EDI transactions, documents and files refer to the EDI messages that are exchanged between trading partners. EDI transactions are a standardized method for exchanging business documents. Through EDI transactions, documents are sent electronically to trading partners. 

Some of the most common business documents exchanged as EDI messages are: 

• purchase orders 
• invoices and  
• advanced shipping notices (ASNs).  

In Europe, EDI transactions are most commonly processed using the EDIFACT or Tradacoms standard.   

Although EDI has been around for decades, the number of EDI transactions doesn't look to be slowing anytime soon. In a 2019 Forrester Analytics report into EDI usage across the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy, EDI sales accounted for £1.4 billion of total B2B web sales and are projected to reach nearly £2 billion by 2024. 

EDI transactions help businesses save significant costs by replacing manual, labour-intensive, paper-based processes with the automated exchange of electronic equivalents.  

A GS1 report estimates that UK businesses can save, on average, £14 per order and £8.50 per invoice when using EDI documents compared to manual processes. These cost savings are possible by automating the transfer of messages between trading partners, improving supply chain speed and eliminating admin errors.

EDI files can be used by any business looking to improve the efficiency of its message exchange with its trading partners.  

EDI transactions are a trading requirement for businesses in the UK that want to operate in various industries. For example, many large retailers stipulate that their suppliers must transact EDI files with them to win a contract.  

If the continuous processing of paper-based documents is starting to become a drain on internal resources or one of your customers has mandated EDI, it is time to start trading with your partners electronically.

We’ve been helping businesses make the most of EDI for decades, using our in-depth experience of all aspects of electronic trading to design a managed service solution that can be tailored to meet the precise requirements of all organisations, small, medium-sized or large, in a diverse range of sectors.