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EDIFACT message guide · Insurance

ISENDS Intermediary system enablement or disablement

The UN/EDIFACT message insurers and intermediaries use to enable or disable trading agreements and functions in intermediary systems.

Sent by
Insurer or intermediary
Received by
Intermediary or insurer
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT ISENDS message?

ISENDS is the UN/EDIFACT intermediary system enablement or disablement message. The directory describes it as a multi-functional message designed for administering insurance intermediary systems, allowing trading agreements between insurance companies and their agents to be set up, enabled or disabled in those systems.

Before an agent can quote and place business with an insurer electronically, the insurer must enable the agency, its products and its users. ISENDS automates that administration and lets insurers withdraw access when agreements end. It is used in agency distribution.

How the EDIFACT ISENDS message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT ISENDS Intermediary system enablement or disablement message. Insurer or intermediary sends it to intermediary or insurer. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by IPPOAD. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and ATT (Attribute) and body and segment groups: the required SG1 loop with PNA (Party identification). 4 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT ISENDS message worksIntermediary system enablement or disablement: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marksmandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeISENDSSENDERInsurer orintermediaryRECEIVERIntermediary orinsurerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYIPPOADInsurance policyadministration2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage ISENDSUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageATTAttributeBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG1 · repeats up to 9PNAParty identification+ 4 conditional groups, starting with:CTARFFICDRNGBlue 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 ISENDS. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT ISENDS message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT ISENDS Intermediary system enablement or disablement message. Insurer or intermediary sends it to intermediary or insurer. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by IPPOAD. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and ATT (Attribute) and body and segment groups: the required SG1 loop with PNA (Party identification). 4 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT ISENDSmessage worksIntermediary system enablement ordisablement: who sends it, where it fits andwhat the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeISENDSSENDERInsurer orintermediaryRECEIVERIntermediary orinsurerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYIPPOADInsurance policy administration2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message ISENDS (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageATTAttributeBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG1 · repeats upto 9PNAParty identification+ 4 conditional groups, starting with:CTARFFICDRNGBlue 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 ISENDS.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends ISENDS, 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 ISENDS 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

  • Enabling a new agency to trade with an insurer
  • Enabling or disabling products for an agency
  • Ending an agency agreement

Where it fits in the message flow

This message ISENDS Intermediary system enablement or disablement
Usually followed by IPPOAD Insurance policy administration

Structure

Mandatory segments in ISENDS (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the ISENDS message has 34 segment positions arranged in 8 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
  • ATT
  • SG1 (PNA)
  • UNT

Practical example

ISENDS in practice

An insurer appoints a new agency to sell its household products. It sends the agency's software provider an ISENDS enabling the agency, its agency code and the products it may sell. The agency's staff can then quote and place policies electronically.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for ISENDS

  • Keep agency codes and product authorizations synchronized.
  • Disable access promptly when agreements end.
  • Audit which agencies can sell which products.
  • Coordinate with the intermediary's software provider.

How ECOM helps

Automate ISENDS with ECOM

Industry

Financial Services

Secure file transfer and B2B integration for banks and financial institutions.

Solution

Trading Partner Onboarding

EDI certification and automation onboarding for customers, suppliers and carriers, by whichever method each partner can support.

Solution

B2B Integration

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

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

Related messages

Related insurance messages

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