What Is EDIFACT?
Also known as: UN/EDIFACT, EDIFACT messages, ORDERS INVOIC DESADV
Definition
EDIFACT (UN/EDIFACT) is the international EDI standard maintained by the United Nations. It is widely used in Europe and by global supply chains, with messages such as ORDERS for purchase orders, DESADV for despatch advice and INVOIC for invoices.
EDIFACT Explained
EDIFACT stands for Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport. It is the UN-maintained counterpart to the North American ANSI X12 standard. Messages are made of segments, segments of data elements, and elements of components, separated by characters such as plus, colon and apostrophe. A message is wrapped in UNH and UNT segments and groups of messages in an interchange (UNB and UNZ).
The common manufacturing messages map to X12 equivalents. ORDERS is the purchase order (X12 850), ORDRSP the order response (855), DESADV the despatch advice (856), INVOIC the invoice (810), and DELFOR the delivery forecast (830). Automotive and some industrial sectors use subsets such as EDIFACT ODETTE, VDA in Germany, or EANCOM in retail.
Versions are published in directories such as D96A and D01B. Trading partners pick a directory version and then add their own guideline, so a D96A INVOIC from two customers can look different. A mapping built for one customer needs review for the next.
ERPs rarely read EDIFACT directly. A translator converts it to XML, IDoc, flat file or an ERP specific business document. SyteLine and Infor LN customers typically use an EDI provider or Infor ION for this, while SAP customers use IDoc with an EDI subsystem. Choosing a translator that handles both X12 and EDIFACT matters for firms with US and European customers.
Why It Matters
- Selling to European customers or global OEMs often means EDIFACT, even when the rest of the business runs on X12.
- Directory versions and sector subsets make each mapping a separate project, so planning for them avoids surprise onboarding costs.
- The segment structure is dense, so a clear translation layer to the ERP keeps support manageable.
- Many partners are migrating towards XML and API exchange, but EDIFACT remains in daily use.
In Practice
A US machine builder wins a German customer that sends ORDERS D96A and expects DESADV and INVOIC back. The EDI provider maps ORDERS to the ERP sales order, using the buyer's GLN or party identifier in the NAD segment to look up the customer. The DESADV needs packaging details in the CPS and PAC segments, which require the ERP to store pack structure that the US-only customers never asked for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between EDIFACT and X12?
Both are EDI standards. X12 is the ANSI standard used mainly in North America, and EDIFACT is the UN standard used mainly in Europe and global trade. The messages cover similar business documents but use different codes and structure.
What is DESADV?
The EDIFACT despatch advice, equivalent to the X12 856 advance ship notice.
Which EDIFACT version should I use?
Whichever your trading partner specifies in its implementation guide, commonly D96A or D01B.
Can an ERP process EDIFACT without a translator?
Rarely. A translator or integration platform normally converts EDIFACT into XML, IDoc or flat files the ERP can load.
Related Terms
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the computer-to-computer exchange of business documents such as purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notices between trading partners in a standardized structured format, without human intervention.
EDI 850 Purchase Order
The EDI 850 is the ANSI X12 transaction set used to transmit a purchase order electronically from a buyer to a supplier, carrying header terms, ship-to and bill-to parties, and line item details such as quantity, price, and product identifiers.
EDI 856 (Advance Ship Notice)
The EDI 856 is the X12 transaction set a supplier sends to a customer before a shipment arrives. It lists what is in the shipment, how it is packed and labeled, and which purchase order lines it fulfils, so the receiver can plan dock work and receive by scan.
IDoc (Intermediate Document)
An IDoc (Intermediate Document) is SAP's standard data container for exchanging business documents such as orders, deliveries and invoices with other systems. Each IDoc has a control record, data segments and status records, and is sent through ALE or EDI.
Data Mapping
Data mapping is the process of defining how each field in a source system corresponds to a field in a target system, including the transformation rules, value translations, default values, and conditional logic needed to move data correctly between them.
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