How to use GS segment values to exchange EDI messages with two recipients at the same party in BizTalk Server 2006 R2

In Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 R2, the ISA5 segments, the ISA6 segments, the ISA7 segments, and the ISA8 segments in an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) message are used to identify an EDI party. You cannot configure more than one party with the same ISA5 segments, ISA6 segments, ISA7 segments, and ISA8 segments. However, you can configure BizTalk Server 2006 R2 to send EDI documents to multiple recipients at the same EDI party. For example, you can send EDI documents to two departments at the same trading partner. You can also configure BizTalk Server 2006 R2 to receive EDI documents from multiple units at the same EDI party.

This article describes how to use GS segments to exchange EDI documents with two recipients at the same party.

To exchange EDI messages with two recipients that use the same ISA5, ISA6, ISA7, and ISA8 segments, use the GS segment values to create custom GS envelopes.

Note The ISA5 segments, the ISA6 segments, the ISA7 segments, and the ISA8 segments remain the same because the party is the same for both recipients.

Send a message

To send EDI documents to two recipients at the same party, follow these steps:

1. Deploy the schema for the EDI message two times. Configure each schema to use a different namespace. For example, configure one schema to use the "http://namespace1" namespace. Configure the second schema to use the "http://namespace2" namespace.
2. Start the BizTalk Server 2006 Administration console.
3. Expand BizTalk Server 2006 Administration, and then expand BizTalk Group.
4. Click Parties, right-click the party that you want, and then click Properties.
5. Click GS and ST Segment Definition.
6. Under Transaction set specific group header (GS) in the details pane, create a custom GS envelope for one transaction set. To do this, click the schema that you want under Target namespace, and then configure the GS values for the transaction set. For example, under GS2, type a unique value for the first department.
   
   Note The target namespaces appear after the schemas are deployed.
7. Under Transaction set specific group header (GS) in the details pane, create a custom GS envelope for the second transaction set. To do this, click the schema that you want under Target namespace in the new table entry, and then configure the GS values for the second transaction set. For example, under GS2, type a unique value for the second department.

Receive a message

To receive EDI documents from two units at the same party, follow these steps:

1. Deploy the schema for the EDI message two times. Configure each schema to use a different namespace. For example, configure one schema to use the "http://namespace1" namespace. Configure the second schema to use the "http://namespace2" namespace.
2. Start the BizTalk Server 2006 Administration console.
3. Expand BizTalk Server 2006 Administration, and then expand BizTalk Group.
4. Click Parties, right-click the party that you want, and then click Properties.
5. Click X12 Interchange Processing Properties.
6. Under Enable custom transaction set definitions in the details pane, create a custom GS envelope for one transaction set. To do this, click the schema that you want under Target namespace, and then configure the GS2 value for the transaction set. For example, under GS2, type a unique value for the first department.
   
   Note The target namespaces appear after the schemas are deployed.
7. In the details pane under Enable custom transaction set definitions, create a custom GS envelope for the second transaction set. To do this, click the schema that you want under Target namespace in the new table entry, and then configure the GS2 value for the second transaction set. For example, under GS2, type a unique value for the second department.