An “EDI converter” (Electronic Data Interchange converter) is a software application used to convert electronic business documents between various formats and standards within the scope of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). These converters play a key role in facilitating the exchange of business data between companies that use different EDI standards. They automate the transformation of data from a company-specific internal format into a standardized EDI format (e.g., EDIFACT, ANSI X12, XML, JSON) and vice versa. The primary goal is to ensure interoperability, reduce manual input, minimize errors, and support seamless digital business processes.
Format Conversion: Conversion of EDI documents between formats such as EDIFACT, ANSI X12, XML, JSON, and other industry standards; including transformation of data structures, segment syntax, and element definitions.
Standard-Specific Mapping Rules: Definition and management of rules for mapping fields, segments, and structures between source and target formats; customization based on partner-specific business requirements.
Validation of Conversion Rules: Syntactic and semantic validation of conversion logic in accordance with specified EDI standards to detect inconsistencies and errors.
Batch and Bulk Processing: Automated processing of multiple EDI documents in batches to improve efficiency and save time.
Communication Interfaces: Support for protocols such as AS2, SFTP, OFTP2, or web services for secure partner data exchange.
Monitoring & Logging: Tracking and monitoring of EDI data flows with logging functions for quality assurance and auditing.
Partner Management: Management of partner communication profiles, EDI versions, certificates, and mapping rules tailored to each partner.
Archiving & Compliance: Secure, long-term storage of EDI documents in accordance with legal and corporate compliance requirements.
An automotive supplier converts internal delivery notice data into EDIFACT format and sends it automatically to OEM ERP systems.
A retail company receives invoices in ZUGFeRD format and converts them into an XML-based ERP-compatible format.
An international logistics provider processes hundreds of transport orders daily through batch conversion and transmits them via OFTP2 to subcontractors.
A mid-sized company uses a cloud-based EDI conversion service to exchange structured documents like purchase orders, delivery notes, and invoices with suppliers and customers.
