EDIFACT message guide · Projects and construction
CONDRO Drawing organisation
The UN/EDIFACT message that describes the general organisation and structure for exchanging engineering and CAD files on a project.
- Sent by
- Project manager or lead designer
- Received by
- Project parties
- Standard
- UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
- X12 equivalent
- No direct equivalent
What is the EDIFACT CONDRO message?
CONDRO is the UN/EDIFACT drawing organisation message. The directory describes it as intended to describe the general organisation and structure of a project or environment, valid for the whole project, for the process of exchanging engineering or CAD files between the parties.
Before drawings are exchanged, parties need common rules: layers, naming and numbering conventions, file formats and responsibilities. CONDRO sets those rules once, and each subsequent exchange is documented with CONDRA. When the rules change during the project, a revised CONDRO tells every party at the same time.
How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends CONDRO, 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 CONDRO 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.
When it is used
- Agreeing CAD exchange rules at project start
- Defining drawing numbering and layer conventions
- Updating project-wide drawing standards
Where it fits in the message flow
Structure
Mandatory segments in CONDRO (directory D.21A)
In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the CONDRO message has 37 segment positions arranged in 8 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
- DTM
- SG1 (RFF)
- SG2 (NAD)
- UNT
Practical example
CONDRO in practice
At the start of a hospital project, the lead architect sends all design consultants and the contractor a CONDRO defining the drawing numbering scheme, the CAD layer structure, file formats and who is responsible for each discipline. All later drawing exchanges follow these rules.
Implementation
Implementation considerations for CONDRO
- Agree the organisation before any drawings are exchanged.
- Cover numbering, layers, formats and responsibilities.
- Communicate any changes to the rules to all parties.
- Align with building information modeling standards used on the project.
How ECOM helps
Automate CONDRO with ECOM
Industry
Industrial Manufacturing
Distributor, OEM customer and supplier integration for industrial manufacturers.
Solution
B2B Integration
Connect every customer, supplier, carrier and bank across EDI, API, file and portal channels.
Solution
Managed File Transfer
Design, migrate and operate secure, auditable file exchange across partners and systems.
Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.
Related messages
Related projects and construction messages
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