XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a versatile format for structuring and exchanging data between diverse systems and applications.

Tag Archive for: XML

In this article, we’ll explore EDI, XML, and JSON—three key structured data formats—their differences, and how they are used in business. As a business systems integrator and EDI provider with 25 years of experience, we’ll explain why companies rely on these formats and how they impact the speed and accuracy of operations.

What Is Structured Data in Business and Why It Matters

Structured data in business is information organized into predefined formats—like EDI, XML, or JSON—so that systems can instantly parse, validate, and process it without human intervention.

In the business environment, companies exchange thousands of documents every day: orders, invoices, shipment notifications, reports and other important files. This information is essential to business efficiency. To ensure that data is exchanged quickly, accurately, and without unnecessary manual effort, companies rely on structured formats.

What does this mean? Structured data is information organized according to certain rules and structures. Such data can be easily processed using programs, automatically transferred between systems and stored without loss. This is why formats like EDI, XML and JSON are so important in business.

For example, when one supplier’s ERP system (i.e NetSuite) sends an order to a buyer’s ERP or CRM system, they need to “understand” each other. If one uses EDI and the other uses only API with JSON, such a dialogue is impossible without intermediate transformation.

Each of these formats has its own role.

  • EDI is the language of automated document flow between companies.
  • XML is a flexible and readable format that is often used in integrations and systems.
  • JSON is a simple and lightweight format, especially popular in web applications and APIs.

Useful Reading: What is EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)? | EDI2XML

It is important to understand that “machine-readable” does not always mean “human-friendly”. For example, an EDI file may look like a set of incomprehensible symbols and codes. But XML or JSON is easier to read not only for a computer, but also for a person if he works with the data directly.

What is EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)?

EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange. It is a way to transfer business documents between companies in a standardized electronic format. For example, instead of sending a paper Purchase Order by mail or by email and manually entering it into a business system, companies (trading partners) transfer the document directly from one system to another using EDI. Everything happens quickly, automatically, and without human error.

Why Companies Still Use EDI for Automated Document Exchange

Companies still rely on EDI because its strict, industry‑wide standards guarantee fast, accurate document exchange with large trading partners—minimizing manual errors and integration headaches. By enforcing a uniform syntax (ANSI X12 or EDIFACT), EDI ensures that orders, invoices, and shipping notices are understood exactly the same way by any partner system, speeding up processing and reducing disputes.

EDI is most often used in industries such as logistics, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and distribution. For example, a large supermarket chain could receive orders, invoices, and shipment notifications from dozens of suppliers every day. Without the automation of such processes in the form of EDI, this would be extremely slow and inefficient.

Thus, EDI can transfer dozens of document types: from orders (850 Purchase Order), shipment notifications (856 ASN), to invoices (810 Invoice), and even payment status documents. This allows trading partners to reduce order processing time, get paid faster, and provide better customer service.

EDI works according to certain standards. One of the most popular is ANSI ASC X12, often abbreviated as X12. This is a standard used mainly in North America. In Europe and international trade, another standard is more often used – EDIFACT. Despite the differences, they have the same goal: to allow computers from different companies to “speak the same language”.

Not all modern platforms have built-in EDI support, which is why different EDI solutions from EDI providers like EDI2XML become important. They convert traditional EDI messages (such as ANSI X12) into more convenient and readable formats – XML or JSON. This is especially relevant for companies working with APIs or web applications that do not directly support EDI.

So, EDI is the basis for automated document flow between companies. It standardizes, speeds up and simplifies business communication, while reducing errors and delays.

 ANSI ASC X12 Format: Structure and Codes

ANSI ASC X12 is the most widely used standard for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) in North America. It was developed in the United States by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) through the ASC X12 committee and has been in use since the early 1980s. Terms like “ansi x12 edi“, “ansi x12 format” and “ansi x12 standards” are common when talking about standardized business document structures.

This format defines clear rules for transmitting documents such as orders, invoices, shipping notices and dozens of others – together they are called “EDI X12 Transaction Set” or just EDI document. Each document type has its own unique number. For example, 850 is a Purchase Order, 856 is an ASN, and 810 is an Invoice.

One example of an EDI document is EDI X12 850, which is used to send a purchase order. Such documents include dates, identifiers, product descriptions, quantities, and other structured data that can only be understood by programs that can read and process them correctly.

Here is an example of EDI X12 850 file:

EDI 850

How Is an ANSI X12 File Structured?

The ANSI X12 file is structured strictly and consistently. It is divided into segments — these are logical blocks of information. Each segment contains elements separated by special symbols, most often a tilde (~), an asterisk (*) or a colon. This principle of organization is called edi x12 structure.

To correctly “read” the contents of segments, systems use a code directory — ansi x12 code list. This is a kind of dictionary in which each code corresponds to a specific value. Without these codes, the information loses its meaning and becomes unreadable.

If you open an EDI file in a regular text editor, it will look like a string of incomprehensible symbols and abbreviations. But with the help of software parsers, it can be “decomposed” into components and converted into a more readable form, for example, XML or JSON.

You can find the full catalog of EDI codes here:

Parsing and Working with X12 Files

Since X12 files are not intended to be human-readable, they often need to be parsed — that is, broken down into their components and converted into more usable formats, such as XML or JSON. There are open-source tools, such as Python, that allow this. However, using them requires technical knowledge, configuration, and ongoing support. That is why many companies prefer to entrust this process to EDI providers, such as EDI2XML — to ensure accuracy, security, and compliance with standards.

Useful Reading: How to Choose the Right EDI Provider for Small Businesses

Pros and Cons of the ANSI X12 Format

Advantages:

  • Widely used in industry, logistics, retail
  • Reliable and time-tested
  • Allows standardization of all stages of business exchange

Limitations:

  • Not human-readable
  • Requires knowledge of the structure and codes
  • Difficult to integrate with modern web applications without intermediate solutions (for example, conversion to XML or JSON)

It is because of these limitations that companies are increasingly using solutions that convert X12 into more convenient formats for work – we will talk about this further.

EDI Guide

What is EDIFACT

EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport ) is an international standard for the electronic exchange of data between companies (trading partners). It was developed by the UN. Unlike X12, which is mainly used in the US and Canada, EDIFACT is used worldwide – especially in Europe, Asia and South America. It is often used in international trade and logistics.

In simple terms, both EDIFACT and X12 are needed to allow companies to exchange documents – for example, orders, invoices, shipping notifications and so on. But they have different structures and formats.

Where is EDIFACT Most Often Used?

EDIFACT is especially popular in the following industries:

  • International logistics and transportation (air freight, shipping)
  • Customs clearance – for information exchange between businesses and government agencies
  • Automotive industry – as a standard way to transmit orders and notifications
  • European retail – most chains require EDIFACT support from their suppliers

While EDIFACT and X12 serve the same purpose – to standardize data transfer, their choice depends on the region, industry and requirements of trading partners.

XML: A Flexible Format for Data Exchange Between Systems

XML is a convenient format for exchanging data between systems. XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a universal way of storing and transmitting data. It is often used when it is necessary to exchange data between different business systems. Due to its structure, XML is easy to read by both computers and humans.

XML for Business Integration: Flexibility, Readability, and Validation

Flexibility: you can create your own tags and describe data in a way that is convenient for your company. No strict restrictions.

Standardization: Supported by many platforms and programming languages, which simplifies integration between different systems.

Readability: Unlike EDI, XML documents are easy to read and debug manually, which is convenient for developers and analysts. Compatibility with API – especially with SOAP services, which still actively use XML.

API support: Many modern web services use XML as a data transfer format, especially in SOAP.

What Does an XML Document Look Like?

An XML document consists of nested elements, each with an opening and closing tag,

Below is an example of a Purchase Order (EDI 850) file in XML format. Please note that this is only a partial sample, provided for demonstration purposes.

EDI 850 in XML format

This format can be easily converted into objects in most programming languages, which speeds up development.

Pros and cons of XML

Pros:

  • Universality – widely used across platforms and industries
  • Readability – human-readable structure
  • Flexibility – supports complex data structures
  • Broad support – compatible with many tools and systems

Cons:

  • Larger file size compared to formats like JSON
  • Parsing complexity on some platforms or in resource-constrained environments

When is XML the Best Choice?

  • When integrating with legacy enterprise systems (e.g., ERP, CRM) that natively support XML
  • In SOAP-based web services, where XML is the standard format
  • When strict data validation is required using XML Schema (XSD)

JSON in Modern APIs: Lightweight Data Exchange and Developer Adoption

If you are even slightly connected with web development or API, you have probably heard about JSON. This is a format that has become an almost universal language of communication between applications. Lightweight, understandable, and what is important – very convenient.

The full name is JavaScript Object Notation, but don’t be scared: JSON has long gone beyond JavaScript and is used almost everywhere.

Why Does Everyone Love JSON So Much?

Well, first of all, it’s simple. Seriously, even if you are not a programmer, you will most likely understand what is written in a JSON file. Everything is based on the “key-value” principle, and it looks something like this:

EDI 850 JSON format

Note: The image above is a partial example of an EDI 850 Purchase Order represented in JSON format. It does not include the full structure of the EDI document.

Secondly, it is compact. Compared to the same XML, JSON more compact because it doesn’t require opening and closing tags, which means it is transmitted faster over the network. This is especially important for mobile applications and APIs, where every millisecond counts.

And finally — it is great friends with JavaScript. And since most web applications are built on JavaScript, JSON has become their native format.

Key Takeaways:

JSON is easily parsed in almost any programming language — from JavaScript and Python to C# and Go.

Here’s why:

  • JavaScript: JSON is natively supported (JSON.parse() and JSON.stringify()).
  • Python: Comes with a built-in json module for parsing and generating JSON.
  • C#: Has built-in support via System.Text.Json and Newtonsoft.Json (Json.NET).
  • Go: The standard library includes the encoding/json package for working with JSON.

In fact, almost every modern programming language has libraries or built-in tools for working with JSON, making it one of the most universally supported data formats today

Where is JSON Most Often Used?

  • In REST API, when a web application communicates with a server.
  • In mobile applications that receive data from the backend.
  • When integrating with cloud services — CRM, ERP, e-commerce, etc.
  • Inside microservices, where each service exchanges data with others.
  • In short, if two applications want to “talk” to each other — most likely, they will do it in JSON.

Does JSON Have Any Downsides?

Of course, there are no ideal formats.

  • JSON does not have a built-in validation scheme, like XML. That is, you cannot pre-set strict rules by which the data should be arranged.
  • Comments are not supported. Yes, you can do without them, but sometimes it is inconvenient.
  • And if the data structure becomes too complex and nested — JSON may not be so readable.

JSON is like a universal language for modern applications. It is lightweight, fast, understandable, and supported almost everywhere. Yes, it has its limitations, but in most cases, it is a great choice.

Why Is JSON Increasingly Used in Business Integrations?

It may seem that companies no longer use EDI, but this is not true. Companies do not abandon EDI if it is required by their trading partners. If a partner (for example, a large retailer) requires documents in EDI format (X12 or EDIFACT), then the sender is obliged to use this format.

However, within the company, in its internal systems (ERP, CRM, eCommerce), a format more convenient for integration can be used – for example, JSON or XML.

That is why, to connect “EDI-external world” and “JSON-internal”, an intermediate solution is used, for example, such as a fully managed EDI service or EDI web service form EDI2XML company. They convert EDI <-> JSON or XML.

Therefore, it would be more correct to say that companies do not “switch from EDI to JSON”, but strive to use more convenient formats (inside their systems or API), but continue to support EDI where it is required – through conversion.

Intermediate EDI Conversion: Bridging EDI ↔ XML/JSON Workflows

While JSON is not a direct replacement for traditional EDI (such as X12 or EDIFACT), it is becoming an important link in modern integrations. Companies that need to exchange data with partners using the EDI format can use EDI converter solutions such as EDI2XML, which transform EDI messages into JSON (or XML) for subsequent processing or integration into modern web services.

JSON is ideal for new projects where flexibility, speed, and ease of implementation are important. It is especially popular among startups, SaaS platforms, and organizations deploying cloud infrastructure.

Thus, as we have already said above, JSON is not a replacement for EDI, but rather a bridge between classic business formats and the modern digital ecosystem.

Integration price

Comparison of formats: EDI, XML and JSON

Below is a table that allows you to visually compare three popular data exchange formats – EDI, XML and JSON:

Characteristic EDI (X12/EDIFACT) XML JSON
Year Introduced 1970s Late 1990s Early 2000s
Human Readability Low High High
Data Volume Compact Verbose (many tags) More compact than XML
Standardization Strict Flexible Flexible
Structural Flexibility Limited High High
API Support Limited Used in SOAP-based APIs Excellent (RESTful APIs)
B2B Adoption Very common Widely used Increasing
Mapping Requirements Yes Sometimes Often
Implementation Complexity High Moderate Low
Analysis Tools Specialized General-purpose General-purpose

 

This table shows that the choice of format depends on the company’s tasks and the requirements of its partners. Where strict standardization and compatibility with large retailers or logistics companies are important, EDI is still irreplaceable. XML is ideal for more flexible B2B integrations. JSON is becoming a leader in modern web platforms and cloud applications.

How Companies Use EDI, XML, and JSON

Integrating business processes using different data formats depends on the type of company, its technology level, and partner ecosystem. Below we provide both real-life examples from our customers and typical scenarios where EDI, XML, and JSON are used.

EDI in Logistics and Retail

Many large retailers, such as Walmart, Costco, or Canadian Tire, require suppliers to transmit orders, ASNs, and invoices exclusively according to EDI X12 or EDIFACT standards. Example:

A company supplies goods to Walmart and is required to send EDI 850 (Purchase Order), EDI 856 (ASN), and EDI 810 (Invoice) documents.

To fulfill these requirements, it uses an EDI provider (for example, EDI2XML), which processes all the necessary transactions.

XML in ERP and CRM Integration

XML is often used as an intermediate or primary format when transferring data between business systems:

A company has implemented SAP ERP and integrates it with Salesforce CRM. Data (e.g. about customers, orders, payments) is exchanged via SOAP web services with XML as the format.

In another example, an XML file is used as an export format for uploading reports to state tax authorities.

JSON in Cloud and Mobile Solutions

JSON is becoming a key format in SaaS integrations and cloud architectures:

A company uses a cloud warehouse management platform (WMS) with a RESTful API. All commands for retrieving/updating data are executed in JSON format.

In a mobile application of a sales representative, JSON is used to retrieve up-to-date data on products and synchronize orders with the backend system.

Future‑Ready Integrations: Combining EDI, XML, and JSON in One Architecture

In the modern world, formats are often combined:

The supplier receives an order from a customer in EDI 850 format, converts it to XML for processing in the ERP, and then provides the data in JSON for display in the BI panel.

This shows that the choice of format depends not only on technical preferences, but also on the partner environment, solution architecture, and the tasks of a particular business.

Useful reading: Salesforce, EDI, ERP, and WMS Integration: From Chaos to Control

Real‑World Case Study: Supplies Outlet’s EDI→JSON NetSuite Integration

Supplies Outlet is a Nevada-based cartridge retailer. Like many businesses, they work with large trading partners who require data exchange using the EDI standard. However, the company uses a modern cloud ERP system, NetSuite, which operates via a REST API and prefers the JSON format.

To tie it all together and automate it, they implemented a EDI solution from EDI2XML company. The goal was simple but important: to eliminate manual data entry, speed up order processing, and minimize errors.

How it works in practice:

Every 15 minutes, the system automatically checks for new EDI documents from partners. These can be, for example:

EDI 846 — information on stock balances,

EDI 855 — order confirmation,

EDI 856 — shipment notification,

EDI 810 — invoice.

As soon as such documents are received, they are automatically converted to JSON — a format that NetSuite understands — and immediately uploaded to the ERP via API.

The process is also automated in the opposite direction: when a new order is created in NetSuite, the system takes this data, converts it to EDI 850 (Purchase Order) and sends it to the partner via FTP.

What does this give to the business?

Thanks to this integration, about 90% of all orders are now processed automatically. This means:

  • no manual data entry,
  • fewer errors,
  • faster order processing,
  • and, of course, saving time and resources.

Which Format to Choose? It All Depends on the Context

When it comes to choosing between EDI, XML and JSON, there is no universal answer. It all depends on how your business is structured, who you work with and what technologies are already used.

If you cooperate with large corporations, logistics operators or government agencies, you most likely cannot do without EDI. This is a time-tested format that strictly follows industry standards and ensures reliable data transfer. If your partners require EDI, you will have to adapt.

XML is still relevant, especially in the corporate environment. It is often used in integrations between ERP and CRM, in banking, in legal documents, wherever a clear structure and data validation are important. Especially if SOAP is used, XML is almost always there.

But JSON is already about flexibility and speed. It is great for cloud solutions, mobile applications, and modern web services. If you have a REST API, microservices, or SaaS – JSON will be your best friend.

In practice, a combination of formats is increasingly common. For example, an order comes from a client in the form of EDI, it is processed in XML within the company, and for analytics or display in the interface, the data is already submitted in JSON. And this is absolutely normal.

The main thing is to understand which format is appropriate where, and how they can be linked together. This will help build a reliable and scalable digital architecture that will work today and tomorrow.

Choosing Your EDI Partner: What to Look for in a Fully Managed Service

If you are looking for a reliable partner who will help you connect EDI, ERP, CRM, eCommerce and other business systems, you have come to the right place.

We are not just a supplier of EDI solutions – we are an integrator who understands how business processes are structured and how to make technologies really work.

Our team will help you:

  • choose the right formats and tools,
  • automate data exchange with partners,
  • integrate everything – from EDI to cloud platforms – into a single, convenient system.

Contact us – and get a free consultation.

We will be happy to discuss your project, suggest optimal solutions and show you how to simplify and speed up your processes.

EDI

 

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.


API Web Service for EDI X12 exchange – Discover the advantages

For over 20 years, we have been working with EDI, integrating systems and helping companies of all sizes, in their digital transformation journey. We have been writing extensively and covering hot topics about EDI integration with e-commerce such as Shopify, Amazon and other eCommerce platforms, or EDI for drop-ship business, or EDI Integration with Salesforce and other different CRM and ERP system.

We have extensive knowledge in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and we share our knowledge by writing a large number of articles in our Blog ; we take up questions from our readers and contacts, related to different EDI topics, including types of EDI messages , EDI Standards and we try to respond to those in our blog.

In this article, there is an important topic I want to expand on: it is our EDI2XML API service, to translate EDI to XML (and vice versa) through our Http/https/httpss REST Web Service; This service we launched last year, and it is gaining success and popularity, mainly within the community of CTOs, Integrators and Developers who are looking for ways to include EDI messages processing, as part of their ESB (enterprise service bus) integration projects, in a corporate environment heavily connected using SOA (or service-oriented architecture).

What is EDI2XML Web Service?

EDI2XML Web Service, is an HTTP/HTTPS/HTTPSS service running over the internet, on EDIXML own platform that is capable of receiving HTTP/HTTPS/HTTPSS requests to translate EDI messages to XML, and XML messages (based on EDI2XML’s proprietary format) to EDI. The principles of the mechanism of EDI2XML Web Service is schematically illustrated in the figure below.

EDI2XML Web Service: Who is it for?

EDI2XML Web Service is for developers 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/HTTPS/HTTPSS 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.

How much time does it take to get started with EDI2XML Web Service?

In order to access EDI2XML Web Service, and start taking advantage of our HTTP/HTTPS service in your EDI integration projects, we require that you fill the form on our EDI2XML website.

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 Web Service is very well documented and instructions are provided with each subscription. The instructions on how to get started are very straight forward and simple to follow. We provide detailed instructions and screenshots.

For a junior developer who is able to follow instructions, he can see results within less than an hour, just by following instructions from our quick start guide.

Moreover, we offer a 30 minutes courtesy technical call, for every new subscriber.

Is there any limitation with EDI2XML Web Service?

Access to our EDI2XML Web Service is unlimited and There are no limits for http/https calls. EDI2XML format supports currently the most commonly used EDI formats in North America: X12 and EDIFACT. You can check supported EDI transactions listed on our website. In case a transaction you are looking for is not on the list, we can simply just add it and activate into the service at no additional fee.

What is the XML format returned and expected by EDI2XML Web Service?

When Translating from EDI to XML, our EDI2XML Web service will generate a “proprietary” XML format we call it “EDI2XML format”. This is a very structured format where we do provide also the corresponding schemas (.xsd) for each transaction, in order to ease developer’s lives.

When translating from XML to EDI, EDI2XML expects a proprietary XML format, which we do provide the schemas (.xsd).

Does EDI2XML Web Service support Https?

EDI2XML API service supports http and https REST calls. We do realize how important is to transmit EDI information on a public tunnel such as the internet, with full security, when calling our EDI2XML web service.

Advantages of using EDI2XML HTTP/HTTPS service:

  • Get started with less than an hour
  • No contract: pay as you go
  • Very simple and dynamic pricing scheme
  • Availability and reliability
  • Based on proven technology in the field for over 18 years now
  • Outstanding technical support
  • Self-service solution
  • Cloud based
  • Low cost
  • Quick entry: you can be up and running in less than an hour, since we provide everything an integrator/developer needs to get started. We provide java client with its source code and instructions on how to try it.
  • Free trial for [15] days, with no commitment.

EDI Consultancy

We do offer EDI projects consultancy. We help companies plan, deploy, test and integrate EDI projects. You can simply call us (450) 68-3009 Ext 223 or write us sales@namtek.ca if you need any EDI consulting work. We have a proven 20+ years of experience in EDI and integration projects.

EDI Web Service for edi integration

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.


This article explains high level details about integration with Amazon Marketplace Web Service (MWS); it covers key Amazon MWS features and process of Amazon order.

What is Amazon MWS?

 

As per the definition on Amazon’s developer’s website: “Amazon Marketplace Web Service (or Amazon MWS) is an integrated web service API that helps Amazon sellers to programmatically exchange data on listings, orders, payments, reports and more.”

In different words, Amazon MWS, is an integration API, based on XML files exchange, provided by Amazon, and can be leveraged and used by Sellers subscribed to sell their products and services on Amazon eCommerce platform, directly while having “Amazon professional account”.

Let’s deep dive into the more details about MWS of Amazon, little about its architecture, its capabilities and its use

What is XML?

XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a standard defined by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).  XML uses tags (identifiers enclosed in parentheses, for example, <note>) to mark content in text documents. These tags called “markup”, can be read by people and computers.  This is a simple XML example:

Simple-XML-exampleThe XML language has no predefined tags. In an XML document, the markup is very similar to the HTML markup (Hypertext Markup Language), but there are some important differences because XML and HTML were designed with different goals:

  • XML was designed to transfer data – with an emphasis on what data is
  • HTML was designed to display data – with focus on how data looks
  • XML tags are not predefined as opposed to HTML.

The tags in the example above (like <to> and <from>) are not defined in any XML standard. These tags are “created” by the writer of the XML document. While HTML works with predefined tags like <p>, <h1>, <table>, etc.

 Why Use XML?

Most API gateways, use some sort of XML data exchange. This is not different for Amazon’s API, since it permits to integrate a company’s business systems with Amazon’s eCommerce platform. The integration with Amazon happens through predefined API calls (application programming interfaces), whether to send documents or retrieve documents from Amazon systems. It is much more efficient and convenient exchange data using XML, especially, in a case when we have a large amount of data.

Using Amazon Marketplace Web Service (Amazon MWS)

As previously stated, MWS is a web service API provided by Amazon, to help Amazon sellers to programmatically and automatically, exchange data on listings, orders, payments, reports, and more. Such an automatic integration with Amazon, can certainly help sellers to improve their business.

Amazon MWS provides the following features:

  • Inventory management
  • Order management
  • Reports management

There are no fees to use Amazon MWS, but to use it you have to be a Professional Seller.

MWS XML feeds

Data exchanged with Amazon MWS, is sent through what is called “Feeds”, or “XML feeds” since it is sent systematically to the API for processing. “XML feeds” are based on pre-defined XML schemas or xsd (XML Schema Definitions).

Each XML feed (or message), contains data about different key information required by the Amazon MWS API to be able to process it.

XML feed to send catalog information

There are six feeds to upload and manage products on Amazon:

1. Product – this is the first feed to build, in order to register new products on Amazon’s eCommerce platform. This feed, contains descriptive information about the items in your catalog. This feed, will help establish the mapping between the unique identifier (SKU) of the seller and Amazon’s unique identifier of the same SKU (the ASIN: Amazon Standard Identification Number).

2. Inventory – this feed, is to report the current stock levels of the products you have on Amazon.

3. Pricing – to populate and refresh prices of your products, whether the regular prices or temporary (sale) prices.

4. Image – to provide the URLs from where Amazon can associate the image to the SKU or item.

5. Relationship – Defines relationships between different items in your catalog. There are two types of relationships:

     a) Variation – this is the most common type of relationship. Allows customers to select from a list of variations of the same product. For example, a t-shirt can be in a       different sizes and different colors. The main item (parent SKU) is the type of t-shirt in general. Parent SKU is not buyable and there is no size, color, quantity or price. The   variations (child SKUs) have different combinations of size and color, therefore can be sold. (See the diagram below.)

Amazon-parent SKU

     b) Accessory – It means that customers can choose products classified as accessories to the main item. For example, a drill can have screws, listed as accessories.

Amazon-feed-Accessory

6. Overrides – Allows you to override the account-level shipping settings with SKU-level shipping settings. This is a good option for a weighty or oversized product such as a bicycle or kayak.

Amazon’s Order Management Process

In addition to the feed to create products on Amazon, a significant importance goes to another important XML feed: “order management”.

When a buyer places an order on Amazon, the quantity ordered decreases the quantity available in stock, in the seller account.

To confirm the transaction, Amazon puts the order in a 90-minute waiting period. During this time, the client receives an Amazon payment authorization and an email confirming the order. During this time the customer can change or cancel the order from his Amazon account. If the customer cancels the order or the payment has been rejected, Amazon will add the quantity back to the quantity available in your account. Amazon also sends an order cancellation email to the customer.

So, the process of orders has the following stages:

  • Customer places the Order
  • Merchant acknowledges the order
  • Customer can modify the order
  • Merchant ships the order and confirms the shipment
  • Amazon issues the payment to merchant

Here is an overview of the general order management process:Amazon-general-order-management-process

Validating XML Feeds

It is important to validate XML feeds before sending them to Amazon. If a specific feed does not validate successfully by Amazon MWS, the MWS will return a parsing error.

Where to go from here?

If you have gone into this article, it means you are either planning a project to sell your goods and services on Amazon, or you are already selling on Amazon directly.

In both cases, you have to think about efficiency and accuracy and how to reduce human errors and chargebacks.

In case you have a handful number of items you are selling; this article is not meant for you; you can simply manage your products and orders from within Amazon’s portal.

However, in case your company is to sell hundreds or thousands of products and their corresponding variations on Amazon, then, you have to consider automated integration between your current software management system (i.e. Salesforce, SAP, JDE, Microsoft ERP…) and your Amazon Seller account.

Amazon integration projects through MWS are time sensitive and requires expertise and the right integration tools.

Talk to us and entrust our team for your integration projects; I invite you to contact us for a FREE consultation.

 

Amazon Integration

This post was updated  to reflect current trends and information.

 

Overview of EDI

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) – standardized message formats for the transfer of commercial information between business partners. The two most common documents exchanged using EDI are purchase orders (EDI 850) and invoices (EDI 810). To transfer the EDI data, companies are often using the Internet or VANs (Value Added Networks). EDIFACT is the most popular EDI standard in Europe and ANSI X12 is in active use in North America. In the global  supply chain,  the GS1 EDI  set of standards are predominant. In brief, EDI allows companies to communicate business and commercial information quickly and efficiently.

Read: What is EDI? (A technical introduction to EDI)

Understanding XML

 XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a markup language that allows to standardize the data, in the form of text easily understood by users and computers. In other words, XML is a simple and flexible text format designed to meet the needs of electronic publishing.

XML has two main tasks:

  1. Provide a description of the data structure.
  2. Provide a common syntax for all other specifications.

Thus, XML does not specify how to display a document, it only describes its structure and content.

XML created in 1996 by W3C (World Wide Web Consortium); it is a subclass of the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML). XML was conceived to be a flexible format, at the same time as a formal metalanguage for use on the Internet. One of XML’s primary applications was in handling B2B and B2C data interchange.

From the beginning of XML implementation, its advantages over EDI were obvious. Simple and self-descriptive, structured, support of multi-lingual and Unicode (very important for international EDI transaction).

What is EDI2XML?

EDI2XML is a technology to transform incoming EDI documents (X12 EDI files) into XML. At the same time, converting an XML document to EDI X12 format. This process of converting edi to xml is due to the fact that our company took the time to create predefined xml schemas (xsd files) that respond to the business needs of almost 100 % of EDI consumers.

Read: How does EDI2XML work?

EDI2XML converter

The fact that we have over 20 years of experience in converting X12 EDI to XML gives us a competitive advantage over other EDI developers. We have already successfully implemented this converter in many companies of different sizes from various industries. We also helped IT consultants use EDI2XML in their EDI integration projects.

EDI2XML as a Service is our popular translation and communication service. All conversions of EDI files are done on our end, leaving customers with no on-site installation of software or hardware and an EDI project that is on time and within budget.

Read: EDI Integration of B2B e-commerce for small companies

If you would like to know more about the plans offered for EDI2XML (Free EDI Consultation), or would like to see it in action (live Demo), please do not hesitate to contact us.

Free Guide Intro to EDI


Related Posts:

Electronic Data Interchange: Key Information You Need to Know
ANSI ASC X12 Standards Overview
What Are the Differences Between ANSI X12 and UN/EDIFACT
A technical introduction to EDI

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.



eCommerce platforms have been largely used by small and mid-sized enterprises, to sell their products and services to the booming consumer market (B2C) on the internet. Amazon and eBay for example, are among the most popular eCommerce platforms; for ease of operations and integration they offer different ways to exchange data between the trading partner and the platform. As an example, Amazon offers EDI integration capability, or Web service calls to exchange data or simple XML transactions. The most frequently asked question, by business owners, is: what is the best option to have a quick integration at a minimal cost with a maximum return on investment?

In this post I will explain the different integration mechanisms and share my opinion on how to decide which way to go. As a complementary article to this post, I invite you to read my previous post entitled Tips to Empower your eCommerce with great Supply Chain through EDI Integration to get more detailed advise about eCommerce and EDI integration to be able to build a strong SCM channel.

Let me start by quickly defining each of the above technical terms:

EDI

EDI is the oldest protocol used to exchange data between business partners. It has been standardized and heavily used for decades. It is very well ingrained in the manufacturing and retail verticals. Data in EDI format has a pre-defined format and structure. It is transmitted using different types of secured communication protocols (i.e. VAN, AS2, FTP, sFTP…).

Useful reading: What is EDI? 

 

XML

As defined by the W3Schools website , XML is a markup language much like HTML, meant to carry data, not to display data. It is designed to be self-descriptive, where users define their own XML tags to describe data. XML is a W3C recommendation. XML was created to structure, store, and transport information, in contrast to HTML that is meant only to display data in a web browser.

Since XML has been developed, it quickly became a popular means to transfer very well structured data between business partners. Thanks to its ease of use, and its descriptive aspect of the XML data format, it has been the preferred choice of many software vendors and applications used in integration projects.

Web services

Wikipedia defines a Web service as “a method of communication between two electronic devices over a network. It is a software function provided at a network address over the web with the service always on as in the concept of utility computing”.

Web services are designed to support machine-to-machine interaction over a network, using different protocols, by sending and receiving “messages” using HTTP and XML in addition to other web-related standards.

Now for the technical use and interpretation of Web Services, it is simply triggering the execution of a program or function remotely, using the internet, and returning the result to the caller. In addition, Web services use XML in different formats to send structured data back and forth. The advantage of Web services is that it uses the internet as a communication and transport protocol, in addition to the XML structured language to format the data transmitted back and forth.

If you want to know more about  different types of web services such as SOAP and REST and why EDI developers prefer use RESTful services, read our new article: Seamless EDI implementation through Web Services

Useful reading: What is EDI2XML web Service?

 

eCommerce integration

eCommerce integration means the process of sending data from the eCommerce platform to an external system or platform, and receiving data into the eCommerce platform using an automated process. Integrating your ERP system or a company’s CRM system with the eCommerce platform enables the necessary data to be sent in both directions so that both systems can interact in a seamless way, without the need for human intervention. This will improve efficiency and enterprise capabilities to serve clients faster.

Useful reading: Tips to Empower your eCommerce with great Supply Chain through EDI Integration

How to select an integration method and what is the best option

In my opinion, there is no single rule when selecting an integration method. Any business owner, executive or integration consultant should ask the following technical questions before selecting a technology and protocol to integrate their eCommerce platform with their own system:

  • What’s the expertise of my integration team?
  • Are they familiar with EDI format and protocols as well as its business flow?
  • Are they more familiar with XML and web services?
  • What are the additional technical advantages that the enterprise would gain by selecting one versus the other?
  • Are these advantages important issues for our business?
  • What are the add-on costs for both options?

Basically, the decision comes down to evaluating the level of expertise of the integration team and their zone of technical comfort. From a technical perspective, there isn’t a perfect option. Of course, the business aspect of the decision is a major factor and sometimes, business reasons might outweigh technical reasons.

If you need more information or would like to discuss your eCommerce integration needs, I will be more than happy to provide a free 1-hour consultation.

EDI Web Service for edi integration


This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.
x12-to-xmlcsv

EDI formats are not understood or easily read by just anyone. It requires an EDI expert to be able to read the files and dissect them. Many large Trading Partners impose their own rules and requirements on top of those outlined by the standards, which is why, in many cases of translation, it is not always as straightforward as hoped. Most business executives are hesitant to begin trading via EDI because of these complexities.

However, if you find the right EDI Provider, who can handle all translations, all EDI mapping, all Partner configurations and all outbound and inbound communication with your partners, then you have nothing to worry about.

Our very own EDI2XML translation and integration services eliminate all of these complexities for you and you can begin trading electronically in no time. If you have your own in-house EDI and IT integration expert(s), then they can simply use our EDI2XML Web Service.

If you’re looking to meet your Trading Partner’s requirements but also keep your business processes streamlined and integrated internally, then check out EDI2XML. Our team of EDI experts are experienced and flexible enough to work with any EDI format, where specs are readily available, and convert to a format your team or system can work with. It’s about keeping costs low and simplifying the whole EDI communication process. Contact us today!

 

Free EDI Consultation

By now, I am sure most business professionals have heard about or have already implemented EDI, ERP Management Systems, and of course eCommerce Stores. If not, here’s a quick explanation of each Read more

This article went on to describe the beginnings of EDI in the business world and how far we’ve advanced with technology to simplify these B2B transactions with EDI2XMLRead more


This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.


EDI Communication
is one of the best ways to exchange important business documents with Trading Partners. Documents such as Purchase Orders, Invoices and ASNs can be safely exchanged electronically with business partners, like retailers, in a matter of seconds. In many cases however, Small and Medium Enterprises do not have the budget for some of these EDI communication solutions out there and do not have any in-house staff experienced with EDI exchange. What should these businesses do?

EDI Solution as a Service for SMEs

After over a decade of working hand in hand with Small and Medium Businesses, we’ve come up with a solution. Our EDI specialists realized that it might not be realistic to have SMEs hire in-house EDI experts or purchase expensive EDI communication solutions on the market. This is when our experienced team designed and developed a tool that can be implemented as a Service – no need for any setup or equipment on premises – called EDI2XML as a Service. Here’s how it works:

  1. We communicate with your EDI Trading Partner in order to pick up any incoming EDI documents from their mailbox
  2. We convert all EDI documents into XML or CSV format (whichever works best to be integrated into your management system (ERP suite, CRM system, etc.))
  3. We push all XML documents to you, to be integrated into your system
  4. You will be notified every time EDI documents are sent and received
  5. The opposite process (from XML to EDI) works for outgoing documents.

Click here to view an infographic on EDI2XML as a Service.

Converting from unreadable formats like EDI x12 or EDIFACT (for those companies in Europe) to XML or CSV, allows for easy integration into ERP suits or CRM systems out on the market. On top of this, XML format is easy to read by any businessperson. Our goal was and continues to be to simplify the EDI communication process for Small and Medium Enterprises that are looking to increase efficiency. It’s time SMEs eliminated manual data entry (or human intervention) and enjoyed a smooth, continuous order processing flow.

 

B2B communication and EDI

For a while, EDI was not well liked amongst Small & Medium Enterprises. These companies were finding it to be too slow, too complex and way too expensive. They then resorted to a lot of manual data entry for orders as they would receive orders and invoices via email or fax. However, over the years, things have changed…a lot and for the better. Read more