EDI - Electronic Data Interchange
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a fully automated, electronic exchange of data between at least two companies regarding orders, bills or warehouse inventory through the use of XML. The integration of factory activities is at the forefront here, rather than the use of scheduling algorithms.
Brief description
EDI is used for fast, electronic transfer and rationalization of processes (for example, orders). Much of the company's data is already exchanged globally via EDI.
EDI was probably applied in the 1960s in the US the first time using telephone and telex lines. Using VANs (Value Added Networks = networks used for private-business purposes), data could be distributed from one connection through the network to all other connections. The first information standard was ANSI X.12 (USA), followed by UN/EDIFACT (United Nations) and today it is the Internet that is the widespread standard.
Features and assumptions
The following points are required for the EDI project:
- project management
- agreements on the structure and semantics of the message
- transportation and message processing
Some standards are UN/EDIFACT, ANSI X.12, VDA, EANCOM, ODETTE, GALIA, ebXML and XBRL. To send data from the sender to the recipient, transmission protocols such as SMTP are used. EDI technology providers include: MLC, Integratio, ATOS, Harbinger and Seeburger.