Formerly known as ANSI ASC X12, ANSI EDI is one of the primary formats used in North America, adopted by professionals from over 300,000 companies across multiple industries. Developed in 1979 by the Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), these standards facilitate cross-industry EDI communication.
Today, ANSI X12 standards encompass over 350 transaction sets used across various sectors, including:
Developed in the late 1980s, UN (United Nations)/EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce, and Transport) are also widespread EDI standards used by:
UN/CEFACT (UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business), the organization behind EDIFACT, continually updates these standards to keep pace with industry trends and expand their application to new sectors.
EDIFACT facilitates communication across many European industries, including transport and logistics, retail, customs, agriculture, healthcare, and insurance.
Though still in use by some, TRADACOMS (Trading Data Communications Standard) is much less common today, as its development ceased in 1995. It was once widely adopted by retailers in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland for handling business documents such as purchase orders, invoices, and delivery confirmations.
This EDI format, developed by an entity of the same name, assigns unique identifiers to locations, shipping containers, parties, and products. GS1 is an ideal choice for businesses seeking standards that enable easy tracking of transactions and inventory.
EDIA (Electronic Data Interchange Association) is an organization that oversees the effective use of EDI, with branches that vary by country. In the U.S., the non-profit was formerly known as the Transportation Data Coordinating Committee (TDCC).
While these standards were initially designed to streamline communication in the transport industry, they are now used in various sectors. EDIA standards were first introduced to businesses in 1979.
This format, a subgroup of ANSI X12, is known as the Uniform Communication Standard. It’s widely used for fast and accurate EDI transactions in the grocery industry, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes and levels of complexity.
Another ANSI X12 subset, WINS (Warehouse Information Network Standards) is an EDI format for distribution and warehousing. Established in 1982, it’s widely used in North America and stands for Warehouse Information Network Standards.
Developed in the late 1990s, this XML-based document standard enables seamless supply chain communication for IT industries. RosettaNet is widely used in high-tech sectors such as electronics, logistics, and telecommunications.
Unlike other EDI standards like ANSI X12 and EDIFACT, RosettaNet focuses on process and process modeling, offering a more specialized approach to managing supply chain interactions.
In addition to ANSI X12, COMPORD (Computer Orders) is one of the most widely used EDI specifications in the steel industry, particularly in North America. It helps companies streamline inventory and shipping management through real-time reporting.
ODETTE (Organization for Data Exchange by Tele Transmission in Europe) provides standards for the automotive industry. These standards automate key business functions like shipment tracking, invoicing, and order processing for thousands of Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers and assembly lines.
Initially designed for the retail industry, EANCOM (European Article Number Communication) now benefits a range of sectors, including healthcare, construction, and publishing. One of its key advantages is its availability in local languages across more than 80 countries.
EANCOM simplifies tracking the flow of goods through its standard numbering system, offering a straightforward and accurate solution for managing transactions.
These EDI specs, developed by the Verband der Automobilindustrie, are tailored for the German automotive industry. VDA enables companies like Bosch, Audi, and Continental to exchange fast, reliable supply chain messages with a focus on data integrity.
Standards established under the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) offer several advantages, including enabling faster patient care. HIPAA EDI ensures secure and accurate billing and communication for healthcare providers.
This EDI format allows Oracle applications to integrate with translation software. The Oracle EDI Gateway streamlines communication for industries such as finance, manufacturing, and distribution.
SAP EDI enables efficient communication across the SAP (Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing) network. SAP IDocs (Intermediate Documents) facilitate the exchange of messages such as invoices, advanced shipment notices, and purchase orders.
SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) standards are the formats used across SWIFTNet, the infrastructure that facilitates communication between financial institutions. For example, if Goldman Sachs were to need Citibank to stop a check payment, they would use SWIFT to process the request.
Thousands of companies use VICS (Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standard), which boasts vast adoption in the retail industry. As a reliable subset of ANSI X12, it ensures accurate message transmissions between merchandisers, retail stores, and suppliers.
OASIS developed the UBL (Universal Business Language) format using XML, making it easier to read than other markup languages and simplifying communication. It supports various syntaxes, including JSON, making it accessible to a broader range of businesses. This global format supports supply chain functions across multiple industries.
This standard also facilitates real-time, error-free communications in healthcare.
The difference between HL7 (Health Level Seven) and HIPAA transactions is scope. Where HL7 communication is often between an organization’s electrical systems, HIPAA transactions typically happen between various enterprises, such as a hospital and an insurance company.
Notably, some HIPAA transactions include HL7 messages, such as patient details.
This text-based format primarily serves the retail industry. Developed by the Uniform Code Council (UCC) and the National Retail Federation (NRF), Trademark EDI helps suppliers, stores, manufacturers, and other retail stakeholders save time and reduce communication costs.
