sharp

The JavaScript example may be useful for connecting to Tech Data’s XML web services from a web page. The Java and C Sharp examples provide simple examples of connecting, submitting and receiving XML documents. These examples provide basic guidance and are not intended for production use.

Note:
  The sample code is provided once the customer account has registered for the XML service.


Great care has been taken to ensure that these XML samples operate as they should. However, these samples are NOT part of the Tech Data XML solution and therefore are NOT supported by Tech Data. The Tech Data Electronic Commerce team is unable to answer questions about these samples. Tech Data makes no guarantees as to their accuracy, currency, content, quality, or availability. These samples are provided "AS IS." By using these samples, you are using them at your own risk. This documentation and the coding samples are provided for your company’s use and may not be distributed. The entire risk arising out of the use or performance of such products and documentation remains with you. In no event shall Tech Data be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use the products or documentation, even if Tech Data has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Tech Data’s XML URLs

After obtaining the DTDs described in the following chapters and completing any software coding or setup, you test your XML messages with Tech Data’s XML system.  SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption is not available in the testing environment.

Environment URL
Testing The testing URL will be provided after the XML Trading Partner Agreement has been received by the EC Implementations Team.
Production The production URL will be provided by the EC Implementations Team after you have completed your coding and testing.

 

Note:

The Testing and Production URLs will not change. However, the IP addresses to which they map may change from time to time as we improve our service. For this reason:

1. DO NOT limit firewall or outbound proxy access to specific Tech Data IPs. If you wish to restrict access for security reasons, specify Tech Data's Class B subnet, 169.153.*.*.

2. DO NOT hard code your XML client to use an IP address. Always use the URL https://tdxml.techdata.com/xmlservlet/.

3. DO ensure that your XML platform has access to the Internet for the purpose of validating SSL certificates. Update your root certificate repository as needed (for Windows users, use Windows Update).

Getting Started

Your Tech Data Implementations Manager will provide you with the necessary ID and Password that is required to access the testing environment.

Begin testing using the simplest scenarios and then add increasing levels of complexity. It is recommended that testing (at a minimum) be performed in the following sequence:

 

Note:
 To increase security, your XML account passwords expire so do NOT hard code your user name or password into your system. Keep it in a configuration file that you can change easily

 

©2005 Tech Data Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Tech Data proprietary and confidential