Getting started with Catena-X
Written by Heinz Hambrock
How to activate Catena-X on your Mattermaps account
Activate the Catena-X EDC connector to exchange Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) with companies outside Mattermaps. You need a Cofinity-X account and a Business Partner Number (BPNL) before you begin.
Prerequisites
- A Cofinity-X account with an active data package.
- A valid BPNL (Business Partner Number for Legal Entities).
Steps
-
Create a Cofinity-X account.
If you do not yet have an account, estimate costs using the Cofinity-X pricing calculator. A representative will contact you to complete the purchase. You need both an account and a data package before proceeding. -
Subscribe to Mattermaps on the Cofinity-X Marketplace.
Sign in to Cofinity-X and confirm your subscription is active. Go to Marketplace > App Marketplace and subscribe to Mattermaps. -
Request your Data Exchange Governance credential.
In Cofinity-X, open your profile and select Company Wallet. Choose Request new credential and select Data Exchange Governance. Wait for the credential to be issued before continuing. -
Request the Catena-X feature in Mattermaps.
Sign in to Mattermaps and open Company Configuration (gear icon, top of screen). In the left sidebar, select Network Connections (plug icon). Click Request Catena-X feature. Enter your Cofinity-X BPNL, fill in your contact details, add any questions in the message box, and click Submit Request.
Expected result
The Makersite team will process your request and activate the Catena-X EDC connector for your account. You will be notified once the feature is live.
Note: Each company is responsible for entering and maintaining their suppliers' BPNLs in Mattermaps.
What is Catena-X?
Catena-X is an open, collaborative data ecosystem for the automotive industry. It provides standardized frameworks for secure data exchange between all partners in the value chain. Key principles include:
- Data sovereignty — each company controls who can access its data and under what conditions.
- Interoperability — all participants use the same standards, so different solutions can exchange data seamlessly.
- Verifiable trust — identity verification and digital credentials confirm that every participant is legitimate.
How does Catena-X work on Mattermaps?
The Mattermaps Catena-X EDC Connector enables PCF exchange between two companies, even when they use different PCF applications. A legal framework governed by Catena-X secures every exchange.
Three requirements to exchange data
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Identity verification | Your company's identity is verified when you join Cofinity-X, confirming you accept the rules of the Catena-X ecosystem. |
| Certification | Catena-X requires all participants to be certified, ensuring interoperability and data sovereignty. |
| Mattermaps subscription | Subscribe to Mattermaps on the Cofinity-X Marketplace to use it as your exchange tool. |
How the EDC Connector routes data
The Eclipse Dataspace Connector (EDC) is the standardized gateway between companies. When your company shares a PCF:
- The EDC formats the data according to Catena-X standards.
- The EDC sends the formatted data to the receiving company's EDC.
- The receiving EDC routes the data to the business application (Mattermaps or another certified platform).
Trust is established through verifiable credentials managed by a central wallet service from Cofinity-X. During onboarding, Cofinity-X verifies your identity, issues a credential, and stores it in a wallet. You share this credential whenever you exchange data.
Mattermaps with and without Catena-X
| Mattermaps only | Mattermaps + Catena-X EDC | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can exchange | Both companies must use Mattermaps. | Both companies are onboarded on Cofinity-X and have a BPNL. They can use different PCF applications. |
| Data formats | All supported PCF data formats. | Catena-X data formats only. |
| Transactions | PCF request with unit type and preferred format; share/respond to PCF; verified PCF exchange; regular and proactive updates; task chat messages. | PCF request by supplier ID only; comments via message box only; share/respond to PCF; regular and proactive updates; verified PCF exchange (planned CY25). |
| Legal framework | Mattermaps T&Cs and bilateral contracts. | Catena-X governance and bilateral contracts enforced by EDC. |
Catena-X features on Mattermaps
Once the Catena-X EDC connector is active on your account, the features below are available. They are grouped by the area of Mattermaps where you use them.
My Tasks
- View requested PCFs under My Tasks > Component Tasks. Requests via the EDC appear in the Network column.
- View incoming PCF requests under My Tasks > Product Tasks. Requests via the EDC also appear in the Network column.
- Select a PCF to share with your customer from either the My Tasks page or the Product Overview page.
- View and download PCFs shared via Catena-X in the same way as PCFs shared via Mattermaps.
Important: Once Catena-X EDC connectivity is activated, the Network column is always visible, even when there are no Catena-X entries.
Known limitations
- Incoming requests show the requesting company's name as their BPNL. Use the BPNL to identify the company.
- The incoming request shows the product name as "Link Product Data" until you link it with the correct product. Use the Supplier Product ID to identify the product.
Procurement
Connect with suppliers on Cofinity-X:
- Add or update a supplier's BPNL in the Supplier Information section to enable EDC communication.
- Sort suppliers by network (Catena-X, Mattermaps, or both).
- Each company is responsible for manually updating their suppliers' BPNLs.
Send and receive PCF requests via EDC:
- Request PCFs from suppliers who have a BPNL.
- Request and receive PCFs conformant to the Catena-X V2.2 PCF data model.
- Choose the network (Mattermaps or Catena-X) when creating a request.
Work with Catena-X PCFs:
- Catena-X PCFs are labelled with a "Catena-X PCF" state to distinguish them from Self-published or Certified PCFs.
- Include Catena-X PCFs in PCF aggregations and calculations.
Product Portfolio
- Share or respond to a PCF task via the Share PCF button on the Product Overview. Choose to share with an existing request or an existing customer.
- Validate PCF data in the Create PCF section before sharing with the Catena-X network.
- Share PCFs via the Catena-X EDC network when the PCF uses the Catena-X data model.
- Upload PCF forms using the latest Catena-X templates (single or bulk upload). Download templates from your Mattermaps account.
More information
What is a BPNL and how do I get one?
A BPNL (Business Partner Number for Legal Entities) is a unique identifier assigned by Cofinity-X. To get one, create an account on Cofinity-X.
To look up the BPNLs of your suppliers or partners, visit the Cofinity-X directory.