EDI Bridge
In order to be able to send and receive EDI messages in the supported formats you might need an EDI Bridge. This applies if EDI messages should be sent between MONITOR and another system which is not a MONITOR system, and if they should be sent with the OFTP protocol (Odette File Transfer Protocol).
For EDI communication between two MONITOR systems you do not need an EDI bridge. There is a built-in support in MONITOR for sending and receiving EDI messages in the supported formats. EDI messages between two MONITOR systems can be sent as files via FTP or e-mail.
An EDI bridge is an external program for EDI communication, that decodes incoming EDI messages from customers and suppliers, and saves them in import files to MONITOR. The EDI Bridge also codes the export files from MONITOR to EDI messages, and then sends them to your customers and suppliers. The export files are then deleted by the EDI Bridge, once the files have been coded into EDI messages.
The EDI bridge also handles the connection via a net service for sending and receiving new messages at certain scheduled times.
For information about software programs that function as EDI Bridges to MONITOR, please contact the Support department at Monitor ERP System AB by phone +46 650 766 03, or via e-mail support@monitor.se.
Import and Export Files
The import files that arrive via FTP, e-mail or EDI bridge are loaded into the database in MONITOR by a program called MEDI that comes with MONITOR. Once MEDI has loaded the files, the import files are deleted. MEDI will also create the corresponding export files for different outgoing EDI messages. The import and export files are in ASCII text format. Read more under The MEDI Program chapter.
In the EDI Links procedure you define file paths and file names for all the import and export files. Read more about this under EDI Links.
EDI Communications, Net Services and Protocols
The communication between the EDI program and the corresponding program belonging to your customer/supplier usually takes place via a point-to-point connection over an X.25/ISDN net service. In the image below, you can see an outline of the EDI connection to a customer. There are different standard programs for EDI communication on the market, which can work as EDI bridges to MONITOR. EDI bridges should also provide support for sending messages via the OFTP protocol which is more secure during the transfer. For instance, the car industry and the Swedish Customs Department use the OFTP protocol for their EDI communication.
Schematic image of the EDI communication.
* Please note that X.25/ISDN as data carrier will be discontinued by TeliaSonera in Sweden. The Odette organization is therefore developing a new version of OFTP (OFTP V2) that supports safe EDI communication over the Internet, strong encryption and a few other improvements. For example the USA and Japan will be included and not just Europe. Another alternative that might come into question is to send EDI messages as XML. For more information about what is happening in this field we recommend that you visit the Odette website www.odette.se.