EDI Standards
EDI standards as key elements of Electronic Data Interchange.
Standard EDI documents
The use of EDI standard languages is the key to the development of EDI solutions, the fundamental reason for their adoption, and the reason this technology is so widely used. The development of common standards for the creation of electronic documents, capable of being interpreted by any trading partner with the appropriate technology, has been and continues to be a determining factor in integrating the IT systems of companies involved in any type of business relationship.
There are different types of EDI standards. Some were developed specifically for particular industries, and others spread throughout more sectors or regions. Standards ultimately define the rules to be taken into account for the issuance and interpretation of a particular business transaction. Thus, purchase orders, shipping notices, invoices or any document to be exchanged must be generated in compliance with the standards defined by the EDI language used. These standards establish the order in which the information must be presented, the minimum mandatory data to be shown in each message or document, the methodology to be used to label the different fields contained in a message, etc. Some of the most widely used EDI standards are:
EDI Standard - UN/EDIFACT
United Nations/Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport is the standard developed by the United Nations during the 80s thanks to the work of the Working Party 4 group.
It is a multi-country and multi-industry EDI language widely used in Europe, especially in the retail sector—the first industry to adopt it. Over the years, however, its use has spread to other areas, such as healthcare, logistics and transportation, or construction.
EDI Standard - ANSI ASC X12
At the end of the 70s, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) created the Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) with the aim of developing a uniform messaging standard for the exchange of electronic documents. ANSI X12 was born, initially as a standard to be used by North American companies in different sectors. Although North America is still the primary region for this EDI language, it is now used all over the world. This is a standard implemented in nearly any EDI solution.
EDI Standard - ODETTE
The Organization for Data Exchange by Tele Transmission in Europe (ODETTE) represents the interests of the automotive industry in Europe, developing tools to improve the flow of products and supplies in the automotive value chain.
This organization is responsible for the development of the messaging standard that bears its own name, or specific communication protocols such as OFTP.
EDI Standard - UBL (Universal Business Language)
In 1998, accountant and auditor Charles Hoffman developed the basis of an XML-based language, initially designed for the financial sector.
Within the framework of its 2020 strategy, the European Union has designated UBL as the reference standard for public procurement, so many public administrations in EU member countries are using it as a basis for defining the messages to be exchanged with their suppliers.
EDI Academy: A useful guide to the most important aspects of EDI technology.
This content, presented in three e-books, is aimed at professionals in the technology sector who want to start learning about EDI electronic data interchange systems.
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