EDIFACTs

EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport) is a standard for the electronic exchange of structured data between independent computer systems, operating over value-added networks (VANs) or the internet.

EDIFACT is an internationally accepted standard maintained by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to facilitate the electronic exchange of business information. It was introduced in the early 1980s and has since become widely used in various industries including international trade, transportation, and logistics.

EDIFACT messages are composed of a set of predefined formats that can be used to convey specific types of business data. These messages are designed to be platform and language independent, making it possible for different systems and applications to exchange data with each other regardless of the hardware or software platform being used.

EDIFACT messages are characterized by a set of tags and values that are used to describe the structure and content of the data being exchanged. The syntax of an EDIFACT message consists of a series of segments, each with its own set of fields. The use of EDIFACT messages simplifies the exchange of data between organizations, as well as automates the processing of this data.

The adoption of EDIFACT has contributed to the development of international electronic data interchange (EDI). Its wide acceptance has facilitated the automation of business processes and the improvement of productivity and speed of transactions.