Concept Definition
What is EDIFACT?
EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport) is a UN/ECE international EDI standard for structured business message exchange. It predates XML-based formats and remains widely used in large-scale supply chain and logistics EDI environments, particularly in retail and automotive sectors.
How does EDIFACT compare to XML-based e-invoicing?
EDIFACT uses a proprietary segment-based syntax rather than XML. It requires specialized EDI translators and is not human-readable without tools. Modern e-invoicing standards (UBL, CII) use XML and are more accessible for web-based integration.
- EDIFACT: Segment-based, compact, requires EDI translator, dominant in large enterprise supply chains.
- UBL/CII: XML-based, human-readable with tooling, aligned with modern web APIs, mandated by Peppol.
- Coexistence: Many large enterprises use EDIFACT for legacy EDI and XML formats for newer Peppol-based flows.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is EDIFACT still used?
- Yes. EDIFACT remains in widespread use in large enterprise, retail, logistics, and automotive supply chains where legacy EDI infrastructure is established. However, newer mandates (Peppol, French reform) use XML formats (UBL, CII, Factur-X).
- What is the EDIFACT invoice message?
- The EDIFACT INVOIC message is the standard invoice transaction set. It covers all invoice data elements including header, line items, amounts, taxes, and payment terms. It is the EDIFACT equivalent of a UBL Invoice document.