EDIFACT
EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce and Transport) is an international standard for electronic data interchange (EDI) that defines syntax rules and data elements for structured business documents like invoices, purchase orders, and shipping notices. It enables automated, computer-to-computer exchange of business information between organizations, reducing manual processing and errors. Developed under the United Nations, it is widely used in global trade, logistics, and supply chain management.
Developers should learn EDIFACT when working on systems that require integration with legacy business-to-business (B2B) communication, especially in industries like logistics, retail, or manufacturing where standardized electronic document exchange is critical. It is essential for handling international trade data, as many global partners and government agencies mandate its use for customs declarations and other regulatory compliance. Understanding EDIFACT helps in parsing, generating, or converting EDI messages in applications that interface with enterprise resource planning (ERP) or supply chain management software.