Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport

Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport

Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (EDIFACT) is an international standard for the electronic exchange of data between businesses, government agencies, and other organizations. It provides a common language for communication, allowing different systems and applications to exchange information seamlessly.

EDIFACT is based on the United Nations Standard Message (UNSM) and is governed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It defines a set of standard message formats and syntax rules to ensure interoperability between different systems. These messages can be used to transmit purchase orders, invoices, shipping notifications, and other business documents.

EDIFACT is widely used in a variety of industries, including:

• Retail: for exchanging orders, invoices, and inventory information between suppliers and retailers.
• Transportation: for booking shipments, tracking freight, and managing customs clearances.
• Manufacturing: for exchanging production schedules, inventory levels, and quality control data.
• Healthcare: for exchanging patient records, insurance claims, and medical supplies orders.
• Financial services: for exchanging wire transfers, check deposits, and trade finance documents.

Applications

EDIFACT plays a crucial role in modern technology as it enables:

• Increased efficiency: Automating data exchange eliminates manual errors and speeds up business processes.
• Reduced costs: By eliminating paper-based documents and faxes, businesses save on printing, postage, and labor costs.
• Improved accuracy: Standard message formats ensure data accuracy and reduce the Risk of errors.
• Enhanced collaboration: EDIFACT facilitates seamless communication and coordination among different organizations.
• Global interoperability: The use of standardized message formats allows for data exchange between organizations in different countries and continents.

History

The development of EDIFACT began in the late 1970s with the development of the UNSM by the UNECE. In 1986, the first EDIFACT message format was published, and it quickly gained adoption in the automotive industry.

Over the years, EDIFACT has been continuously Updated and expanded to include new message types and industry-specific requirements. In the 1990s, EDIFACT played a significant role in the development of the Internet, as it became the basis for the MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) email standard.

Today, EDIFACT remains a widely used data exchange standard, despite the emergence of newer technologies such as XML (Extensible Markup Language). It is particularly valuable for organizations that need to exchange large volumes of structured data in a reliable and efficient manner.