Connecting to the PPSR B2G channel

To interact with the PPSR using the B2G channel you need to develop your own unique client interface.

Before building your system see the B2G interface versioning page and then select the relevant versioning documents for the technical specifications. You need to implement:

• namespaces
• endpoints
• fault codes
• date and time considerations
• change B2G password.

Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)

PPSR uses SOAP to provide request/response message exchanges between PPSR and client systems. The PPSR B2G channel uses SOAP 1.1, SOAP 1.2 and SOAP HTTP binding.

Services that involve sending or receiving files can use the SOAP Message Transmission Optimisation Mechanism (MTOM).

SOAP also provides for the XML-based exchange of structured information between systems. The W3C SOAP online manual provides all the information about SOAP.

Authentication

Transport layer security (TLS) is the only supported protocol between the PPSR B2G servers and your B2G servers. TLS is used to encrypt all PPSR messages because you cannot use your client certificate for authentication.

Web Service Description Language

All messages you send to the PPSR need to comply with the Web Service Description Language (WSDL). WSDL is used by many development tools to generate code for web services.

Technical support

The AFSA Service Centre (ASC) can help with technical assistance but does not provide support for interface development. See contact us.

Request access to Discovery

Discovery is a replica of the PPSR. You can use it to test all the functions you needed for your B2G interface.

The PPSR training and testing environment is called Discovery.

It is updated for each code release to allow users to test their B2G connection before enhancements are deployed into Production.

Checklist for Discovery access via a B2G connection:

1. Navigate to the Access PPSR Discovery page

2. Download test data

3. Follow the ‘To access Discovery’ link to:

• Accept the PPSR Discovery Environment Terms and Conditions
• Create an account in Discovery
• Set account payment type to ‘pre-pay’
• Use test credit card to add funds to your Discovery account

4. Sign up for notifications

5. Configure your spam filter to accept emails from notifications@ppsr.gov.au and communications@ppsr.gov.au

6. Complete the Discovery B2G access form below and send it to enquiries@ppsr.gov.au 

When you are filling out the form, think about the following:

• Supply your external IP address - provide all the external IP addresses that will connect to Discovery. We whitelist these IP addresses so your B2G requests can be sent through the Discovery firewalls.
• List individual IP addresses only - if you have more than 10 IP addresses in your application, speak to your network administrator. They can determine which IP addresses are essential.

Configure your spam filter

The PPSR sends a number of notifications via email. The volume of notifications from notifications@ppsr.gov.au may trigger your spam filter. To ensure that you receive all PPSR notifications, whitelist notifications@ppsr.gov.au.

Note: Keep your Discovery and Production transaction details separate

Your Discovery account must be kept separate as it is a test account only. All Discovery data must be kept separate from Production data. This includes:

• account details
• user details
• registration numbers
• registration tokens
• secured party group numbers
• secured party group access codes
• search numbers and search certificate numbers
• transaction numbers

What happens next?

Once your IP addresses have been whitelisted, we will configure your account and send you a B2G username and password.

You will then be able to use B2G access to connect to Discovery.

After you have created an account in Discovery and requested us to whitelist your IP addresses, we will assign B2G access to your Discovery account.

You will now have access to both the web and B2G channels. There is no need for separate accounts to access each channel.

The first thing you must do in Discovery is change your password via the B2G interface.

Change your B2G password

When your account is configured for B2G access, your Discovery account customer location user ID, username and password details will be sent to you.

The first time you connect to Discovery via the B2G channel, you must provide your B2G account customer location username and password in the simple object access protocol (SOAP) header of the B2G message.

You must then change your B2G password.

Security

WS-Security is used for authentication of B2G customers. Provide your username and password as a UserNameToken in the WS-Security SOAP header of your B2G messages.

See the B2G Interface versioning page and then select the relevant versioning documents for examples.

Test your B2G interface

Now that you have connected to Discovery via the B2G channel, you can begin to test your B2G interface.

After building your B2G interface, you test it in Discovery by replicating operations your business will perform on the PPSR. You can set up test data, verify functionality, and continue to develop and refine your interface.

Differences in Discovery

The Discovery environment is a test environment only. It is different from Production because:

• Discovery is available 24 hours per day except during weekly maintenance every Wednesday 9:00 pm to 11:59 pm (AEST).
• Discovery does not have high priority fault resolution times, except during integration periods when new code has been deployed for external testing.  Best endeavours are used to notify customers of any unplanned outages.
• All data is visible to all users of the system so do not use real data.
• The database does not have production capacity and cannot support high-volume load testing.

Connection difficulties

You cannot transact in Discovery via B2G unless you have:

• your account payment option set to pre-pay
• Change your initial password via your B2G interface
• sufficient funds available to make transactions.

Request B2G access for Production

Once you have tested your B2G connection successfully in Discovery, you can request B2G access for Production.

Once you have finished testing your B2G operations in Discovery, you can apply for access to Production. Production is the real version of the PPSR with actual data.

Create an account

Set up an account in Production with the pre-pay option. If you wish to operate as a credit customer, you will need to complete Step 7: PPSR/AFSA credit application form.

Complete the application form

Next, complete the B2G account application and include your PPSR account details and IP address(s). Like when you applied for access to Discovery, it is best to limit the number of IP addresses you supply.

Configure your account

We will configure your B2G access to Production by:

• configuring firewall rules to allow access from your nominated IP address range
• assigning B2G roles to your account within Production
• telling you your B2G account customer location, B2G account customer location user ID and password.

When access is complete, your Production account will be configured to allow you access to both the web and B2G channels. You can use the same account to access both channels.

Connecting to Production

See step 6: Connect to Production. Make sure that you check your connection to ensure your B2G channel will operate in the PPSR.

Keep your Discovery and Production transaction details separate

Your Discovery account must be kept separate as it is a test account only. All Discovery data must be kept separate from Production data. This includes:

• account details
• user details
• registration numbers
• registration tokens
• secured party group numbers
• secured party group access codes
• search numbers and search certificate numbers
• transaction ID numbers.

After testing all your B2G operations successfully in Discovery and having access to Production, you can connect to Production through your B2G interface for the first time.

Check that you are not in Discovery

Make sure that you are calling the Production namespace when you first connect to Production B2G.

You cannot connect to the Discovery namespace when you call the Production namespace.

Change your password

Your B2G customer location username and password must be provided in the appropriate simple object access protocol (SOAP) header.

The first time you operate in Production you will need to change your B2G account customer location password.

If you have a PPSR account and wish to open a credit account, you need to apply to the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) and complete a credit application form.

A credit account means all your transactions will be charged to your account and you are billed monthly. Invoices are emailed to the email address you have nominated on your PPSR account.

Make sure you read the terms and conditions (see below) before completing the credit application form.

Terms and conditions for credit accounts

Payment terms are net 30 days, payment being due within 30 days from the date of invoice unless alternative terms are agreed upon by AFSA in writing.

Any credit limit approved by AFSA and advised to the customer must not be exceeded.

AFSA reserves the right to pursue collection of outstanding amounts. Related costs, including but not limited to external collection agent fees, legal and court costs, may be added to the outstanding amount owed under the credit facility. Please see credit application form for full terms and conditions.

Minimum credit limit

You should only apply for a credit account if you expect your monthly activity to exceed the minimum credit limit of $5000.

Insufficient funds

If your credit account has insufficient funds available for a particular transaction, it will revert to pay as you go (PAYG) until your account or invoice payment has cleared.

You should pay your invoice immediately to restore access to your credit. You have 30 days to pay your bill each month. You receive an email alert when you have 30 per cent and 10 per cent of your credit remaining.

If you pay your account electronically with your credit card, access to your PPSR credit limit will be restored instantly.

Other payment methods

You can use the PPSR using the PAYG or Pre-Pay account facilities, noting that PAYG is not available to B2G clients.