Quickstart: Connect Your First Buyer

This guide takes a supplier from nothing to a working test punchout in about fifteen minutes, entirely from the StackProcure admin console.

1. Create the vendor

In the admin console open Clients and add a vendor. Give it a unique vendor code (this becomes its cXML/OCI identity), pick a protocol (cXML 1.2 or OCI 5.0), and save. New vendors start in TEST status.

2. Store the shared secret

The vendor's shared secret lives in Azure Key Vault, not the database — the vendor row holds only a pointer to it. Set it from the Vault tooling before going live; every incoming setup request is checked against it.

3. Sync the catalog

Trigger a catalog sync so StackProcure mirrors your nopCommerce category taxonomy. Product prices and stock stay live in nopCommerce and are read on demand during the shopping session.

4. Run a test handshake

Use the built-in test console to fire a sample PunchOutSetupRequest at /api/sp/punchout/setup. A successful handshake returns a start URL and opens a session you can watch under Sessions.

5. Go live

Once the handshake passes, flip the vendor from TEST to ACTIVE. Any punchout whose supplier identity matches the vendor code will now authenticate.

Endpoint reference

• POST /api/sp/punchout/setup — authenticate a buyer, open a session.
• GET /api/sp/punchout/start — hand the buyer's browser to the store.
• POST /api/sp/punchout/checkout — receive the cart, return a PunchOutOrderMessage.
• POST /api/sp/punchout/order — receive the approved PO as a cXML OrderRequest.

Buyers self-register from the contact form; an admin then provisions their portal login from Clients → Provision login.