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    EDIFACT message guide · Communications

    QALITY Quality data

    The UN/EDIFACT message used to send results of tests performed to meet product or process requirements, with measurements and methods.

    Sent by
    Supplier, laboratory or producer
    Received by
    Customer or quality team
    Standard
    UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
    X12 equivalent
    863 Report of Test Results

    What is the EDIFACT QALITY message?

    QALITY is the UN/EDIFACT quality data message. The directory defines it as a message for transmitting the results of tests performed to satisfy a specified product or process requirement, including test data and measurements, statistical information and the testing methods employed.

    Customers in chemicals, steel, food and automotive manufacturing require quality data, such as certificates of analysis, with each lot. Receiving it as structured data lets the customer's quality system check values against specifications automatically and release or hold material on arrival.

    How the EDIFACT QALITY message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT QALITY Quality data message. Supplier, laboratory or producer sends it to customer or quality team. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and DTM (Date/time/period). 3 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT QALITY message worksQuality data: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeQALITYSENDERSupplier, laboratory orproducerRECEIVERCustomer or qualityteamCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage QALITYUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 3 conditional groups, starting with:RFFNADLINBlue 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 QALITY. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
    How the EDIFACT QALITY message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT QALITY Quality data message. Supplier, laboratory or producer sends it to customer or quality team. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and DTM (Date/time/period). 3 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT QALITYmessage worksQuality data: who sends it, where it fits andwhat the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeQALITYSENDERSupplier,laboratory orproducerRECEIVERCustomer orquality teamCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message QALITY (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageDTMDate/time/periodBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 3 conditional groups, starting with:RFFNADLINBlue 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 QALITY.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

    How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends QALITY, 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 QALITY 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

    • Sending certificates of analysis with each lot
    • Reporting inspection measurements
    • Sharing statistical process control data

    Where it fits in the message flow

    This message QALITY Quality data

    No other message routinely comes directly before or after QALITY; it is exchanged when the business event occurs. If the partners agree, the receiver confirms each interchange with a CONTRL syntax and service report.

    Structure

    Mandatory segments in QALITY (directory D.21A)

    In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the QALITY message has 100 to 104 segment positions arranged in 39 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. The two copies of the directory used for comparison list different numbers of segment positions for this message.

    • UNH
    • BGM
    • DTM
    • UNT

    Practical example

    QALITY in practice

    A steel mill supplies coils to an automotive stamping plant. For each coil it sends a QALITY message with the heat and coil numbers, chemical composition, tensile strength, yield strength and elongation, and the test methods. The plant's quality system compares the values with the material specification and releases conforming coils to production.

    Implementation

    Implementation considerations for QALITY

    • Agree test identifiers, units and specification limits.
    • Tie results to the lot or coil and the despatch advice.
    • Send results before or together with the goods.
    • Keep a readable certificate available for audits.

    How ECOM helps

    Automate QALITY with ECOM

    Industry

    Manufacturing

    Customer schedules, supplier connectivity and shipping integrated with the ERP for manufacturers.

    Industry

    Automotive

    Schedules, ship notices, labels, self-billing and multi-plant routing for automotive suppliers.

    Solution

    B2B Integration

    Connect every customer, supplier, carrier and bank across EDI, API, file and portal channels.

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

    Related messages

    Related communications messages

    All 8 communications messages

    From the guide to go-live

    Put this into practice with ECOM

    Reading about EDI is the first step. When you are ready to meet a trading partner's requirements, an ECOM specialist can help.

    Need help with QALITY?

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

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