The Global Language of Business

EDI in Ireland

History of EANCOM and Standards use in Ireland 

GS1 and its Member Organisations are not new to the field of EDI. Some MOs like GS1 Sweden developed sectoral standards as early as 1972, and GS1 UK, published the TRADACOMS standard in 1982.

In view of the MO's activities in EDI communications and in response to a growing demand from their member companies for an international standard, the GS1 General Assembly decided in 1987 to launch the EANCOM EDI project. EANCOM was to be developed on the basis of the then emerging international UN/EDIFACT standard.

GS1 Ireland adopted EANCOM in 1990 as its standard for EDI transactions. Since 1990, GS1 Ireland has published implementation guidelines that support EANCOM in Ireland.

  • 1992 based on the 90.1 EDIFACT Directory and EANCOM 1992
  • 1994 based on the D.93A EDIFACT Directory and EANCOM 1994
  • 1997 based on the D.96A EDIFACT Directory and EANCOM 1997 

GS1 Ireland recommends that all member companies implement their EDI messages based on the D.96A EDIFACT Directory and EANCOM 1997 using the GS1 Ireland 1997 Implementation Guideline.

The following migration policy is recommended for those companies needing to change from an older version to a newer version:

  • Hub companies, should be capable of using both the latest version and one previous versions
  • All new applications/messages are implemented using the latest message version only
  • All new trading relationships are implemented using the latest message version only

In 2001, GS1 Ireland formally launched the Harmonised EDI Guideline. The Harmonised EDI Guideline, HEDI, while still based on the D.96A Directory, detailed the messaging requirements for each of the main hubs (retailers and wholesales), who are using EDI in Ireland. GS1 Ireland recommends that all hub companies, spoke companies and service providers use HEDI as their reference document for providing and implementing EDI solutions.

What transactional business documents are available in EDI?

Within the Harmonised EDI (H-EDI) Guidelines currently in use in Ireland the following messages are included:

  • Price Catalogue Message (PRICAT)
  • Order and Order Response (ORDERS and ORDRSP)
  • Despatch Advice, Instruction to Despatch and Receiving Advice (DESADV, INSDES and RECADV)
  • Invoice (INVOIC) including credit notes
  • Account Summary and Remittance Advice (COACSU and REMADV)
  • Application Acknowledgement and General Messages (APEAK and GENRAL)
  • Announcement of Returns (RETANN)

Look up the details of the H-EDI Messages