Communication Protocols

  • File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used to exchange files over a TCP/IP based network.

  • Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), also known as the Secure File Transfer Protocol, enables secure file transfer capabilities between networked hosts.

  • HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is used to request and transmit files, over the internet or other computer networks.

  • HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is a combination of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol with the SSL/TLS protocol to provide encryption and secure identification of the server.

  • Value Added Network (VAN) is private network which ensures EDI connectivity between trading partners.

  • AS1 Applicability Statement 1: AS1 was developed to implement secure and reliable messaging transfer of data via the internet using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and S/MIME. AS1 uses signing, encryption, and Message Disposition Notifications (MDN) or the Return Receipts as part of the process.

  • AS2 Applicability Statement 2: Unlike AS1, AS2 messages are transferred via the internet using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or HTTPS protocol. AS2 is a widely used point-to-point connectivity method.

  • AS3 Applicability Statement 3: AS3 messages are transferred via the internet using File Transfer Protocol (FTP) for the secure and reliable transfer. AS3 also uses MDN’s like AS2.

Type of EDI Standards

  • Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (EDIFACT) is the body which develops the United Nations rules for EDI. EDIFACT comprise a set of internationally agreed standards, directo­ries, and guidelines for the electronic interchange of structured data, between independent computerized information systems. Recommended

  • Organization for Data Exchange by Tele-Transmission in Europe (ODETTE) is an organization formed by and for the automotive industry.

  • Voluntary Inter-Industry Commerce Standard (VICS) is used by the general merchandise retail industry across North America. VICS is a subset of the ANSI ASC X12 standards and are maintained by the VICS-Association.

  • Society of Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) SWIFT operates a worldwide financial messaging network which exchanges messages between banks and financial institutions.

  • RosettaNet consists of a consortium of major computer, consumer electronics, semi-conductor manufacturers, telecommunications and logistics companies working together to create and implement industry-wide, open e-business process standards. The RosettaNet document standard is based on XML and defines message guidelines, business processes interface and implementation frameworks for interactions between companies.

  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) was enacted by the U.S congress in 1996. A key component of HIPAA is the establishment of national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans and employers. The HIPAA EDI transaction sets are based on X12.

  • Transaction Set: A business document, such as a purchase order, invoice or advance ship notice. A transaction set is comprised of data segments and elements.

  • EDI Segments: EDI documents/transaction set contain rows of data, called segments. EDI Segment is a combination of the elements or compound data grouped for representing meaning/ useful information. EDI Segment consists of a tag and elements are separated by element separator.

  • Data Elements: EDI segments contain data elements. Data elements is the information unit.

  • EDI ENVELOPE: EDI Envelope serves to deliver electronic transactions to a receiving company’s business system. EDI envelope contains a set of headers and trailers. EDI documents/ transactions are wrapped inside an EDI envelope.

  • Functional acknowledgment: An EDI 997 Functional Acknowledgment is an electronic receipt of a transaction. The Functional acknowledgment tells a sending trading partner that a receiving trading partner has successfully received EDI transactions & the EDI structure complied with the ANSI X12 standards.

  • Translation: Converting a document/ file from one format to another.

  • Universal Product Code (UPC) It is a widely used barcode symbology.

  • Advance Ship Notice (ASN) It is used to electronically communication the contents of a shipment to trading partner. It is sent in advance of a shipment arriving at the other trading partner's facility.

  • Trading Partner: The trading partner is a business entity or organization with which business documents are exchanged.

  • Translator: It is a software or application that converts business documents to standardized format.

  • Procure To Pay (P2P) It is the business process of obtaining and managing the raw materials from sourcing and requisitions to invoicing and payments.

  • Order To Cash (O2C) It is the business process of receiving and processing customer requests for goods or services to billing and payments.

  • Automated Clearing House (ACH) It is an electronic funds-transfer system, where funds move from one bank account to another with the help of an intermediary that routes funds to the destination.

  • Bar Code A barcode is a machine-readable representation of data and can be read by optical scanners.

  • Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) SCAC code is used to identify road transport companies in USA. It is typically two to four letters long.

  • Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Established by Dun & Bradsheet, a unique nine-digit identification number, for each physical location of a business.

  • Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) GTIN is a globally unique 14-digit number used to identify trade items, products, or services.

  • European Article Numbering (EAN) The EAN association is an international standards body with members in individual countries. A barcoding standard which is a superset of North America’s 12 digit UPC system.

File Formats:

  • Comma-Separated Values (CSV) File Format It is a file which stores tabular data in plain text. Each line of the file is a data record. Each record consists of one or more fields, separated by a separator. Separator is usually a comma, but can also be a pipe, a tab, or any single value character.

  • Delimited File Format A delimited file contains one or more records set off from each other by a specified delimiter, or separator. Delimiters are not read in as part of the data.

  • Positional File Format A positional file has fields that have a fixed maximum length and records that have a common end-of-record terminator.

  • Extensible Markup Language (XML) An XML file is an data file that uses tags to define objects and object attributes.


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