EDI, or Electronic Data Interchange, is a standardized way of transferring business documents between organizations electronically. It replaces paper-based documents like purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices, and many others, with electronic documents. There are several file types and standards used in EDI, each serving different industries and purposes.
Common types of EDI Standards:
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ANSI X12 (American National Standards Institute X12):
This is one of the most commonly used EDI standards in the United States. It covers a wide range of industries from healthcare, insurance, government, and finance to transportation, manufacturing, and retail.
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EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce, and Transport):
Used predominantly outside of North America, this international standard was developed under the United Nations. It includes a set of internationally agreed standards, directories, and guidelines for the electronic interchange of structured data, and is used especially in Europe and Asia.
- TRADACOMS:
An older standard predominantly used in the UK retail sector. Though largely replaced by EDIFACT, TRADACOMS is still in use for certain applications within specific companies.
- GS1 EDI:
GS1 EDI sets a collection of EDI standards providing globally accepted messages based on XML and used predominantly in global supply chains. GS1 EDI standards encompass various business documents including purchase orders, invoices, and dispatch notes.
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HL7 (Health Level Seven International):
Specific to the healthcare industry, HL7 facilitates the exchange of electronic health information. The standards focus specifically on the language and structure of data being transferred among healthcare providers.
- RosettaNet:
Primarily used in the technology industry, RosettaNet is a subsidiary of GS1 US and utilizes XML to exchange EDI data. It involves supply chain transactions including purchase orders, shipment notifications, and invoices among partners in the technology sector.
- ODETTE:
Used in the European automotive industry, ODETTE standards are developed for automotive network exchange. This standard caters specifically to the European market and its unique supply chain demands.
- VDA:
German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) uses this set of standards which is specific to the German automotive industry. It is similar to ODETTE but designed to cater to the specific requirements of companies such as Volkswagen, BMW, and Daimler.
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XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language):
Although not strictly an EDI standard, XBRL is used for the electronic communication of business and financial data globally. It is an XML-based framework that provides the financial community a standards-based method to prepare, publish, reliably extract and automatically exchange financial statements.