"Your enterprise customers want EDI. You have... Excel?"
Major retailers, industrial customers, automotive suppliers - they all want electronic data interchange. Orders by file, despatch advice by standard, invoices by EDIFACT. Manual processing is no longer an option.
EDI - Electronic Data Interchange
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the automated exchange of business documents between companies in a standardised electronic format. Instead of PDFs by email or fax, systems send structured messages directly from ERP to ERP.
Typical EDI document types
- ORDERS: Customer purchase order
- ORDRSP: Order confirmation back
- DESADV: Despatch advice (ASN - Advanced Shipping Notice)
- INVOIC: Electronic invoice
Why EDI?
- Enterprise customers require it as a prerequisite
- Error-free, automated processing
- Faster cycle times
- Less manual work
- Better payment cycles
The problem without EDI
Three typical scenarios from a supplier's day-to-day
Scenario 1: The order email
Your enterprise customer sends orders as an Excel file by email. 47 line items. All must be entered into the system manually.
2 hours per order. 10 orders per week. 20 hours week after week.
Scenario 2: The despatch advice requirement
Your enterprise customer requires electronic despatch advice (DESADV) with tracking number, package details, expected delivery date.
You can only send a PDF by email - that is not accepted.
Scenario 3: The invoice rejection
Your enterprise customer only accepts electronic invoices in INVOIC format. PDF invoices are rejected.
No EDI invoice, no invoice processing. No processing, no money.
The hard reality:
Without EDI you are simply not eligible for many enterprise customers. You lose orders not because your products are poor - but because your IT processes do not fit.
EDI standards at a glance
Different standards are used depending on partner and industry
| Standard | Description | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| EDIFACT | UN/EDIFACT (United Nations EDI for Administration, Commerce and Transport) | Europe, retail, logistics, automotive |
| X12 | ANSI ASC X12 - American EDI standard | North America, US corporations |
| XML/cXML | XML-based formats (e.g. cXML from SAP Ariba) | B2B platforms, modern systems |
| OpenTrans | German XML standard for catalogue, order, invoice | Germany, wholesale, B2B |
| Peppol BIS | Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine - EU standard | Public sector (B2G) |
| ZUGFeRD / XRechnung | German e-invoicing formats (mandatory for B2G from 2025) | Germany, public sector |
Key EDI message types
The most commonly used EDIFACT message types
| Type | EDIFACT name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase order | ORDERS | Order from customer to supplier |
| Order confirmation | ORDRSP | Confirmation of the order by supplier |
| Despatch advice | DESADV | Shipment notice (ASN - Advanced Shipping Notice) |
| Goods receipt | RECADV | Confirmation of goods receipt by customer |
| Invoice | INVOIC | Electronic invoice |
| Credit note | CREMIT | Credit note / invoice correction |
| Remittance advice | REMADV | Payment information |
| Price list / catalogue | PRICAT | Price and product catalogue |
| Inventory report | INVRPT | Inventory information |
EDI integration in Odoo: How it works
Seamless connection of your business partners to your Odoo system
Automatic order intake
Incoming ORDERS messages are automatically created as sales orders in Odoo.
- Item mapping (EAN, GLN, customer number)
- Transfer of prices and delivery data
- Automatic or manual approval
- Error detection for invalid data
Automatic order confirmation
After approval, an ORDRSP message is generated and sent automatically.
- Confirmation of all line items
- Adjusted delivery dates
- Partial deliveries possible
- Correct format per partner
Despatch advice (ASN)
On dispatch, a DESADV is created automatically with all relevant information.
- Shipment data and tracking number
- Package information (SSCC)
- ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival)
- Item and quantity details
Electronic invoice
Invoices are created in the required EDI format and sent automatically.
- INVOIC (EDIFACT)
- ZUGFeRD (hybrid PDF/XML)
- XRechnung (German standard)
- Peppol BIS Billing 3.0
Partner profiles
Each EDI partner receives its own profile with individual settings.
- Format per message type
- Communication channel (AS2, SFTP, API)
- Item mappings and GLN
- Test mode for new partners
EDI monitor & dashboard
Keep all EDI transactions in view - centrally in Odoo.
- All sent/received messages
- Error status and logs
- Resend on errors
- Archiving and audit trail
Typical EDI partners
Who requires EDI - and which standards are used?
Retail
Typical partners: REWE, EDEKA, MediaMarkt, Saturn, OBI, HORNBACH, Metro, Kaufland
Required formats: EDIFACT (ORDERS, DESADV, INVOIC)
Communication: Mostly via VAN providers (e.g. SEEBURGER, GXS) or AS2
Industry & automotive
Typical partners: OEMs, mechanical engineering, electronics industry, Tier-1 suppliers
Required formats: EDIFACT, VDA (automotive), sometimes X12
Communication: OFTP2, AS2, SFTP
Public sector (B2G)
Typical partners: Authorities, municipalities, public institutions
Required formats: XRechnung (mandatory from 2025), Peppol BIS
Communication: Peppol network, central invoice receipt platforms
B2B platforms
Typical partners: Mercateo, Amazon Business, SAP Ariba, Coupa
Required formats: XML, cXML, OpenTrans
Communication: REST APIs, HTTPS, platform-specific interfaces
Before / After: The difference
How EDI affects your day-to-day processes
| Process | Without EDI | With EDI |
|---|---|---|
| Receive order | Email, fax, manual typing | Automatically in the system as an order |
| Order confirmation | Create PDF, send by email | Automatic, electronic return |
| Send despatch advice | Created manually, often not at all or too late | Automatic on shipment posting |
| Send invoice | PDF, maybe not accepted | EDI invoice, processed immediately in the system |
| Error rate | 2-5% due to typos | ~0% (automated) |
| Time per order | 15-30 minutes manually | 0 minutes (automated) |
less manual work
error rate through automation
faster payments
Implementation: How we proceed
Structured rollout of your EDI integration
Requirements analysis
- Which partners need EDI?
- Which message types are required?
- Which formats and standards?
- How will the exchange happen (AS2, SFTP, API)?
Mapping & configuration
- Item mapping (EAN, GLN, customer numbers)
- Set up EDI formats
- Configure partner profiles
- Set up communication channels
Partner testing
- Exchange test messages
- Partner validation
- Fine-tuning and adjustments
- Document partner-specific details
Go-live & monitoring
- Switch to production operations
- Monitor the first transactions
- Train your team
- Ongoing support as needed
Frequently asked questions about EDI
Ready for EDI?
Let's talk about your EDI requirements. Which partners require EDI? Which formats do you need? We will show you how to integrate EDI into Odoo - and finally get time back for your business.