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X12 transaction guide · Master data

EDI 868 Electronic Form Structure

The X12 document that provides a structure for transferring EDI standards, or parts of them, in electronic form.

Sent by
Standards body, industry group or trading partner
Received by
EDI software, implementer or trading partner
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 868?

The EDI 868 Electronic Form Structure is the ANSI X12 transaction set that provides a structure for transferring EDI standards, or portions of them, in electronic form. These include ANSI X12 standards, approved ASC X12 transaction sets and implementation guidelines, among others.

Mapping tools and translators need machine-readable definitions of transaction sets, segments, elements and code lists. Transferring them as data, rather than as printed documents, lets software load new standards versions and partners' implementation guides directly. It covers implementation guidelines too.

How the EDI 868 worksDiagram of the EDI 868 Electronic Form Structure. Standards body, industry group or trading partner sends it to eDI software, implementer or trading partner. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: E01 (Electronic Form Main Heading). 5 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 868 worksElectronic Form Structure: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 868SENDERStandards body,industry group ortrading partnerRECEIVEREDI software,implementer or tradingpartner997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code MTGS … GETransaction set 868ST … SEHEADINGE01Electronic Form Main Heading+ 5 optional loops, starting with:E10E20E41E30E40Blue box: required loop. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them; when a loop is used, that first segment is required. Optional segmentsoutside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12 008010 listing for the 868. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 868 worksDiagram of the EDI 868 Electronic Form Structure. Standards body, industry group or trading partner sends it to eDI software, implementer or trading partner. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: E01 (Electronic Form Main Heading). 5 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 868 worksElectronic Form Structure: who sends it, whereit fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 868SENDERStandards body,industry groupor tradingpartnerRECEIVEREDI software,implementer ortrading partner997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partnersagreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997Functional Acknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDs (ISA… IEA)Functional group, ID code MT (GS … GE)Transaction set 868 (ST … SE)HEADINGE01Electronic Form Main Heading+ 5 optional loops, starting with:E10E20E41E30E40Blue box: required loop. Optional loops are listedby the segment that starts them; when a loop isused, that first segment is required. Optionalsegments outside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12008010 listing for the 868. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 868, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 008010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 868 and the segments and loops the standard marks as required, area by area. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them rather than drawn in full. This is the standard's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: each partner's implementation guide usually makes some optional loops mandatory, restricts the codes and may use a different release.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Distributing standards definitions in machine-readable form
  • Sharing implementation guidelines with partners
  • Loading new versions into EDI software

Where it fits in the document flow

This document 868 Electronic Form Structure
Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 868 (X12 release 008010)

The segments X12 release 008010 marks as mandatory at their level, in order. Segments inside optional loops are needed only when the loop is used. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, adds the optional segments it requires and restricts the values. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.

  • ST
  • E01
  • E10
  • E20
  • E41
  • E30
  • E34
  • E40
  • SE

Practical example

The 868 in practice

An industry association publishes an implementation guideline for invoices. Alongside the document, it distributes the guideline's structure in electronic form so members' EDI tools can import the required segments, elements and codes and validate invoices against it.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 868

  • Identify the X12 version and release the definitions belong to.
  • Validate imported definitions against the published standard.
  • Keep older versions available for partners still using them.
  • Check which tools can import the format.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 868 with ECOM

Solution

EDI Integration

Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.

Service

Mapping and Translation

Map development and maintenance for X12, EDIFACT, XML, JSON, flat files and ERP formats.

Solution

B2B Integration

Connect every customer, supplier, carrier and bank across EDI, API, file and portal channels.

More general questions about EDI are answered in the EDI FAQ.

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