← Back to glossary
Category: Tehnologie · Acronym: EDI
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
Quick answer: Structured exchange of commercial documents between B2B partners, without emails or manual data entry.
Key takeaways
- Retailer emits the order from its own ERP → ORDERS EDI message
- Your system receives it, validates it, transforms it into an internal order
- At shipment you generate a DESADV (ASN) with batch, SSCC per pallet, line quantities
- After receipt confirmation (RECADV) you emit an electronic INVOIC
- Every step is logged, timestamped, digitally signed — full audit trail
What is EDI
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the standard by which two IT systems (supplier and retailer, distributor and manufacturer, 3PL and brand) automatically exchange commercial documents: order (ORDERS), shipping notice (DESADV/ASN), receipt confirmation (RECADV), invoice (INVOIC), payment (REMADV).
Unlike a PDF sent by email, an EDI message is structured according to a standard (UN/EDIFACT, ANSI X12, GS1 EANCOM) and can be read, validated and posted automatically into the partner's ERP, with no human intervention.
Why it matters in 2026
Nearly every modern retailer in Romania and CEE (Carrefour, Auchan, Kaufland, Lidl, Mega Image, Profi, Metro, Dedeman, Hornbach, Leroy Merlin) mandates EDI as a contractual obligation for suppliers. Without EDI, orders are blocked, deliveries are penalized at receipt, and invoices are rejected by the supplier portal.
For an FMCG distributor with 6-12 retailers in portfolio, manual order entry consumes 30-60 hours/week and generates a 1-3% error rate — real losses between €8,000 and €25,000/year from chargebacks alone.
How it works in practice
Retailer emits the order from its own ERP → ORDERS EDI message
Your system receives it, validates it, transforms it into an internal order
At shipment you generate a DESADV (ASN) with batch, SSCC per pallet, line quantities
After receipt confirmation (RECADV) you emit an electronic INVOIC
Every step is logged, timestamped, digitally signed — full audit trail
Common mistakes
1. EDI ≠ e-Invoice. e-Invoice (Romanian SPV/ANAF, Italian FatturaPA) covers only the fiscal invoice in XML UBL. EDI covers the entire commercial cycle and is exchanged B2B, not towards the state.
2. EDI does not mean „upload into a portal”. Retailer portals are manual fallbacks. Real EDI is system-to-system, via VAN or AS2/SFTP.
3. Underestimating mapping. Each retailer has its own GLN codes, delivery locations, EAN. Mappings must be maintained monthly.
Frequently asked
- Difference between EDI and e-Invoice?
- EDI covers the full B2B cycle (order, shipping notice, receipt, invoice) and is exchanged directly between partners. e-Invoice is only the fiscal invoice in XML UBL, transmitted mandatorily through the state portal.
- Can I do EDI without a native EDI module?
- Technically yes, via VAN intermediaries, but per-transaction cost and integration time rise sharply. A native EDI module (like Azuvio's EDIconnect 2014) cuts per-transaction cost to about €0.05.
- How long does EDI onboarding with a new retailer take?
- With Azuvio and a retailer from the native library (Carrefour, Lidl, Kaufland etc.), 5-15 business days. With a brand-new retailer, 4-8 weeks — dominated by end-to-end tests the retailer requires.
Related terms
- ASN / DESADV (Advance Shipping Notice) — EDI shipping notice sent before goods physically arrive at the retailer — describes pallet, batch, quantity.
- INVOIC — The EDIFACT commercial invoice message — exchanged directly between supplier and customer (different from the fiscal e-Invoice).
- GS1 — The global organization managing trade identification standards: GTIN (EAN), GLN, SSCC, EANCOM.
- GLN (Global Location Number) — 13-digit GS1 code uniquely identifying a location (HQ, warehouse, store, delivery dock).
Last updated: