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EDIFACT message guide · Projects and construction

CONDRA Drawing administration

The UN/EDIFACT message that administers each exchange of a set of engineering or CAD files, describing their nature, contents and technical details.

Sent by
Designer, engineer or project party
Received by
Other project parties
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT CONDRA message?

CONDRA is the UN/EDIFACT drawing administration message. The directory defines it as a message for administering each exchange of a set of engineering or CAD files, giving additional information about the files, such as their nature, a list of their contents and the technical information needed to use them.

On construction and engineering projects, drawings pass between architects, engineers and contractors many times. The administration message records which drawings, revisions and formats were sent, so recipients know they hold the current set.

How the EDIFACT CONDRA message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CONDRA Drawing administration message. Designer, engineer or project party sends it to other project parties. It usually follows CONDRO. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: the required SG1 loop with RFF (Reference) and the required SG2 loop with NAD (Name and address). 3 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CONDRA message worksDrawing administration: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSCONDRODrawing organisationCONDRASENDERDesigner, engineer orproject partyRECEIVEROther project partiesCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage CONDRAUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG1 · repeats up to 10RFFReferenceMandatory group SG2 · repeats up to 999NADName and address+ 3 conditional groups, starting with:RFFCTAEFIBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CONDRA. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT CONDRA message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CONDRA Drawing administration message. Designer, engineer or project party sends it to other project parties. It usually follows CONDRO. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and DTM (Date/time/period) and body and segment groups: the required SG1 loop with RFF (Reference) and the required SG2 loop with NAD (Name and address). 3 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CONDRAmessage worksDrawing administration: who sends it, where itfits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSCONDRODrawing organisationCONDRASENDERDesigner,engineer orproject partyRECEIVEROther projectpartiesCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message CONDRA (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG1 · repeats upto 10RFFReferenceMandatory group SG2 · repeats upto 999NADName and address+ 3 conditional groups, starting with:RFFCTAEFIBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CONDRA.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends CONDRA, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around CONDRA and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Sending a set of drawings to project partners
  • Documenting drawing revisions issued
  • Describing file formats and contents

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows CONDRO Drawing organisation
This message CONDRA Drawing administration

Structure

Mandatory segments in CONDRA (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the CONDRA message has 49 segment positions arranged in 9 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • DTM
  • SG1 (RFF)
  • SG2 (NAD)
  • UNT

Practical example

CONDRA in practice

A structural engineer issues revised foundation drawings to the contractor. With the CAD files it sends a CONDRA listing each drawing number, title, revision, status and file format. The contractor's document control system registers the new revisions and withdraws the superseded ones from site use.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for CONDRA

  • List every file in the set with its revision.
  • Use the project's drawing numbering rules.
  • Keep the administration data with the files.
  • Withdraw superseded drawings when revisions arrive.

How ECOM helps

Automate CONDRA with ECOM

Industry

Industrial Manufacturing

Distributor, OEM customer and supplier integration for industrial manufacturers.

Solution

B2B Integration

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

Solution

Managed File Transfer

Design, migrate and operate secure, auditable file exchange across partners and systems.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

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