EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) refers to the exchange and automatic processing of message data in commercial or administrative transactions between computer systems via communication networks, according to agreed standards. In foreign trade, EDI is widely used for the transmission of documents such as orders, invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, and customs declarations, enabling paperless trade. Use cases include: establishing EDI connections with long-term suppliers or customers to automatically process repetitive transactions; and interfacing data with customs, shipping lines, ports, and other institutions. Precautions: both parties need to agree on a unified data format standard (e.g., UN/EDIFACT, ANSI X12); network security and data integrity must be ensured; initial investment costs are relatively high, making it suitable for enterprises with large transaction volumes and stable processes. The difference from sending via email or PDF is that EDI is structured data that can be directly read and processed by the recipient's system without manual entry, significantly improving efficiency and reducing errors. The difference from API: EDI focuses more on batch, standardized message exchange, while API is more flexible and real-time, but the two are often used in combination.