Free EDIFACT Viewer
Paste or open an EDIFACT interchange to see each segment named, qualifiers explained, and the UNT and UNZ counts checked.
What is an EDIFACT Viewer?
UN/EDIFACT is the EDI standard used across Europe and much of the world for orders, invoices, despatch advices, customs and shipping. A message is a run of segments such as NAD+BY+5412345000013::9' inside UNH and UNT. This viewer splits it apart and explains it.
It reads the delimiters from the UNA service string, honours the release character, and nests messages inside groups and the interchange. Around fifty segments and twenty message types are named, common qualifiers for dates, parties, quantities, amounts and references are explained, and every envelope count and reference is checked.
Key Features
Delimiters From UNA
Custom component, element, release and segment characters are read from the service string.
Release Characters
Escaped delimiters such as ?+ and ?' are kept as data, not split.
Envelope Checked
UNT segment counts, UNE and UNZ counts, and UNH, UNG and UNB references.
Qualifiers Explained
DTM, NAD, QTY, MOA, RFF, PRI and BGM codes in words, with dates formatted.
Nothing Uploaded
Interchanges are read in your browser and never sent anywhere.
Perfect for everyone
- EDI analysts
- Logistics and retail integration teams
- Customs brokers and developers working with EANCOM
How to Use the EDIFACT Viewer
Paste the interchange or open the file.
Get the File
From your EDI translator, AS2 or OFTP2 mailbox, or a partner’s sample.
Paste or Open
Segments may be on one line or one per line.
Check the Envelope
Count and reference problems are listed first.
Read the Segments
Each segment is numbered and named, with its elements and what its qualifier means.
EDIFACT Interchanges, Viewed
Each row is EDIFACT as trading partners exchange it, and each answer is this viewer’s output in the mode on the chip. The GLNs and companies are fictional.
“UNA:+.? ' UNB+UNOC:3+5412345000013:14+4012345000016:14+261028:0915+ORD0042' UNH+1+ORDERS:D:96A:UN:EAN008' BGM+220+PO-88412+9' DTM+137:20261028:102' DTM+2:20261104:102' NAD+BY+5412345000013::9' NAD+SU+4012345000016::9' NAD+DP+5412345000020::9' LIN+1++4012345678901:EN' QTY+21:120' PRI+AAA:4.25' LIN+2++4012345678918:EN' QTY+21:24' PRI+AAA:31.80' UNS+S' CNT+2:2' UNT+16+1' UNZ+1+ORD0042'”
“UNB+UNOC:3+4012345000016:14+5412345000013:14+261105:1400+INV5520' UNH+1+INVOIC:D:96A:UN' BGM+380+INV-5520+9' DTM+137:20261105:102' RFF+ON:PO-88412' NAD+SU+4012345000016::9' NAD+BY+5412345000013::9' CUX+2:EUR:4' LIN+1++4012345678901:EN' QTY+47:120' MOA+203:510.00' LIN+2++4012345678918:EN' QTY+47:24' MOA+203:763.20' UNS+S' MOA+79:1273.20' MOA+124:241.91' MOA+86:1515.11' UNT+18+1' UNZ+1+INV5520'”
“UNA:+.? ' UNB+UNOC:3+5412345000013:14+4012345000016:14+261028:0915+ORD0042' UNH+1+ORDERS:D:96A:UN:EAN008' BGM+220+PO-88412+9' DTM+137:20261028:102' DTM+2:20261104:102' NAD+BY+5412345000013::9' NAD+SU+4012345000016::9' NAD+DP+5412345000020::9' LIN+1++4012345678901:EN' QTY+21:120' PRI+AAA:4.25' LIN+2++4012345678918:EN' QTY+21:24' PRI+AAA:31.80' UNS+S' CNT+2:2' UNT+16+1' UNZ+1+ORD0042'”
“UNB+UNOC:3+4012345000016:14+5412345000013:14+261105:1400+INV5520' UNH+1+INVOIC:D:96A:UN' BGM+380+INV-5520+9' DTM+137:20261105:102' RFF+ON:PO-88412' NAD+SU+4012345000016::9' NAD+BY+5412345000013::9' CUX+2:EUR:4' LIN+1++4012345678901:EN' QTY+47:120' MOA+203:510.00' LIN+2++4012345678918:EN' QTY+47:24' MOA+203:763.20' UNS+S' MOA+79:1273.20' MOA+124:241.91' MOA+86:1515.11' UNT+17+1' UNZ+1+INV5520'”
“UNB+UNOC:3+4012345000016:14+5412345000013:14+261105:1400+INV5520' UNH+1+INVOIC:D:96A:UN' BGM+380+INV-5520+9' DTM+137:20261105:102' RFF+ON:PO-88412' NAD+SU+4012345000016::9' NAD+BY+5412345000013::9' CUX+2:EUR:4' LIN+1++4012345678901:EN' QTY+47:120' MOA+203:510.00' LIN+2++4012345678918:EN' QTY+47:24' MOA+203:763.20' UNS+S' MOA+79:1273.20' MOA+124:241.91' MOA+86:1515.11' UNT+18+1' UNZ+1+INV5521'”
“FTX+AAI+++PLEASE DELIVER TO DOCK 4?+5'”
“UNA*|.\ ~UNH|1|ORDERS*D*96A*UN~BGM|220|PO-1~UNT|3|1~”
“UNB+UNOC:3+SENDER+RECEIVER+261028:0915+X1'UNG+DESADV+SENDER+RECEIVER+261028:0915+G1+UN+D:96A'UNH+1+DESADV:D:96A:UN'BGM+351+ASN-1+9'UNT+3+1'UNE+1+G1'UNZ+1+X1'”
“UNH+1+ORDERS:D:96A:UN'bgm+220+PO-1'”
“PO-88412, 120 x 4012345678901”
How EDIFACT Is Written
EDIFACT’s syntax is compact once you know its ten building blocks.
UNA
An optional service string advice that sets the six special characters.
“What follows UNA?”
Segment Terminator
An apostrophe ends each segment unless UNA says otherwise.
“Which character ends a segment by default?”
Element Separator
A plus sign separates the elements of a segment.
“What separates elements?”
Component Separator
A colon separates the parts of a composite element, such as 137:20261028:102.
“What separates components?”
Release Character
A question mark escapes the next character, so ?+ is a literal plus.
“How do you write a literal apostrophe?”
UNB
The interchange header with syntax level, sender, recipient, date and control reference.
“What does UNOC mean?”
UNH
The message header with its reference and type, such as ORDERS:D:96A:UN.
“What does D:96A mean?”
UNT
The message trailer: the segment count from UNH to UNT, and UNH’s reference.
“Is UNH included in the count?”
Qualifiers
The first component often says what a value is, such as DTM 137 for document date.
“What is QTY 21?”
UNZ
The interchange trailer: the message or group count and UNB’s reference.
“What must UNZ’s reference equal?”
Messages in an Order Cycle
A retail or manufacturing relationship usually runs on a handful of EDIFACT messages, exchanged in a predictable order. These are the ones you will see most.
ORDERS
The buyer’s purchase order with items, quantities, prices and delivery dates.
ORDRSP
The supplier confirms, changes or rejects the order line by line.
DESADV
The despatch advice lists what was shipped, packed in which cartons and pallets.
RECADV
The buyer reports what actually arrived, so differences can be settled.
INVOIC
The supplier bills for the goods, with taxes and totals in MOA segments.
CONTRL and APERAK
Acknowledgements that a message was received, and whether it was understood.
EANCOM and Other Subsets
Most real EDIFACT follows a subset that restricts the standard for one industry. Knowing which subset a partner uses explains codes the base standard leaves open.
EANCOM
GS1’s subset for retail, recognisable by EAN008 and similar codes in UNH.
GLNs
Parties are identified by 13-digit Global Location Numbers with code list 9.
GTINs
Items in LIN segments use GTINs with the EN qualifier.
Odette and VDA
Automotive subsets add their own message versions and rules.
Partner Guides
Each partner documents which segments and qualifiers it expects, beyond the subset.
When to View EDIFACT
Whenever an EDIFACT file needs reading without a translator.
Partner Onboarding
Compare a partner’s test files with their message implementation guide.
Investigating Errors
Find the segment count or reference a CONTRL or APERAK rejected.
Mapping Work
See each element and qualifier before mapping it to an ERP field.
Order and Invoice Questions
Read order numbers, quantities and totals straight from the file.
Learning EDIFACT
See how service segments, qualifiers and composites fit together.
EDIFACT Pitfalls
Things that trip people up with EDIFACT.
Unescaped Delimiters
A plus or apostrophe in a name must be released with ?, or the segment splits.
Character Sets
UNOA allows only upper case. UNOC and UNOY allow accents and more.
Directory Versions
D.96A and D.01B differ, so check the version in UNH against the guide.
Decimal Marks
UNA can set a comma as the decimal mark, which changes how amounts read.
Counting Segments
UNT counts every segment from UNH to UNT inclusive, but not UNB or UNZ.
Qualifier-Driven Meaning
The same segment means different things with different qualifiers, so read the code first.