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The subject of this specification is the layers comprising message and business transaction. Data syntax is determined by means of an XML schema. The sequence of messages is discussed and detailed in the overview further below. Also provided there are definitions for the business transaction layer, as necessitated by this specification. Particularly because data exchange via a Veloconnect interface is meant to trigger business transactions in the real world, such as ordering of goods, it is necessary to explicitly state the tacit conditions which play a role in the transition between the layers comprising message and business transaction. In addition, the buyer will make decisions on the basis of the information provided to them; they should therefore be able to rely on the transmitted information's quality and unambiguity (a common source of misunderstandings here are quantities and prices.)
Messages between the client and server are exchanged in operations. In an operation, the client submits a request to the server and receives a response from it. Request and response are defined as XML documents. More precisely: Prescribed for each message is the root element from the XML schema defined in the specification.
More complex message exchange scenarios, in which the server must retain state information, are modelled as Transactions. A transaction consists of several operations occurring in a precisely defined sequence. State-related information on the server, such as order data or the results of an item search, is referenced via a TransactionID relayed from one operation to the next.
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Mandatory operations include the GetProfile operation which allows a client to determine which transactions and operations a server supports with which bindings.
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