Unique Message Identifiers

The unique message identifier, called a TrackingID, is a message attribute that can be used to track a message through the various stages of processing. One attribute can be used if it remains constant throughout processing. More than one attribute may be used if a rule can be written to relate the attributes to the same message.

As a message is reformatted through processing, copies of the message are stored in the BizTracker database. When querying the database for a history of a specific message, the BizTracker database will use the unique identifier to locate copies of the message at each tracking point.

Example A Messages from ApplicationA and ApplicationB include a field the uniquely identifies each message from the application. The message field includes an application identifier, message sequence number, and date/time stamp as part of a single field. This message attribute can be used as the unique identifier.

Example B ApplicationA and ApplicationB send a message sequence number and date/time stamp in a single field. The application identifier is a separate field. In this case, it is not possible to use the message sequence number and date/time stamp to identify a single message because this information could be the same for a message from ApplicationA or ApplicationB. Therefore, a rule must be written to use the message sequence number and date/time stamp with the application identifier field as the unique message identifier.