Standard EDI vs Any File
Orderful supports two types of files: standard EDI files, which are processed end-to-end, and any file, which are passed through as-is.
Key concepts
Orderful has two distinct concepts to understand:
- File type (what the file is)
- Processing mode (what Orderful does with it).
File type
File type refers to the format and standard a file follows.
- Standard EDI — a file that conforms to a recognized industry specification: ANSI X12, EDIFACT, or Orderful simplified JSON. These files follow strict schemas for structure, segment usage, and code values.
- Any file — a file that does not conform to a recognized EDI standard. At launch, Orderful supports the following formats: JSON (custom, non-Orderful), XML, CSV, PDF, and JPEG. Additional formats can be added — contact Orderful support.
Standard EDI and Any file are both considered Transactions in Orderful.
Processing mode
Processing mode refers to what Orderful does with the file after it is received. There are two processing mode available in. Orderful:
- Full EDI processing: Orderful inspects the file content and applies a full set of operations - validation, conversion, transformation, delivery, etc - to ensure data integrity, compliance, and visibility.
- MFT (Managed File Transfer): Orderful acts as a secure pass-through — the file is routed and delivered to the intended receiver without any content processing.
| Processing Steps | Full EDI processing | MFT (Managed File Transfer) |
|---|---|---|
| Parsing | File content read and broken down into structured data elements | Light extraction of routing metadata from the file name only |
| Routing | Based on EDI envelope (ISA, GS, UNB) | Based on routing metadata configured on the communication channel |
| Validation | Against industry standards and partner-specific guidelines | Routing metadata validation only |
| Transformation | Rules-based field mapping and enrichment | No |
| Conversion | Converted to Orderful JSON or between EDI versions | No |
| Delivery | Delivered to the receiver via their configured communication channel | Delivered to the receiver via their configured communication channel |
| Acknowledgment | Functional acknowledgement generated and reconciled with original transactions | Sent as a dedicated transaction or acknowledged via API |
| Workflow | Business transactions that belong together grouped and tracked across transaction types | No |
- Standard EDI files always go through Full EDI processing
- Any file always goes through MFT processing
Transaction metadata
Any file transactions share most metadata fields with standard EDI transactions. A few fields behave differently or are not applicable in MFT mode.
| Transaction Metadata | Standard EDI | Any File |
|---|---|---|
| Creation date | ✅ | ✅ |
| Your EDI account | ✅ | ✅ |
| Partner EDI account | ✅ | ✅ |
| Transaction type | ✅ | ✅ |
| Direction | ✅ | ✅ |
| Validation status | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delivery status | ✅ | ✅ |
| Acknowledgment status | ✅ | ✅ |
| Stream | ✅ | ✅ |
| Business number | ✅ | ✅ |
| Control numbers | ✅ | ❌ |
Transaction actions
Any file transactions support most of the same actions as standard EDI transactions. Actions that depend on EDI content processing are not applicable.
| Transaction Action | Standard EDI | Any File |
|---|---|---|
| Switch | ✅ | ✅ |
| Copy to test | ✅ | ✅ |
| Send / Resend | ✅ | ✅ |
| Export | ✅ | ✅ |
| Delete | ✅ | ✅ |
| Audit trail | ✅ | ✅ |
| Data view | ✅ | ✅ |
| Reprocess | ✅ | ❌ |
| Rules editor | ✅ | ❌ |
| Print view | ✅ | ❌ |
| Workflow | ✅ | ❌ |
Updated 6 days ago