EDI standards

EDI standards are very broad and general because they have to meet the need of all businesses.

EDI share a common structure:-

1. Transaction set is equivalent to business document, such as purchase order. Each transaction set is made up of data segments.

2. Data segments are logical groups of data elements that together convey information, such as invoice terms, shipping information or purchase order line.

      3. Data elements are individual fields, such as purchase order number, quantity on order, unit price.

The need for EDI standards:-

EDI provides on electronic linkage between two trading partners. To send documents electronically to each other, firms must agree on a specific data format and technical environment.

EDI standards and initiatives:-

National standards:-

 1. ODETTE:- an EDI format developed for European motor industry. ODETTE stands for organization for data exchange by tele transmission in Europe.

       2. TRADACOMS:- it is UK national standard, which is developed by ANA (Article number association) in 1982.

ANSI ASC X12 (American national standards – X12) – X12 is a standard that defines many different types of documents, student loan applications, injury and illness supports and shipment and billing notices.

International standards –

EDIFACT – (Electronic data interchange for administration, commerce and transport) was developed during 1990’s with a subset of EANCOM, which is the most widely used dialect of EDIFACT in international retail and distribution sector.

UN/EDIFACT – (United nations/electronic data interchange for administration commerce and transport) is an international set of EDI standards that are published by united nations trade data interchange (UNIDID).