What is an EDI Standard?

An EDI standard is the series of uniform message formats used to create electronic--that is, computer-readable--versions of traditional paper documents. Many of the earliest standard message formats were first created and adopted by specific industries for the exchange of documents within that particular industry, or by specific companies for the exchange of documents with their many suppliers. As EDI has evolved, the use of industry-specific or company-specific standards (also known as proprietary standards) has lessened in favor of public standards. A few of the public standards you may be familiar with are EDIFACT, ANSI X12, UCS, TDCC, VICS, EDX, ODETTE, and TRADACOMS.

EDIFACT:-United Nations/Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce, and Transport.The main standard supported by the UN.

ANSI X12:-Common in USA, Canada and Australia

UCS:- The Uniform Communication Standard, is used by the grocery industry and other retail-oriented industry sectors. It is a subset of the ANSI ASC X12 national standard.

TDCC:-Transportation Data Coordinating Committee

VICS:-Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standard.VICS EDI is being utilized by thousands of companies – department and specialty retail stores, mass merchandisers and their suppliers.

EDX:-Electronic Data Exchange

ODETTE:-Organization for Data Exchange by Tele Transmission in Europe - is working through four, cross-linked functional committees.Developed in the UK for the motor industry.

TRADACOMS:-The TRADACOMS EDI standard was originally developed by the ANA (Article Number Association), pre-cursor of the standards organisation, now known as e-centre. (www.ecentre.org.uk) TRADACOMS stands for the Trading Data Communications Standard.