To create a web service session based on a mapping that contains XML or flat file sources and targets, set the reader or writer type to Web Services Provider reader or writer. To run a web service workflow with an XML or flat file reader, a client application sends a request to the Web Services Hub as a MIME attachment to the SOAP message. The Web Services Hub passes the SOAP message with the attachment to the Integration Service, which processes the attachment.

If the web service workflow is configured with an XML or flat file writer, the Integration Service generates a response and passes the response to the Web Services Hub. The Web Services Hub sends the response back to the web service client as a MIME attachment to a SOAP message.

Use the following rules and guidelines when you configure a request-response web service session with flat file or XML source or targets: