EDI functional area

The EDI functional area is used to view and maintain EDI Standards. You can access the EDI functional area by clicking the EDI button on the Data Interchange Services client navigator bar. This displays a functional area window that contains several list windows. Each of these list windows displays a component that is part of the EDI functional area.

The EDI functional area contains one list window for each of the following components:

EDI Standards provide a common data format that trading partners use to exchange data between their computer applications. In essence, EDI Standards provide the building blocks for electronic versions of common business documents.

The translator component of WebSphere Partner Gateway can translate data from one document format into an EDI document. Conversely, the translator component can translate data in an EDI document into another format. The latest set of EDI Standards currently approved by the primary EDI Standards organizations can be downloaded from the following product support page: http://www.ibm.com/software/integration/wspartnergateway/support/.

In order to begin exchanging EDI documents with a trading partner, you must select an EDI document definition that corresponds to the information you want to send or receive. Ideally, you and your trading partner can agree on an EDI document definition that requires no customization to meet your needs, but this is not always possible. If you and your trading partner need to exchange specific information that is not included in existing EDI Standards, Data Interchange Services client allows you to customize currently approved EDI Standards to fit your needs.

CAUTION: When altering EDI Standards, you should work in close partnership with your trading partners. If you customize EDI Standards without informing your trading partners of the changes, they may not be able to process the EDI documents you send. If you need to alter a component of an EDI Standard, it is recommended that you copy the EDI Standard and then alter the copy

Copyright IBM Corp. 2003, 2005