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ORDERS and ORDRSP: The main EDIFACT messages in the supply chain management

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

Receiving and processing EDI purchase orders is the most common transaction faced by small businesses. This electronic business document is used to place a commercial order for goods or services by a buyer or business partner.
EDIFACT ORDERS

It’s still possible to use phone, email, or fax between two small businesses, but if you want to collaborate with a large retailer, distributor, or manufacturer, there is a high probability that you must be EDI compatible to receive orders from your B2B partners, in addition to other potential EDI documents or transactions.

What is EDIFACT ORDERS?

ORDERS (Purchase Order) is a type of EDIFACT message that contains requests for the supply of goods or services.

In EDI ANSI ASC X12 standard which is widely used in North America, the ORDERS is referred to as EDI 850 Purchase Order.

Large companies, working with small contractors demand mandatory use of EDI. Requirements for EDI compatibility is specified in contracts or in partners selection criteria.

High competition forces the business to comply, and start exchanging electronic data quickly and accurately, spending minimal time and resources on this business process. Thus, small enterprises must comply with the imposed conditions, in order not to lose a source of profitable purchases.

EDIFACT ORDERS message content

The most important main information contained in an EDIFACT ORDERS message:
  • Order number
  • Required date
  • Delivery date
  • Reference to supply contract number
  • Price and qualifier (including VAT and other taxes)
  • Identifiers of the consignee and sender, delivery location, customer, carrier, recipient
  • Information about the contents of the order (barcodes, quantity, item name, etc.).

EDIFACT ORDERS Processing

After signing the contract, the buyer uses ORDERS to send the seller a list and quantity of goods ordered.

Typically, a buyer creates the order in his ERP system (the most popular are SAP ERP, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne). The created Purchase Order is instantly converted into an EDIFACT ORDERS message which is immediately sent to the seller. The seller must receive the EDIFACT message and quickly process it. He should transmit a Purchase Order Response (ORDRSP) in response to the Purchase Order received.

EDIFACT and ERP/CRM integration

To save time and money by processing the vast amount of information received from business partners, most companies (both retailers and suppliers) choose to integrate their EDI / EDIFACT messages into their ERP systems. Basically, with integration, they connect the received EDI messages and push it directly to their ERP software, through Integration Connectors designed specifically to synchronize and integrate into their ERP systems.

For example, using Magic xpi Integration Platform a company can connect a variety of heterogenous business systems such as ERP, CRM, finance, etc. by implementing out-of-the-box certified and optimized connectors.

You can find useful information on EDI integration with ERP Systems in the following articles:

How to make EDIFACT ordering even easier
EDIFACT ERP integration

As the number of outgoing or incoming orders increase, companies try to optimize the exchange of orders. In case the number of your orders exceeds a couple of hundreds per month, it’s worth thinking about integrating the flow of orders directly into your business software solution and save your company the time and money associated with human errors, delays to deliver, and increase efficiency.

The process of Order creation can be fully automated; it will not require human intervention. To do this first it is necessary to integrate your business system with EDI.

Related article:

Usually, after starting to use ORDERS message, the buyer will most likely request to receive replies to his orders, which means connecting another type of EDI message – ORDRSP. In addition, he can ask you for the dispatch advice (DESADV), and he can send you the delivery advice message. (RECADV).

What is ORDRSP and what are the benefits of using this EDIFACT message

ORDRSP (Order Response) is a type of EDIFACT message in which the supplier confirms or rejects the delivery of goods to the buyer. Using ORDRSP, the supplier can propose amendments, notify of a complete or partial delivery or confirm the entire delivery, before even processing the delivery.

Using UN/EDIFACT ORDRSP improves the logistics chain: the parties save on transportation, reduce returns due to incorrect deliveries of merchandise, increase the accuracy of delivery of the right products.

Through ORDRSP, the supplier can notify the buyer of the lack of certain products, thus avoiding disruption of supplies and maintaining a loyal business relationship. Customer, having this information, can order a similar product from the presented assortment or place an order from another supplier.

The buyer can always understand whether the supplier will deliver the goods on time, or not. He sees preliminary price confirmation and quantity of products, predicts the state of stock based on ORDRSP, and the supplier can automatically book goods for delivery in his warehouse when processing a Purchase Order Response.

What does ORDRSP contain?

ORDRSP has a direct relationship with ORDERS and are complimentary to each other. ORDRSP consists of:
  • Order number
  • GLN numbers of the buyer and seller
  • Order confirmation number
  • Date of planned delivery of goods
  • Scheduled time
  • Item No
  • Quantity approved (To Ship)
  • Price approved
  • Reason of rejection (when parameters are not matching between Order and supplier)

EDI/EDIFACT integration

In EDI/EDIFACT documents exchange, the EDI provider plays a key role. He is the one who ensures the conversion and integrity of message formats and tracking data transfers. For over 21 years now, our company EDI2XML has been successfully helping companies of all sizes switch to Electronic Data Interchange. We help speed up working with orders, shipments, acceptance, inventory of goods and reduce the risks of human errors. We have no hidden fees or confusing rates.

Contact us today for more information and a free EDI consultation.

What Are the Differences Between ANSI X12 and UN/EDIFACT

X12 vs. EDIFACT

Doing business and interacting with trading partners is associated with the need to prepare, send, receive and process a large number of documents. Today, around the world, almost all enterprises, from small businesses to large corporations, use EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) to communicate with business partners.

The most common standards that are used in all Industries are ANSI ASC X12 (X12) and UN/EDIFACT (EDIFACT). Both standards serve to exchange documents electronically and execute business processes between trading partners. The two standards are quite similar; however, there are numerous ways in which ANSI X12 and EDIFACT are different. In this article, we will compare the two most popular standards.

EDIFACT:

  • EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce, and Transport) is an international standard for electronic data interchange that was developed by the United Nations.
  • It uses UN/EDIFACT syntax and is widely used in Europe and other regions.
  • EDIFACT allows for flexible message definition and supports a wide range of business processes, including e-commerce, procurement, transportation, and healthcare.

EDI X12:

  • X12 (also known as ANSI X12) is a standard for electronic data interchange in the United States.
  • X12 was developed by the Accredited Standards Committee X12 and is maintained by the ASC X12 Standards Development Organization.
  • X12 is used in a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance, and logistics, and is considered a robust and reliable format for data interchange.

EDI Standards in Europe and North America

The first difference between the two EDI standards is the geographic location of users.

– X12 is mainly used in the United States and North America in general.

– EDIFACT is mostly used by companies based in Europe and Asia.

ANSI X12 and EDIFACT Standards Developers

ANSI ASC X12 Standard is developed and maintained by the Accredited Standards Committee X12 (also known as ASC X12) chartered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in 1979.

EDIFACT – Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport. This standard is developed and supported by two international organizations: The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

ANSI X12 and EDIFACT Document Structure

Basically, the structures of X12 and EDIFACT are similar. Both standards have principally the same structure but use different terminologies.

The figure below shows the structure of X12 and EDIFACT documents that contain Interchange, Functional Group, Transaction set.

x12 vs EDIFACT

For more information on the structure of EDI documents, please read these articles:


– EDI ANSI ASC X12 Standards – Technical Overview

– What is EDIFACT? | UN / EDIFACT standard overview

 EDI Terminologies

Understanding the terminology used in EDI is essential to successfully implementing and utilizing this technology. Some of the key EDI terminologies include EDI standards such as ANSI X12 and EDIFACT, which define the structure and content of EDI messages.

As was mentioned above, ANSI X12 and EDIFACT have different terminologies. The table below demonstrates the difference between both standards.

Terminologies Equivalence EDI X12 EDIFACT
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………… ……………….
An electronic business document, such as an Invoice, Purchase Order, etc. Transaction Set Message
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………… ……………….
The blocks of multiple segments of the same type grouped together. Loops Groups
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………… ……………….
Special characters to differentiate segments and elements Terminator Separators
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………… ……………….
Interchange Control. Header/Trailer ISA/IEA UNB/UNZ
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………… ……………….
Functional Group. Header/Trailer GS/GE UNG/UNE (optional)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………… ……………….
Transaction Set, (Message). Header/Trailer ST/SE UNH/UNT

Terminators/Separators

X12 and EDIFACT use special characters to separate segments and elements in the document.

– ANSI X12 to separate segments generally uses a tilde ( ~ ) and to terminate elements with an asterisk ( * )
– EDIFACT normally uses a period ( . ) between segments and a plus ( + ) within elements.

However, both EDI standards allow customization, and different characters can be used, depending on the implementation.

Composite

A Composite Element is a group (two or more) of simple elements separated by a Composite Separator symbol. Composite Element is used in both standards; however, Composite Element is very commonly used in EDIFACT.

– X12 uses a symbol Greater Than ( > )

– EDIFACT separates composite elements with a colon symbol ( : )

Acknowledgments

Both EDI standards use Acknowledgments.

– X12 uses a Functional Acknowledgment or 997 transaction set. An EDI 997 serves as a response to acknowledge that an EDI transaction was received. TA1 served for describes errors at the ISA level.

– EDIFACT uses CONTRL acknowledgments, which are like the X12 997 Acknowledgments.

X12 Transaction Number and EDIFACT ID

In the ANSI X12 standard, all documents have 3-digit numbers, for example, 810 for an Invoice, 846 for an Inventory Inquiry and Advice, 856 for an Advanced Ship Notice.

According to the EDIFACT rule, the name of the document must be limited to 6 letters, for example, INVOIC derived from the word Invoice, INVRPT for Inventory report, and DESADV is the abbreviation for Despatch Advice.

  • Syntax: EDIFACT uses UN/EDIFACT syntax while X12 uses an ASCII-based syntax.
  • Message structure: EDIFACT messages have a more flexible structure than X12 messages, which have a more rigid structure.

Different Types of EDI Documents: ANSI X12 vs EDIFACT

The following table lists some of the key EDI X12 Transaction Sets with the corresponding EDIFACT messages.

X12 No EDIFACT ID Name Usage
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
 810 INVOIC Invoice. Used to receive payment for goods or services provided
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
820 REMADV Payment Order/Remittance Advice. Used to transmit information relating to payments
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
830 DELFOR Planning Schedule. Used to share with the supplier’s forecast purchase plans
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
832 PRICAT Price/Sales Catalog. Used to request or provide prices and product information.
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
846 INVRPT Inventory Inquiry/Advice. Used to communicate inventory levels.
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
850 ORDERS Purchase Order. Used to place an order for goods or services. 
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
852 SLSRPT Product Activity Data. Used to provide inventory, sales, and other product activity information.
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
855 ORDRSP PO Acknowledgement Used as an acknowledgment of the purchase order
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
856 DESADV Advance Ship Notice (or Dispatch Advice in EDIFACT) Used to inform the recipient in advance about the contents of the shipment.
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
860 ORDCHG PO Change (Customer triggered) Used to communicate order changes to the supplier.
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
865 ORDRSP PO Change (Supplier triggered) Used for acceptance or rejection of changes to a previously submitted purchase order
……….. ………………… ……………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………….
997 CONTRL Functional Acknowledgment Used to acknowledge that an EDI transaction was received.

EDI Standards for Special Industry

In addition to EDIFACT and X12 discussed above, there are many other EDI standards that were developed as a result of specialized business requirements in various industries. For example:

RosettaNet is used mostly in the electronics and technology Industry.

HIPAA and HL7 for Healthcare and Health Insurance.

ODETTE for the automotive industry in Europe.

SWIFT for exchanging messages between banks and financial institutions.

EDI Integration

For clients who do not have the resources to do X12 or EDIFACT in-house, we, at EDI2XML, offer fully managed EDI Services.

For companies who got their own technical resources to work with the REST API, we offer them to use the EDI REST Web Service.

EDI2XML is an EDI service provider with 20+ years of expertise in EDI and integration projects. We have clients located in North America, Europe, and the Middle East, and we work with all EDI standards, including ANSI X12 and EDIFACT. Contact us if you have any questions or EDI integration needs.

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Understanding ANSI ASC X12 EDI 810 Invoice: Definition, Key Data Elements, and Workflow

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

In the world of business-to-business (B2B) transactions, efficiency is paramount. The EDI 810 Invoice stands as a crucial electronic document that streamlines the billing process, ensuring accurate and timely payments. But what exactly is an EDI 810 invoice, and how does it revolutionize the way companies handle financial exchanges? This comprehensive article delves into the intricacies of the EDI 810 standard, exploring its key components, workflow, benefits, and implementation strategies. We’ll answer the common questions businesses have, such as how to interpret an EDI 810 sample, what are the mandatory data elements, and how to integrate EDI 810 into existing systems.

What is EDI 810? 

EDI 810 Invoice – in international business practices, the 810 (Invoice) is an electronic document sent by the seller to the buyer to receive payment for goods or services provided.

The EDI X12 810 Transaction Set contains information about the goods and /or services, their quantity, and the price at which they were delivered to the buyer, the characteristics of the goods (color, weight, etc.), delivery terms and information about the sender and the recipient.

An electronic invoice can be generated in various standards, it all depends on which standard the partners agreed to use in order to exchange EDI. For example, in ANSI ASC X12, which is prevailing in North America, this document is called ANSI X12 Transaction Set 810 Invoice. You can also see various names for this document, for example, X12 810, EDI Invoice, EDI Invoice 810, ANSI X12 810, EDI X12 810, EDI 810, EDI 810 Document, 810 Transaction Set, etc.

 

“INVOIC” is an analog of the EDI 810 Invoice in the international UN / EDIFACT standard, which ispredominant outside of North America. INVOIC document (derived from the word “Invoice”, but limited to 6 letters, according to the EDIFACT rule).

EDI 810 Invoice Data Elements: What Information is Included?

Understanding the key data elements within an EDI 810 Invoice is essential for accurate processing. What specific information does an EDI 810 contain, and how is it structured? Typically, an EDI 810 document includes:

  • Invoice Number and Date: Unique identifiers for tracking and referencing invoices.
  • Purchase Order Number: Linking the invoice to the original purchase order for reconciliation.
  • Delivery Date: The date goods or services were provided.
  • List of Items or Services: Detailed description of products or services rendered.
  • Item Price and Identifier: Pricing details and unique product/service codes.
  • Payment Terms: Agreed-upon payment conditions, including due dates and discounts.
  • Shipping Information: Addresses, carrier details, and tracking numbers.
  • Tax and Discount Calculations: Detailed breakdown of applicable taxes and discounts.

How do these elements ensure accuracy and efficiency in billing? Each element plays a crucial role in providing a clear and comprehensive record of the transaction, minimizing discrepancies and accelerating payment processing. Depending on the goods or services the company provides, additional information may also be included in the EDI 810 invoice.

EDI 810 Transmission Explained: AS2, FTP/SFTP, and Web Services

Previously, many EDI transactions (including EDI 810), were carried out through a Value Added Network (VAN). But the transmission of EDI 810 invoices has evolved significantly. 

Currently, in order to provide an affordable and cost-efficient EDI exchange, most companies have switched to a point-to-point communication such as:

  •  AS2 (Applicability Statement 2) exchanges documents over the Internet by using digital certificates and encryption of the EDI data.
  • FTP/SFTP (File Transfer Protocol/Secure File Transfer Protocol) –  These file transfer protocols allow businesses to connect with their partners via the Internet in order to exchange EDI documents.
  •  HTTP EDI Web Service (REST API) This EDI Web Service gains more and more popularity because is much more cost-effective and you can be up and running in less than an hour. EDI web Service meant for companies who got their technical resources to work with REST API (call and consume HTTP Rest Web services). The EDI2XML offers a free 15 days trial.

Which transmission method is best for your business, and what factors should you consider when choosing? The choice depends on factors like security requirements, technical capabilities, and cost considerations. For example, REST APIs are often preferred for their speed and ease of integration, while AS2 provides robust security for sensitive data.

 

Learn more about EDI Web Service

One company can use different means or protocols to exchange EDI documents with its multiple trading Partners. (see picture below) Usually, this happens because each big company has its own requirements to exchange electronic messages or EDI.

EDI communication

A Detailed Look at the EDI 810 Transaction Process

In typical and common business practice, the basic documents exchanged between trading partners are EDI 850 (Purchase Order) and EDI 810 (Invoice); this statement is partially true in the EDI world. Based on our more than 25 years of successful EDI Integration experience, we can tell you for sure that usually, the EDI process is much more complex. Between EDI 850 Purchase Order (or even before it) and Invoice 810, partners exchange a number of different documents. This is especially true for retail companies.

Below you can find a possible EDI scenario in the retail industry.

Seller sends to the buyer an EDI 846 Inventory Inquiry message to advise about stock level status and availability. EDI846 can include also pricing information.

 

 

Thus, The EDI 810 invoice is often part of a larger EDI workflow. What is the typical sequence of EDI transactions in a B2B exchange, and how does the EDI 810 fit into this process? A common scenario involves:

  1. EDI 846 (Inventory Inquiry/Advice): Primarily used by suppliers to provide real-time inventory data to their trading partners
  2. EDI 850 (Purchase Order): The buyer initiates the order.
  3. EDI 855 (Purchase Order Acknowledgement): The seller confirms the order.
  4. EDI 860 (Purchase Order Change Request – Buyer Initiated): allows a buyer to request modifications to an existing purchase order they’ve already sent to a supplier
  5. EDI 865 (Purchase Order Change Acknowledgment/Request – Seller Initiated): transaction set used to confirm or request changes to a previously submitted purchase order. 
  6. EDI 856 (Advance Ship Notice): The seller provides shipping details.
  7. EDI 810 (Invoice): The seller requests payment. 
NOTE: EDI 846 is more often used in B2B e-commerce for more information about this transaction set please read the blog: What is EDI 846 document?
  • Based on the information received in EDI 846 the buyer generates a Purchase Order (EDI 850) which contains a list of goods that he wants to purchase from the supplier, including information about the quantities, shipping directives, and other details.
  • Upon receiving the Purchase Order seller send a Purchase Order Acknowledgement (EDI 855) to confirm goods are available to be sold.
  • In the next step, the buyer could send a seller a Purchase Order Change Request (EDI 860) to request a change to a previously submitted purchase order.
  • The seller responds with a Purchase Order Change Request/Acknowledgement (EDI 865) to notify of the acceptance or rejection of the change to the purchase order previously submitted by the buyer.
  • To send the contents of the shipment, the seller sends an EDI 856 Advance Ship Notice or EDI ASN. This EDI document must be transmitted before the arrival of the goods.
  • An invoice (EDI 810) can be transferred to the buyer after filling out and delivering the order or along with.
EDI 810 Invoice

Thus, it can be observed that although the EDI X12 810 invoice is the most commonly exchanged electronic document, multiple EDI transaction sets can be used in relation to the EDI 810.

Book a FREE one-on-one EDI consultation session with our in-house experts

EDI X12 810 Invoice Sample

The following example details the format of an EDI 810 invoice.

ISA*00*          *00*          *12*5141231234     *12*5034564567     
*181122*1220*U*00501*000000001*0*T*> GS*IN*5141231234*504564567*20181122*122047*1*X*005010
ST*810*0001
BIG*20181122*I-0042537
N1*RI**92*10055500
N1*ST**92*00262
ITD*05*1*****100
DTM*011*20190120
IT1**2*EA*5.45**UP*888077648572
SDQ*EA*92*00682*1*70674*1
IT1**2*EA*5.45**UP*888077650123
SDQ*EA*92*00111*1*11356*1
IT1**3*EA*4.85**UP*888077648954
SDQ*EA*92*00682*1*11356*1*70674*1
IT1**3*EA*5.15**UP*888077649105
SDQ*EA*92*00011*2*00111*1
IT1**1*EA*5.9**UP*888077648867
SDQ*EA*92*00682*1
TDS*5770
CAD*A***FDEG
CTT*5
SE*20*0001
GE*1*1
IEA*1*000000001

Invoice EDI 810 Invoice Specifications: Decoding the Segment Structure

Here is the specification of the EDI 810 transaction set given as an example above. You should note that like any other EDI document, 810 contains mandatory and optional data. Optional data depends of the business areas and the requirements of the trading partner.

  Segment name Purpose
ISA Interchange Control Header Marks the beginning of the transmission and provides the sender/receiver identification.
GS Functional Group Header Marks the beginning of the functional group and provides the sender/receiver identification.
ST Transaction Set Header To indicate the start of a transaction set and to assign a control number. There must be only one instance per transaction.
BIG Beginning Segment for Invoice To indicate the beginning of an invoice transaction set and transmit identifying numbers and dates.
N1 Name To identify a party by type of organization, name, and code ST- Ship To RI – Remit To The N1 is sent in conjunction with the SDQ when the N1 indicates the ship to location and the SDQ indicates the bill to locations.
ITD Terms of Sale/Deferred Terms of Sale To indicate a discount terms. Code 05 – Discount Not Applicable  
DTM Date/Time Reference To specify pertinent dates and times Code 011 Shipped
IT1 Baseline Item Data To specify the basic and most frequently used line item data for the invoice and related transactions
SDQ Destination Quantity To specify multiple locations and quantity detail.
TDS Total Monetary Value Summary To provide the total invoice amount
CAD Carrier Detail To specify transportation details for the transaction Code: FDEG  – FedEx (Ground Only)
CTT Transaction Totals Number of line items To transmit hash totals for a specific element in the transaction set. 5 – Total number of IT1 Items segments.
SE Transaction Set Trailer To indicate the end of the transaction set and provide the count of the transmitted segments (including the beginning (ST) and ending (SE) segment).
GE Functional GroupTrailer Marks the ending of the functional group and provides the sender/ receiver identification
IEA Interchange Control Trailer To define the end of an interchange of zero or more functional groups and interchange-related control segments

To learn more about the structure of ANSI ASC X12 read our Blogs:

What are the Benefits of Using EDI 810 Invoices?

Like any EDI document, the EDI 810 provides faster communication between seller and buyer and reduces the risk of errors. Using EDI is much easier than traditional paper documents.

Thanks to EDI, the exchange of documents between trading partners is error-free.

Major benefits of EDI:

  • Reduce paper flow and increase business efficiency by reducing the time it takes for both parties to complete transactions.
  • Reduce administrative time spent manually submitting invoices and other essential documents.
  • Resolve manual data entry errors
  • Customer satisfaction is growing due to the rapid completion and delivery of your orders.
  • Faster payment from your customers

EDI 810 Integration Options: Managed Services vs. Web Service, Which is right for you?

EDI2XML propose 2 options for EDI 810 transaction exchange with your business partners:

Option 1: Fully Managed EDI Service including translation and communication service offering to businesses of all sizes, from various industries. All processing of EDI files are done at our end, leaving customers with no on-site installation of software or hardware and an EDI project that is on time and within budget.

Option 2: EDI2XML web services is an HTTP service running over the internet, on EDI2XML own platform that is capable of receiving HTTP requests to translate EDI messages to XML, and XML messages (based on EDI2XML’s proprietary format) to EDI.

Contact us today for more information about EDI Integration and we will more than happy to assist you!

EDI ANSI ASC X12 Standards – Technical Overview

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

Understanding the Basics of  EDI ANSI ASC X12

This article describes the EDI ANSI ASC X12 standard (American National Standards Institute Accredited Standards Committee X12).

This overview provides full information on the EDI ANSI X12 standards, including general terms (Interchange, functional group, document), description of the main components of an EDI document (segments, elements), and how an EDI document is structured.

What is Meant by EDI?

EDI Electronic Data Interchange is the process of electronically exchanging business documents (in a pre-defined format) between trading partners.

The EDI ANSI ASC X12 standard has different versions (related to development standards) – 4010, 5010, 5020

In EDI X12, each document has a three-digit number identifier. For example, an Invoice is 810, an Inventory Inquiry/Advice is 846,  an Advance Ship Notice  is 856, etc. more detailed list of EDI X12 documents with its identifier you can find here: Complete List of EDI X12 Codes

ANSI (American National Standards Institute) is a non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. EDI is handled by the Accredited Standards Committee X12 (ASC X12), it develops and maintains the X12 Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce, and Transport.) EDIFACT standard is used mainly in Europe.

EDI Terminologies:

Interchange (or Envelope)

An interchange envelope is a structured data set to deliver electronic transactions to a receiving party. Interchange can include a package of groups of documents, but may also contain only one group with one document.

The Interchange structure

EDI document structure

Interchange begins with the ISA segment and ends with the IEA segment (ISA / IEA Envelope).

EDI X12 – Functional Group

A functional group is a group of one or more similar transaction sets. The beginning of the functional group is determined by the GS segment and the end by the GE segment.

How Does an EDI Document Look (Example)

ISA*00*          *00*          *ZZ*A1STORES    *12*5142645505     *190510*0728*|*00403*100000013*0*P*}

GS*PO*A1STORES*5142645505*20190510*0728*1013*X*004030

ST*850*1013

BEG*00*SA*2332233**20190510

REF*IA*66910

PER*BD*Contact Name*TE*123-456-7890

FOB*DF

DTM*010*20190517

DTM*001*20190525

TD5*****Carrier Routing*******CG

N1*ST*Towner Square Schooms*92*006

N3*Williston Towner Square*2100 11th St SW

N4*Williston*ND*58701

PO1*1*4*EA*4.15**UP*066810348563*IT*WACT750SP16-BLK

CTP**RTL*7.99

PID*F*08***Nike Boy Short Black sz M

PO1*2*6*EA*5.00**UP*066810349983*IT*WACT170SP16-AMP

CTP**RTL*7.99

PID*F*08*** Reebok Boy Short Abstract Print sz M

PO1*3*4*EA*5.25**UP*066810349747*IT*WACT790SP16-BLK

CTP**RTL*9.99

PID*F*08*** Puma Boy Short Red sz M

CTT*3

SE*22*1013

GE*1*1013

IEA*1*100000013

What is an EDI Envelope?

The outer envelope ISA / IEA contains one or more functional Groups (GS/GE Envelopes) that contain the data, each in a separate envelope (ST/SE Envelopes).

The ISA / IEA envelope contains the addresses of the recipient company and the sending company.

The GS / GE envelope contains information about the type of documents contained in it, they are denoted as a two-letter code. (functional ID code). For example, PO for 850 Purchase Order, IN for 810 Invoice. Such an envelope contains only documents of the same type. GS also contains sender’s and receiver’s ID code, functional Group control numbers, date and time.

Functional Group Header (GS)


Functional Group Trailer (GE)

Functional Group Trailer (GE)

EDI Segments

A segment in an EDI document is a group of identical data elements that may occur several times, to provide information about a product (i.e. weight, color, size, etc.)

edi x12 Segment

EDI Segment Optionality

Segments in an EDI X12 document  can be of two types:

M (mandatory) – a mandatory segment. Such a segment contains the basic information of the document. The mandatory segment cannot be omitted from the document. Example of the mandatory segment:

BEG*00*SA*2332233**20190510

This is the (BEG) segment of the header, it contains general document information:

  • Destination (00 – Original)
  • type (SA – Stand-alone Order)
  • order number (2332233)
  • 20190510 – Mai 10, 2019

This segment identifies the document.

O is an optional segment. These are segments containing secondary information. Optional segments may not be present in the EDI document. An example of an optional segment:

PER*BD*Contact Name*TE*123-456-7890

This is a PER segment – Administrative Communications Contact, i.e. “contact information”. This segment contains the following information:

  • BD- Buyer Name or Department
  • TE – Telephone
  • The phone number itself 123-456-7890

EDI Document Structure

The initial segments of each section, is called Header, and the final segment is called Trailer:

  • ISA – Interchange Control Header – this is the segment that defines the sender and recipient.
  • GS – Functional Group Header – this segment defines the type of document(s) that are included in this group.
  • ST – Transaction Set Header – this segment starts the document and is used to assign a control number.
  • SE – Transaction Set Trailer – the segment defines the end of the document.
  • GE – Functional Group Trailer– defines the end of the data that was started by the GS segment.
  • IEA – Interchange Control Trailer – is ending the Interchange segment.

EDI document: Header, Details, and Summary

Each EDI document (i. e. an order, an invoice) is divided into three groups – Header, Details, and Summary.

EDI structure

The Header of the document contains general information such as number, contact information, dates of delivery, addresses, etc.

The details of the EDI document contain information about the ordered product (quantity, price, etc.).

The Summary contains information such as the total cost of the goods, the number of goods, etc.

Using EDI in Business

EDI is used in many industries, but primarily in trading, transport, and logistics.

Retailers such as Costco, Walmart, and others use EDI X12 to exchange electronic documents with their trading partners.

Typically, a retailer and its suppliers exchange the following EDI documents:

EDI is the connecting suppliers and retailers and allows business partners to minimize errors, and automate processes.

Free EDI consultation

RELATED POSTS:

What is EDIFACT? | UN / EDIFACT standard overview

Electronic Data Interchange: Key Information You Need to Know

What Are the Differences Between ANSI X12 and UN/EDIFACT

A technical introduction to EDI

What is EDIFACT? | UN / EDIFACT Standard Overview

UN / EDIFACT Standard Overview

What is UN/EDIFACT standard?

United Nations/Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/EDIFACT) is the International EDI standard ISO 9735-1987, developed under the UN

The general standard is adopted by national and sectoral standards bodies to better reflect the needs of each industry.

At least twice a year, the standard is updated globally. The reason of this update is to create a new directory of data and messages, in addition to improving the usability of existing EDIFACT messages.

The UN/EDIFACT standard has been developed for trade and transport management. The concept of “trade” was interpreted in a broad sense (orders, deliveries, insurance, payment of goods, customs formalities). Currently, the use of UN/EDIFACT has expanded to include accounting, customs control, pensions, health care, social insurance, judicial practice, employment, statistics, construction, finance, insurance, manufacturing, tourism, trade, freight, and container transportation.

The UN/EDIFACT standard is developed and supported by two international organizations: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe — UN ECE and the International Organization for Standardization. – ISO

EDIFACT Subsets

EDIFACT is predominant outside of North America. Due to its complexity, branch-specific subsets of EDIFACT have been developed. These subsets are subsets of EDIFACT and contain only the functions relevant to specific user groups, such as:

  • EANCOM consumer goods industry
  • ODETTE European automotive industry.
  • CEFIC chemical industry
  • EDICON standard used in the construction industry
  • RINET – the Insurance industry
  • HL7 standard is used in healthcare.
  • IATA air transportation
  • SWIFT banking
  • UIC 912 rail transport
  • EDIFICE electronics, software, and telecommunications industry. EDIFICE has played an important role in the implementation of RosettaNet standards in Europe. EDIFICE became the European RosettaNet User Group.

EDIFACT Messages: Structure and Syntax of the Standard

EDIFACT is a special, structured data language that describes all types of commercial activities, based on information logistics. Using elements and segments of standard informational messages, you can create a description of any document, generate its electronic form and transmit it in open telecommunication networks without fear of interception of private commercial information.

UN / EDIFACT Structure

Any document in UN / EDIFACT standard has a hierarchical structure. The entire electronic document is called a message. A message consists of data groups combined in some way, for example, a data group describing customs payments, a group of data describing the attributes of documents, etc. In turn, the group consists of typical data segments that describe document attributes in more details. The standard provides about 200 different types of segments from which messages are composed. The segments themselves also have a hierarchical structure and consist of data elements that can be simple (data field) and composite (usually 2-3 data fields).

The following is the structure of an EDIFACT transmission:

  • Service String Advice
  • Interchange Header
  • Functional Group Header
  • Message Header
  • User Data Segments
  • Message Trailer
  • Functional Group Trailer
  • Interchange Trailer

EDI Guide

Example EDIFACT

UNA:+.? ‘
UNB+UNOB:2+ XYZCORPORATION:ZZ+COMPANYX:ZZ+190521:1604+906019++++++1′
UNH+1+ORDERS:D:96A:UN’
BGM+220+4500265532+9′
DTM+137:20190425:102′
RFF+CT:CompanyX’
NAD+BY+2010::91′
CTA+OC+2010:G. Smith ‘
COM+044-1010605:TE’
COM+044-1010662:FX’
NAD+SE+0000906300::92′
CTA+SC+0000906300′
NAD+DP+++Consulting Inc St+ Begun + Laval++8003+CA’
CUX+2:CHF:9′
LIN+10++TH300010:BP’
PIA+1+000000000000500807:SA’
IMD+A++::92:HIR0010H12′
QTY+22:1:PCE’
DTM+2:20190423:102′
LIN+20++T0004671:BP’
PIA+1+000000000000501516:SA’
IMD+A++::92:CCGT060204NS LT1110S’
QTY+22:10:PCE’
DTM+2:20190423:102′
LIN+30++T2001171:BP’
PIA+1+000000000000501328:SA’
IMD+A++::92:LTPNG-R20-3.0′
QTY+22:1:PCE’
DTM+2:20190423:102′
UNS+S’
UNT+28+1′
UNZ+1+906019′

Principles and Technologies of Application of the UN / EDIFACT Standard

The EDIFACT Standard has three types of reference books:

The first type is directories that are based on the ISO standards. It includes directories of currency codes, country codes, units of measurement, modes of transport, delivery conditions, and some others.

The second type of directories, are the ones included in the EDIFACT standard., by default

The third type of directories is developed by different organizations responsible for issuing codes. Here is the list of organizations 3055 Code list responsible agency code

There are four main components in EDIFACT that are subject to standardization, when preparing documents for exchange between business partners.

  • data elements
  • standard data segments
  • standard messages
  • syntax rules

Data elements are the smallest, non-dividing parts of information, for example, the document date, the name of the destination, the amount of tax. More than 600 data elements used in international trade and transport have been published in a special UNTDID directory.

EDIFACT Standard Principles

The UN / EDIFACT standard is based on the following principal:

1. Standardize data at the segment and element level. Any document intended for electronic exchange should consist of typical segments. This means that the segment of the supplier’s address or delivery address is described by the same elements, regardless of what kind of document it is – invoice, order, declaration, etc. The practice has shown that to describe almost any document, it is enough to have no more than 100 typical segments. The fields inside the segments are standardized the same way, and the ratio of fields to segments is one-to-many, i.e. the same field can be included in different segments.

2. Record the fields used in segments as code. It is assumed that the partners exchanging electronic documents have identical code tables (directories). The composition and content of the reference books is standardized at three levels – international, national and corporate.

3. The independence of standards from the language of communication. The peculiarity of the UN / EDIFACT standards is that more than 90% of the electronic message consists of different codes. Another feature is that only the content of the document is transmitted, without a form. The document form is restored when the message is decoded.

Book a FREE one-on-one EDIFACT consultation session with our in-house experts.

EDIFACT Messages

The EDIFACT standard which provides a set of standard messages has greatly simplified international and multi-branch trade and the exchange of electronic business documents between countries and various industries.

The standard message UN / EDIFACT has a six-letter identifier that reflects the short name of the message, for example:

  • CUSDEC – CUStoms DEClaration
  • CUSRES –CUStoms RESponse

Some of the standard EDIFACT messages with X12 equivalent are listed in the table below.

X12 Transaction Number EDIFACT Transaction ID Transaction name
850 ORDERS Purchase order message
855 ORDRSP Purchase Order Acknowledgment
846 INVRPT Inventory Inquiry/Advice
856 DESADV Shipment Notification ASN
810 INVOIC Invoice
997 CONTRL Functional acknowledgment
860 ORDCHG Purchase Order Change – Buyer Initiated

Due to the independence from the language and the transfer of only the contents of the document, the restoration of the form of the document takes place on the receiving side in accordance with the rules that apply in this place.

Benefits of EDIFACT

EDIFACT benifits

EDIFACT has a competitive advantage that positively affects the efficiency of a company and improves business processes. The main advantages of EDIFACT:

Profitability – reducing the volume of papers to be processed leads to a decrease in personnel and administrative costs.

Efficiency – large volumes of commercial data can be transferred from one computer to another within minutes

Accuracy – the use of EDIFACT eliminates human errors that are inevitable when manually keying in data.

EDIFACT is a key component of a just-in-time strategy that ensures prompt customer satisfaction. EDIFACT in conjunction with the Internet allows real-time electronic transactions and accelerates the interaction between trading partners.

Easy EDIFACT Integration

Our company has many years of proven experience in implementing EDI and EDIFACT projects. We offer our clients Fully managed EDI Service and HTTP Web Service.

Contact us today for a free consultation and we will help you find the best option for your business.

EDIFACT Free consultation

EDI Integration of B2B E-commerce for Small Companies

Navigating B2B E-Commerce: A Small Company’s Guide to Seamless EDI Integration

More and more companies in the B2B vertical, are expanding their business to the web and doing more of what is called today B2B e-commerce. Those companies of all sizes are realizing the importance of automation and the value of exchanging EDI with their business partners, suppliers, and buyers.

For small companies in the B2B market, trading with large retailers such as Costco, Wal-Mart, Target or Home Depot is a great opportunity for their business. However, many small and medium-sized enterprises are missing out on this chance due to the fear of large retailers’ requirement to comply with their EDI rules.

In most cases, EDI is the de-facto protocol to communicate and exchange business documents between big-box retailers and their suppliers.

EDI is used to automate the process of exchanging business documents between trading partners. Essentially, it is the solution for B2B and is quite popular amongst retail, manufacturing, transportation, health care, and other industries. By automating documents exchange process, companies can benefit in many areas.

To those who do not know much about Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), it sounds quite complicated at first. There are different EDI standards, requirements, EDI formats, communication protocols such as AS2, sFTP, VAN, different documents / transactions (i.e. 850, 810, 846 856, etc.) which differ depending on company and industry.

EDI Integration projects seem daunting and expensive, which can explain why many smaller businesses still do not communicate with their trading partners through EDI. However, the key is to find the right EDI provider who can offer solutions and services that are simple, affordable and quick to onboard.

An EDI provider like EDI2XML offers 2 options for EDI integration projects:

Fully Managed EDI

This option is a “turn-key solution” where our team at EDI2XML, takes care of all the project: setup, configuration, testing, certification with your EDI partners …

Our monthly pricing packages are dynamic, they go up and down based on the volume and you are not locked in in any tier. Following is a diagram illustrating the flow of information with our EDI as a service offering.
EDI integration platform

By using our EDI Web Service, you can enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and improve collaboration with your trading partners.

EDI2XML Web Services

This option is meant for companies who got their own technical resources to work with REST API (call and consume HTTP Rest Web services); In such a scenario EDI2XML web services is the way to go for the following reasons:
  • Self-service solution,
  • Low cost,
  • Quick entry: you can be up and running in less than an hour, and it is proven; we provide everything to your developers to get started, a java client with its source code and instructions on how to work with it.
  • We offer the xml schemas (xsd) of the XML format our API expects, and all that you need to do is to format your data according to that format and you will be up and running.
  • We offer 15 days free trial, without any commitment.

Advantages of Using EDI
B2B edi Integration

Integrating Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) into B2B e-commerce can bring significant benefits to small companies. EDI allows for the automated exchange of business documents and data between trading partners, streamlining communication, reducing manual effort, and improving efficiency.

Integrating Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) into B2B e-commerce can bring significant benefits to small companies. EDI allows for the automated exchange of business documents and data between trading partners, streamlining communication, reducing manual effort, and improving efficiency.

With EDI, orders, invoices, and other business documents can be sent straight from your ERP management system to the EDI Provider, where they can process this XML file into EDI format and then sent to the Trading Partner.

Orders come in as EDI, get translated into XML format and then get sent straight to your ERP system (if integration was done). In most cases where integration to your ERP solution is done, no human intervention is even needed. This saves so much time and effort and finally allows your employees to get a lot more time on their hands for other important tasks, eliminating so much of the manual data entry.

When it comes to EDI, every case is different. It’s all about finding the right EDI provider that can help you with this process and ensure it’s simple and efficient as can be. Automating B2B processes with EDI can help companies stay profitable by letting them keep up with market changes and trends.

Look at EDI2XML, and book a free consultation with one of our EDI experts!
EDI price

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) ACI eManifest

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) ACI eManifest

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) requires all cargo transporters (Highway Carrier, Air Carrier, Marine Carrier, Rail Carrier, Freight Forwarder, Warehouse Operator, and Account Security Holder) to send electronically and in advance commercial information about their shipments in what is called Custom Manifest or Canadian Advance Commercial Information (ACI) eManifest. This measure is necessary to improve the security of international trade and to optimize commercial cross-border processes.

There are two possibilities to transmit electronically pre-arrival information to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Companies may choose between:

Differences between CBSA Electronic Data Interchange and eManifest Portal

EDI and eManifest Portal have different terminologies, data requirements, and business rules. The differences are mainly because EDI and the eManifest Portal are based on two different technologies and interfaces.

EDI refers to the exchange of information, thus, companies using EDI can get statuses and receive notifications, while eManifest Portal refers to the submission of information only, and refers to Statuses.

Canada Border Services Agency CBSA EDI exchange

Similar to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is committed to both the ANSI X12 and UN/EDIFACT Electronic Data Interchange standards.

Communication Methods for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to CBSA

There are three options to transmit electronic commerce information to CBSA:

Value Added Network, or Direct Connect (DC) to the CBSA

Some VANs have an interconnect with the CBSA to allow EDI exchange with the trading partners and shipping companies; However, Direct Connect (DC) is an alternative that provides a special direct connection to CBSA. All new connections require an initial investment of $ 25,000 ($ 5,000) for customization.

 Customs Internet Gateway (CIG)

CBSA has developed a Customs Internet Gateway (CIG) for transmitting and receiving data over the Internet. Clients must acquire certain encryption and decryption software, as well as develop or acquire protocol software to connect to the CIG. Customers will need to transfer data from the Canadian office, as the certificate is assigned only to the device in Canada.

Third-Party EDI Service Provider

For those companies who are unable or unwilling to transfer data directly to CBSA, there are third-party service providers who are setup and to transmit and exchange data with CBSA in both directions. These organizations offer various EDI solutions, and usually, offer a wide range of EDI services.

Information of Freight/Cargo Manifest for CBSA

The various information must be shown on Freight/Cargo Manifest. (paper form A6A) for example for Marine Carrier:
  • Records the registered name of the vessel
  • Port where the report is made (presented) – Canadian port where the vessel arrived or departed
  • Nationality of ship
  • Name of Master – Self explanatory
  • Port of loading/discharge
  • Final Destination (if on-carriage)
  • Date of sailing from the port of loading
  • Shipper, Consignee information
  • Number of the ocean bill of loading
  • Marks and numbers on each package
  • Number and type of packaging, product description
  • Gross shipping weight of cargo in each category by unit measure.
  • Freight details, charges, etc.

In addition, all carriers and freight forwarders must have a carrier code issued by CBSA.

What Kind of Customs Documents Companies May Exchange via EDI with CBSA?

Depending on your business type and needs, you can submit and request different EDI documents and receive all acknowledgment and reject messages from CBSA:

– Highway carrier – cargo and conveyance documents for highway shipments.

– Air carrier – cargo, conveyance, house bills, and conveyance arrival documents for all air shipments.

– Marine carrier – cargo, conveyance, house bills, bay plan, and conveyance arrival documents for all marine shipments.

– Rail carrier – cargo, conveyance, house bills, and conveyance arrival documents for all rail shipments

– Warehouse operator – can request ACI notices.

– Freight Forwarders – house bill and close notifications for all shipments, all modes of transport

– Account Security Holder – receive notifications based on advanced trading data for all shipments and all modes of transport.

Timeframes for Submitting Custom Manifest to the CBSA
EDI for CBSA

Air carriers – 4 hours

Air carriers transporting cargo to Canada must transmit information on cargo to CBSA at least four hours before arriving in Canada. If the duration of the flight is less than four hours, at the time of departure.

Highway carriers – 1 hour

Highway carriers that ship goods to Canada must transfer information about goods electronically to CBSA prior to arrival. CBSA must receive and verify cargo and transport data at least one hour before the cargo arrives at the border.

Marine carriers – 24 to 96 hours

Depending on the type and origin of the goods marine carriers carrying goods to Canada must submit cargo and conveyance information to CBSA within the prescribed time frame before arrival or before loading.

Rail carriers – 2 hours

CBSA must receive electronically cargo and conveyance information from rail carriers, within a minimum of two-hours before the conveyance arrives at the border.

The Best EDI Service Provider to Exchange EDI

At EDI2XML, we know that our first task is to provide innovative and effective solutions to solve the most difficult EDI task when crossing the border and saving you time and improving efficiency.

Are you need to submit your eManifest to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)? We have the solution! Contact us to learn more about ACI eManifest.

Free EDI consultation

RELATED POSTS:

CBP EDI 309 Customs Manifest Transaction

EDI X12 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender – overview

What is Advanced Ship Notice (ASN) 856 transaction set?

Fully managed EDI service VS HTTP Web Service: Which is Better for Your Business ?

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and all the services around it are becoming more and more popular, regardless of the industry, for one major reason: EDI transactions are replacing paper documents exchanged between trading partners, and helping companies in their digital transformation projects, for a “greener” planet.

Retail was one of the first industries to fully adopt EDI, and it is still the most active vertical in its usage. EDI is a proven and effective alternative to fax, e-mail, and manually entering or re-entering data such as Invoice, Purchase Order, Inventory and many others…

There are various types of EDI and several approaches to integrate Electronic Data Interchange in a business community. Each EDI provider can offer a different EDI integration methodology, in order to become EDI compliant. We at EDI2XML, offer two options for to integrate EDI into your company, and make your business “EDI compliant”, while shortening the integration project:

Fully Managed EDI Service

HTTP EDI Web Service

How to select? What kind of EDI integration solution is a better option for your business?  First, let’s understand both options.

Fully Managed EDI Service

The EDI2XML service offered as “fully managed” includes translation and communication service offering to businesses of all sizes, from different industries.

Our team at EDI2XML, takes care of ALL the aspects of the integration project. With this model, we offer a “Turnkey EDI Solution” where we take on our shoulder all setup, configuration, testing, certification with the EDI partners …

EDI Fully Managed Service

In other words, with this option, we take care of everything: all the steps of the project from A to Z. We can even integrate directly into your ERP or CRM system. We provide certified connectors for leading IT systems such as Salesforce, JD Edwards, SAP, Dynamics CRM, Dynamics AX, and more.

EDI integration platform

a) Technical Details

A setup phase is mandatory for all new Trading Partners and/or EDI document implementation. This stage includes the project analysis, setup of Trading Partner accounts, configuring Partner specs and platform, defining the transfer file structure, building and setting up all required connectivities and communication protocols. It also includes an end-to-end full cycle data testing and certification.

To learn more about EDI service, download our free introductory guide here

b) Pricing

As for the pricing, it is based on pre-defined monthly service packages, including a pre-defined volume of data processed. All our packages are billed monthly based on the entry level plan (Business Light) at the beginning of each month. Subsequent month billing will include the basic plan fee PLUS the difference between the plan we billed initially (Business light) for previous month, and the plan that we were supposed bill for the previous month based on real volume of data processed for that month.

All this to say, our monthly pricing packages are dynamic, they go up and down based on the volume of data we process and integrate, and our clients are not locked in in any of the packages.

For more information about pricing, fill out a form: EDI2XML Translation Service Pricing Package

HTTP EDI Web Service (REST API)

EDI2XML Web Service is an HTTP service running over the internet, on EDI2XML’s own platform that is capable of receiving HTTP requests to translate EDI messages to XML, and XML messages to EDI (based on EDI2XML’s proprietary format).

EDI2XML Web Service is much more cost-effective, and meant for companies who got their own technical resources to work with REST API (call and consume HTTP Rest Web services)

The principles of the mechanism of the EDI2XML Web Service is schematically illustrated in the diagram below.

API-Converter for EDI XML and JSON

a) Advantages

EDI2XML Web Service is the way to go for the following reasons:

  • Self-service solution
  • Low cost
  • We offer a 15 days free trial, without any commitment.
  • Get started with less than an hour
  • There is no contract, no commitment.
  • Payments are month to month; Cancel anytime with a 30 days’ notice.
  • A very simple and dynamic pricing scheme
  • Availability and reliability
  • Based on proven technology in the field for over 18 years now
  • Outstanding technical support

b) Technical Details

Implementation time: Getting started with EDI2XML Web Service, is very simple and quick. Within less than an hour, you can issue the first Call to the Web Service and see the response. Our HTTP EDI Web service is very clearly documented, and we provide instructions with each subscription.

  • Quick entry: you can be up and running in less than an hour, and it is proven; we provide everything to your developers to get started, a java client with its source code and instructions on how to work with it.
  • We offer the schemas(xsd) of the XML format our API expects, and all what you need to do is to format your data according to that format and you will be up and running.

c) Pricing

EDI2XML API service fee to use the HTTP / Web Service calls, has a very simple pricing scheme. The price consists of two elements:

  1. Monthly mailbox fee: a “fixed” monthly fee for the Web Service Mailbox usage on EDI2XML platform. It is a nonrefundable fee.
  2. Data processing fee: a “variable” fee based on the volume of data processed and translated between EDI and XML, during a calendar month. The volume of data processed is computed in both directions:
  • Incoming, and
  • Outgoing

Click here to request EDI2XML Web Service Price List

d) How to get started with EDI2XML API

To get started with our EDI Web Service three steps you need to follow:

1. You need to provide us the list of documents/transactions you want to be activated under your trial account.

2. We will simply set you up with a 15 days trial account, without any commitment from you. Just let us know when do you want to kick off, and we can take care of setting you up on a trial account.

3. We provide a Java client and its source code. You can get started with less than an hour, this will allow you to try and see the results by your own.

We’ve recently launched EDI2XML Web Service v2.0 – a smarter, faster, and more secure version of our REST API. It supports improved token-based authentication and better performance for X12, XML, and JSON document exchange. Learn more: What’s New in Version 2.0?

Watch the Video and discover which solution aligns best with your business needs and goals.

 

Compare key features of Fully Managed EDI Service and HTTP EDI Web Service

key feature

Fully managed EDI service

HTTP EDI Web Service
 Type of EDI solution Full service Self service
 Contract Yes No
 Commitment 24 months No
 Implementation time   (approximately) 2 weeks 1 hour
 Real-Time Connection Yes Yes
 Free Trial account No 15 days
 Data processing fee Based on the appropriate plan. It works in both directions: when the volume goes up and  when the volume goes down.   “Variable” fee based on the   volume      of data processed     and translated         between   EDI    and XML, during a         calendar    month.
 Need for internal   resources No Yes
 Need for in-house EDI expertise No No
 Technical Support Yes Yes
 Hardware Installation  Required No Yes
 Software Installation Required No No
Communication with the trading partner: setup and testing in both directions Yes

No
Free edi consultation

We, at EDI2XML, provide an EDI integration solution for every type of business. Contact us today for a free consultation and we will help you find the most appropriate option for your business.

 

Electronic Data Interchange: Key Information You Need to Know

 

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.


EDI (or Electronic Data Interchange), has been part of business for long time; However, questions about its functioning, pros and cons are still not clear for new EDI users and those who have been using EDI for years in their business.

To help better understand EDI, we created this e-book “Electronic Data Interchange: Key Information You Need to Know”, where you find answers to most of the frequent questions like What is EDI? Benefits of EDI, EDI communication (EDI-VAN) and (EDI -INT) and much more.

It was built for beginners and those who have strong EDI technical knowledge. We are certain you will get important information out of this eBook, that is certainly useful to your EDI projects.

We invite you to download this e-book from EDI2XML Resource Page

Free EDI eBookFree EDI consultation

 

SOAP or REST Web Services: what you should use for EDI implementation?


This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.


In my previous article Seamless EDI implementation through Web Services, I covered various types of web services. Perhaps, if you’re still worried about choosing between SOAP or REST for your EDI implementation, this brief comparative review should help you make a choice. But in any case, you should remember that the focus of your decision must concentrate on which web service best responds to your needs.

First, look at the difference between the SOAP and REST request and response packets.

Here is a SOAP request and response packets:

SOAP request sample

SOAP response sample

Here is a REST request and response:

REST sample request and response

What is difference between SOAP and REST Web services?

1. SOAP actively uses XML to encode requests and responses, as well as strong data typing, ensuring the integrity of the information is intact, during transmission between the client and the server. On the other hand, requests and responses in REST can be transmitted in ASCII, XML, JSON or any other formats that can be recognized by both the client and the server. In addition, there are no built-in data type requirements in the REST model. As a result, the request and response packets in REST are much smaller than their corresponding SOAP packets.

2. In the SOAP model, the HTTP data transfer layer is a “passive observer,” and its role is limited to sending SOAP requests from a client to the server using the POST method. Service request details, such as the remote procedure name and input arguments, are encoded in the request body. Opposite of SOAP the REST architecture, considers the HTTP data transfer layer as an active participant in an interaction using existing HTTP methods, such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE, to indicate the type of service requested. Therefore, from a developer’s perspective, REST requests are generally simpler to be formulated and understood since they use existing and well-understood HTTP interfaces.

3. The SOAP model allows service developers to describe its APIs in a Web Service Description Language (WSDL) file format. Creating these files is quite difficult, but it’s well worth the effort since SOAP clients can automatically retrieve detailed information from these files. For example, about the names and method signatures, input and output types and return values. On the other hand, the REST model avoids the complexity of WSDL in favor of a more intuitive interface based on the standard HTTP methods described above.

4. At the “heart” of REST is the concept of resources, while SOAP uses interfaces based on objects and methods. The SOAP interface can contain an almost unlimited number of methods; the REST interface, in contrast, is limited to four possible operations, corresponding to the four HTTP methods.

Useful link: Download EDI Web Service overview. 

This EDI Web Service overview covers the following topics:

  • What is EDI2XML Web Services?
  • Advantages of using EDI2XML HTTP service
  • Who is EDI Web Service for?

The best Web Service for EDI

EDI2XML Web Service, is for developers, systems integrators and businesses, interested in building their own EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) integration flows and programs. Normally, these individuals, are capable of interacting with external API and Web Services to translate EDI to XML and XML to EDI, and have the resources and expertise to work with Web Services and HTTP requests in order to achieve their goals. EDI2XML web service, is the premier choice for IT people as a reliable service to accomplish such Integration projects.

The best way to discover how REST works for EDI is to try our free 15- days trial version of EDI2XML Web Service.

Click here to request the price list in order to access EDI2XML Web Service

 

EDI Web Service for edi integration

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