EDI Overview

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) transfers real time-data between shippers and carriers. Built-in the 1970s, EDI serves as the standard for tendering between many shippers and carriers. The automation built into EDI assists with the more accurate exchange of information and reduces lost shipment data by eliminating paper trails within your supply chain.

Shipwell utilizes EDI to perform the following:

Tender creation, updates, and deletion
Accept or reject inbound transactions
Track shipments

The following overview should assist in determining if an EDI integration is correct for you.

Why integrate with EDI

The Shipwell platform can aid in sending EDI transaction data between shippers and carriers, decreasing the amount of time and resources required to perform EDI transactions, as well as reducing the amount time needed to add new carriers.

Although we recommend that shippers send tenders to carriers through the Shipwell API, integrating EDI to Shipwell with your current shipping partners might be a better fit. Some carriers may not be able to integrate directly through the Shipwell platform because:

The carrier's systems are not technically advanced enough
The carrier does not have a development team
The carrier already uses EDI

If the previous is true for you or any of your carriers, integrate into the Shipwell platform using EDI. The following section will help you decide what materials to gather to help make your integration smoother.

Supported connection types

Shipwell utilizes Value-added-networks (VANs) to connect and transmit EDI data between trading partners or a business or entity. Currently, we use Orderful and Kleinschmidt. Shipwell works with both partners to determine:

The required cost of integrating EDI into the Shipwell platform
How good of a fit a trading partners current data is to a respective VAN

Unfortunately, Shipwell does not offer point-to-point connections, so we only support EDI transactions over one of our supported VANs.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) : Communication protocol uses to transfer EDI transactions through a client-server model. Authentication is handled either through SSH, SSL, or TLS support.
AS2 : A specification that uses certificates and encryption to transport data between trading partners.
HTTP : Standard internet transmission for fetching resources.

We recommend AS2 connections due to their security, primarily when used in conjunction with Orderful.

Supported EDI transaction codes

EDI standardizes the transfer of shipping data through transaction codes. While the data sent through these codes are not consistent from partner to partner, the codes themselves are. Shipwell supports the following EDI transactions:

204

204's create and update tenders sent to carriers. Accessorial information in a 204 transaction can include:

A carrier's information
Equipment requirements, such as length of truck required
Ship-to location information
Contact information for shipment recipient
Description of goods, including weight and other units of measure
Shipping instructions

This connection is considered bidirectional meaning carriers and shippers can receive both inbound and outbound 204 transactions.

990

990s respond to a 204 transaction, usually sent from the carrier receiving an inbound tender from a shipper. A 990 indicates whether a carrier:

Accepts the tender
Declines the tender

A 990 response contains minimal information on the specific shipment.

214

After a carrier has accepted a 204 transaction with a 990 response, the 214 codes provide status updates on the shipment's progress, including:

Where the shipment shipped from
Shipment location
Proof of delivery
A short description of the shipment

214s often serves as the final transaction code sent before a tender is closed.

210

Likely the least used transaction code, a 210 code replaces a paper invoice. Usually sent from the carrier to a shipper, it provided payment and billing information for the 204 tenders. Beyond an itemized detail of charges, a 210 could include:

Invoice date and number
Bill-to name and address information
Order information detail, including items, quantities, and weights
Shipping methods and descriptions
Shipper name and address information
Consignee name and address information
Terms of payment

Supported Orderful Accessorial types

If using Orderful as your EDI VAN, Orderful translates encrypted EDI transactions into JSON for use within the Orderful platform and Shipwell. When translating accessorials from EDI into JSON, Orderful supports the following accessorial types:

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class EDIAccessorialCodeMap(str, Enum):
    """Translate the EDI accessorials to the corresponding EDI codes.
       Ref: http://ecomgx17.ecomtoday.com/edi/EDI_4010/el152.htm
    """
    APPOINTMENT_REQUESTED = "NC"
    NOTIFY_BEFORE_DELIVERY = "NC"
    HAZMAT = "HM"
    LIFTGATE = "LD"  # Loading Devices TODO: Confirm this is correct
    CONVENTION_TRADESHOW = "TRS"
    INSIDE_PICKUP = "IPU"
    INSIDE_DELIVERY = "IDL"
    FREEZABLE = "OTC"
    OTHER = "MOT"
    CONSTRUCTION_SITE = "ZZZ"  
    LIMITED_ACCESS = "ZZZ"
    GUARANTEED = "ZZZ"
    FARM = "ZZZ"

All codes seen in the preceding code block are different from carrier to carrier, requiring that a carrier's resident EDI expert be in close communication with a Shipwell representative to ensure proper data mapping has occurred.

How Shipwell maps EDI data

At this time, Shipwell performs all EDI data mapping through a Shipwell Customer Service Manager. If you're looking an idea of how we work, the folllowing example shows the certificates and mapping guides used for standard AS2 connection to Orderful.

AS2 Connection Details

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AS2 URL: http://34.211.134.218:80/AS2
AS2 ID: ORDERFULAS2
Encryption: TripleDes
MDN: Signed and Encrypted Synchronous
Certificate: OrderfulAS2.cer 2048bit (see AS2 Public Certificate)
Sending and Receiving IP address: 34.211.134.218

Download the AS2 Public Certificate, to ensure a successful AS2 connection.

Use the following links to download both 204, 214, and 990 data mapping guides.

Other connection mappings

We are actively working on adding additional mapping guides of FTP and HTTP connection types.

Next steps

If you're interested in getting started with your EDI integration, contact your Shipwell Customer Service Manager.