eMessaging
What is eMessaging?
Traditionally, when companies conducted Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
it was associated with syntaxes (languages such as UN/EDIFACT, EANCOM
, ANSI X12 etc).
With the arrival of Extensible Markup Language (XML), there has been an abundance of new business to business eMessaging syntaxes. Therefore GS1 Australia sees eMessaging and EDI as synonymous terms.
- EDI can be viewed as paperless trading. A common and useful definition for EDI is: "the transfer of structured data, by agreed message standards, from one computer application to another by electronic means and with a minimum of human intervention."
- eMessaging can also be described as the same process, however does not have the legacy of an associated syntax, but encompasses all business eMessaging syntaxes.
A majority of the data in commercial paper documents is generated from existing computer applications. These paper documents are printed and copied before the information they contain is finally communicated by mail or fax. The business partner in turn, re keys all this information into another computer application for further processing. An increasing number of companies have found the above process extremely slow, costly and unreliable. The need for a faster, cheaper and more accurate solution for exchanging commercial data has become a significant priority for many companies and organisations.
Identification numbers are also used in EDI messages to improve the speed and accuracy of data, which is sent between trading partners.
The structuring of data by agreed message standards implies that the data or information to be exchanged is recognisable, both in content, meaning, and format, allowing it to be processed automatically and unambiguously by computers. Two companies deciding to implement EDI are by definition agreeing on the type of data they will exchange, and how the data will be presented. The implementation of EDI demands a much greater degree of cooperation, collaboration and a sharing of information between business partners, effectively building trading partner relationships.
Business transactions, such as purchase orders and despatch advices, may be transmitted electronically using standard messaging formats such as
GS1 EANCOM
and
XML.
More information
If you have any further questions concerning aspects of eMessaging, please contact the appropriate GS1 Australia department on 1300 366 033.
- General eMessaging enquires - Member and Industry Services
- Implementation services - Business Development
- eMessaging Standards issues - Standards Development
