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EDIFACT message guide · Travel and tourism

SKDREQ Schedule request

The UN/EDIFACT interactive message used to request travel schedule update information, with selection criteria, to update a schedule database.

Sent by
Journey planner, ticketing system or partner operator
Received by
Travel service provider
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Interactive (I-EDI) message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT SKDREQ message?

SKDREQ is the UN/EDIFACT schedule request. The directory defines it as a message used to request travel service schedule update information to update the requester's schedule database, with selection criteria for the information requested.

Rather than receiving every schedule, a requester can ask for the services, routes or periods it needs, or only changes since a date. The provider answers with schedule updates (SKDUPD). This lets journey planners, ticketing systems and partner operators keep their schedule databases current without loading full timetables every time, and recover after an outage by requesting what they missed.

How the EDIFACT SKDREQ message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT SKDREQ Schedule request message. Journey planner, ticketing system or partner operator sends it to travel service provider. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by SKDUPD. Inside the UIB and UIH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: MSD (Message action details) and ORG (Originator of request details). 2 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT SKDREQ message worksSchedule request: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeSKDREQSENDERJourney planner,ticketing system orpartner operatorRECEIVERTravel service providerUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYSKDUPDSchedule update2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInteractive interchangeUIB … UIZMessage SKDREQUIH … UITSTART OF MESSAGEMSDMessage action detailsORGOriginator of request detailsBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 2 conditional groups, starting with:RFRERIBlue 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 SKDREQ. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT SKDREQ message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT SKDREQ Schedule request message. Journey planner, ticketing system or partner operator sends it to travel service provider. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by SKDUPD. Inside the UIB and UIH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: MSD (Message action details) and ORG (Originator of request details). 2 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT SKDREQmessage worksSchedule request: who sends it, where it fitsand what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeSKDREQSENDERJourneyplanner,ticketingsystem orpartner operatorRECEIVERTravel serviceproviderUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYSKDUPDSchedule update2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInteractive interchange (UIB … UIZ)Message SKDREQ (UIH … UIT)START OF MESSAGEMSDMessage action detailsORGOriginator of request detailsBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 2 conditional groups, starting with:RFRERIBlue 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 SKDREQ.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends SKDREQ, 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 SKDREQ 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 usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Requesting schedules for selected routes
  • Requesting changes since the last update
  • Refreshing a schedule database after an outage

Where it fits in the message flow

This message SKDREQ Schedule request
Usually followed by SKDUPD Schedule update

Structure

Mandatory segments in SKDREQ (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the SKDREQ message has 12 segment positions arranged in 2 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. This structure comes from one published copy of the directory and has not been independently verified: confirm it before you build a map.

  • UIH
  • MSD
  • ORG
  • UIT

Practical example

SKDREQ in practice

A journey planning service updates its database every night. It sends each operator an SKDREQ for schedule changes since the previous night on the routes it covers. The operators answer with SKDUPD messages, and the planner applies the changes before morning.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for SKDREQ

  • Use selection criteria to limit data to what is needed.
  • Track the last update received from each provider.
  • Handle full reloads as well as incremental updates.
  • Check which providers support schedule requests.

How ECOM helps

Automate SKDREQ with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

Industry

Hospitality

Procurement, invoicing and supplier integration for hotels, restaurant groups and foodservice suppliers.

Solution

EDI Integration

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

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

Related messages

Related travel and tourism messages

All 16 travel and tourism messages

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