Re[2]: Trading Partner Logical Identification based on EDIFA

[Mark NOBLES <MNOBLES@lmi.org>]

The U.S. government  published a document which describes how it interacts with
its EDI trading partners.  That document specifies that DUNS and DUNS +4 are the
preferred identifiers, but provisions are made for use of alternate
identification schemes such as: SCAC (Standard Carrier Alpha Code),  IATA
(International Air Transport Association), UCC EDI Communications ID (Comm ID),
X.121 (CCITT), and Department of Defense (DoD) Activity Address Code.  Within
ANSI ASC X12, each of these identifying methodologies has a unique code to
identify the id type. 

 A business activity can have multiple identity codes using this approach (e.g.
a DUNS number, a SCAC, and a DoD Activity Address Code) and can use the
identifier that is desired by its trading partner.  Since multiple ids are
allowed, there is less likelihood of  power play by any particular registry.

If ebXML provides for a method to identify a registry type and the unique
corporate identifier within that registry, then companies will have the
flexibility they need to tailor their trading partner agreements.

Mark Nobles
LMI