PEPPOL and XML Web Service Improvements Planned

In September, we plan to launch a new version of our PEPPOL / XML Web Service. This service is used by a growing number of NHS trusts, in order to send Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) orders over to us.

This upgraded service is planned to include a number of improvements over the current service:

• Improved stability and performance.
• A fix to address an outstanding issue that caused a small number of regional items not to process correctly.
• The ability to turn on / off whether ‘Masked products’ can be ordered via this service.
• The ability to consolidate duplicate NPC codes into a single line to prevent duplicate order line failures.
• The ability to receive an email receipt detailing the order process and status for each order line.

We are currently testing this with an EDI provider and a trust, and hope to have testing completed by the end of August. If the testing proves successful, we will engage with the other current EDI providers who use this service and offer to move them over to the new and improved offering.