Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
The standardized computer-to-computer exchange of business documents between trading partners.
Also known as: EDI
What is Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)?
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the computer-to-computer exchange of business documents — purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices — in a standardized electronic format, replacing mailed, faxed, or emailed paperwork. In retail, EDI runs on the ANSI X12 standard, where each document type is a numbered transaction set (an 850 purchase order, an 810 invoice). Most large retailers mandate EDI as a condition of doing business, and non-compliance triggers chargebacks.
How Endless handles it
Endless treats EDI as a native language, not a bolt-on: 850s flow in as orders and 810s, 856s, and 997s flow back out from the same source of truth, so brands trade with big-box retailers without rekeying a single line.
Frequently asked
Why do retailers require EDI?
EDI removes manual data entry between buyer and supplier, so orders, shipments, and invoices move faster and with fewer errors. Retailers standardize on it to run high-volume supply chains, and they enforce it with compliance rules and chargebacks.
Related terms
Browse the full commerce operations glossary.
See it on your channels.
Spend your time on the business, not the busywork. Book a demo and watch Endless run your operations across every channel you sell on.
Book a Demo