972-836-7750 Request a demo Talk to an expert
Talk to an expert Request a demo Call sales 972-836-7750

EDIFACT message guide · Finance

COMDIS Commercial dispute

The UN/EDIFACT message a buyer uses to notify a seller of a dispute against one or more invoices.

Sent by
Buyer
Received by
Seller
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT COMDIS message?

COMDIS is the UN/EDIFACT commercial dispute message. The directory describes a notice of commercial dispute against one or more invoices, usually raised by the buyer to tell the seller that something was wrong with the goods delivered or services rendered, such as damaged goods, an incomplete delivery or a late delivery. The dispute must be resolved before the related invoices can be paid.

Raising disputes as structured messages tells the seller exactly which invoices and lines are held and why, so credit notes or corrections can be issued quickly.

How the EDIFACT COMDIS message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT COMDIS Commercial dispute message. Buyer sends it to seller. It usually follows INVOIC. It is usually followed by INVOIC and REMADV. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message). 2 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT COMDIS message worksCommercial dispute: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSINVOICInvoiceCOMDISSENDERBuyerRECEIVERSellerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYINVOICInvoiceREMADVRemittance advice2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage COMDISUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 2 conditional groups, starting with:NADDOCBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for COMDIS. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT COMDIS message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT COMDIS Commercial dispute message. Buyer sends it to seller. It usually follows INVOIC. It is usually followed by INVOIC and REMADV. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message). 2 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT COMDISmessage worksCommercial dispute: who sends it, where it fitsand what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSINVOICInvoiceCOMDISSENDERBuyerRECEIVERSellerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYINVOICInvoiceREMADVRemittance advice2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message COMDIS (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 2 conditional groups, starting with:NADDOCBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for COMDIS.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends COMDIS, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around COMDIS and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Disputing invoices for damaged or missing goods
  • Holding invoices for late delivery or pricing errors
  • Notifying the reasons payment is withheld

Where it fits in the message flow

Usually follows INVOIC Invoice
This message COMDIS Commercial dispute
Usually followed by INVOIC InvoiceREMADV Remittance advice

Structure

Mandatory segments in COMDIS (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the COMDIS message has 20 segment positions arranged in 6 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • UNT

Practical example

COMDIS in practice

A builders' merchant receives an invoice for a delivery in which ten pallets of tiles were damaged. Its accounts payable system sends the supplier a COMDIS against the invoice line, with the damage reason and the quantity affected. The supplier issues a credit note through INVOIC, and the merchant pays the corrected amount with a remittance advice.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for COMDIS

  • Use dispute reason codes agreed with the seller.
  • Identify the disputed invoices and lines precisely.
  • Track each dispute until it is resolved and paid.
  • Link disputes to receiving advices that show the problem.

How ECOM helps

Automate COMDIS with ECOM

Solution

Financial Document Automation

Automate invoices, remittances, payment files and bank statements from capture to posting.

Solution

Procure-to-Pay Automation

Automate purchasing, receiving and supplier invoicing across EDI, portals and documents.

Industry

Wholesale Distribution

Customer orders, supplier purchasing, catalogs and drop-ship for distributors.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

Related finance messages

All 37 finance messages

Need help with COMDIS?

ECOM maps, tests and monitors EDIFACT messages for your trading partners and integrates them with your ERP.

Request a Demo Contact us