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EDI knowledge

What you need to know when a customer asks you to use EDI: formats, transmission methods, identifiers, costs and the ways to get connected. With sources and without sales promises.

Getting started

  • Customer requires EDI

    Your customer requires EDI: the five questions to ask and the three ways to get connected.

  • What is EDI?

    The electronic exchange of business documents between companies, explained simply: term, process, examples, effort.

  • How much does EDI cost?

    EDI costs with sources: web EDI, clearing centres and your own connection compared, with a worked example for 10 and 20 partners.

  • EDI providers compared

    Web EDI, clearing centre, your own software or a fixed price on your own server: costs, data storage and lock-in compared.

Formats and messages

  • EDIFACT explained

    How an EDIFACT file is structured, segment by segment, with an annotated example and the main subsets.

  • EDI message types

    ORDERS, ORDRSP, DESADV, INVOIC, DELFOR and other EDIFACT messages: what they are for and who sends them to whom.

  • VDA and Global standards

    What VDA 4905, 4913 and 4906 are, which Global recommendations replace them and what suppliers should watch for when switching.

  • EDI, web EDI, e-invoicing

    How EDI, web EDI and e-invoicing differ, and whether EDI invoices are still permitted in Germany after 2027.

Transmission and identifiers

  • Transmission methods

    AS2, OFTP2, SFTP, API, email and X.400 compared, with a table on security, acknowledgements and effort.

  • OFTP2

    How OFTP2 works and what a supplier needs to connect to an automotive customer.

  • AS2

    How AS2 transfers EDI files securely over HTTP and where connections fail in practice.

  • GLN and identifiers

    What the GLN (formerly ILN in Germany), GTIN, SSCC, Odette ID, AS2 ID and DUNS are and where they appear in an EDI message.

Practice and decisions

  • Implementation guide checklist

    What an EDI implementation guide contains and which 20 points to clarify from it before you start.

  • EDI ERP integration

    Three ways to connect EDI to your ERP system, with pros and cons and the typical master data pitfalls.

  • EDI glossary

    50 EDI terms from ANSI X12 to ZUGFeRD, each explained in a few sentences.