Infor ION BOD Message Processing Guide
Business Object Documents (BODs) are the XML-based message format that Infor ION uses to exchange data between CloudSuite applications and external systems. Every CSI transaction that publishes data (orders, shipments, inventory movements, GL entries) generates BOD messages routed through ION document flows. Understanding BOD structure, processing pipelines, and error handling is fundamental for any CloudSuite integration architect.
BOD Structure and Document Flow Configuration
BODs follow the OAGIS (Open Applications Group Integration Specification) standard with a consistent XML structure: ApplicationArea (sender, timestamp, BOD ID), DataArea (verb + noun). CSI publishes BODs for standard transactions using Sync, Process, Acknowledge, and Confirm verbs. Document flows in ION Desk define the routing path from source connection point to one or more destination connection points, with optional transformation and filtering steps applied during transit.
- BOD verbs define the action: Sync (create/update), Process (execute), Acknowledge (confirm receipt), Confirm (status update)
- BOD nouns identify the business object: PurchaseOrder, SalesOrder, ItemMaster, InventoryCount, JournalEntry, BillOfMaterial
- Configure document flows in ION Desk by connecting source and destination connection points with routing arrows
- Apply BOD filters on document flows to route only specific records (e.g., only POs above $5,000 trigger approval workflow)
- Enable document flow logging in ION One View to capture full BOD XML payloads for debugging and audit trails
BOD Mapping and Transformation Rules
When BOD formats differ between source and destination systems, ION provides a graphical mapping tool in the Document Flow configuration to transform XML elements. Mappings support direct field mapping, value lookups (cross-reference tables), concatenation, date format conversion, and conditional logic. For complex transformations that exceed the graphical mapper's capabilities, custom XSL stylesheets can be uploaded and referenced in the document flow.
- Use the ION graphical mapper for element-to-element mapping between source and destination BOD schemas
- Configure value lookup tables (cross-references) for code translations (e.g., CSI warehouse code to external system code)
- Apply date format transformations between ISO 8601, legacy date formats, and destination system requirements
- Upload custom XSLT stylesheets for complex transformations involving conditional logic and multi-element aggregation
- Test mappings using sample BOD messages in ION Desk before activating document flows in production
Error Handling and Message Reprocessing
Failed BOD messages are captured in the ION Error Queue accessible through ION One View. Common failure reasons include schema validation errors, destination system unavailability, mapping transformation failures, and authentication token expiration. Administrators must monitor the error queue and resolve failures promptly to prevent data synchronization gaps between integrated systems. ION supports manual reprocessing, bulk retry, and automatic retry policies configurable per document flow.
- Monitor ION One View error queue daily for failed messages with filtering by document flow, BOD type, and error category
- Configure automatic retry policies on document flows: 3 retries with exponential backoff (5min, 15min, 60min intervals)
- Use manual reprocessing for messages that failed due to transient errors after the underlying issue is resolved
- Analyze error patterns in ION Event Analytics to identify systemic integration issues requiring configuration changes
- Set up dead-letter queue handling for messages that exhaust retry attempts, routing them to admin notification workflows
Dealing with ION BOD processing issues or building new integrations? Netray's ION specialists deliver reliable message processing configurations with comprehensive error handling.
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