Processing the Worldspan Interface
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Refer to the GlobalWare Worldspan help for information on using the Worldspan Interface and to learn about the Worldspan formats used in GlobalWare.
You can process the Worldspan interface in either of the following ways:
- Manually by using the Worldspan function on GlobalWare's Interface submenu. This method requires user interaction to set up and process the interface. See Manually Processing the Interface below.
- Automatically by using a scheduler to run the Worldspan executable file (Wrldspan.exe). This method requires some initial setup, but otherwise it does not require user interaction. See Scheduling the Interface Process below.
Manually Processing the Interface
To manually process the Worldspan interface, you must perform the following general steps:
- Access the Worldspan Interface screen.
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Note: You only need to perform this step when you run the interface for the first time. Review your interface setup to ensure GlobalWare is configured appropriately for your agency. GlobalWare automatically uses the interface settings whenever you run the interface. You also can change interface settings by using the Preferences function. For more information, see Preferences.
- Run the interface.
After the interface process finishes, you might also need to perform some troubleshooting tasks. For details, see Troubleshooting the Worldspan Interface.
Accessing the Worldspan Interface Screen
On the Interface submenu, click Worldspan.
The Worldspan Interface screen appears.
Setting Up the Interface
Before you run the interface for the first time, review the interface settings to ensure GlobalWare is configured appropriately for your agency. GlobalWare automatically uses these settings whenever you run the interface. If you have previously reviewed the interface setup, proceed to Running the Interface.
Note: You can also change interface settings by using the Preferences function. For more information, see Preferences.
Interface setup procedure
To review the interface setup:
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On the Worldspan Interface screen, click SETUP.
The Interface Setup area of the screen appears.
The following table describes the fields in the Interface Setup area of the Worldspan Interface screen.
Field Description Download TAIRs
Indicates whether GlobalWare should process TAIRs received through the interface when you click OK on the Worldspan Interface screen. The interface process adds TAIRs to the WRLDSPAN.AIR file. If not selected, GlobalWare reprocesses the existing WRLDSPAN.AIR file when you click OK on the Worldspan Interface screen.
Note: For versions prior to 9.5, if interface processing stops (due to an error or power outage, for example), the AIR file must be deleted manually before another interface can be processed.
Location for TAIR File
Location (drive and directory path) where TAIRs are stored.
Create New Customers
Indicates whether GlobalWare should create an account ID for customers that do not exist in GlobalWare. GlobalWare will also store address, business phone number, resident phone number, and fax phone number from the TAIR if present. If not selected, GlobalWare will use NOACCT as the customer account ID.
Create New Providers
If selected, GlobalWare automatically creates provider account IDs for:
- Cruise and tour providers that do not exist in GlobalWare
- Missing air, car, and hotel providers.
If not selected, GlobalWare:
- Uses 'NOPROV' as the provider account ID for cruise and tour providers that do not exist in GlobalWare
- Does not create provider account IDs for missing air, car, and hotel providers
Store Delivery Address
Indicates whether GlobalWare should store the D- field from the PNR, if present, in comment line numbers 106 through 110.
Store Automated MCOs
Indicates whether GlobalWare should store automated MCOs.
Use Account ID Selling Agent
Indicates whether GlobalWare should store the agent field associated with the TAIR's customer account ID in the invoice.
Store Multi-Currency
Indicates whether GlobalWare should store multiple currencies for U.S.-based GlobalWare agencies that have physical ticketing locations in other countries. Corresponding currency codes must be set up for ticketing locations on the Branch & STP Locations screen. For more information, see Branch & STP Locations.
Print Reporting
Indicates whether to have the Worldspan interface log available to display or print.
Skip Initial Dialog
Indicates whether the interface process should not display the Worldspan Interface screen. Do not selection this option if you plan to reprocess TAIRs.
Skip Report Dialog
Indicates whether the interface process should not display the Print Dialog and make choices available in Interface Log Send To field. This option is available only if Print Reporting is selected.
Print Transactions with Messages Only
Indicates whether to print only transactions with messages in the Worldspan interface log. This option is available only if Skip Initial Dialog is selected.
Sort by Location
Indicates whether to sort by ticketing location in the Worldspan interface log. This option is available only if Skip Initial Dialog is selected.
Page Break Per Location
Indicates whether to create a page break whenever location changes. This option is available only if Sort By Location is selected.
Interface Log Send To
Specifies the target destination for the Worldspan interface log. Select one of the following options from the drop-down list
- Preview – Displays the log file on your screen.
- Print to ASCII File – Stores the log file as an ASCII text file. Specify a name for this file and indicate the location at which to store it in the File Name field.
- Print to PDF – Stores the log file in a Portable Document Format (PDF) file. Specify a name for this file and indicate the location at which to store it in the File Name field.
- Windows Default Printer – Sends the log file to your default Windows printer.
These options are available only if Skip Report Dialog is selected.
File Name
File name you want to use for the Worldspan interface log. This field is available only if Print to ASCII File or Print to PDF is selected from the Interface Log Send To drop-down list.
- Make interface setup changes as appropriate.
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Click SAVE.
The Interface Setup area of the screen closes.
Running the Interface
To run the interface:
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Complete the fields on the Worldspan Interface screen as appropriate.
Field descriptions
The following table describes the fields on the Worldspan Interface screen.
Field Description # of TAIRs to Skip
Number of TAIRs to skip, if any. Skips TAIRs already transmitted successfully. Based on this setting, the Worldspan interface process will skip duplicates of TAIRs that have already transmitted successfully. Do not change the value of this field from zero (0) unless you plan to reprocess TAIRs. For more information, see Troubleshooting the Worldspan Interface.
Print Transactions with Messages Only
Indicates whether to only print transactions with messages in the Worldspan interface log.
Sort by Location
Indicates whether to sort by ticketing location in the Worldspan interface log.
Page Break Per Location
Indicates whether to create a page break whenever location changes. This option is available only if Sort By Location is selected.
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To start the Worldspan interface process, click OK.
Note: If you selected Print Reporting during interface setup, the Worldspan interface log runs automatically after the interface process is finished. To print the downloaded log, specify the report destination in the Send To dialog box and click OK. To print the interface later, click CANCEL.
Scheduling the Interface Process
To schedule the interface process to run automatically without user interaction, you must perform the following general steps:
- Configure the interface process to run unattended.
- Set up a scheduler to automatically run the interface process.
After the automated interface process finishes, you might also need to perform some troubleshooting tasks. For details, see Troubleshooting the Worldspan Interface.
Configuring the Interface Process to Run Unattended
You only need to perform this procedure when you run the interface for the first time. Review your interface setup to ensure GlobalWare is configured appropriately for your agency. GlobalWare automatically uses the interface settings whenever you run the interface.
To configure GlobalWare to run the interface process unattended:
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On the Interface submenu, click Worldspan.
The Worldspan Interface screen appears.
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Click SETUP.
The Interface Setup area of the Worldspan Interface screen appears.
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Review the interface setup and make changes as appropriate.
Notes:
- For a description of fields in the Interface Setup area of the Worldspan Interface screen, see Setting Up the Interface above (under Manually Processing the Interface).
- You can also change interface settings by using the Preferences function. For more information, see Preferences.
Use the following guidance to make selections in the Automation box in the Interface Setup area.
Automation Options
Two options facilitate the unattended interface process:
- Skip Initial Dialog
- Best practice: Select this option along with all options under Automated Reporting.
- Setup on the Worldspan Interface screen enables you to change the interface parameters. If you skip the Worldspan Interface screen and subsequently need to change a setup parameter, use Preferences on the System submenu.
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Skip Report Dialog
Best practice: Select this option and indicate the interface log destination under Interface Log Send To. With either the Print to ASCII File or Print to PDF option, the interface log is automatically saved with the file name and to the location you specify.
Automated Reporting Options
- To print only transactions with messages, select Print Transactions with Messages Only.
- To sort by ticketing location, select Sort by Location. The Page Break Per Location option becomes available for selection.
Interface Log Send To Options
From the Interface Log Send To drop-down list, select the default print option for the interface log.
- For Print to ASCII File or Print to PDF, you must specify the destination folder and a file name in the File Name field. The date and time is appended to the specified file name whenever the scheduler runs.
- For Windows Default Printer, the report prints on the Windows default printer specified on the computer or server where the scheduler is configured.
- E-mail is not an option for Skip Report Dialog because it would require a dialog box that requires user input.
Setting Up a Scheduler to Automatically Run the Interface Process
The interface process runs from an executable file (Wrldspan.exe). This file is in the GlobalWare program folder (Gblware) on your computer. You indicated where the Gblware folder should be located when you installed GlobalWare. You can configure this file to launch without user interaction, as described in Configuring the Interface Process to Run Unattended above.
You can use either of the following launch options:
- Configure a third-party auto-scheduler process to run the executable file within their own network.
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Use Microsoft Task Scheduler to kick off the interface process.
Note: Travelport has not tested, nor does it support, this Microsoft product. Travelport cannot troubleshoot or resolve any third-party scheduling application issues. For assistance, see the Schedule a Task topic on the Microsoft TechNet website.
GlobalWare must be installed on the computer or server that has the scheduling activity.