1. Presenters : Tom Ameye & Stijn Van Raemdonck
EDI Specialists @ Cnext
Oops, I need to do EDI

2. Agenda
 Who is Who?
 EDI vs TDI
 EDI from a technical point of view
 Running an EDI project
 Best Practices
 Questions

3. Agenda
Who is Who
 EDI vs TDI
 EDI from a technical point of view
 Running an EDI project
 Best Practices
 Questions

4. Who is who?
 What is your experience with EDI?

5. Agenda
 Who is Who
EDI vs TDI
 EDI from a technical point of view
 Running an EDI project
 Best Practices
 Questions

6. EDI vs TDI
EDI
Electronic Data Interchange
TDI
Traditional Data Interchange

7. Traditional Data Interchange
 Invoices : Send by mail on paper, …
 Orders : Via Phone, fax, mail, E-mail, …
 Order confirmation : Via Phone, Fax, E-mail, …
 Delivery Notification : Via paper in the truck, …
 …
 No IT involvement
 Business in full control of the process, the data, the format,
the transport

8. Traditional Data Interchange
Data : Invoice Date, Invoice number, Invoice lines, Tax
information, promotion data, …
Format :
Transport : Mail, Fax, E-mail

9. Traditional Data Interchange
Disadvantages of TDI
Labour intensive
Error prone
Slow process
Business risk because EDI more often required by customers

10. Electronic Data Interchange
Translate TDI into EDI
Do we still need the same functionality as with TDI?
Yes and No

11. Electronic Data Interchange
Data : Invoice Date, Invoice number, Invoice lines, Tax information,
promotion data, …
Format :
UNB+UNOA:3+5410687000047:14+5400102000099:14+130225:1316+59++++0++1'
UNH+59+INVOIC:D:96A:UN:EAN008'
BGM+380::9+0090340823+9'
DTM+137:20130218:102'
DTM+35:20130219:102'
DTM+3:20130219:102'
RFF+AAJ:8080393249'
....
Transport : FTP, VAN, E-mail, AS2, …
Yes! It looks like TDI …

12. Electronic Data Interchange
The data must be much better
The agreement must be strict
IT is involved
Monitoring of the process is different
No! You have to pay attention…

13. Traditional -> Electronic
Business  IT

14. Traditional -> Electronic
Data : Still owned and best known by the business
Symantic Data agreement : Knowledge owned by the business
Format :
ERP format is known by ERP-analists
EDI format is known by EDI-specialists
Transport : Managed by EDI-specialists

15. Agenda
 Who is Who
 EDI vs TDI
EDI from a technical point of view
 Running an EDI project
 Best Practices
 Questions

16. EDI From A Technical Point Of View
 What EDI is NOT
 EDI Defined
 EDI standards
 An EDI message explained
 Transport Protocols

17. What EDI is NOT
NOT – Programming Language
NOT – E-mail
NOT – A Custom flat file
NOT – Only for “LARGE” Companies
NOT – Only an IT-application
NOT – New

18. EDI Defined
Trading partners
Customers /Suppliers / Logistics partners / Government /…
Message format standards
X12, EDIFACT, Tradacom, XML, ..
Transport Protocols
x400 (VAN), AS2, FTP, …

19. EDI message standards
“Old” Standards
UN/EDIFACT
X12
TRADACOMS
…
XML Standards
RossetaNet
ebXML
...

20. UN/EDIFACT
 United Nations rules for EDI
 A set of internationally agreed standards that can be used as a reference for all
companies that want to setup EDI.
 Popular in Europe & Asia
 Transactions are called messages
ORDERS, INVOIC, DESADV, …

21. UN/EDIFACT
• Directories describe how EDI-messages should be created

22. X12
 American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
 Founded 1979, by late 1980s became No. 1
 Transactions are identified by numbers (810 – Invoice)
 Mainly used in the US

23. X12 Message Sample

24. Tradacoms
 Introduced in 1982
 Obsolete since 1995 (in favour of EDIFACT)
 But still used in UK, mainly in retail sector

25. XML Standards
RosettaNet
Most used in USA & ASIA
Popular in specific sectors (electronics)
ebXML
Initiative between UN and OASIS
Started in 1999
Not wide spread because of a lot legacy applications ..

26. An EDI Message Explained
UNB+UNOA:3+5400000000000:14+5400102000086:14+050718:1704+40013++SUPBELGINV04++++1'
UNH+1+INVOIC:D:96A:UN:EAN008'
BGM+380+201201+9'
DTM+137:20050718:102'
DTM+171:20050711:102'
NAD+DP+5400102601092::9++COMPANY+ADDRESS+CITY++POSTCODE+BE'
NAD+IV+5400102000086::9++COMPANY+ADDRESS+CITY++POSTCODE+ BE '
RFF+VA:BE0448826918'
NAD+SCO+5400000000000::9++COMPANY+ADDRESS+CITY++POSTCODE+ BE'
RFF+VA:BE0123456789'
NAD+SU+5400000000000::9++COMPANY+ADDRESS+CITY++POSTCODE+ BE '
FII+RB+BANK-999-9999999-99+:25:5'
CUX+2:EUR:4'
LIN+1++5162545875213:EN'
IMD+F++:::TEST::EN'
QTY+47:40'
MOA+203:11260'
PRI+AAA:281.50'
PRI+AAB:281.50'
TAX+7+VAT+++:::21.00+S'
LIN+2++2222222222222:EN'
IMD+F++:::AGAIN TEST::EN'
QTY+47:70'
MOA+203:19705'
…

27. An EDI Message Explained
LIN+1++5162545875213:EN'
SEGMENT TAG
DATA ELEMENT SEPARATOR
DATA ELEMENT
SUB-ELEMENT SEPERATOR
SEGMENT TERMINATOR

28. An EDI Message Explained
One segment
DTM+137:20050718:102'

29. UNB+UNOA:3+5400000000000:14+5400102000086:14+050718:1704+40013++SUPBELGINV04++++1'
UNH+1+INVOIC:D:96A:UN:EAN008'
BGM+380+201201+9'
DTM+137:20050718:102'
DTM+3:20050718:102'
DTM+35:20050718:102'
RFF+AAJ:10400000'
DTM+171:20050711:102'
NAD+DP+5400102601092::9++COMPANY+ADDRESS+CITY++POSTCODE+BE'
NAD+IV+5400102000086::9++COMPANY+ADDRESS+CITY++POSTCODE+ BE '
RFF+VA:BE0448826918'
NAD+SCO+5400000000000::9++COMPANY+ADDRESS+CITY++POSTCODE+ BE'
RFF+VA:BE0123456789'
NAD+SU+5400000000000::9++COMPANY+ADDRESS+CITY++POSTCODE+ BE '
FII+RB+BANK-999-9999999-99+:25:5'
RFF+VA:BE0123456789'
RFF+ARA:BE0123456789'
RFF+XA:RPR/RPM CITY'
CUX+2:EUR:4'
LIN+1++5162545875213:EN'
IMD+F++:::TEST::EN'
QTY+47:40'
MOA+203:11260'
PRI+AAA:281.50'
PRI+AAB:281.50'
TAX+7+VAT+++:::21.00+S'
LIN+2++2222222222222:EN'
IMD+F++:::AGAIN TEST::EN'
QTY+47:70'
MOA+203:19705'
PRI+AAA:281.50'
PRI+AAB:281.50'
TAX+7+VAT+++:::21.00+S'
UNS+S'
CNT+2:2'
CNT+1:110'
MOA+79:30965'
MOA+176:6502.65'
MOA+86:37467.65'
TAX+7+VAT+++:::21.00+S'
MOA+125:30965'
MOA+124:6502.65'
UNT+42+1'
UNZ+1+40013'
Envelope:
Sender & Receiver identifier,
Interchange Number, …
Message header:
Message type, Version, Subset
Invoice Header data
Invoice Line data
Invoice Summary data

30. EDI Message Branch Diagram

31. Transport/Messaging Protocols
Popular protocols
FTP
AS2
X400/VAN

32. VAN and X.400
Value Added Network
Hosted service offering
Intermediary between business partners
Message & transport translation
X.400
Old e-mail standard
Still used by some companies

33. Agenda
 Who is Who
 EDI vs TDI
 EDI from a technical point of view
Running an EDI project
 Best Practices
 Questions

34. Running an EDI project
 Why using EDI?
 What to agree with the partner?
 Create a partner File
 The MIG’s
 Create a mapping analyse
 Who is involved?

35. Why Using EDI?
 Allows for automated high volume of transactions with business partners
 Time and cost saving because of less manual work / Avoidance of human errors
 Often required by trading partners

36. What to agree with partners?
 What messages to interchange (Order, Invoice, Despatch advice, …)?
 What message format to use (EDIFACT, X12, … )?
 Determine the MIG (Message Implementation Guide) to use
 Agree on the communication protocol to use

37. The Partner File
A partner file should contain the following information
 Partner contact data:
Functional contact
Technical contact
 Project information (milestones, risks, …)
 Messages to interchange (with format and versions)
 Location of MIG
 Communication information

38. What about the MIG?
 Message Requirements
The partner implementation of the messaging standard
To be able to create or process a correct message.
 Must be retrieved from the partner
 Some partners have a public internet site for their EDI documentation
- http://edi.carrefour.eu/
- https://www.metro-mgp.com/

39. The Mapping Analysis
 Descriptions of the source message
 Description of the destination message
 Where to find the data to generate the destination message
 ALWAYS START FROM THE DESTINATION MESSAGE

40. The Mapping Analysis

41. Who is (should be) involved?
Different Departments
• IT
• Finance
• Logistics
• Sales
• …
Different Roles / Contacts
• EDI Coordinator
• Mapping analyst / ERP data specialist
• Process owner  Business
• EDI specialist (EDI format, Communication)
• Operations
• Trading partner contacts

42. Ideal project structure
Company BCompany A
EDI Coordinator
Overall EDI solution
governance
EDI Tech Consultant
Messaging
Implemenation
EDI Business Consultant
Mapping Analysis
EDI Tech Consultant
Messaging
Implemenation
EDI Business Consultant
Mapping Analysis
EDI Coordinator
Overall EDI solution
governance

43. Best Practices
 Partner Management
 Data Management

44. Partner Management
 Where do I administrate my partner management?
• ID’s of the partners, like invoicee, delivery location and supplier
• Conversion between Partners ID and my ERP ID
• Does the ERP knows the correct (technical) invoicee?
 How is the partner management done at the interface of your ERP?

45. Data Management
• EDI messages often work with EAN codes.
Does every combination product / Unit Of Measurement has a unique EAN?
• Typically, 3 product codes exist: Buyer product code, Suppliers product code and EAN Number.
Are they consistently maintained in the ERP?
• Can a customer order on the phone with the Supplier product code and receive an EDI invoice based on the EAN code for example?
• How are the Quantities handled? Always in a base unit like Piece, Kg, Liter, Meter, … ? Or does the EDI software (not recommended)
still needs to convert if a customer wants the invoice only in PCE even if they order in a carton of 24 pieces.
• How are special costs like freights or insurances handled? Are they special fields on the order or normal invoice lines of a special
product?
• What about discounts, what kind of discounts are allowed in the ERP system and how to translate them into the EDI message.
Is the data model of the payment terms in the ERP detailed enough to provide detailed information for the EDI message (for
example a string with “30 days end of month” is not good for most EDI partners, they need to know the exact calendar date!)

46. Data Management
• An Edi invoice typically wants to have lots of intermediate totals like, be sure the ERP can provide amounts like:
o Line Qty / Price per Unit / Line Tax amount/ Line Discount % / Line Discount amount / Net amount and tax amount
o …
• A common message is a shipment. But this is used by different partners for different use. Sometimes as information for
customs, or for customers to know what and when to expect goods, or for transporters to create freight letters. Depending on the
goal of the message, it should be created on different points in the logistics process. Does everyone know exactly at what point a
shipment can be created and what information is in the shipment? (Like: Is the invoice information know at creation of the
shipment?, … )
• What is the relation between invoice and order? Can one invoice contain more orders? Not all EDI partner accept this, so can
this be configured on partner level?
• What is the relation between invoice and credit note? Also 1 on 1?
• How are currencies handled?

47. What have we learned?
1/ EDI is a shared competence between IT and Business
2/ Data management is key
3/ EDI is simple but getting all the information together is a challenge

48. Q & A