PunchOut via the IDS-Connect Gateway | Create OCI and cXML PunchOut Catalogues | PunchCommerce ![](//analytics.punchcommerce.de/matomo.php?idsite=1&rec=1) PunchOut via the IDS-Connect Gateway ==================================== What is IDS Connect? -------------------- IDS Connect is the standardised interface protocol for the German wholesale sector – particularly in the plumbing, heating and air conditioning (SHK) and electrical sectors. It enables tradespeople and specialist firms to search for and select products directly from their industry-specific software within a supplier’s catalogue and add them to their own shopping basket. Unlike OCI (SAP environment) and cXML (Ariba, Coupa), IDS Connect is specifically tailored to the requirements of the technical wholesale sector in Germany. > **New:** PunchCommerce now supports IDS Connect as a fully-fledged PunchOut protocol in Gateway Mode. --- How does the IDS Connect Gateway work? -------------------------------------- In Gateway Mode, PunchCommerce acts as a bridge between your customer’s industry-specific software and your existing online shop: 1. **Initiation:** The buyer launches the PunchOut from their industry-specific software (e.g. an ERP or merchandise management system with IDS Connect support). 2. **Forwarding:** PunchCommerce receives the IDS Connect request and redirects the buyer to your shop. 3. **Product selection:** The buyer browses your shop, selects products and adds them to the basket. 4. **Return:** Upon completion, PunchCommerce returns the shopping basket in IDS-Connect format to the industry software – including all relevant product data. --- Supported IDS-Connect actions ----------------------------- The IDS interface (version 2.5) defines seven actions. PunchCommerce supports all actions with the exception of **Send Heating Label (HLS)**. Action codeActionSupportedDescription`WKE`Receive shopping basket✅Transfer of a shopping basket from the shop to the trades software.`WKS`Send shopping basket✅Transfer of a shopping basket from the tradesman’s software to the shop.`ADL`Product deep link✅Opening a product detail page in the shop using the wholesale product number.`AS`Product search✅Initiating a product search in the shop by passing a search term and returning the selected products.`LI`Login details✅Querying which login parameters (customer number, username, password) are required by the shop.`SV`Interface version✅Querying the supported versions of the IDS interface.`HLS`Send heating label❌Transmission of a product list to a platform for calculating the ErP combined label for heating systems.### Why is ‘Send heating label’ not supported? The `HLS` action is used to transfer product lists to an external platform for calculating ErP energy labels for combined systems (heating, hot water, combi). This function requires a specialised calculation platform and falls outside the scope of the PunchOut catalogue. --- Supported shop systems ---------------------- IDS Connect in Gateway Mode works with all PunchCommerce plugins: - Shopware 6 - Shopware 5 - Magento (Adobe Commerce) - Spryker - JTL Shop - Vendure - Medusa IDS Connect can also be integrated with custom shop or catalogue solutions via the PunchCommerce API. --- Set-up ------ ### 1. Install and connect the plugin If you haven’t already done so: install the PunchCommerce plugin in your shop system and connect it to your PunchCommerce account. Instructions can be found in the relevant plugin documentation. ### 2. Create a new customer Create a new customer in PunchCommerce and select **IDS Connect** as the protocol. ### 3. Configure connection details Enter the IDS Connect-specific parameters provided by your client. These include, amongst others: - **HOOK-URL:** The return URL to which the shopping basket is redirected once the PunchOut is complete. - **Customer number / Username / Password:** The login details for automatic login to the shop. You can see the exact fields directly in the configuration screen. ### 4. Check field mapping Field mapping allows you to assign your shop attributes (e.g. EAN, item number, short text) to the corresponding IDS-Connect fields. PunchCommerce provides sensible default values – in many cases, no adjustment is necessary here. If a required field in your shop is left blank, the configured fallback value is automatically applied. ### 5. Test the connection Use the integrated **PunchOut Simulator** to test the IDS Connect connection – without having to wait for your customer’s IT department. The simulator shows you which data is being transferred and whether the configuration is correct. --- Technical details ----------------- ### Data transfer IDS Connect uses HTTP-POST with `multipart/form-data` as the encoding. The shopping basket data is transferred as an XML structure in the `warenkorb` parameter. The character set is specified in the XML declaration – the default is UTF-8. ### Interface version PunchCommerce supports version 2.5 of the IDS interface. The supported versions can be queried using the action code `SV`. ### Return Communication The shopping basket is returned to the trades software via the HOOK URL passed when the call is made – in the same way as with the OCI interface. --- Frequently Asked Questions -------------------------- ### How does IDS Connect differ from OCI and cXML? OCI is the standard for SAP procurement systems, whilst cXML is used in global procurement networks such as Ariba or Coupa. IDS Connect was developed specifically for the German specialist wholesale sector and is tailored to the requirements of tradespeople’s software and industry solutions in the plumbing, heating and air conditioning (SHK) and electrical sectors. ### Can I use IDS Connect alongside other protocols? Yes. PunchCommerce supports OCI, cXML and IDS Connect simultaneously. You can specify which protocol is used for each customer individually. ### Do I need a different plugin for IDS Connect? No. The existing PunchCommerce plugins support all three protocols. If your plugin is already installed, you can start using IDS Connect straight away – no additional installation is required. 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