EDIFACT-CONFORMANCE-A

EDIFACT conformance A is conformance Level A to the EDIFACT ISO 9735 syntax — the minimum baseline used by all generic EDI products.

Definition

Level A mandates ISO 9735 v3 syntax with no extension: basic UNOA characters, no release character, fixed separators. It is the smallest common denominator guaranteeing interoperability between two generic EDI engines.

Origin

Defined in ISO 9735 since 1991. The A/B split became secondary with the rollout of v4 but still appears in MIGs.

Use

A GS1 EANCOM 2002 D.01B Level A MIG mandates UNOA (uppercase + digits + limited punctuation), no diacritics, standard separators +:'. A French supplier wanting to send a diacritic in NAD must transliterate or switch to Level B (UNOC).

Related terms

• EDIFACT — the parent standard.
• ISO 9735 — standard entry.
• Conformance B — higher level.
• Conformance level — general concept.