What is EDIFACT?

EDIFACT, or UN/EDIFACT, stands for Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce, and Transport and is an international standard developed by the United Nations for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). It facilitates the exchange of electronic business messages between companies and organizations worldwide. It standardizes business transactions across countries and industries by providing a consistent format for exchanging messages such as purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notices.

Key components

Message types: Defines specific formats for various business messages (documents). Each type has a unique identifier and structure, such as ORDERS for purchase orders and INVOIC for invoices.
Segments: Each message comprises segments, which are logical groupings of data elements. For example, a segment might contain details about a product or pricing information.
Data Elements: The smallest information units in a message, such as quantities, prices, or dates. These elements are standardized to ensure consistent interpretation.
Syntax Rules: Guidelines dictating how data elements and segments should be structured and formatted within a message to ensure compatibility and interoperability.

Message types

EDIFACT includes message types designed to facilitate various business transactions. Each message type has a unique identifier tailored to specific business processes. Here are the key message types in EDIFACT:

ORDERS: Purchase Order – Used to order goods or services.
ORDRSP: Purchase Order Response – Used to respond to a purchase order.
INVOIC: Invoice – Used to bill for goods or services provided.
DESADV: Despatch Advice – Used to notify the recipient about the dispatch of goods.
RECADV: Receiving Advice – Used to confirm receipt of goods.
SHIPNOT: Shipping Notice – Used to provide details about a shipment.
QUOTES: Quote – Used to provide price quotations for goods or services.
PRICAT: Price Catalogue – Used to provide detailed product information and pricing.
ORDCHG: Purchase Order Change Request – Used to request changes to an existing purchase order.
ORDCLO: Purchase Order Cancellation – Used to cancel an existing purchase order.
DELJIT: Delivery Just-In-Time – Used to provide detailed delivery instructions.
REMADV: Remittance Advice – Used to communicate details about payments.
CREMUL: Multiple Credit Advice – Used to provide details about multiple credit transactions.
DEBADV: Debit Advice – Used to provide details about debit transactions.
PAYMUL: Multiple Payment Order – Used to instruct multiple payments.
IFTMIN: Instruction for Dispatch – Used to provide detailed shipping instructions.
IFTSTA: Status Message – Used to provide the status of a shipment or transaction.
CONTRL: Control Message – Used to acknowledge the receipt of a message or to indicate message processing status.