What is a cXML (Commerce XML) in Business Central?

An XML-based protocol for B2B e-commerce transactions, commonly used in traditional PunchOut catalog integrations.

cXML (Commerce eXtensible Markup Language) is a standardized protocol for business-to-business e-commerce communication. It defines XML document formats for purchase orders, order confirmations, invoices, and — most notably — PunchOut catalog sessions between buyers and suppliers.

In a traditional PunchOut flow, cXML handles three key messages: the PunchOutSetupRequest (buyer initiates a shopping session), the PunchOutOrderMessage (cart data returned from supplier), and the OrderRequest (final purchase order sent to supplier). Each message follows a strict XML schema.

While cXML is widely adopted by large enterprises and procurement platforms like SAP Ariba and Coupa, it requires significant technical investment from both buyer and supplier. Zentriq PunchOut bypasses cXML entirely by using AI to read any e-commerce cart page, removing the need for supplier-side integration.

Related terms

• PunchOut Catalog — A supplier's online catalog that connects to a buyer's ERP system via cXML or OCI protocol, allowing direct cart data transfer.
• EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) — A standard for exchanging business documents (POs, invoices, shipping notices) between trading partners electronically.
• Purchase Order — A formal document sent to a vendor to order goods or services, with agreed quantities, prices, and delivery terms.
• Vendor (Supplier) — A company or person from whom you purchase goods or services, represented as a Vendor Card in Business Central.

How Zentriq helps

Zentriq's AI tools automate many of the manual processes around cxml (commerce xml) in Business Central. Learn about the Zentriq Agent or try Zentriq PunchOut to see how AI simplifies procurement in BC.