How do you manage EDI documents with confirmations?

EDI confirmations can furnish supplementary details such as errors, exceptions, or modifications in the EDI document. Typically, there are two classifications of EDI confirmations: functional acknowledgments (FA) and application acknowledgments (AA). These confirmations play a vital role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of EDI transactions, facilitating seamless communication and transactional integrity between trading partners.

EDI confirmations are messages sent in response to an EDI document, such as a purchase order or invoice, to confirm receipt, processing, acceptance, or rejection. They ensure the EDI document is properly handled and can include details on errors, exceptions, or changes. EDI confirmations are categorized into two types: functional acknowledgments (FA), which verify the document’s structure, and application acknowledgments (AA), which confirm the document’s content. Managing EDI confirmations involves tracking these messages to ensure accurate and timely processing of transactions.

In my experience, these functional acknowledgments were usually provided by MDN (Message Disposition Notification) within the AS2 standard. Even though it is not EDI but at the communication level, it is good enough for investigating "who lost my message" between EDI providers and counterparties. The mentioned codes A, E, and R are relevant for the X12 997 Functional Acknowledgment. For the EDIFACT standard, the CONTRL message plays a similar role. In EDI-to-SAP ERP integration, I encountered only once that such confirmation was sent to SAP ERP; usually, they are monitored by middleware or the EDI provider's web application. However, IDOC STATUS (SYSTAT01) might be used to update the status data of a message in WE02.

FAs confirm the receipt and syntactical correctness of an EDI document but do not indicate acceptance or rejection based on business rules. Typically sent automatically by EDI systems, an FA includes sender and receiver IDs, document type, control number, and a status code (A for accepted, E for accepted with errors, R for rejected). It also details any errors or reasons for rejection.

EDIFACT APERAK or X12 824 Application Advice work as generic application acknowledgments. They should not be used instead of specific response messages, such as ORDRSP for ORDERS or RECADV for DESADV, which are relevant to usual business scenarios. Instead, they might provide information that DESADV was received or, more valuably, why it was rejected. APERAK might contain a detailed error description, and based on this, the sender can adjust data and send the message again. I've never seen APERAK integrated into SAP ERP; usually, it's enough to monitor APERAKs via the EDI provider's web application. Also, it might be useful to set up email notifications regarding APERAKs with error information.

Application acknowledgments (AA) are EDI messages that confirm whether an EDI document has been accepted or rejected by the receiving partner. They are typically sent manually or semi-automatically and include details such as sender and receiver IDs, document type, reference number, and status code (AC for accepted, RJ for rejected, PC for pending). The AA message also outlines any errors, exceptions, or changes to the EDI document. This process ensures proper tracking and validation of EDI transactions.

EDI confirmations are crucial for ensuring transaction integrity and reliability. They verify that documents were delivered, formatted, and processed correctly, enhancing visibility and traceability. By tracking transaction status, updating internal systems, and acknowledging changes, confirmations improve communication and collaboration with partners. They also help build trust, reduce disputes, and ensure accurate and efficient processing of EDI transactions.

Managing EDI documents with confirmations involves several key steps. First, ensure that your EDI system is configured to automatically receive and process incoming documents. After receipt, confirm the document's integrity and accuracy through validation checks. Use acknowledgment messages like 997 or CONTRL to confirm receipt and processing status. Implement exception handling to address any discrepancies or errors. Finally, integrate the confirmed data into your business systems for further processing, ensuring that all confirmations are logged for audit purposes.