You use this component to manage the communication between Payment Engine and external feeder systems and forwarding systems. You can import files that contain payment data from a feeder system, generate outgoing files that contain the processed data to be sent by a forwarding system, and manage the data to be stored in the File Handler database.
To use the File Handler features, you need to provide the system with information about the files to be imported from the feeder systems and their formats. Depending on the configuration of the feeder and forwarding systems, the data is supplied from hard drives, disks, optical devices, or other media. You need to consider the following aspects:
Format
The original format of the payment order, such as SWIFT, SEPA, or XML.
Medium
The physical data storage device that is used to transfer payment transaction files, such as a hard drive or optical device.
Channel
The method for the transfer of payment transaction data, such as batch or online transaction.
You define a single converter ID in Customizing for Payment Engine for each combination of format, medium, and channel available. You can specify different options for transferring payment transaction data to and from Payment Engine. If you have defined the converter IDs, the system assigns the format, medium, and channel automatically.
The File Handler component is connected to external feeder systems and forwarding systems over Business Application Programming Interfaces (BAPIs) and remote function calls (RFCs). For more information, see Connection of External Systems.
Any errors that occur in File Handler, such as errors that result in the creation of a dummy order or error indicators transferred by a feeder system, are handled by Exception Control. For more information, see Exception Control (FS-PE-EH).
File Handler accepts inbound messages or payment files from the feeder systems, determines the format, and transfers the data to the appropriate format converter. The system converts the relevant payment data to the internal metaformat and passes it to the downstream components for enrichment, validation, and further processing. It stores all data, including information that is not relevant to this process in the File Handler database. After the payment data has been processed, it transfers this payment data in the appropriate external target formats to the forwarding systems.
You can submit payment orders to Payment Engine in batch mode in files. You can also submit single payment orders to Payment Engine in online mode over a BAPI: the payment order interface.
File Handler consists of:
Input Manager (IPM)
The File Handler uploading interface: It receives payment data, such as payment orders, payment items, and recalls, and creates receipt files for the feeder systems. For more information, see Input Manager.
Output Manager (OPM)
The File Handler downloading interface: It transfers processed payment data in appropriate external target formats to the forwarding systems, adding data from the FHDB as necessary. For more information, see Output Manager.
File Handler database (FHDB)
The File Handler database: It stores all input data, including the information that is not relevant for processing, in the original format and makes it available for output. For more information, see File Handler Database.
In the Input Manager, the converters map the external payment data formats received from the feeder system to the internal metaformat. In the Output Manager, the converters convert the processed data from the internal metaformat into the external target format and transfer it to the forwarding system.
The following standard converter classes are presently available:
PE metaformat
Represents the internal Payment Engine metaformat.
Various SWIFT formats
Represents the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) formats.
Various SEPA formats
Represents the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) formats.