openTRANS is an open standard for the electronic data interchange (EDI) of business transactions
between trading companies. It was developed to support electronic 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 commercial companies under the leadership of
the Fraunhofer IAO in cooperation with the University of Duisburg-Essen. The aim was to standardize business documents such as shipping
notifications and invoices in order to enable electronic system-to-system communication. The current version 2.1 was published on October
2, 2009.
openTRANS specifies various business documents, including
- Request For Quotation (RFQ)
- Quotation
- Order (Order)
- Order change (OrderChange)
- Order confirmation (OrderResponse)
- Dispatch Notification (DispatchNotification)
- ReceiptAcknowledgement (ReceiptAcknowledgement)
- Invoice (Invoice)
- Invoice list (InvoiceList)
- Remittance advice (RemittanceAdvice)
These documents cover the entire procurement process and enable a seamless flow of information between the parties
involved.
A typical process flow with openTRANS could look like this:
- A buyer sends a request for quotation (RFQ) to potential suppliers.
- The suppliers respond with a quotation.
- The buyer places an order based on the selected quotation.
- The supplier confirms the order with an OrderResponse.
- Before dispatch, the supplier sends a DispatchNotification.
- After receipt of the goods, the buyer confirms receipt of the goods (ReceiptAcknowledgement).
- The supplier issues an invoice (Invoice).
- The buyer makes the payment and, if necessary, sends a RemittanceAdvice.
By using openTRANS, these steps are automated and standardized, which leads to more efficient and error-free
processing.
The structure of an openTRANS document is divided into three main areas:
- Header area: Contains general information about the document, such as details of the creator and recipient as well as general
framework conditions.
- Item area: Lists the specific items of the document, for example products in a quotation or delivery items in a shipping
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 business information.
Several enhancements have been introduced with version 2 of openTRANS, including:
- Extended document types: Additional business documents such as invoice list and payment advice have been added.
- Improved compatibility: Closer alignment with the BMEcat standard enables seamless integration of product catalogs and
transaction documents.
- Internationalization: The specifications have been translated into English to promote wider international acceptance.
These improvements help to establish openTRANS as a flexible and future-proof standard for electronic data exchange.
Backward compatibility with previous versions of openTRANS has been taken into account to ensure a smooth migration. In
addition, compatibility with BMEcat, a standard for electronic product data exchange, has been ensured to enable 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 react faster to market changes and increase their competitiveness.
For more information and the full specifications, visit the official openTRANS website or consult the Wikipedia page (german only) on openTRANS. Further information on data formats can be found here.
Smartstore openTRANS plugin: Efficient data exchange for companies
Smartstore's openTRANS plugin 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 transferred in a standardized way, allowing companies to optimize their digital business processes.
Seamless integration into ERP systems
Thanks to the direct connection to almost all common ERP systems, the openTRANS plugin significantly improves the efficiency of business processes. Manual data entry is reduced, errors are minimized and processing speed is significantly increased.
Automation of procurement and sales
With the openTRANS plug in, companies can largely automate their procurement and sales processes. This
leads to:
✔ Faster ordering and delivery processes
✔ Reduced administrative effort
✔ Improved data quality
Flexibility and scalability
The standardization of data exchange makes integration with various business partners and systems much easier. Companies benefit from greater flexibility and scalability, as the plugin can be easily adapted 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 exchange. It reduces manual processes, minimizes sources of error and ensures efficient, automated processing of business transactions.
If you have any further questions about the openTRANS plugin from Smartstore or would like to make an appointment for a live demo, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can reach us via the contact form, by e-mail at info@smartstore.com or by phone from Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at +4923153350.
Contact
E-mail: info@smartstore.com
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