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Understanding ANSI ASC X12 EDI 810 Invoice: Definition, Key Data Elements, and Workflow

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

In the world of business-to-business (B2B) transactions, efficiency is paramount. The EDI 810 Invoice stands as a crucial electronic document that streamlines the billing process, ensuring accurate and timely payments. But what exactly is an EDI 810 invoice, and how does it revolutionize the way companies handle financial exchanges? This comprehensive article delves into the intricacies of the EDI 810 standard, exploring its key components, workflow, benefits, and implementation strategies. We’ll answer the common questions businesses have, such as how to interpret an EDI 810 sample, what are the mandatory data elements, and how to integrate EDI 810 into existing systems.

What is EDI 810? 

EDI 810 Invoice – in international business practices, the 810 (Invoice) is an electronic document sent by the seller to the buyer to receive payment for goods or services provided.

The EDI X12 810 Transaction Set contains information about the goods and /or services, their quantity, and the price at which they were delivered to the buyer, the characteristics of the goods (color, weight, etc.), delivery terms and information about the sender and the recipient.

An electronic invoice can be generated in various standards, it all depends on which standard the partners agreed to use in order to exchange EDI. For example, in ANSI ASC X12, which is prevailing in North America, this document is called ANSI X12 Transaction Set 810 Invoice. You can also see various names for this document, for example, X12 810, EDI Invoice, EDI Invoice 810, ANSI X12 810, EDI X12 810, EDI 810, EDI 810 Document, 810 Transaction Set, etc.

 

“INVOIC” is an analog of the EDI 810 Invoice in the international UN / EDIFACT standard, which ispredominant outside of North America. INVOIC document (derived from the word “Invoice”, but limited to 6 letters, according to the EDIFACT rule).

EDI 810 Invoice Data Elements: What Information is Included?

Understanding the key data elements within an EDI 810 Invoice is essential for accurate processing. What specific information does an EDI 810 contain, and how is it structured? Typically, an EDI 810 document includes:

  • Invoice Number and Date: Unique identifiers for tracking and referencing invoices.
  • Purchase Order Number: Linking the invoice to the original purchase order for reconciliation.
  • Delivery Date: The date goods or services were provided.
  • List of Items or Services: Detailed description of products or services rendered.
  • Item Price and Identifier: Pricing details and unique product/service codes.
  • Payment Terms: Agreed-upon payment conditions, including due dates and discounts.
  • Shipping Information: Addresses, carrier details, and tracking numbers.
  • Tax and Discount Calculations: Detailed breakdown of applicable taxes and discounts.

How do these elements ensure accuracy and efficiency in billing? Each element plays a crucial role in providing a clear and comprehensive record of the transaction, minimizing discrepancies and accelerating payment processing. Depending on the goods or services the company provides, additional information may also be included in the EDI 810 invoice.

EDI 810 Transmission Explained: AS2, FTP/SFTP, and Web Services

Previously, many EDI transactions (including EDI 810), were carried out through a Value Added Network (VAN). But the transmission of EDI 810 invoices has evolved significantly. 

Currently, in order to provide an affordable and cost-efficient EDI exchange, most companies have switched to a point-to-point communication such as:

  •  AS2 (Applicability Statement 2) exchanges documents over the Internet by using digital certificates and encryption of the EDI data.
  • FTP/SFTP (File Transfer Protocol/Secure File Transfer Protocol) –  These file transfer protocols allow businesses to connect with their partners via the Internet in order to exchange EDI documents.
  •  HTTP EDI Web Service (REST API) This EDI Web Service gains more and more popularity because is much more cost-effective and you can be up and running in less than an hour. EDI web Service meant for companies who got their technical resources to work with REST API (call and consume HTTP Rest Web services). The EDI2XML offers a free 15 days trial.

Which transmission method is best for your business, and what factors should you consider when choosing? The choice depends on factors like security requirements, technical capabilities, and cost considerations. For example, REST APIs are often preferred for their speed and ease of integration, while AS2 provides robust security for sensitive data.

 

Learn more about EDI Web Service

One company can use different means or protocols to exchange EDI documents with its multiple trading Partners. (see picture below) Usually, this happens because each big company has its own requirements to exchange electronic messages or EDI.

EDI communication

A Detailed Look at the EDI 810 Transaction Process

In typical and common business practice, the basic documents exchanged between trading partners are EDI 850 (Purchase Order) and EDI 810 (Invoice); this statement is partially true in the EDI world. Based on our more than 25 years of successful EDI Integration experience, we can tell you for sure that usually, the EDI process is much more complex. Between EDI 850 Purchase Order (or even before it) and Invoice 810, partners exchange a number of different documents. This is especially true for retail companies.

Below you can find a possible EDI scenario in the retail industry.

Seller sends to the buyer an EDI 846 Inventory Inquiry message to advise about stock level status and availability. EDI846 can include also pricing information.

 

 

Thus, The EDI 810 invoice is often part of a larger EDI workflow. What is the typical sequence of EDI transactions in a B2B exchange, and how does the EDI 810 fit into this process? A common scenario involves:

  1. EDI 846 (Inventory Inquiry/Advice): Primarily used by suppliers to provide real-time inventory data to their trading partners
  2. EDI 850 (Purchase Order): The buyer initiates the order.
  3. EDI 855 (Purchase Order Acknowledgement): The seller confirms the order.
  4. EDI 860 (Purchase Order Change Request – Buyer Initiated): allows a buyer to request modifications to an existing purchase order they’ve already sent to a supplier
  5. EDI 865 (Purchase Order Change Acknowledgment/Request – Seller Initiated): transaction set used to confirm or request changes to a previously submitted purchase order. 
  6. EDI 856 (Advance Ship Notice): The seller provides shipping details.
  7. EDI 810 (Invoice): The seller requests payment. 
NOTE: EDI 846 is more often used in B2B e-commerce for more information about this transaction set please read the blog: What is EDI 846 document?

Based on the information received in EDI 846 the buyer generates a Purchase Order (EDI 850) which contains a list of goods that he wants to purchase from the supplier, including information about the quantities, shipping directives, and other details.

Upon receiving the Purchase Order seller send a Purchase Order Acknowledgement (EDI 855) to confirm goods are available to be sold.

In the next step, the buyer could send a seller a Purchase Order Change Request (EDI 860) to request a change to a previously submitted purchase order.

The seller responds with a Purchase Order Change Request/Acknowledgement (EDI 865) to notify of the acceptance or rejection of the change to the purchase order previously submitted by the buyer.

To send the contents of the shipment, the seller sends an EDI 856 Advance Ship Notice or EDI ASN. This EDI document must be transmitted before the arrival of the goods.

An invoice (EDI 810) can be transferred to the buyer after filling out and delivering the order or along with.

EDI 810 Invoice

Thus, you can notice, despite EDI X12 810 invoice is the most commonly exchanged electronic document, there are multiples EDI transactions sets supporting EDI 810.

Book a FREE one-on-one EDI consultation session with our in-house experts

EDI X12 810 Invoice Sample

The following example details the format of an EDI 810 invoice.

ISA*00*          *00*          *12*5141231234     *12*5034564567     
*181122*1220*U*00501*000000001*0*T*> GS*IN*5141231234*504564567*20181122*122047*1*X*005010
ST*810*0001
BIG*20181122*I-0042537
N1*RI**92*10055500
N1*ST**92*00262
ITD*05*1*****100
DTM*011*20190120
IT1**2*EA*5.45**UP*888077648572
SDQ*EA*92*00682*1*70674*1
IT1**2*EA*5.45**UP*888077650123
SDQ*EA*92*00111*1*11356*1
IT1**3*EA*4.85**UP*888077648954
SDQ*EA*92*00682*1*11356*1*70674*1
IT1**3*EA*5.15**UP*888077649105
SDQ*EA*92*00011*2*00111*1
IT1**1*EA*5.9**UP*888077648867
SDQ*EA*92*00682*1
TDS*5770
CAD*A***FDEG
CTT*5
SE*20*0001
GE*1*1
IEA*1*000000001

Invoice EDI 810 Invoice Specifications: Decoding the Segment Structure

Here is the specification of the EDI 810 transaction set given as an example above. You should note that like any other EDI document, 810 contains mandatory and optional data. Optional data depends of the business areas and the requirements of the trading partner.

  Segment name Purpose
ISA Interchange Control Header Marks the beginning of the transmission and provides the sender/receiver identification.
GS Functional Group Header Marks the beginning of the functional group and provides the sender/receiver identification.
ST Transaction Set Header To indicate the start of a transaction set and to assign a control number. There must be only one instance per transaction.
BIG Beginning Segment for Invoice To indicate the beginning of an invoice transaction set and transmit identifying numbers and dates.
N1 Name To identify a party by type of organization, name, and code ST- Ship To RI – Remit To The N1 is sent in conjunction with the SDQ when the N1 indicates the ship to location and the SDQ indicates the bill to locations.
ITD Terms of Sale/Deferred Terms of Sale To indicate a discount terms. Code 05 – Discount Not Applicable  
DTM Date/Time Reference To specify pertinent dates and times Code 011 Shipped
IT1 Baseline Item Data To specify the basic and most frequently used line item data for the invoice and related transactions
SDQ Destination Quantity To specify multiple locations and quantity detail.
TDS Total Monetary Value Summary To provide the total invoice amount
CAD Carrier Detail To specify transportation details for the transaction Code: FDEG  – FedEx (Ground Only)
CTT Transaction Totals Number of line items To transmit hash totals for a specific element in the transaction set. 5 – Total number of IT1 Items segments.
SE Transaction Set Trailer To indicate the end of the transaction set and provide the count of the transmitted segments (including the beginning (ST) and ending (SE) segment).
GE Functional GroupTrailer Marks the ending of the functional group and provides the sender/ receiver identification
IEA Interchange Control Trailer To define the end of an interchange of zero or more functional groups and interchange-related control segments

To learn more about the structure of ANSI ASC X12 read our Blogs:

What are the Benefits of Using EDI 810 Invoices?

Like any EDI document, the EDI 810 provides faster communication between seller and buyer and reduces the risk of errors. Using EDI is much easier than traditional paper documents.

Thanks to EDI, the exchange of documents between trading partners is error-free.

Major benefits of EDI:

  • Reduce paper flow and increase business efficiency by reducing the time it takes for both parties to complete transactions.
  • Reduce administrative time spent manually submitting invoices and other essential documents.
  • Resolve manual data entry errors
  • Customer satisfaction is growing due to the rapid completion and delivery of your orders.
  • Faster payment from your customers

EDI 810 Integration Options: Managed Services vs. Web Service, Which is right for you?

EDI2XML propose 2 options for EDI 810 transaction exchange with your business partners:

Option 1: Fully Managed EDI Service including translation and communication service offering to businesses of all sizes, from various industries. All processing of EDI files are done at our end, leaving customers with no on-site installation of software or hardware and an EDI project that is on time and within budget.

Option 2: EDI2XML web services is an HTTP service running over the internet, on EDI2XML own platform that is capable of receiving HTTP requests to translate EDI messages to XML, and XML messages (based on EDI2XML’s proprietary format) to EDI.

Contact us today for more information about EDI Integration and we will more than happy to assist you!

Fully managed EDI service VS HTTP Web Service: Which is Better for Your Business ?

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and all the services around it are becoming more and more popular, regardless of the industry, for one major reason: EDI transactions are replacing paper documents exchanged between trading partners, and helping companies in their digital transformation projects, for a “greener” planet.

Retail was one of the first industries to fully adopt EDI, and it is still the most active vertical in its usage. EDI is a proven and effective alternative to fax, e-mail, and manually entering or re-entering data such as Invoice, Purchase Order, Inventory and many others…

There are various types of EDI and several approaches to integrate Electronic Data Interchange in a business community. Each EDI provider can offer a different EDI integration methodology, in order to become EDI compliant. We at EDI2XML, offer two options for to integrate EDI into your company, and make your business “EDI compliant”, while shortening the integration project:

Fully managed EDI service

HTTP EDI Web Service

How to select? What kind of EDI integration solution is a better option for your business?  First, let’s understand both options.

Fully managed EDI service

The EDI2XML service offered as “fully managed”, includes translation and communication service offering to businesses of all sizes, from different industries.

Our team at EDI2XML, takes care of ALL the aspects of the integration project. With this model, we offer a “Turnkey EDI Solution” where we take on our shoulder all setup, configuration, testing, certification with the EDI partners …
EDI Fully Managed Service

In other words, with this option, we take care of everything: all the steps of the project from A to Z. We can even integrate directly into your ERP or CRM system. We provide certified connectors for leading IT systems such as Salesforce, JD Edwards, SAP, Dynamics CRM, Dynamics AX, and more.
EDI integration platform

a) Technical Details

A setup phase is mandatory for all new Trading Partners and/or EDI document implementation. This stage includes the project analysis, setup of Trading Partner accounts, configuring Partner specs and platform, defining the transfer file structure, building and setting up all required connectivities and communication protocols. It also includes an end-to-end full cycle data testing and certification.

To learn more about EDI service, download our free introductory guide here

b) Pricing

As for the pricing, it is based on pre-defined monthly service packages, including a pre-defined volume of data processed. All our packages are billed monthly based on the entry level plan (Business Light) at the beginning of each month. Subsequent month billing will include the basic plan fee PLUS the difference between the plan we billed initially (Business light) for previous month, and the plan that we were supposed bill for the previous month based on real volume of data processed for that month.

All this to say, our monthly pricing packages are dynamic, they go up and down based on the volume of data we process and integrate, and our clients are not locked in in any of the packages.

For more information about pricing – fill out a form: EDI2XML Translation Service Pricing Package

HTTP EDI Web Service (REST API)

EDI2XML Web Service, is an HTTP service running over the internet, on EDI2XML own platform that is capable of receiving HTTP requests to translate EDI messages to XML, and XML messages to EDI (based on EDI2XML’s proprietary format).

EDI2XML Web Service is much more cost effective, and meant for companies who got their own technical resources to work with REST API (call and consume HTTP Rest Web services)

The principles of the mechanism of EDI2XML Web Service is schematically illustrated in the below diagram.
EDI Wed Service

a) Advantages

EDI2XML Web Service is the way to go for the following reasons:
  • Self-service solution
  • Low cost
  • We offer a 15 days free trial, without any commitment.
  • Get started with less than an hour
  • There is no contract, no commitment.
  • Payments are month to month; Cancel anytime with a 30 days’ notice.
  • A very simple and dynamic pricing scheme
  • Availability and reliability
  • Based on proven technology in the field for over 18 years now
  • Outstanding technical support

b) Technical Details

Implementation time: Getting started with EDI2XML Web Service, is very simple and quick. Within less than an hour, you can issue the first Call to the Web Service and see the response. Our HTTP EDI Web service is very clearly documented, and we provide instructions with each subscription.
  • Quick entry: you can be up and running in less than an hour, and it is proven; we provide everything to your developers to get started, a java client with its source code and instructions on how to work with it.
  • We offer the schemas(xsd) of the XML format our API expects, and all what you need to do is to format your data according to that format and you will be up and running.

c) Pricing

EDI2XML API service fee to use the HTTP / Web Service calls, has a very simple pricing scheme. The price consists of two elements:
  1. Monthly mailbox fee: a “fixed” monthly fee for the Web Service Mailbox usage on EDI2XML platform. It is a nonrefundable fee.
  2. Data processing fee: a “variable” fee based on the volume of data processed and translated between EDI and XML, during a calendar month. The volume of data processed is computed in both directions:
  • Incoming, and
  • Outgoing

Click here to request EDI2XML Web Service Price List

d) How to get started with EDI2XML API

To get started with our EDI Web Service three steps you need to follow:

1. You need to provide us the list of documents/transactions you want to be activated under your trial account.

2. We will simply set you up with a 15 days trial account, without any commitment from you. Just let us know when do you want to kick off, and we can take care of setting you up on a trial account.

3. We provide a Java client and its source code. You can get started with less than an hour, this will allow you to try and see the results by your own.

? Watch the Video and discover which solution aligns best with your business needs and goals.

Compare key features of Fully managed EDI service and HTTP EDI Web Service

key feature

Fully managed EDI service

HTTP EDI Web Service

 Type of EDI solutionFull serviceSelf service
 Contract YesNo
 Commitment24 monthsNo
 Implementation time   (approximately) 2 weeks1 hour
 Real-Time ConnectionYesYes
 Free Trial account No15 days
 Data processing feeBased on the appropriate plan. It works in both directions: when the volume goes up and  when the volume goes down.  “Variable” fee based on the   volume      of data processed     and translated         between   EDI    and XML, during a         calendar    month.
 Need for internal   resourcesNoYes
 Need for in-house EDI expertiseNoNo
 Technical SupportYesYes
 Hardware Installation  RequiredNoYes
 Software Installation RequiredNoNo
Communication with the trading partner: setup and testing in both directionsYes

No

Free edi consultation

We, at EDI2XML, provide an EDI integration solution for every type of business. Contact us today for a free consultation and we will help you find the most appropriate option for your business.

API Web Service for EDI X12 exchange – Discover the advantages

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

API Web Service for EDI X12 exchange – Discover the advantages

For over 20 years, we have been working with EDI, integrating systems and helping companies of all sizes, in their digital transformation journey. We have been writing extensively and covering hot topics about EDI integration with e-commerce such as Shopify, Amazon and other eCommerce platforms, or EDI for drop-ship business, or EDI Integration with Salesforce and other different CRM and ERP system.

We have extensive knowledge in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and we share our knowledge by writing a large number of articles in our Blog ; we take up questions from our readers and contacts, related to different EDI topics, including types of EDI messages , EDI Standards and we try to respond to those in our blog.

In this article, there is an important topic I want to expand on: it is our EDI2XML API service, to translate EDI to XML (and vice versa) through our Http/https/httpss REST Web Service; This service we launched last year, and it is gaining success and popularity, mainly within the community of CTOs, Integrators and Developers who are looking for ways to include EDI messages processing, as part of their ESB (enterprise service bus) integration projects, in a corporate environment heavily connected using SOA (or service-oriented architecture).

What is EDI2XML Web Service?

EDI2XML Web Service, is an HTTP/HTTPS/HTTPSS service running over the internet, on EDIXML own platform that is capable of receiving HTTP/HTTPS/HTTPSS requests to translate EDI messages to XML, and XML messages (based on EDI2XML’s proprietary format) to EDI. The principles of the mechanism of EDI2XML Web Service is schematically illustrated in the figure below.

EDI2XML Web Service: Who is it for?

EDI2XML Web Service is for developers and businesses, interested in building their own EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) integration flows and programs. Normally, these individuals, are capable of interacting with external API and Web Services to translate EDI to XML and XML to EDI, and have the resources and expertise to work with Web Services and HTTP/HTTPS/HTTPSS requests in order to achieve their goals. EDI2XML web service is the premier choice for IT people as a reliable service to accomplish such Integration projects.

How much time does it take to get started with EDI2XML Web Service?

In order to access EDI2XML Web Service, and start taking advantage of our HTTP/HTTPS service in your EDI integration projects, we require that you fill the form on our EDI2XML website.

Getting started with EDI2XML Web Service, is very simple and quick. Within less than an hour, you can issue the first Call to the Web Service and see the response.

Our Web Service is very well documented and instructions are provided with each subscription. The instructions on how to get started are very straight forward and simple to follow. We provide detailed instructions and screenshots.

For a junior developer who is able to follow instructions, he can see results within less than an hour, just by following instructions from our quick start guide.

Moreover, we offer a 30 minutes courtesy technical call, for every new subscriber.

Is there any limitation with EDI2XML Web Service?

Access to our EDI2XML Web Service is unlimited and There are no limits for http/https calls. EDI2XML format supports currently the most commonly used EDI formats in North America: X12 and EDIFACT. You can check supported EDI transactions listed on our website. In case a transaction you are looking for is not on the list, we can simply just add it and activate into the service at no additional fee.

What is the XML format returned and expected by EDI2XML Web Service?

When Translating from EDI to XML, our EDI2XML Web service will generate a “proprietary” XML format we call it “EDI2XML format”. This is a very structured format where we do provide also the corresponding schemas (.xsd) for each transaction, in order to ease developer’s lives.

When translating from XML to EDI, EDI2XML expects a proprietary XML format, which we do provide the schemas (.xsd).

Does EDI2XML Web Service support Https?

EDI2XML API service supports http and https REST calls. We do realize how important is to transmit EDI information on a public tunnel such as the internet, with full security, when calling our EDI2XML web service.

Advantages of using EDI2XML HTTP/HTTPS service:

  • Get started with less than an hour
  • No contract: pay as you go
  • Very simple and dynamic pricing scheme
  • Availability and reliability
  • Based on proven technology in the field for over 18 years now
  • Outstanding technical support
  • Self-service solution
  • Cloud based
  • Low cost
  • Quick entry: you can be up and running in less than an hour, since we provide everything an integrator/developer needs to get started. We provide java client with its source code and instructions on how to try it.
  • Free trial for [15] days, with no commitment.

EDI Consultancy

We do offer EDI projects consultancy. We help companies plan, deploy, test and integrate EDI projects. You can simply call us (450) 68-3009 Ext 223 or write us sales@namtek.ca if you need any EDI consulting work. We have a proven 20+ years of experience in EDI and integration projects.

EDI Web Service for edi integration

Electronic Data Interchange: Key Information You Need to Know

 

This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.


EDI (or Electronic Data Interchange), has been part of business for long time; However, questions about its functioning, pros and cons are still not clear for new EDI users and those who have been using EDI for years in their business.

To help better understand EDI, we created this e-book “Electronic Data Interchange: Key Information You Need to Know”, where you find answers to most of the frequent questions like What is EDI? Benefits of EDI, EDI communication (EDI-VAN) and (EDI -INT) and much more.

It was built for beginners and those who have strong EDI technical knowledge. We are certain you will get important information out of this eBook, that is certainly useful to your EDI projects.

We invite you to download this e-book from EDI2XML Resource Page

Free EDI eBookFree EDI consultation

 

Seamless EDI implementation through Web Services

EDI is used almost everywhere regardless of industry or company size. The most extensive use of EDI is in the retail industry. EDI compliance is mandatory in order to trade with big retailers such as Target, Costco, Walmart,… even giants of electronic commerce like Amazon are heavy users of EDI.

There are a lot of different types and approach of implementing EDI in your company. It can fully managed EDI service, or gaining popularity lately EDI Web Service, because, service architects and developers want EDI to be easy to implement, maintainable, extensible, and scalable.

What is web service?

Web service is a network technology that provides inter-program interaction based on web standards. More specifically, it’s client and server application that communicate over the World Wide Web’s (WWW).

The W3C consortium defines a web service as: “A Web service is a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network”.

Thus, the web service is identified by a URI string. The Web service has a User Programmatic Interface (UPI) that is represented in WSDL format. Other systems interact with this web service by exchanging SOAP or REST protocol messages. HTTP Hypertext Transfer Protocol is used to transport the messages. The description of Web services and their APIs can be found by UDDI.

♦ WSDL (Web Services Description Language) – is an XML-based interface definition language that is used for describing the functionality offered by a web service.

♦ UDDI (Universal Discovery, Description and Integration) – is an XML-based registry for business internet services

Web services are rich in functionality and extensibility, as well as their machine-readable descriptions through the use of XML. Web services can be combined to achieve complex operations.

web service diagram

The diagram above shows a very simplified view of how a web service works. The client invokes a web service call by sending a request to a server which hosts the actual web service, then get the response from the web service.

What are different types of web services?

Web services can be deployed in several ways. The following web-services are the most commonly used http web services:

♦ SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) — in fact, it is a triple of standards SOAP/WSDL/UDDI

♦ REST (Representational State Transfer) – quite often called as RESTful API (Application Program Interface that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data) or RESTful web service – is based on (REST) technology.

Actually, SOAP originated from XML-RPC (XML Remote Procedure Call) and is the next generation of its development and evolution. While REST is a concept, based on an architectural style.

Of course, there are other types of web services, but since they are not widely used, we will focus on these two in this brief review: SOAP and REST.

A Quick Overview of SOAP Web Services

SOAP stands for Simple Object Access Protocol. It is an XML-based protocol for accessing web services.

It is platform and language independent. It means that by using SOAP, you can interact with other programming language applications.

Initially, SOAP was primarily intended to implement a remote procedure call (RPC). Now SOAP is used to exchange arbitrary messages in XML format, not just to call procedures.

Like any text protocol, SOAP can be used with any application layer protocol: SMTP, FTP, HTTPS, etc., but more often SOAP is used over HTTP.

All SOAP messages are structured as an envelope (is the root element in every SOAP message), including the following elements:

  • Message ID (local name)
  • Optional Header element
  • Mandatory Body element (message body)

Structure of SOAP message:

SOAP message structure

The expanded list of SOAP message elements is shown in the data schema (for SOAP version 1.2).

A Quick Overview of REST Web Services

REST stands for Representational State Transfer. As it was mentioned above, REST is not a protocol but an architectural style built on existing standards that are well known and controlled by the W3C consortium, such as HTTP, URI (Uniform Resource Identifier), XML and RDF (Resource Description Format).

In a REST services, the emphasis is placed on access to resources, and not on the execution of remote services; this is the fundamental difference from SOAP-services. However, the remote procedure call is also applicable to REST. It uses the PUT, GET, POST, and DELETE methods of the HTTP protocol to perform tasks. The cardinal difference between REST and SOAP is that REST remains an HTTP request.

According to many developers, SOAP is cumbersome and difficult to use. REST is an easy alternative.

REST is using the URL approach. Often, to make a request, REST relies on a simple URL Instead of using XML.

Advantages of REST Web Services

REST is more flexible and easier to use for the most part. There are following advantages when:

  • Agile: Unlike SOAP, there is no strict specification for REST Web services and it consumes less bandwidth and resources, thus, REST Web services are very fast.
  • Language and Platform independent: REST web services can be written in any programming language and run on any platform.
  • Can be used with different data format: REST web service permits different data format such as Plain Text, XML, HTML, and JSON.

SOAP vs REST what to choose?

SOAP is more applicable in complex architectures where interaction with objects is beyond the scope of the CRUD model. In applications having the CRUD model, it can be quite applicable to REST due to its simplicity and transparency.

In fact, if any objects in your service do not need a complex relationship than: “Create”, “Read”, “Update”, “Delete” (usually in 99% of cases is enough), it is possible that REST will be the best choice.

In addition, REST compared to SOAP can be more productive because it does not require parsing complex XML commands on the server (regular HTTP requests are performed — PUT, GET, POST, DELETE).

EDI2XML HTTP service

EDI2XML Web Service, is an HTTP (based on REST) service running over the internet, on EDI2XML private cloud platform that is capable of receiving HTTP requests to translate EDI messages to XML, and XML messages to EDI (based on EDI2XML’s proprietary XML format). Advantages of using EDI2XML HTTP service:

⇒ You can start with less than an hour

⇒ No contract: pay as you go

⇒ Very simple and dynamic pricing scheme

⇒ Availability and reliability

⇒ Based on proven technology in the field for over 18 years now

⇒ Outstanding technical support

Our EDI Web Service solution solves developer’s problem because we have over 18 years of expertise in EDI, that is difficult for every developer and integrator to acquire quickly.

You can start with the free 15 – days trial of EDI2XML Web Service to see how real-time translation services works.

EDI Web Service for edi integration

Related Posts:

What is EDIFACT? | UN / EDIFACT standard overview

EDI ANSI ASC X12 Standards – Technical Overview – 2020

EDI Integration of B2B e-commerce for small companies

How to get more out of Salesforce with EDI Integration


This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.


At the end of a discussion we had with one of our contacts, who was inquiring about EDI, Salesforce and how to integrate it all together, I decided to write this article, in order to clarify and structure my arguments with the hope it can help other readers who might fall on this article having the same questions and concerns. I will start by defining some technical terms, prior to getting to the points.

What is Salesforce?

Salesforce is one of the most popular cloud-based CRM. The company is based in California (USA), and it has thousands of users worldwide. We’ve already written an article that provides more about the product, which I invite you to read, and learn more about salesforce itself, and how Magic xpi can be the best integration platform with Salesforce.

What is EDI?

Electronic Data Interchange or (EDI) is fundamentally a standard that regulates the electronic exchange of business documents between trading partners. EDI contains a set of message types. There are many different EDI standards i.e. X12, EDIFACT, RosettaNet…used mainly in different industries and different parts of the world. In North America, the US standard ANSI ASC X12 is p predominantly used.

Some example message types are:

Help: What is EDI2XML as a Service?

EDI2XML as a Service is our popular translation and communication service offering to businesses of all sizes, from various industries. All conversions of EDI files are done on our end, leaving customers with no on-site installation of software or hardware and an EDI project that is on time and within budget.

Download our EDI2XML Translation Service Pricing Package here for more information

Why EDI Integration with Salesforce is Important

Companies of all sizes have different systems in place: i.e. ERP, CRM, Warehouse management…Some other companies might only operate their business using Salesforce.

It is a common situation that companies will have business partners requesting to exchange EDI (regardless of the standard), with them. The truth is that companies’ can NOT refuse such a request coming from a customer for example. They have to comply with such demand and become “EDI ready” or “EDI compliant”.

In a such scenario, the company running Salesforce will be receiving a Sales order (850 as an example) and sending back and invoice (810) for billing purposes, all in X12 standard (for example). What to do about this requirement? Companies need to take action.

Why You Need to integrate EDI into Salesforce

Given the above facts and considering that Salesforce “out-of-the-box” does NOT support any EDI standard, there is no choice for a company leveraging Salesforce, to escape the integration request.

Ultimately, businesses need to Integrate EDI into their Salesforce instance. By pushing EDI messages into their Salesforce instance in a near real-time basis, companies can achieve even more with the Salesforce system.

“Need Integration” Checklist

Each company is unique, and it can be a lot of reasons why your business needs Integrations. Following are the most common reasons a company might need to consider, in order to jump into integration projects:

– Your trading partner(s) is requesting to exchange data electronically

– Your company gets a lot of orders (200+ orders a month on average), this is being taped manually in different systems, thus taking lots of time of your employees, and creating inefficiencies.

– You are looking for a better experience with your customer. You need to get your inventory out that always exact, tracking numbers are received instantly after the merchandise is sent, etc.

– You do not have enough time to process orders. Your costumers need to wait for order processing.

– As third-party sellers, you are getting penalties from Amazon, eBay, and other marketplaces for the reason that you are not shipping orders fast enough.

– Your company receiving negative reviews from your customers who shop online, because of slow service or erroneous orders processing.

What to do Next to integrate EDI and Salesforce

Integrating EDI with Salesforce, is a bit different from other types of integration projects, a company might go through. Due to the fact that EDI is very specific, it requires very specific expertise. Here are some of the important points to consider before going into EDI integration projects:

  • For EDI integration in general, work with an EDI provider, and NOT with VANS (Value Added Networks). VANs are more expensive and less into integration.
  • Make sure the EDI provider is “integration oriented”; meaning he is not only specialized in EDI, but in integration as a concept
  • Do NOT settle half-way with “file integration”, look for near “real-time” integration, directly into your system.
  • Do NOT settle with point-to-point integration”. Developing and “coding” integration points, is very expensive to maintain at long term.
  • Look for the best integration method: look for certified connectors from the manufacturer (salesforce).

Integrate EDI with Salesforce to drive your business

If you need more information or help in determining your need in EDI to Salesforce Integration, please contact our integration experts, and Feel free to request a free demonstration.

EDI Salesforce Integration

A must-have guide for a successful systems integration with EDI

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Introduction

The concept of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is still very abstract for a business owner up until today. More often, as soon as an SME (small to medium-size enterprise) is requested by an important partner to comply with electronic data interchange process or do EDI, everyone gets on a big pig panic inside the enterprise, and all reinforcements are being called to help with such project.

Why Integration projects are nightmare?

EDI IntegrationIn fact, large chains are extremely important customers for many small and medium size enterprises. It is therefore essential, even vital, for many of them to follow the requirements imposed by those major retailers. Actually, all the large chains use mainly EDI format to exchange business transactions with their partners.

However, it can be risky for a company to embark on EDI integration without carefully evaluating business processes and needs.

 

Recommendations and steps for a successful integration

More than any other IT solution, EDI technology can profoundly modify several business processes of the company. EDI integration projects, must be planned and executed, according to a coherent process. Here are the different steps:

Step-1 Preparing of an EDI implementation team

It is essential that senior management be involved in any EDI integration project and implementation, at least at a high level.

Ideally, the EDI implementation team should include representatives from different departments, such as operations management, sales and information services.

It is important for the team to design together a good flow of information, so everyone understands the issues, the scope, and the benefits of the project. A project manager, should be assigned to take charge of such a mandate.

Step-2 Setting a project timeline

The implementation team should set and ETA and develop a plan with a complete list of tasks, resources required, and delivery estimates.

Step-3 Choice of standards

While the choice of standard of EDI format and communication protocols is very limited, this phase consists on just reviewing and making sure all specs and documentations are in place for the kick-off.

Step-4 Choice of documents for EDI transaction

Often, trading partners specify the EDI standard and the type of documents they will send or accept. Sometimes partners use only a few of the possible documents such an Invoice EDI 810 form and purchase orders EDI 850 form.

Step-5 “On premises” or “cloud” based or EDI Web Sevice?

There are many ways to do EDI. It is depending of the anticipated transaction volume, or the size of the business. Going with a software solution deployed “on-premises” or adopting a “cloud based software” or maybe EDI Web Service

♦ The Cloud-based EDI Service is an excellent solution for Small and Medium-sized enterprises that do not have a budget for large EDI projects, and who do not have experienced staff with EDI exchange.

Learn more about EDI Solution as a Service for SMEs 

♦ The other way to get the most out of EDI, is by adopting a full EDI integration with your internal software management system like your ERP, CRM etc.

♦ EDI2XML Web Service, is for developers and businesses, interested in building their own EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) integration flows and programs. Normally, these individuals, are capable of interacting with external API and Web Services to translate EDI to XML and XML to EDI, and have the resources and expertise to work with Web Services and HTTP requests in order to achieve their goals. EDI2XML web service, is the premier choice for IT people as a reliable service to accomplish such integration projects.

Step-6 File Integration or direct system integration

When it comes to integration, the implementation should be decisive on how the integration to their CRM/ERP is going to happen: there are (2) methods to do such an integration; either through file integration, Where the ERP has already some built-in jobs to import data based on specific format, or direct integration. Obviously, this decision is also dependent on whether the software management system is a legacy system or a modern one, fully loaded with all kinds of API and programming interfaces. This part can be the most difficult and lengthy part, unlike what most people think…

Step-7 Integration project testing

Pilot projects are conducted both within the company and with external business partners. EDI test should be of a specified duration. They will help identify possible loopholes and establish a problem-solving plan. Technical employees should be trained in the technical aspects of EDI.

Step-8 Setting up

The implementation of the EDI system must be combined with several factors in order to be successful: adequate users training, proper implementation plan, and establishment of an emergency procedure.

For a small to medium-size enterprises, EDI integration is a good deal. An Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) capable enterprise retains an important customer or supplier and have a lot of opportunities to enter into new contracts with large companies.

For many years our EDI2XML service has been offering up-to-date integrated solutions at an affordable cost. We have been helping companies of all sizes, to optimize operations and improve their competitiveness.

cta_edi2xml

Becoming EDI Compliant with Amazon for a Seamless Integration

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This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.


As the Amazon Marketplace becomes people’s go-to for online shopping, I am asked about this successful eCommerce platform and why should e-retailers embrace EDI when selling on Amazon.com. Other great questions from business people include, “Why is it so important to go that route versus using Amazon Web Forms? What are the benefits to be on EDI? What are the steps that a company needs to follow, in order to become EDI-ready?”

To answer the above questions, I decided to write this article and share my experience. This can be helpful to a lot of business people such as executives and business owners and Amazon Account Managers, who most of the time have limited information about eCommerce integration and the use of EDI to simplify their business flow and processes.

What is Amazon.com?

Amazon.com is the pioneer in online retailing and now third largest retailer, behind Walmart and CVS. Amazon has truly come a long way: starting out as an online bookseller, this online marketplace now sells everything, from “A to Z”. In 2017, Amazon acquired Whole Foods Market for $13.4 billion, which vastly increased Amazon’s presence as a physical retailer. The acquisition was interpreted by some as a direct attempt to challenge Walmart as a physical store (As per Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_(company) ). Amazon, as an eCommerce platform, has a presence everywhere (Amazon.ca, Amazon.uk, etc.) and is capable of delivering in almost every country. For more information, you can visit their site and learn more.

Here’s a bit more background on Amazon.com

  • Amazon is known to be “customer-obsessed”; they focus on selection, price and convenience to “build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online” (Amazon’s Mission Statement)
  • They are solely an online eCommerce store (eStore)
  • On Cyber Monday in 2019, it was reported  Amazon sales of $9.4 billion in wider retail.
  • Amazon has acquired Zappos in 2009 and recently acquired Whole Foods
  • It owns 10% of North American eCommerce – which includes Office Depot, Staples, Apple and Walmart

There are 310 million active Amazon customer accounts worldwide, 90 million of which are Amazon Prime members, many companies are looking to sell their products on Amazon.com. Who wouldn’t want to when Amazon is the KING of eCommerce Stores with roughly 175 million monthly visitors or potential buyers – the largest online marketplace.

Creating an Account & Selling on Amazon.com

Selling on Amazon is quite simple and quick to achieve. It takes few moments to create an account on Amazon.com either personal or business account, setup your items and start selling. Amazon themselves provide a payment gateway solution and all kinds of logistics and assistance to make sure your products are sold and delivered to consumers. One thing for certain, every seller should work and respect Amazons’ own terms and conditions and pay the monthly subscription fee along with the selected program fees.

Managing your Profile on Amazon.com

Part of Amazon’s offering in the eCommerce platform is that they provide an easy “back office” interface, called Vendor Central (for 1P sellers), where brand administrators can add items to the platform, prices, stock availabilities, product descriptions and more. In this same interface, the admin can manage orders received from consumers, updates item statuses and shipment details.

What else is on Amazon Vendor Central?

One of the options provided by Amazon Vendor Central is the ability to set some type of integration between your business software system and your Vendor Central Interface using EDI. This is a very important feature offered at no additional cost to sellers, so that they can integrate their day-to-day orders received from their Amazon store into their Software Management System and vice versa.

Amazon Vendor Central vs EDI Integration

As highlighted in the previous section, the Vendor Central provided by Amazon allows you (as an account and eCommerce store owner) to manage every aspect of your store, manually. This process depends on human interaction and intense manual labour work.

The ability to transport and integrate your data between your software system and your Amazon account in both directions (in and out) is uniquely done through EDI. Meaning when you want to extract an order from Amazon and automatically integrate into your JDE, SAP, Sage or any other system, the only way to do so is using EDI integration. Whenever you need to push new Items, SKUs, pricing ….to your store on Amazon, EDI is the only way to do so without having to manual key in all of this data.

When should you embrace EDI with Amazon?

Selecting the EDI route and becoming compliant with Amazon is truly worth the investment, when the following criteria is met:

  • An overwhelming number of SKUs are being sold on the Amazon Marketplace
  • Your SKUs and items sold on Amazon are dynamically changing periodically which makes it very difficult and time consuming for a human to manage it all manually
  • Your number of orders generated on Amazon are exceeding 15 per day. Why is the magic number 15 orders? This is due to the fact that the window to ship those orders out to your customers is very narrow, about 24 to 48 hours. Therefore, managing this amount of daily orders manually can lead to a ton of human errors and in turn, penalties by Amazon.

What are the top benefits to be on EDI?

There are many benefits to be on EDI when selling on Amazon:

  • Reduced human errors in data entry
  • Increased capacity to deliver quickly and on-time
  • Increased response time when issuing advance ship notices for orders placed on Amazon
  • Increased scores/reviews and happy customers on Amazon
  • Ability to quickly and efficiently update your inventory status from your current software or ERP (i.e. JDE, SAP…) into your Amazon account without the need to even login to Vendor Central

Stay on the lookout for part 2 of this article where I dig deeper into the steps that a company needs to follow in order to be EDI compliant with Amazon. In the meantime, feel free to reach our EDI integration experts today to help you with your Amazon integration needs.

Amazon Integration

For more information on Amazon integration, please read these articles:

EDI Integration: Tips to better manage your online business

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This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

 

Purchasing tickets, gifts, clothes, equipment and even groceries can now all be done online. Due to its accessibility and convenience, most of us already buy products online, from anywhere at anytime, using a smartphone or laptop, so long as we are connected to the Internet. Simple user interface, quick actions and results: everything is so easy that it only takes a few minutes. This explains why the number of online shoppers is growing at a tremendous rate, year after year. For example, the number of online shoppers in the United States alone is estimated to be 230.5 million by 2021 as compared to 215.4 million in 2017.

Online shoppers USA

Source: The Statistics Portal “Statista”  

The above graphic displays statistics about online shoppers who browsed products, compared prices or bought merchandise online at least once during the corresponding year.  Notice an increase of online buyers year over year due to the active introduction of Omnichannel retailing.

What is the omnichannel retailing?

 

Omnichannel is a cross-channel business model that companies use to improve their customer experience. “Omnis” can be translated from Latin as “existing everywhere”. In our case, covering all channels of communication with customers: as physical locations, online store, social media, live web chats, mobile applications, and telephone communications. The customer accesses all products and services in the most convenient way for him, while being always visible to the retailer.

Setting up your online store

 

Opening an online store in today’s digital world is NOT difficult; however, running the operations of an online business is of course a little more challenging. Here are some of the undeniable advantages of running an online store:

  • There are no rental fees
  • You need fewer employees to operate the store
  • Companies can overcome geographical limitations
  • Best of all, it is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Use the best e-commerce practice

 

In order to not be left out of the e-commerce game, you should give great attention to detail and look for the best practices in operating your e-commerce business. On the Internet, there’s a ton of great advice for entrepreneurs who have started their online business already; it is about choosing an e-commerce platform, optimizing the page load speed, creating unique content, promoting the products, and the list goes on…

However, there isn’t much information out there that talks about the technical and logistical aspects of running an online store. Critical information that e-business owners should know are things like how to exchange documents electronically between your e-business and trading partners or transport companies. There’s also the important e-commerce practice of integrating your systems and electronic exchange of data (or EDI) in order to improve speed, accuracy, quality of information and overall business efficiency.

The role of EDI integration in logistics and e-commerce

 

The term “logistics” even in the traditional retail sense was not always so clear-cut and far from being obvious. Business logistics can be defined as:

Definition of business logistics

When running an e-commerce business, regardless of which supply chain management methodology you choose (Drop-Ship or other), you will have to face a substantial amount of business related documents that you need to exchange with your trading partners.

Now, let’s do a simple calculation: how much time do your employees spend on order entry, shipping advice, invoices, generating labels? What is the error rate? Maybe that’s why the rate of returns of online sold products is sky-high. Research about e-commerce product returns shows:

statistics online return

Online return reason

In my opinion, the statistics shown above reflecting e-commerce product returns looks frightening… Is it possible to reduce the above percentages?  Can your online business avoid those errors?

EDI integration improves the quality of the data by at least 30% to 40 % reduction in the transactions containing errors, by eliminating unreadable writing or typing errors, the losses of faxes/mail, transmission, and re-manipulation of errors.

Think and manage your online business better

 

The positive effects of EDI Integration will be measurable across all of the following services: commerce, production, logistics, and finance.

In sales:

  • Sales cycle and quality of the relationship with your customers are improved and processing times reduced (reliability and efficiency of exchanging orders, shipping advice etc. …)

In production:

  • Reduced production costs
  • Better management of your stocks
  • Short production times

In logistics:

  • Reduced processing times for shipments
  • Elimination of anomalies or errors
  • Elimination of paper documents
  • Strong improvement in the quality of information

In finance:

  • Reduced billing times
  • Reduction of disputes

In conclusion, moving forward with an EDI integration project gives a business the access to an undeniable competitive advantage; companies are able to reduce the costs of its products and services, improve business processes and meet the demand of customers and suppliers. What’s better than that?

Keep learning about EDI integration and the MANY benefits it has for your online business by visiting our website EDI2XML.com or contacting us directly today!

Free EDI Consultation

 

How EDI integration can boost your eCommerce Store

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This post was updated to reflect current trends and information.

With the evolution of eCommerce in the last few years, EDI integration is getting more and more widespread in the e-retail vertical. This trend is due to the heritage of the traditional retail businesses. Why is this happening and how EDI is helping e-commerce retail stores?

According to Statista.com, in 2016, retail e-commerce sales worldwide amounted to 1.86 trillion US dollars and e-retail revenues are projected to grow to 4.48 trillion US dollars in 2021. Online shopping is one of the most popular online activities worldwide.

Therefore, today, e-commerce sales is one of the segments of the economy with a huge development potential.

e-commerce-sales-worldwide-from-2014-to-2021

 

What are the most popular e-commerce platforms in 2019?

Plenty of e-commerce platforms are available on the Internet, but the most popular and most effective in 2019 market are the following:

Shopify  Shopify
Bigcommerce bigcommerce
Magento  Magento
WooCommerce  Woocommerce
Volusion  volusion

If you look at the comparative table in Google trends, you will see that Shopify is the leader in terms of how many businesses use this platform for their own eCommerce, versus how many they show interest in the other e-commerce platforms.

google-trends-e-commerce-platforms

 

How many Stores are using Shopify?

Launched in 2004 Shopify is one of the leading Canadian e-commerce platforms, trusted by over 500,000 businesses worldwide. As new shops are signing up every day, the real exact number is higher. For more information abut shopify, you can visit their website.

Fully Managed Shopify Integration Service

We at EDI2XML eliminate the need for manual data entry using Magic xpi Integration Platform, we automate the most important business processes, ensuring data exchange between Shopify/Shopify Plus and leading ERP and accounting systems. LEARN MORE>

Boost your company’s productivity with EDI

Business owners, including e-commerce store owners, are all always looking for a better way to improve efficiency, and customer service in a very well connected digital world.

In that direction, the Drop-ship concept has emerged to become one of the top delivery model adopted with major ecommerce retailers. With this concept, consumers have access to a large inventory of goods, delivered directly from the manufacturer (most of the time). This is delivering a smooth shopping experience that is secure, convenient and comfortable.

In order for the ecommerce owners to compete in this new reality, their offerings of products and services, should be built in such an efficient way, where their items’ prices, stock and inventory availability, are all up-to-date right from their manufacturer’s system, in near real-time.

Their delivery schedules are also a factor: eCommerce stores should be equipped with real-time calculation of delivery cost and ETD, again right from the shipping or transport company.

EDI integration between an eCommerce platform and the manufacturers, in the drop-ship world, is one of the best options to accomplish the above objectives. EDI helps streamline the Supply-chain management and improve efficiency.

To know more about the reasons why you should integrate EDI with your Shopify eCommerce store, read our previous blog called “Top 3 Reasons for EDI integration with Shopify”

Benefits of EDI

It’s no secret to anyone that the traditional methods of document management are outdated, they are quite costly and can impede the interaction between trading partners. This becomes especially noticeable when the business grows.

 EDI interchange has existed for more than 30 years. Over the years, EDI has been tested and proven to work, in North America and Europe. EDI has repeatedly and most importantly demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing human errors and improving quality of information.

EDI is a major helper for online stores

EDI service translates into electronic format (or messages), the entire interaction between the eCommerce store, the supplier and the consumer – from the order to the signature of delivery documents.

The exchange of information takes place directly between the systems of trading partners, therefore, the influence of the human factor, and errors are at its minimum.

If you want to know more about EDI2XML translation, read this article on our website

EDI significantly simplifies and speeds up the logistics work: ordering, packaging, shipping and delivery.

Comparing eCommerce store to a traditional outlet store, the latter will have more constraints and limitations on stock availability and delivery methods: with an online store having EDI integration in place, this problem does not exist. All availabilities are up-to date right from the supplier’s system. An eCommerce store owner, with integration capabilities will not worry about having an “empty shelf”…he does not have to worry about hiring more employees to answer customer service calls.

EDI integration, empowers eCommerce online stores with the capability to reduce their costs, increase efficiency, improve stock availability and customer service.

If you are interested to learn more about this topic or any EDI integration related issue, don’t hesitate to Contact us for a free Consultation and we will be more than happy to answer your concerns and questions.

Free EDI consultation