B2B Content Standards: EDIFACT
EDIFACT was developed from two widely used EDI standards, one set used in Europe and the other in America. Around 1986, the United Nation Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) were in the process of revamping the “Guidelines for Trade Data Interchange and was about to publish them as the standard. At the same time, development of the US Standards for EDI was being undertaken by the Joint Electronic Data Interchange Committee (JEDI). The two organisations got together and the debate on a world wide standard began. It culminated in September 1987 with the Technical Committee 154 of the International Organisation for Standardisation unanimously agreeing that the EDIFACT syntax would be published as the international standard.
ANSI agreed to sunset the X12 standard by 1997. However, as 1997 approached, thousands of organisations in the U.S. had heavy investments in the X12 standard, and saw no benefit to switch over to EDIFACT just for the sake of being on the international standard, especially if the organisation had only X12 partners and no EDIFACT partners. In 1997, the priorities were preparing for Y2K and implementing the new generation of ERP applications. X12 development and maintenance will continue for the foreseeable future.
Today, the same discussions are occurring regarding migrating to XML-based standards like OAGIS and RosettaNet; the return on investment is not in converting the legacy EDI partnerships that work today, but in evaluating the business processes where the legacy EDI standards have not yet been applied. EDI works for most of what is being done in XML today. It is a myth that EDI is batch-only, not real-time, and that EDI doesn't allow adequate back-end integration. The reality is that companies are using the move to XML standards to make changes to back-end applications that could have been done to enable real-time EDI.
Specifications for EDIFACT messages are freely available on the on the web.
EIDX recommends EDIFICE Guidelines for EDIFACT (free).
Below is a list of all the EDIFACT messages as of version D.99B.
EDIFACT Version D.99B Messages
In general, specifications for UN/EDIFACT messages can be found at www.unece.org/trade/untdid/welcome.htm.
EIDX recommends EDIFICE Guidelines for EDIFACT (free).
APERAK | Application error and acknowledgement message |
AUTACK | Secure authentication and acknowledgement message |
AUTHOR | Authorization message |
AVLREQ | Availability request - interactive message |
AVLRSP |
Availability response - interactive message |
BANSTA | Banking status message |
BAPLIE | Bayplan/stowage plan occupied and empty locations message |
BAPLTE | Bayplan/stowage plan total numbers message |
BMISRM | Bulk marine inspection summary report message |
BOPBNK | Bank transactions and portfolio transactions report message |
BOPCUS | Balance of payment customer transaction report message |
BOPDIR | Direct balance of payment declaration message |
BOPINF | Balance of payment information from customer message |
CALINF | Vessel call information message |
CASINT | Request for legal administration action in civil proceedings message |
CASRES | Legal administration response in civil proceedings message |
COARRI | Container discharge/loading report message |
CODECO | Container gate-in/gate-out report message |
CODENO | Permit expiration/clearance ready notice message |
COEDOR | Container stock report message |
COHAOR | Container special handling order message |
COLREQ | Request for a documentary collection message |
COMDIS | Commercial dispute message |
CONAPW | Advice on pending works message |
CONDPV | Direct payment valuation message |
CONDRA | Drawing administration message |
CONDRO | Drawing organisation message |
CONEST | Establishment of contract message |
CONITT | Invitation to tender message |
CONPVA | Payment valuation message |
CONQVA | Quantity valuation message |
CONRPW | Response of pending works message |
CONTEN | Tender message |
CONTRL | Syntax and service report message |
CONWQD | Work item quantity determination message |
COPARN | Container announcement message |
COPINO | Container pre-notification message |
COPRAR | Container discharge/loading order message |
COREOR | Container release order message |
COSTCO | Container stuffing/stripping confirmation message |
COSTOR | Container stuffing/stripping order message |
CREADV | Credit advice message |
CREEXT | Extended credit advice message |
CREMUL | Multiple credit advice message |
CUSCAR | Customs cargo report message |
CUSDEC | Customs declaration message |
CUSEXP | Customs express consignment declaration message |
CUSPED | Periodiccustoms declaration message |
CUSREP | Customs conveyance report message |
CUSRES | Customs response message |
DEBADV | Debit advice message |
DEBMUL | Multiple debit advice message |
DELFOR | Delivery schedule message |
DELJIT | Delivery just in time message |
DESADV | Despatch advice message |
DESTIM | Equipment damage and repair estimate message |
DGRECA | Dangerous goods recapitulation message |
DIRDEB | Direct debit message |
DIRDEF | Directory definition message |
DMRDEF | Data maintenance request definition message |
DMSTAT | Datamaintenance status report/query message |
DOCADV | Documentary credit advice message |
DOCAMA | Advice of an amendment of a documentary credit message |
DOCAMI | Documentary credit amendment information message |
DOCAMR | Request for an amendment of a documentary credit message |
DOCAPP | Documentary credit application message |
DOCARE | Response to an amendment of a documentary credit message |
DOCINF | Documentary credit issuance information message |
FINCAN | Financial cancellation message |
FINSTA | Financial statement of an account message |
GENRAL | General purpose message |
GESMES | Generic statistical message |
HANMOV | Cargo/goods handling and movement message |
IFCSUM | Forwarding and consolidation summary message |
IFTCCA | Forwarding and transport shipment charge calculation message |
IFTDGN | Dangerous goods notification message |
IFTFCC | International transport freight costs and other charges message |
IFTIAG | Dangerous cargo list message |
IFTMAN | Arrival notice message |
IFTMBC | Booking confirmation message |
IFTMBF | Firmbooking message |
IFTMBP | Provisional booking message |
IFTMCS | Instruction contract status message |
IFTMIN | Instruction message |
IFTRIN | Forwarding and transport rate information message |
IFTSAI | Forwarding and transport schedule and availability information message |
IFTSTA | International multimodal status report message |
IFTSTQ | International multimodal status request message |
IMPDEF | EDI implementation guide definition message |
INFENT | Enterprise accounting information message |
INSPRE | Insurance premium message |
INVOIC | Invoice message |
INVRPT | Inventory report message |
IPPOMO | Motor insurance policy message |
ITRRPT | In transit report detail message |
JAPRES | Job application result message |
JINFDE | Job information demand message |
JOBAPP | Job application proposal message |
JOBCON | Job order confirmation message |
JOBMOD | Job order modification message |
JOBOFF | Job order message |
KEYMAN | Security key and certificate management message |
LREACT | Life reinsurance activity message |
LRECLM | Life reinsurance claims message |
MEDPID | Person identification message |
MEDREQ | Medical service request message |
MEDRPT | Medical service report message |
MEDRUC | Medical resource usage and cost message |
MEQPOS | Means of transport and equipment position message |
MOVINS | Stowage instruction message |
MSCONS | Metered services consumption report message |
ORDCHG | Purchase order change request message |
ORDERS | Purchase order message |
ORDRSP | Purchase order response message |
OSTENQ | Order status enquiry message |
OSTRPT | Order status report message |
PARTIN | Party information message |
PAXLST | Passenger list message |
PAYDUC | Payroll deductions advice message |
PAYEXT | Extended payment order message |
PAYMUL | Multiple payment order message |
PAYORD | Payment order message |
PRICAT | Price/sales catalogue message |
PRIHIS | Pricing history message |
PRODAT | Product data message |
PRODEX | Product exchange reconciliation message |
PROINQ | Product inquiry message |
PROTAP | Project tasks planning message |
PRPAID | Insurance premium payment message |
QALITY | Quality data message |
QUOTES | Quote message |
RDRMES | Raw data reporting message |
REBORD | Reinsurance bordereau message |
RECADV | Receiving advice message |
RECALC | Reinsurance calculation message |
RECECO | Credit risk cover message |
RECLAM | Reinsurance claims message |
REMADV | Remittance advice message |
REPREM | Reinsurance premium message |
REQDOC | Request for document message |
REQOTE | Request for quote message |
RESETT | Reinsurance settlement message |
RESMSG | Reservation message |
RESREQ | Reservation request - interactive message |
RESRSP | Reservation response - interactive message |
RETACC | Reinsurance technical account message |
RETANN | Announcment for returns message |
RETINS | Instruction for returns message |
SAFHAZ | Safety and hazard data message |
SANCRT | International movement of goods governmental regulatory message |
SLSFCT | Sales forecast message |
SLSRPT | Sales data report message |
SSIMOD | Modification of identity details message |
SSRECH | Worker's insurance history message |
SSREGW | Notification of registration of a worker message |
STATAC | Statement of account message |
STLRPT | Settlement transaction reporting message |
SUPCOT | Superannuation contributions advice message |
SUPMAN | Superannuation maintenance message |
SUPRES | Supplier response message |
TANSTA | Tank status report message |
VATDEC | Value added tax message |
VESDEP | Vessel departure message |
WASDIS | Waste disposal information message |
WKGRDC | Work grant decision message |
WKGREE | Work grant request message |
Last updated 20 February 2003