The TRADACOMS EDI Standard

TRADACOMS is the UK's original retail EDI standard, published by the Article Number Association (ANA, now GS1 UK) in 1982 and still the dominant format for trading with many UK retailers. This is a complete, searchable reference: 78 messages across 25 documents, every segment and data element, and 1270 standard code values.

How a TRADACOMS transmission is structured

A TRADACOMS interchange is a file of messages wrapped in an STX/END envelope. Unlike EDIFACT, each business document is split into a header message, one or more detail messages, and a trailer message. Segments end with an apostrophe ('), data elements are separated by +, and sub-elements by :. Each message is wrapped in MHD/MTR (message header/trailer) segments.

STX=ANA:1+5000000000000:SENDER NAME+5010000000000:RECIPIENT+260913:102030+000001++ORDHDR'
MHD=1+ORDHDR:9'
TYP=0430+NEW-ORDERS'
SDT=5000000000000+SUPPLIER LTD'
CDT=5010000000000+RETAILER PLC'
FIL=1+1+260913'
MTR=6'
MHD=2+ORDERS:9'
CLO=:5010000000001+STORE 42'
ORD=AC10034::260913'
DIN=260916+260918'
OLD=1+:5000000000017+++12+24++CASES OF LEMONADE'
OTR=1'
MTR=8'
MHD=3+ORDTLR:9'
OFT=1'
MTR=3'
END=3'

Illustrative order file: an ORDHDR header message, one ORDERS detail message, and an ORDTLR trailer, wrapped in STX/END.

Documents

Each TRADACOMS business document is a file of messages: a header, one or more detail messages, and a trailer. Open a document for its messages.

Standard code lists

Coded values used throughout TRADACOMS messages: VAT rate categories, order codes, credit reasons, measure indicators and more. Browse all 56 code lists →

Segment directory

Every TRADACOMS segment (CLO, OLD, ILD, DNA, STL…) with the messages it appears in. Browse the segment directory →