EDIFACTEDI uses standard formats to pass data between the disparate business systems. Third parties provide EDI services that enable organizations with different equipment to connect. Although interactive access may be a part of it, EDI implies direct computer-to-computer transactions into vendors' databases and ordering systems. The EDI standard is ANSI X12, developed by the Data Interchange Standards Association (DISA). ANSI X12 is either closely coordinated with or is being merged with an international standard, EDIFACT. With the EDIFACT connector, Map Designer can read and write EDIFACT data files.
An EDI message contains a string of data elements, each of which represents a singular fact, such as a price, product model number, and so forth, separated by delimiters. The entire string is called a data segment. One or more data segments framed by a header and trailer form a transaction set, which is the EDI unit of transmission (equivalent to a message). A transaction set often consists of what is usually contained in a typical business document or form. The parties who exchange EDI transmissions are referred to as trading partners.
Note: EDIFACT is a Unicode-enabled connector.
Connector-Specific Notes
EDIFACT structure has similarities to EDI X12 structure, but there are some special considerations that relate only to EDIFACT structural components. The EDIFACT connector has been tailored to recognize the unique characteristics of EDIFACT so that you can have more control over your EDIFACT data. See the following notes for details:
Default separators
Segment UNA is used to define EDIFACT separators: Element separator, Data element separator, Decimal notation, Release indicator, Segment terminator. In EDIFACT, Segment UNA is optional and dependent on charsets (UNOA, UNOB, UNOC, UNOD, UNOE and UNOF). If the EDIFACT file does not contain a UNA segment, it uses default separators. Only UNOA and UNOB define default separators. Other charsets have to define separators.
UNOA Default separators
• Element Separator +
• Data Element Separator :
• Decimal Notation .
• Release Indicator ?
• Segment Terminator '
UNOB Default separators
• Element Separator \x1D (1S3)
• Data Element Separator \x1F (1S1)
• Decimal Notation .
• Release Indicator
Segment Terminator \x1C (1S4)
Note: If you want to use other separators, you must define the UNA segment.
Limitations
The limitations are:
• Real-Time Messaging Support - The EDIFACT connector is designed to work with only a discrete set (message) at a time. Files containing two or more separate messages must be split to process them with Map Designer. Each message begins with a MSH segment and the MSH must exist only once in a message as the first segment. EDIFACT was designed to be a real-time messaging interface where discrete messages are generated and routed immediately to their destination. Some users employ a batch mode process, where multiple messages are written to a single file before transport occurs. This is not the intended use for EDIFACT; Map Designer provides real-time messaging support (for example, processing one message at a time). Therefore, batch files must first be split into discrete messages for processing.
• Double-Byte Character Support - You may need to produce double-byte Excel output from a double-byte EDIFACT source. To do this, create and run two maps in sequence:
• EDIFACT to Unicode (Delimited) - Set the Unicode Encoding property to UTF-8.
• Unicode (Delimited) to Excel: Set the Encoding property for both source and target to UTF-8.
Connector Parts
Connector parts are the fields you configure to connect with a data source or target.
The settings that are available depend on the connector you select.
For a list of all parts for source connectors, see Specifying Connector, Parts, and Properties.
For a list of all parts for target connectors, see Specifying Connector, Parts, and Properties.
Property Options
Property Name | S/T | Description |
|---|---|---|
Encoding | ST | The selected code page translation table tells Map Designer which tables to use when reading in the source data and writing out the target data. The default value is OEM, which allows Map Designer to use whatever code page is the active one on your system. To use ANSI, select ISO8859-1. For Windows CodePage 1252, select CP1252.Shift-JIS encoding is meaningful only in Japanese operating systems. |
SchemaFile | ST | Used for parsing data and generating a new schema during design time. Select a schema file that contains the schema you want to use. To upload a schema file that is not in your current project: In Design Manager, click the icon to import projects or upload a single file and select Upload a single file. Select the schema file and click Open. Click Next. At Type, select Schema. Click Save. Once the file is uploaded, you can then select it from the list. |
CodesetFile | ST | This is the file containing the definition of allowed code set values for fields, used mainly for validation. Click the ellipsis, browse to your file and click Open to apply the schema file. |
SegmentTerminator | ST | A character that terminates a segment. Select a Segment Terminator from the list. For the list of options, see DataElementSeparator. |
CompositeSeparator | ST | Character used to separate adjacent composites of a field. See DataElementSeparator below for a list of Composite Separators from which you can choose from the list. |
DataElementSeparator | ST | This is a complete list of Element Separators from which you can choose from the list: • CR-Lf • SOH(0001) • STX (0002) • ETX(0003) • EOT(0004) • ENQ(0005) • ACK(0006) • BEL(0007) • BS(0008) • FF(000C) • CR(000D) • SO(000E) • S1(000F) |
• DLE(0010) • DC1(0011) • DC2(0012) • DC3(0013) • DC4(0014) • NAK(0015) • SYN(0016) • ETB(0017) • CAN(0018) • EM(0019) • SUB(001A) • ESC(001B) • FS/IS4(001C) | ||
• GS/IS3(001D) • RS/IS2 (001E) • US/IS1 (001F) • SP (0020) • ! (0021) • " (0022) • # (0023) • $ (0024) • % (0025) • & (0026) • ‘ (0027) • ( (0028) • ) (0029) • * (002A) | ||
• + (002B) - Default • , (002C) • - (002D) • . (002E) • / (002F) • : (003A) • ; (003B) • < (003C) • = (003D) • > (003E) • ? (003F) | ||
• @ (0040) • [ (005B) • \ (005C) • ] (005D) • ^ (005E) • _ (005F) • ‘ (0060) • { (007B) • | (007C) • } (007D) • ~ (007E) • DEL (007F) | ||
ReleaseIndicator | ST | If you want to use the Element separator, Data element separator and Segment terminator as regular characters, you have to pretend with release indicator. In the EDIFACT connector, the Source removes all release indicators, such as ?+?:?'123 to +:'123. The Target automatically adds the release indicator, such as +:'123 to ?+?:?'123. |
DecimalNotation | ST | You may use any character as decimal notation in EDIFACT. The Source replaces all decimal notation with a . (such as 1,34 to 1.34). The Target replaces the period with defined Decimal notation, for example, 1.34 to 1,34. The default is ,(002C). |
Validation | ST | None is the default setting. Click the arrow for a list of the following validation methods: • Composite/Element- Validate maxuse, requirement, min/max length and default value • Loop/segment - Validate maxuse and requirement. • Composite/Element+Loop/Segment - Validate both composite/element and loop segment. |
LineWrap | ST | Sets the type of line wrap you want to use in your source or target file. The default is None. Some EDIFACT files may consist of a constant stream of data with no line separators. LineWrap forces a temporary line-wrapping behavior. When you attempt to connect to your EDIFACT file and you receive parse error messages, try changing the setting to CR-LF, CR, LF, or LF-CR. |
WrapLength | T | Sets the length of line wrap you want to use in your target file. The default is 80. |
QualifiedFieldNames | ST | This is the name path of the parents of the segment parents in the schema tree. If QualifiedFieldNames is true, Qualified Name is put before a field name. The default is false. |
Skip | S | When the Skip property is set to true, segments that do not match those in the applied schema file are not read. The default is false. If you are reading large EDIFACT files and have many mismatches Map Designer parsing time increases (in this case, keep this setting at its default of False). |
Supported Data Type
The following data types are available:
• a
• AN
• an
• B
• DT
• ID
• Loop
• n
• NO
• N1
• N10
• N11
• N12
• N13
• N14
• N15
• N16
• N17
• N18
• N19
• N2
• N20
• N3
• N4
• N5
• N6
• N7
• N8
• N9
• R
• Segment
• TM
Note: The data types that you see under Type in the target schema (on the Map tab) are EDI data type names. However, these data types are read as Text by Map Designer. To use a DT EDI data type in an expression, you would need to treat the data type as Text that must be converted to a DateTime data type. For more information about converting data types, search for "commonly used functions" in the documentation.
Last modified date: 02/01/2024