EDI

Shipping lines, tank operators, customs and port authorities expect to hear about their equipment by UN/EDIFACT, not by e-mail. The EDI screen is the depot's message hub. Once a partner is set up, every gate in and gate out of one of their units creates a CODECO (gate-in / gate-out report), and the App delivers it within minutes by e-mail, FTP, a web address, or lets the partner download it. Partners can also receive repair estimates (DESTIM), dangerous goods notifications (IFTDGN) and customs reports (CUSREP). In the other direction the App reads release orders (COPARN, COREOR) and acknowledgements (APERAK), and it can confirm what it received with an APERAK of its own.

Where to find it: Workspace → Logistics → Warehouse → EDI. It only appears when the Depot module is on.

Who can use it

• Anyone with a Warehouse permission can see the outbox, the inbox, the release orders and the partners, open a message and download it.
• To add, edit and delete partners, you need the permission EDI partners and their connections, or the whole group Add sites and edit their yard plan (or you must be an administrator).
• For Send waiting messages now, Send again, Upload a message and adding or cancelling release orders, you need Send and resend EDI messages, release orders, or the whole group Gate in and out, move units, fill and empty tanks.
• A role set to Does not see → EDI (messages, partners, releases) has no EDI menu entry and cannot open these pages.

Where it sits in the operation

EDI rides on the events you already record. The gate clerk's gate in or gate out, a surveyor's saved repair estimate and a release order from a line are the triggers. Nobody types a message. Messages are written to an outbox the moment the event is committed and are delivered afterwards, so a slow FTP server or an unreachable partner never holds up the gate.

What you see

Until you have a partner and your own EDI id, a box Three steps to start shows what to do (a step that is done is greyed out):

1. Enter your own EDI id (the one your partners know you by) in Warehouse settings.
2. Add a partner: who it is, its EDI id, and how it wants to receive the messages.
3. Gate a unit of that partner in or out: the message appears here and is delivered within minutes.

The screen has four tabs: Outbox, Inbox, Release orders and Partners. The button at the top right changes with the tab: Send waiting messages now, Upload a message, Add a release order and Add a partner.

Outbox

Filter tabs: All, Waiting to be sent, Ready to download, Sent and Failed.

Column	What it shows
Message	The type (CODECO, DESTIM, IFTDGN, CUSREP, APERAK) and its number.
Partner	Who it goes to.
Unit	The unit number.
Movement	Gate in or Gate out for a gate message, Repair estimate for a DESTIM, Acknowledgement for an APERAK.
Created	When the message was made, newest first.
Status	Waiting to be sent, Ready to download, Sent or Failed. A failed message shows why under its status. Once the partner has answered with an APERAK, a badge shows Accepted by them or Rejected by them with their reason.
Delivery	How the partner receives it.

The row buttons open the message, download it as a file, and Send again (for sent or failed messages of partners that do not download). Opening a message shows the partner, unit, time, status, the error if it failed, when it was sent (Sent at), and the message text itself, with a button to download the file. Select several rows for Batch update → Send them again: they are put back in the queue and go out within minutes ("3 of 3 queued they go out within minutes."). Only failed or sent messages can be sent again, not download-only ones.

Inbox

Every message received, with the partner, the file name, how it came in (Uploaded here, Their web address, FTP), when, and the result: Read (with how many release orders it created or messages it answered), Not used, or Could not be read.

Release orders

Filter tabs: Open (the default), Used up, Cancelled and all. Columns: Booking / release number, partner, Order (Release (units go out) or Acceptance (units come in)), Units (named units, a size type such as 22T6, or Any unit), Used (for example 1 / 3), Valid until (with an Expired badge when it has run out), the haulier and the status. Select several open orders to cancel them at once.

Partners

Column	What it shows
Partner	The partner's name.
Units of	The client (owner) and/or provider (operator) whose units this partner hears about, or Every unit.
Their EDI id	The partner's code.
Messages	The message types it receives.
Delivery	How they receive them, with the address, server or web address.
Messages (count)	How many messages were made for them, with a red badge for failed ones.
Active	Yes or No.

Which messages the App speaks

Message	Direction	When
CODECO	sent	A unit of the partner goes in or out at the gate. D.95B, SMDG ITG14 layout.
DESTIM	sent	A repair estimate for one of their units is saved for approval.
IFTDGN	sent	A unit loaded with a dangerous product (one with a UN number) goes in or out. It carries the ADR class, UN number, packing group, flash point, proper shipping name and litres from the product.
CUSREP	sent	A truck brings a unit in (arrival) or takes one out (departure), for customs. It carries the truck plate, the haulier and the booking reference.
COPARN, COREOR	received	A line or operator releases units (or accepts them back). They become release orders.
APERAK	both	Received: the partner accepts or rejects one of your messages. This shows on that message in the Outbox as Accepted by them or Rejected by them, with their reason. Sent: if you tick APERAK on the partner, every release order they send is confirmed, as accepted or not accepted with the reason.

A customs office or a port authority wants messages about every unit, not only one client's. On the partner, choose Messages about every unit at your depots (customs, port authority). No client or provider is needed then.

What the App does not do: it sends no WESTIM, no VERMAS (the VGM travels inside the CODECO, see below), and no other message types. Received messages other than COPARN, COREOR and APERAK are kept in the inbox as Not used. SFTP and AS2 are not offered as delivery methods.

Prepare: your EDI id and the site codes

1. An administrator opens Warehouse settings and fills in Your EDI id: your company's id in EDI messages (the sender). Partners give or agree this code with you. A partner can be given another one.
2. On each depot, edit the site (see Sites) and fill in the EDI codes: the UN/LOCODE of the place (for example BEANR for Antwerp) and the Depot code your partners use. They go into the location segment of every message. Without them the location is left out.
3. Give every unit its owner (client) and, where relevant, its operator (provider), and its ISO size-type code. That is how the App knows who to tell and what to report.

Add an EDI partner

1. Open the Partners tab and click Add a partner.
2. 1. Who is it? Type the Name (for example the shipping line). Choose Messages about the units of one client or provider and then the Owner (client), the Operator (provider), or both. Or choose Messages about every unit at your depots (customs, port authority).
3. 2. EDI identification: type Their EDI id (required). Optional: Your EDI id if this partner knows you by another code (empty means the one in Warehouse settings), and Their line code.
4. 3. Which messages? Tick CODECO (ticked for a new partner) for a gate in and gate out report for every unit of this partner. Tick DESTIM if they also want repair estimates, IFTDGN for dangerous goods notifications, and CUSREP for a customs report of every truck that brings a unit in or takes one out.
5. 4. Do they send you release orders? Tick COPARN to read the release orders this partner sends. Tick the second box if their units may only go out with a valid release order. Tick APERAK to confirm every release order they send. After saving, open the partner again: it shows Their address to send messages to, a private web address to give to the partner. Keep it private: anyone with it can send messages as this partner.
6. 5. How do they receive them? Choose one:
   • They download it here: nothing is sent. The messages wait in the outbox and count as delivered once downloaded.
   • E-mail: type the e-mail address. Each message is sent as an .edi attachment.
   • FTP / FTPS: type the Server, optional Port (21 when empty), User name, password, optional Folder on the server, and tick Encrypted (FTPS) if they use it. Optional: Folder to collect their messages from, for release orders they drop on the same server.
   • Web address (HTTPS): type the address (it must start with https://) and, optionally, the Access token, which is sent as a bearer token.
7. Keep Active send messages to this partner ticked.
8. Click Save the partner.

Passwords and tokens are stored encrypted and never shown again. When you edit a partner the field says "Saved leave empty to keep it". Deleting a partner also deactivates it. Its messages stay in the outbox.

What happens at the gate

1. A unit is gated in or out (on screen, through Marvin or another connected tool).
2. For every active partner of that unit's owner or operator, and every partner set to every unit, the ticked messages are added to the outbox: a CODECO, an IFTDGN if the unit is loaded with a product that has a UN number, and a CUSREP.
3. Every few minutes the App delivers waiting messages. A message that fails is tried again up to 5 times, waiting longer each time.
4. For partners who download, the message shows as Ready to download and becomes Sent when downloaded.

A DESTIM is made when a repair estimate for one of the partner's units is saved and waits for approval (see Services). The first one is an original. A changed estimate is sent again as a replacement. Saving the same lines again creates no new message.

Inside a CODECO

The messages use UN/EDIFACT syntax level A (UNOA). Text is converted to upper case, accented letters are transliterated, and characters outside the character set are dropped. Each file is one interchange with one message, named for example CODECO_15_20261014093000.edi. Times are in UTC.

DESTIM carries the order number as reference, the workspace currency, the unit and the depot. Each estimate line becomes one group: size in cm, quantity, description, the damage, location and repair codes (the line's own Code when no repair code is given), the component, labour hours, who pays (owner or user) and the line amount. IFTDGN and CUSREP report the arrival or departure with the depot, the truck and the unit. An outgoing APERAK quotes the partner's document number and says accepted, or not accepted with the reason.

Release orders (COPARN, COREOR)

A release order tells you which units a haulier may collect, under which booking number. It arrives in one of three ways:

• The partner sends it to their address (see step 4 above) as an HTTPS POST, either as the raw message or as a file upload of at most 2 MB. The address only accepts that partner's messages.
• For a partner on FTP with COPARN ticked, fill in Folder to collect their messages from. Every few minutes the App picks up new files there and removes them once read.
• You received it as a file (for example by e-mail): open the Inbox tab and click Upload a message.

The partner is recognised by the sender id in the message, which must match Their EDI id. The Inbox tab lists every message received, how it came in, and the result: Read (with how many release orders it created), Not used (for example a message type the App does not read, or release orders not switched on for this partner), or Could not be read (for example "No active partner has the EDI id … Check the partner's EDI id."). The same file received twice is kept once: "This message was received before; nothing was changed."

From the COPARN / COREOR	Becomes on the release order
Booking reference (RFF BN, BM, RE or AAJ), otherwise the document number	Booking / release number
Document code 129	Acceptance (units come in). Any other code: Release (units go out)
Function 5 (replace) or 1 (cancel)	The open order with that number is cancelled. A replacement then creates the new one
Expiry date (DTM 36, 400 or 63)	Valid until (end of that day)
Haulier (NAD CA, HA or CZ)	Haulier
Each unit (EQD) with a valid number, or a size type with a quantity (EQN)	One release order line per unit, or for that many units of the size type

The Release orders tab shows each order: the Booking / release number, the partner, Release (units go out) or Acceptance (units come in), which units (named units, a size type such as 22T6, or Any unit), Used (for example 1 / 3), Valid until, the haulier and the status: Open, Used up or Cancelled. When the partner cancels or replaces an order, the open one is cancelled for you.

A release you got by e-mail or phone can be typed in. Click Add a release order, choose the partner and the order type, type the booking number, and optionally the units (checked as valid ISO 6346 numbers), quantity, size type, valid-until date and haulier, then click Save the release order. It works at the gate exactly like one received by EDI. To stop one, click the cancel button on its row ("Cancel this release order? Units can no longer go out on it.").

At the gate: when a unit of the partner goes out, type the booking number the haulier gives in Booking reference. The unit is counted on that release order. If the partner requires release orders, the gate refuses the unit with a clear reason:

• no release given: "… needs a release order from its owner to go out. Enter the booking number the haulier gives.";
• no such open release: "There is no open release order … for …";
• used up: "Release order … has been used up.";
• expired: "Release order … has expired.";
• meant for other units: "Release order … is for other units.";
• for another size type: "Release order … is for 22T6 units; this one is 22K2."

A release that names the unit lets it out even without a booking number. Units coming back in on an acceptance order are counted too, but never refused.

Fix a failed message

1. Click the Failed tab and read the reason under the status, for example "login refused", "cannot connect to …" or "HTTP 401".
2. Correct the partner on the Partners tab.
3. Back in the outbox, click Send again on the message. The attempt counter starts again. You see "CODECO_15_….edi sent." or "Not sent: … It will be tried again automatically."
4. Or click Send waiting messages now to deliver everything that is due: "3 message(s) sent."
5. For many messages at once, select them and use Batch update → Send them again.

Controls and exceptions

• "Give the partner a name."
• "Choose the client or the provider whose units this partner wants messages about."
• "Enter the partner's EDI id."
• "Enter your own EDI id: here, or once for all partners in Warehouse settings."
• "Enter a valid e-mail address."
• "Enter the FTP server."
• "Enter a web address that starts with https://"
• Only units with an owner or operator that matches a partner create messages, apart from partners set to every unit. A unit without an owner creates none for line partners.
• The same gate move never creates the same message twice for one partner, even if the event is replayed. The same estimate saved again unchanged creates no new DESTIM.
• EDI never blocks the gate. If a message cannot be built, the gate move stands and the problem is logged.
• A unit without a 4-character size-type code is reported with a default: 22T6 or 42T6 for an ISO tank, 22R1 or 42R1 for a reefer, 22G1 or 42G1 otherwise (by length). Fill in the real code on the unit.
• A web-address partner must answer with an HTTP 2xx status, otherwise the message counts as failed. Each attempt waits at most 20 seconds.
• When the line says a unit is in but your outbox shows no CODECO: check the unit's owner and operator, the partner's Active box and its CODECO tick. A message is only made at the moment of the gate move, so fixing the partner afterwards does not create the missed message.

For the manager

• Daily: the Failed tab and any Rejected by them badges. A rejected CODECO usually means wrong master data (size type, line code, depot code).
• Weekly: the partners' red failed-count badges, and inbox entries that Could not be read, which usually mean an unknown sender id.
• Release discipline: switch on only go out with a valid release order per line, once their COPARN feed is reliable. Watch the Release orders tab for expired orders still open.
• Onboarding a line: set the partner up with They download it here first, gate one of their units, and let them validate the file before you switch to FTP or HTTPS.
• EDI does not change billing. Storage, gate moves and repairs are billed from the ledger on Rates, whatever the messages say.

Tips

• Fill in the owner (and operator) on every unit. That is how the App knows who to tell.
• Ask your partner for a test: set them up, gate one of their units in, and let them check the message before you switch on all traffic.
• Look at the Failed tab once a day.
• Untick Active to pause a partner without losing its settings.
• Type the haulier's booking number at every gate out, even when releases are not required. It goes into the CODECO and counts the release.

Glossary

UN/EDIFACT

The UN standard for electronic data interchange. The App uses directory D.95B and syntax level A (UNOA).

Interchange (UNB … UNZ)

The envelope around a message, with the sender's and recipient's EDI ids.

EDI id

The code that identifies a party in the envelope: yours as sender, theirs as recipient.

CODECO

Container gate-in / gate-out report sent to the line or operator.

DESTIM

Damage and repair estimate message.

IFTDGN

Dangerous goods notification for a loaded unit with a UN-numbered product.

CUSREP

Customs conveyance report: the truck's arrival or departure with the unit.

COPARN / COREOR

Container announcement and release order messages. Here they become release orders.

APERAK

Application acknowledgement: accepted or rejected, with a reason.

Release order

Permission to hand out (or take back) units under a booking number, with a quantity and validity.

UN/LOCODE

The five-character UN code of a place, such as BEANR.

Size-type code

The ISO 6346 four-character code of a unit's size and type, such as 22T6.

SMDG ITG14

The container industry's message implementation guide used for the CODECO layout.

VGM

Verified gross mass under SOLAS, sent in the CODECO on a laden gate out.

Related screens

• Units: gate in and gate out, owner, operator and size type.
• Sites: the UN/LOCODE and depot code.
• Services: repair estimates.
• Products: UN number, class, packing group and flash point for IFTDGN.
• Movements: the gate moves behind every CODECO.
• Warehouse settings: your own EDI id.
• All screens