The BizTalk Message

The BizTalk Framework defines a BizTalk Document and a BizTalk Message.

The BizTalk Document is a SOAP version 1.1-based envelope, which is made up of a SOAP Header and a SOAP Body.

The SOAP Header contains specific delivery and processing information that ensures that the enclosed business document is sent and processed exactly once. The header contains information such as the endpoints (which business the document is for), properties (when the message was sent; how long the message is valid), the manifest (a list of any and all attachments), processes (any actions to be taken on the business document), and services (that support reliable delivery).

The SOAP Body contains the actual business document information. In the case of an order, for example, this would be XML tags and elements that define information such as the item being ordered, the quantity, the unit price, and the FOB location.

The BizTalk Message is the BizTalk Document plus any attachments that don’t lend themselves to definition in XML (and therefore are included in MIME format). The BizTalk Message allows the BizTalk Document and other relevant information to be transported over a communication protocol such as HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).