# Electronic Data Interchange

*Last updated: 2026-06-22*

> EDI—Electronic Data Interchange—allows freight forwarders, customs brokers, and trading partners to exchange business documents such as purchase orders, delivery notes, bills of lading, invoices, and customs declarations fully automatically between their IT systems, eliminating manual re-keying.

EDI—Electronic Data Interchange—allows freight forwarders, customs brokers, and trading partners to exchange business documents such as purchase orders, delivery notes, bills of lading, invoices, and customs declarations fully automatically between their IT systems, eliminating manual re-keying. Data is transmitted in standardised, machine-readable formats; in logistics, EDIFACT subsets such as IFTMIN (transport instruction) and CUSCAR (customs cargo report) are among the most widely used message types. EDI significantly accelerates processing, reduces transcription errors, and is a prerequisite for pre-arrival and pre-departure notification requirements with customs authorities. Unlike REST APIs, traditional EDI operates on fixed message cycles and is best suited to high-volume, repetitive processes with established trading partners. Modern logistics platforms increasingly combine EDI with XML- or JSON-based interfaces to support more flexible connectivity.

**Source:** [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_data_interchange](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_data_interchange)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | Electronic Data Interchange |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 123 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-22 |
| Source | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_data_interchange |

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