← Back to glossary Category: Tehnologie · Acronym: EDIFACT EDIFACT (UN/EDIFACT) Quick answer: The UN international standard for EDI messages, dominant in Europe for B2B commercial document exchange. Key takeawaysSegments — data blocks (e.g. NAD = name and address, LIN = product line)Data elements — the fields within each segmentDelimiters — characters separating segments and elementsDirectories (D.96A, D.01B) — the standard's versions What EDIFACT is UN/EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport) is the UN's international standard for EDI messages. It is the most used standard in Europe (including Romania), defining the structure of messages like ORDERS, DESADV, INVOIC. Structure of an EDIFACT message Segments — data blocks (e.g. NAD = name and address, LIN = product line) Data elements — the fields within each segment Delimiters — characters separating segments and elements Directories (D.96A, D.01B) — the standard's versions EDIFACT vs ANSI X12 EDIFACT dominates in Europe and Asia; ANSI X12 in North America. A European partner almost certainly uses EDIFACT (often in the GS1 EANCOM subset). How Azuvio helps The Azuvio EDI module generates and interprets EDIFACT/EANCOM messages compliant with each retailer's requirements, automatically mapping between EDIFACT structure and your ERP data — no standard expertise required. Frequently askedDifference between EDIFACT and EANCOM?EANCOM is an EDIFACT subset, standardised by GS1 for consumer-goods commerce. It uses the same EDIFACT structure but with GS1 rules (GTIN, GLN, SSCC) — most common in European retail.What are directories D.96A, D.01B?Releases of the EDIFACT standard. Each defines exactly which segments and elements are allowed. Partners must agree the version for messages to be interpreted correctly.Do I need to understand EDIFACT to do EDI?No. An EDI module like Azuvio hides the complexity: you work with ERP data, and the system generates/reads EDIFACT per each partner's requirements. Where Azuvio fitsSoftware EDIConectori ERPEDI Carrefour Related termsEDI (Electronic Data Interchange) — Structured exchange of commercial documents between B2B partners, without emails or manual data entry.ANSI X12 — The dominant EDI standard in North America, used for commercial document exchange between B2B partners.GS1 — The global organization managing trade identification standards: GTIN (EAN), GLN, SSCC, EANCOM.EDI mapping — Translating between the standard EDI message structure and your ERP's data format, for automatic processing. Last updated: 2026-07-06