What is EDI Testing?
What does EDI stand for? Electronic data interchange is one of the conventional electronic formats for exchanging documents between business partners. EDI service providers offer major benefits to businesses by lowering costs, improving speed, accuracy, and business performance. There are numerous EDI standards, including accredited standards committee X12(ASC X12), EDIFACT, HL7, RosettaNet, TRADACOMS, etc. These EDI standards describe formats, character sets, and data elements used for exchanging business documents.
Over 85% of all electronic business transactions occur using EDI service providers. It is an ideal procedure for exchanging business documents instantly and securely with anyone anywhere. Many high pass applications are readily available in the market for handling the challenges by EDI, such as Dell Boomi, which is one of the most famous platforms for automating the transactions between trading partners and suppliers.
One thing that is very common among all the platforms and tools is the validation and accuracy of data that is considered a key for strong project integration. Nevertheless, a manual procedure of file validation consists of verifying transmitted EDI records and storage, which is difficult and complex. Tests are required to be executed for comparing segments, elements, and sub-elements in files within the baseline file and the latest created file. Test drivers need to develop test automation tools for specifically testing EDI applications for enhanced productivity and effectiveness.
Business Requirements for EDI Tests
Business planning for leveraging available much matured IoT solutions requires very Swift integration between the back end systems. Implementation of EDI often includes a combined data set becoming a multi-layer hierarchy arrangement. Many upstream and downstream systems are integrated with various file formats used by the enterprise that may not be explained well by their partner systems. Valuable data transfer between the systems demands to meet the yielding and security guidelines.
The high volume of irregular, scattered, diverse data sources and types are included. While migrating the data from the legacy system to the modern design, there is a concern of losing historical, awesome, crucial data. Deploying workflow seamlessly without externally bringing down the system and validating each event is of absolute importance for the large and mediocre setup.
- Evolving IoT solutions:
- Multi-layer Transactions:
- Compliance and Security:
- Data Migration and Integrity:
- Seamless Integration and Orchestration of Data across application:
Automation of EDI Testing Services
Various tools are available for automation testing EDI files of multiple formats that provide file analysis, error identification, and documentation. Certain automation tools are used for testing EDI applications. Many of them are commercial tools that facilitate a user for addressing some of the validation needs of benefits of EDI in healthcare. Very few of them are developed for managing a few focused domain validations like healthcare requirements of EDI.
Factors that should be considered while choosing an automation framework for EDI-
These are the available tools in the market that claim to be fully-fledged idiot testing enablers, but none of them could address all the testing requirements. These points are very important to be considered while selecting an EDI automation framework: Most of the time, big and medium-sized Enterprise operations and construction project have their tool landscape. Adding a new tool may increase the complexities as it is more important to see if the device supports existing tools. For example, if tickets are based on JIRA, GIT is used for the code repository, then the testing tool must be compatible with existing devices.
How easy is the scripting or automation of test cases? Is it very complex and requires trained resources for that tool? As the agile methodology in Trend customers are now looking for development and operations procedure to go hand in hand. It is going to help in reducing the cost and achieve better ROI with more scattered production defects. It is a fundamental step for lowering the software advancement life cycle for all connected, intelligent systems securing the continuous delivery of high-quality software. Development and operation teams co-operate, build, test, deploy, and monitor applications with speed and efficiency in software delivery. DevOps concept has grown in existence for enhancing the agile methodology achievements.
1. Test Coverage
Spec validation
- Segment sequence
- Element count against each segment
- Length of the values
2. Data Validation
- Compare JSON or XML file generated with the EDI file
- Loop the elements across the structure and assertion
DevOps Process for EDI and Tools
DevOps plays a very influential role in any software project irrespective of construction, platform, or purpose. Common use cases in benefits of EDI in healthcare are purchasing to pay, invoicing, supply chain, or health care. Successful DevOps implementations usually depend on several tools that are a part of the development and operation life cycle. It is very necessary for the automation framework to integrated the DevOps tools available.
What kind of EDI are there?
Following are the types of EDI:
- EDI via VAN: VANs or the VA networks are the personal networks where the partners share electronic business papers. It helps the operator to control the web and to send and receive EDI documents in mailboxes.
- Mobile EDI: The EDI users have accessed and exchanged EDI service providers business documentation via conventional methods through the EDI tests via VAN or the Internet. The use of Mobile EDI is restricted due to security issues and limitations on mobile devices.
- EDI via AS2: AS2 is considered a protocol for internet communication. It allows the secure sharing of data on the internet.
- Web EDI: EDI uses a normal internet browser of this form. Web EDI helps to make EDI open to all businesses with no need for a service.
- Direct EDI: A single link between two business partners is formed in this form. Direct EDI is also called point-to-point EDI and is often used in businesses interested in day-to-day transactions.
Conclusion
These problems must be acknowledged and solved with EDI service providers. Today, very few firms have the maximum capacity to successfully test EDI-based technologies and help businesses achieve a strategic advantage on the market.
Also Read: 6 EDI Testing Challenges
