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EDIFACT
What is EDIFACT?
The electronic data interchange for administration, commerce and transport, or EDIFACT standard for electronic data interchange (EDI) is an international standard widely used throughout Europe.
It provides a set of rules that facilitates the standardised exchange of multicountry and multi-industry electronic messages used in business. Some of the most common message examples are invoices and purchase orders. Transactions through EDI are abbreviated to EDI transaction codes that correspond to a specific type of electronic business document, such as an invoice or purchase order.
These EDI messages can be exchanged with trading partners such as suppliers, distributors or retailers, as well as other third parties. Each EDI message uses a format called a transaction set because it includes a set of data components in a precise order and format. The data required for each individual EDI message changes depending on the type of message being exchanged. Each EDI transaction code contains one or more data elements, such as a price or phone number.
EDI enables two businesses to exchange standardized business messages with each other. It’s the uniformity within EDI standards that keeps the order and format of the data consistent and enables the receiving EDI system to correctly interpret the data from the sending company. For example, certain components within the message corresponds to the sender’s company name, the invoice number, the product SKUs, and so on.
How can TrueCommerce help?
An EDI solution from TrueCommerce makes it possible to easily and securely send and receive data in the EDIFACT format. Although there are a number of EDI standards that have been developed, businesses can often be asked to implement bespoke message requirements that can overwhelm under prepared teams.
Importantly, any company investing in EDI needs to be able to do so without any negative supply chain effects. To ensure smooth internal processes, TrueCommerce helps businesses integrate EDIFACT compliant EDI messages into their internal business systems, whilst also complying with their trading partners EDI requirements.
Through our fully managed EDI service we help organisations remove manual processes and easily exchange EDIFACT EDI messages with their trading partners, regardless of size or their technical maturity.
EDI translation to different standards
There are many different EDI formats and EDIFACT is just one of them. In North America ANSI X12 is primarily used, and in the UK retail sector, TRADACOMS is often used. There are also several different XML-based standards as well as a number of industry-specific standards. The complexity involved in an EDI project often increases in line with the size and scpoe of the requirements.
If you have customers or trading partners who require you to exchange EDI messages then TrueCommerce can help.
EDIFACT Transaction Sets
What is EANCOM?
EANCOM is a sub-element of the EDIFACT standard and was developed in 1987. EANCOM is a recognised industry standard developed for the retail industry. Nowadays, EANCOM is maintained by GS1 and although it was developed for the retail industry, today it is also used by, among other things, the health and construction sectors.
Overview: EDIFACT vs. ANSI X12
| Purchase Order message | ORDERS | 850 |
| Purchase Order Change message | ORDCHG | 860 |
| Purchase Order Response message | ORDRSP | 855 |
| Delivery Forecast | DELFOR | 830 |
| Despatch Advice | DESADV | 856 |
| Invoice | INVOIC | 810 |
| Sales Data Report | SLSRPT | 852 |
| Sales Forecast Report | SLSFCT | 830 |
| Inventory Report | INVRPT | 846 |
| Credit Advice | CREADV | 812 |
| Receiving Advice | RECADV | 861 |
| Price Catalogue | PRICAT | 832 |
| Functional Acknowledgement | CONTRL | 997 |
| Remittance Advice | REMADV | 820 |
| Product Data | PRODAT | 852 |
| Request for Quotation | REQOTE | 840 |
| Receiving Advice | RECADV | 861 |