What is openTRANS?

openTRANS is an open standard for the electronic data interchange (EDI) of business transactions between trading companies. It was developed to support e-procurement and is based on XML and XML schema structures. Similar to the EDIFACT standards, openTRANS is used for the electronic exchange of business documents.

The development of openTRANS began with an initiative of industrial and trading companies under the leadership of the Fraunhofer IAO in collaboration with the University of Duisburg-Essen. The aim was to standardize business documents such as delivery notes and invoices to enable electronic system-to-system communication. The current version 2.1 was released on October 2, 2009.

Supported Business Documents

openTRANS specifies various business documents, including:

  • Request For Quotation (RFQ)
  • Quotation
  • Order
  • OrderChange
  • OrderResponse
  • DispatchNotification
  • ReceiptAcknowledgement
  • Invoice
  • InvoiceList
  • RemittanceAdvice

These documents cover the entire procurement process and allow for seamless information flow between the involved parties.

Typical Process Flow

A typical process flow with openTRANS could be as follows:

  1. A buyer sends a request for quotation (RFQ) to potential suppliers.
  2. The suppliers respond with a quotation.
  3. The buyer places an order based on the selected offer.
  4. The supplier confirms the order with an order response (OrderResponse).
  5. Before shipping, the supplier sends a dispatch notification.
  6. Upon receipt of the goods, the buyer confirms receipt (ReceiptAcknowledgement).
  7. The supplier issues an invoice.
  8. The buyer makes the payment and, if necessary, sends a remittance advice.

By using openTRANS, these steps are automated and standardized, leading to more efficient and error-free processing.

Structure of an openTRANS Document

The structure of an openTRANS document is divided into three main areas:

  • Header: Contains general information about the document, such as information about the creator and recipient as well as general conditions.
  • Item Area: Lists the specific items of the document, such as products in an offer or delivery items in a dispatch notification.
  • Summary: Summarizes the aggregated values of the item lines and forms the conclusion of the document.

This structure enables a clear and consistent presentation of the business information.

Extensions and Innovations in Version 2

With version 2 of openTRANS, several extensions were introduced, including:

  • Extended Document Types: Additional business documents such as invoice lists and remittance advices have been added.
  • Improved Compatibility: A closer alignment with the BMEcat standard allows seamless integration of product catalogs and transaction documents.
  • Internationalization: The specifications were translated into English to promote broader international acceptance.

These improvements contribute to establishing openTRANS as a flexible and future-proof standard for electronic data interchange.

Advantages and Compatibility

The backward compatibility with previous versions of openTRANS was considered to ensure a smooth migration. Additionally, compatibility with BMEcat, a standard for electronic product data exchange, was ensured for consistent and efficient data communication.

Overall, openTRANS offers companies the opportunity to optimize their procurement processes, reduce errors, and increase efficiency. By standardizing electronic data exchange, companies can respond more quickly to market changes and enhance their competitiveness.

Further Information

For more information and the full specifications, visit the official openTRANS website or consult the Wikipedia page on openTRANS. Additional information on data formats can be found here.

Smartstore openTRANS Plugin: Efficient Data Exchange for Companies

The openTRANS plugin from Smartstore offers a powerful solution for electronic data interchange (EDI) and enables seamless communication between Smartstore and external business partners. With this plugin, order, delivery, and invoice data can be transmitted in a standardized manner, allowing companies to optimize their digital business processes.

Seamless Integration into ERP Systems

Through direct connection to almost all common ERP systems, the openTRANS plugin significantly improves the efficiency of business processes. Manual data entries are reduced, errors minimized, and processing speed significantly increased.

Automation of Procurement and Sales

With the openTRANS plugin, companies can largely automate their procurement and sales processes. This leads to:

  • Faster order and delivery processes
  • Reduced administrative effort
  • Improved data quality

Flexibility and Scalability

By standardizing data exchange, integration with various business partners and systems is significantly facilitated. Companies benefit from higher flexibility and scalability, as the plugin can easily adapt to existing and future IT infrastructures.

Conclusion

The openTRANS plugin from Smartstore is the ideal solution for companies that want to optimize their electronic data interchange. It reduces manual processes, minimizes sources of error, and ensures efficient, automated handling of business transactions.

Do you have questions on this topic? Or would you like to send us your feedback? You can reach us via the contact form, by email at info@smartstore.com, or by phone from Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at +4923153350.