Customizing EDI Schemas

By default, an EDI Schema is populated with every possible segment and element for the selected message. Each element's properties (such as minimum and maximum length, data type, etc.) default to the standard. Depending on your trading partner agreement, you may need to change these defaults.

If you do not need to change the defaults, your EDI Schema is finished once saved.

Changing default properties for segments

To view a segment's properties, under the Schema section, click on a segment and access the Properties view.

The Properties view has two tabs for a segment.

The Properties tab defines:

• Segment ID (Identifier)
• Segment Name
• Segment Description

The Reference tab defines:

• The segment's Reference Position
• Whether the segment is Optional or Mandatory, and its Lower Bound (minimum times it must appear).
• Whether the segment is Unbounded (an unbounded element can repeat an indefinite number of times) or has an Upper Bound (maximum times it can appear)

If a segment is optional, its Lower Bound defaults to 0. If it is mandatory, its lower bound defaults to 1. You can change the default.

Changing default properties for elements

To view an element's properties, under the Schema section, click on an element and access the Properties view.

The Properties view has four tabs for an element.

The Properties tab defines:

• Element ID (Identifier)
• Element Name
• Element Description
• Minimum Length - The fewest characters data in this element can contain
• Maximum Length - The most characters data in this element can contain
• Data Type - AN (AlphaNumeric string), N (Numeric), R (Decimal number), ID (Identifier), DT (Date), TM (Time), or B (Binary)

The Reference tab defines:

• The element's Position
• Whether the element is Optional or Mandatory, and its Lower Bound (minimum times it must appear).
• Whether the element is Unbounded (an unbounded element can repeat an indefinite number of times) or has an Upper Bound (maximum times it can appear)

If an element is optional, it's Lower Bound defaults to 0. If it it mandatory, its lower bound defaults to 1. You can change the default.

The Node Group tab is used to group repeating elements within a segment, and then use one rule per Node Group (instead of a rule for each element) in the Ruleset. For more information, see Creating Node Groups in EDI Schemas.

The Allowed Values tab contains:

• A list of codes that the element can contain, and the definition of that value

Adding allowed values to an element

• In the Schema table, click an element to select it.
• Access the Properties view, and then its Allowed Values tab.
• Click the Add button.
• Type the new code and its definition.

Deleting elements

Cleo recommends keeping all segments and elements in an EDI Schema. If there are elements you don't need to map, simply do not map them in the Ruleset.

Although you can select a segment and click the Remove button, it is not recommended. If you need to re-add the segment in the future, you would need to refresh every Ruleset that uses that Schema. If the number of possible elements is overwhelming in the Ruleset editor, just don't expand the segment node.

Note: If you accidentally delete a segment, select Edit > Undo or press Ctrl+Z to undo the deletion.

Viewing message details

The uppermost section of the EDI Schema editor is Message Details. You can view the Message ID, name, version, standards class (if applicable), industry group (if applicable), and group code here.

These fields are not editable.