What are EDI Standard Messages?
There are many EDI document standards but what do they all mean and where are they used?
📑 ANSI X12 (North America – Multi-Industry)
Developed by the Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12 in 1979, the ANSI X12 standard is the most widely used EDI format in North America. It supports business transactions across industries, including retail, healthcare, logistics, and finance.
🔹 Common ANSI X12 Transactions:
✔ EDI 850 – Purchase Order
✔ EDI 810 – Invoice
✔ EDI 856 – Advance Ship Notice (ASN)
✔ EDI 940 – Warehouse Shipping Order
📌 Industry: Retail, Healthcare, Automotive, Supply Chain, Finance
🌍 UN/EDIFACT (Global – Multi-Industry)
UN/EDIFACT (United Nations/Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce, and Transport) is an international EDI standard developed by the United Nations. It provides a flexible framework for exchanging electronic documents across various industries and countries.
🔹 Key Features:
✔ Used by global trading partners for cross-border transactions
✔ Supports finance, logistics, healthcare, and government sectors
✔ More flexible than ANSI X12 due to its global adoption
📌 Industry: International Trade, Transportation, Government, Finance
🛒 EANCOM (Retail & Supply Chain – Global)
EANCOM is a subset of EDIFACT, developed by GS1 to enhance supply chain and retail transactions. It is widely used in consumer goods, healthcare, and logistics to facilitate barcode-based and electronic commerce transactions.
🔹 Common EANCOM Transactions:
✔ ORDERS – Purchase Order
✔ INVOIC – Invoice
✔ DESADV – Dispatch Advice
✔ RECADV – Receiving Advice
📌 Industry: Retail, Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Logistics
🏷️ VICS (Retail – North America)
The Voluntary Inter-industry Commerce Standard (VICS) is a subset of ANSI X12, specifically designed for the retail industry in North America. Managed by GS1 US, it enables efficient communication between retailers, suppliers, and distributors.
🔹 Key Features:
✔ Optimized for mass merchandisers, department stores, and specialty retailers
✔ Supports inventory management, order fulfillment, and transportation
✔ Ensures seamless supplier-retailer coordination
📌 Industry: Retail, Wholesale, Apparel, Consumer Goods
🏥 HIPAA (Healthcare)
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standardizes electronic transactions in the U.S. healthcare industry. It mandates the use of ANSI X12 formats for exchanging medical claims, payment advice, enrollment data, and eligibility information between healthcare providers, insurers, and government agencies.
🔹 Common HIPAA EDI Transactions:
✔ EDI 837 – Healthcare Claim
✔ EDI 835 – Payment & Remittance Advice
✔ EDI 270/271 – Eligibility Inquiry & Response
📌 Industry: Healthcare (Hospitals, Insurers, Government)
🚗 ODETTE (Automotive & Manufacturing - Europe)
ODETTE (Organization for Data Exchange by Tele-Transmission in Europe) is an EDI standard used in the European automotive and manufacturing industries. It focuses on streamlining logistics, order management, and invoicing between manufacturers, suppliers, and logistics providers.
🔹 Key Features:
✔ Used for just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing and supply chain coordination
✔ Supports automated order processing and shipment tracking
📌 Industry: Automotive, Manufacturing (OEMs, Suppliers, Logistics)
🛒 TRADACOMS (Retail - UK)
TRADACOMS was an early EDI standard developed in the United Kingdom for the retail sector. It is now largely replaced by EANCOM and EDIFACT, but some businesses still use it for invoicing, purchase orders, and delivery notifications.
🔹 Key Features:
✔ Originally designed for grocery and retail industries
✔ Used mainly in the UK and Commonwealth countries
📌 Industry: Retail, Wholesale
🚙 VDA (Automotive - Germany)
VDA (Verband der Automobilindustrie) is an automotive EDI standard widely used in Germany. It supports logistics, order fulfillment, and supply chain processes within the automotive sector. Unlike EDIFACT, VDA messages follow a fixed-length format instead of a variable structure.
🔹 Common VDA Transactions:
✔ VDA 4905 – Delivery Forecast
✔ VDA 4913 – Shipping Notice
✔ VDA 4938 – Invoice
📌 Industry: Automotive (OEMs, Tier 1 & Tier 2 Suppliers)
🌎 ROSETTANET (High-Tech & Electronics - Global)
RosettaNet is an XML-based EDI standard designed for the high-tech, semiconductor, and electronics industries. It standardizes business process exchanges between global trading partners, ensuring smooth supply chain coordination.
🔹 Key Features:
✔ Used by major tech companies like Intel, Cisco, and IBM
✔ Covers inventory management, order fulfillment, and product lifecycle processes
📌 Industry: High-Tech, Electronics, Semiconductor
💳 SWIFT (Financial Services - Global)
SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) is the global standard for secure financial transactions between banks, investment firms, and corporations. It ensures fast, secure, and standardized messaging for international payments.
🔹 Common SWIFT Messages:
✔ MT103 – International Wire Transfers
✔ MT202 – Bank-to-Bank Transfers
✔ MT940 – Account Statement Reports
📌 Industry: Banking, Finance, International Trade
🌍 Why Are EDI Standards Important?
EDI standards enable seamless integration, reduce manual errors, and enhance efficiency across industries. Whether in healthcare, retail, automotive, finance, or manufacturing, using the right EDI format ensures compliance and smooth communication with global partners.
🚀 Need help implementing EDI for your business? Contact us for a consultation!
Get Started
Contact Us
Reach out directly for more information or to start your integration process.
