UNIDOC is an XML-based standard to support electronic data interchange (EDI) in business transactions between trading companies. Unlike other XML-based EDI formats, such as UBL, ebXML, RosettaNet or , UNIDOC relies one a single structure ("all in one"). The first idea of such a universal format was published in 2014,E-Business Standards. Vorstellung von EDI, XML und eCl@ss, page 4 f. (German), Christian Dordel (Autor), its first specification in 2016 in the journal of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Swabia (Bavaria, Germany).Bayerisch-Schwäbische Wirtschaft 10/2016, Sonderbeilage, page 17 ff., Herausgeber: Industrie- und Handelskammer Schwaben, ISSN 0171-9416 (German) The current specification can be found in the UNIDOC XML Schema Definition.
UNIDOC message types
Electronic business documents are called message types within UNIDOC files. The respective message type ("document type") is specified in the header. The names of the message types are based on the six-digit "qualifier" known from the EDIFACT standard.
In version 2.4 eighteen different message types are defined:
APERAK = application error and acknowledgment CORINV = correction invoice DELFOR = delivery forecast DELJIT = delivery just in time DESADV = despatch advice IFCSUM = /forwarding and consolidation summary IFTMIN = transport order INSDES = instruction to despatch INVOIC = invoice and credit note - as of version 2.4, compatible with e-invoicing formats compliant with EU standard EN 16931, such as Peppol BIS Billing 3.0. INVRPT = inventory report ORDCHG = order change ORDERS = purchase order ORDRSP = order response OSTRPT = order state report PRICAT = price list and catalogue RECADV = receipt advice REMADV = remittance advice SLSRPT = sales report
History
The UNIDOC standard was developed in 2016 on the initiative of EDICENTER, which is a member of the European EDI Network (EEDIN). This European EDI Network is establishing a pan-European EDI infrastructure based on "every-to-every-interconnect". The exchange format between the providers is UNIDOC. UNIDOC has already been implemented as a standard interface by several ERP system providers, e.g. Comporsys, Hirschmann or Line Software.
See also Electronic data interchange EDIFACT
References
External links UNECE Schema file