EDI Testing Processes from EDI Phase I to Phase III

1. EDI Testing Processes from EDI Phase I to Phase III EDI Testing and Certification are defined as the latest trend in quality assessment of enterprise software. The EDI standards, EDIFACT, are now widely accepted as the de facto standard for EDI certification and testing in the global market. EDI is an extensible standard format for exchanging information on financial transactions over the Internet. The EDI standard provides many major advantages to enterprises both by reducing costs, enhancing the speed, accuracy, and productivity. To meet these benefits, the EDI standard needs to be evaluated by a set of test engineers who have been trained in implementing and verifying its applications. The test engineers verify that the EDI application contains valid claims and are able to provide expected results for every use of the data set. They also check the performance of the application by testing it under various scenarios and conditions to identify the conditions that lead to unexpected results or false alarms. This way the claims of the software are verified to be correct and meet the requirements and the expectations of the software system and/or network. The EDI Testing professionals are primarily responsible for ensuring that the data set contains valid claims, are consistent with the specifications and are able to provide expected results for every scenario and condition. Before testing begins, the team prepares a comprehensive test file, which they refer to as a Test Scenario file. This file basically demonstrates a typical scenario that may occur when a certain piece of EDI software is used. The test file thus contains a list of all test cases, their respective conditions and results, and the code that has been used to generate the test case. Once the scenario testing process is complete, the testers check the test file for validity. In order to do this, they verify the application code, examine the test results, and confirm the type of testing that was used to generate the results. Based on these results, corrections are made and the file is again reviewed for its validity. The testing process thus involves more than just validating the

2. technical data provided by the suppliers; it also involves validating the business transaction data that is passed onto the suppliers and trading partners. The testing process thus involves more than just passing the test file on to the testers and trading partners. It also involves validating the business data passed onto the third parties, such as the suppliers. This includes verifying the identity of the person who submits the test file, verification of the business details contained in the test data, and confirmation that the test data conforms to the specifications stipulated by the manufacturers and suppliers. The testers and other personnel involved in the testing process use EDI Testing software to compare the test results with the requirements and specifications specified by the organizations. From the EDI Testing phase III the manufacturers are informed of the successful test result and pass the production and delivery phases. At this stage, changes to the design are initiated and production continues with the aim of generating maximum savings and maximizing profitability. There is also an evaluation of the efficiency of the new design in reducing costs. The goal of this phase is to derive as much efficiency as possible and thus improve the company's bottom line.