Partner Onboarding is the process of connecting your customers and trading partner community to CIC Express so that you can exchange files as part of a B2B integration. In CIC Express, you define endpoints, which specify transfer protocol and data source, and data flows, which pair two endpoints as source and destination of a transfer. Although an endpoint is defined in CIC Express, the actual data source is a location on your partner or customer system.
CIC Express provides the following options for connecting to trading partners. Click the links below for more information about configuring that type of endpoint.
- AS2: CIC Express enables you to connect to your partners via AS2.
- SFTP: If your partner has an SFTP Server, you can use the SFTP Endpoint to connect to it as a client. If your partner wants to connect as an SFTP client, you can use Partner Mailbox as an SFTP server. See Partner Mailbox.
- FTP(S): If your partner has an FTP Server, you can use the FTP(S) Endpoint to connect to it as a client. CIC supports both FTP and FTPS. If your partner wants to connect as an FTP client, you can use Partner Mailbox as an FTP server. See Partner Mailbox.
- Partner Mailbox: The Partner Mailbox enables your partners to connect to CIC Express as an SFTP client, an FTP(S) client, and/or to access CIC Express through a simple web interface, the Cleo Portal.
- SFTP: If your partner wants to connect to you as an SFTP client, you can set up a Partner Mailbox Endpoint as an SFTP Server. CIC Express provides your partner with a mailbox, where they can pick up files or push files over SFTP.
- FTP(S): If your partner wants to connect to you as an FTP or FTPS client, you can set up a Partner Mailbox Endpoint as an FTP(S) Server. CIC Express provides your partner with a mailbox, where they can pick up files or push files over FTP(S).
- Cleo Portal: If your partner wants to connect using a simple web interface, Partner Mailbox may be a good option for them. Your partner can login to the Cleo Portal and interact with their partner mailbox directly to upload or download files. Cleo Portal is useful as a simple, manual solution for exchanging files or as a manual override when, for example, there are temporary issues with your automated connection to your partner.
- Email: CIC Express enables you to connect to your partners via email.