EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is a standard format
for exchanging business data. The standard is ANSI X12 and it was developed
by the Data Interchange Standards Association. ANSI X12 is either closely
coordinated with or is being merged with an international standard, EDIFACT.
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 delimiter. 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 would usually be contained in a typical business
document or form. The parties who exchange EDI transmissions are referred
to as trading partners.
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