EDI an overview

Linda Sather Cheryl Kolbe

Oregon State University Consultant
Office of the Registrar

EDI an overview
What is EDI?
Why use it?
How does it work?
What does it take to implement?
How much ongoing support is
required?
Who in Oregon is using it?
Electronic Data
Interchange
EDI
Is the electronic transfer of
information between two
trading partners systems
using a set of transactions
that have been adopted as a
national or international
standard for the particular
business function.
Request
Transcript
Student
Information
System
Print
Transcript
U.S. Mail
Receive
Transcript
Re-key
Data
Recipients
Student
Information
System
The Transcript Trail
Request
Transcript
Student
Information
System
Print
Transcript
U.S. Mail
Receive
Transcript
Re-key
Data
Recipients
Student
Information
System
EDI
The Transcript Trail with
EDI
Why use it?
Oregon K-16 data transfer
system
College Admission &
Placement Profile
The College Admission and
Placement Profile (CAPP)
Electronically transfers traditional high
school transcript elements, state
assessment data, and other data
indicating student proficiency from
Oregon school districts to Oregon's
community colleges and the Oregon
University System campuses.

The College Admission and
Placement Profile (CAPP)
High school counselors/registrars can
electronically send data on an individual
student to many institutions for use in
college admission and/or placement.

K-16 Integrated Data Transfer System


OUS VMS Server
Program to transl ate
OSR to EDI Formatted
Fi l e
Batch Program to
Transmi t EDI
formatted fi le to UT
EDI server
University of Texas EDI Server
Post Secondary EDI
Client Machine
OUS IR Server
K-16 Data Report
Document
K-16 Data Reports
Via the Web
F
T
P

o
r

E
-
M
A
I
L
Secure Web Si te (https)
Secure FTP or
EMAIL
Secure
FTP
SPEEDE/ExPRESS
data processi ng
SCARF process to
create reports
OREGON
STUDENT
RECORD
OREGON
STUDENT
RECORD
OREGON
STUDENT
RECORD
K-12 Server
K-12 Server
K-12 Server
Secure FTP or
HTTPS
CC Data Reports
Via the Web
S
e
c
u
r
e

W
e
b

S
i
t
e

(
h
t
t
p
s
)
What it takes to use EDI
EDI server
Internet access
Translation & mapping software
Staffing
Registration
Encryption software
Your EDI Server
Install translation &
mapping software on
stand-alone machine or
on an existing server.
Old, spare pc works
great for EDI.Smart
Trusted Link software
requires Windows 95 or
better
Internet Access
Software
Buy it off the shelf
EDI.Smart
Partner Sungard SCT
Quick n Easy
Freeware
Receive & Print
Inovis Trusted Link
Partner Datatel
Mercator Integration
Broker
AXIOM
Write your own
Univ. of Maryland

Registration
Univ. of Texas
Austin
Internet EDI server
Free
1 e-mail
Receive reply with
username &
password
Security
Encryption software
Optional

Whats available
sftp to/from UT server
PGP
Freeware
RSA security
CryptoHeaven

Communications with
U.T.Austin
Other Universities,
Colleges & High Schools
U.T. Austin
Server
Your
FTP Server
Your
EDI
Server
EDI & Banner at OSU
Other Universities,
Colleges & High
Schools
U.T. Austin
Server
OSUs FTP
drop point
OSUs
EDI.Smart
Server
OSUs Banner
download Area
Banner SHREDIR
& SHREDIP
Processes
Banner SHREDIY
Process
OSUs
Banner System
EDI & Trusted Link at CCC
Other Universities,
Colleges & High
Schools
U.T. Austin
Server
CCCs FTP
drop point
CCCs
Trusted Link
Server
CCCs Datatel
download Area
Datatel EITP
Process
Datatel STRQ
Process
CCCs
Datatel System
Staffing
Installation & Mapping
Registrars office and Admissions office
Functional/Technical manager
IT
Systems Analyst/Programmer Analyst
Daily Operation
Office Specialist/Transcript Staff
Maintenance
Same as Installation & Mapping


Implementation Timeline
To be ready to test with a partner
2 3 months
Speed process by sharing information
between institutions
Testing with trading partners
Approx. 2 weeks each (in real world)
Develop good sample pack of transcripts

Testing Issues
Review all modifications to your transcript
print process
Known issues with your software
Process differences (paper vs. EDI)
Confidentiality/FERPA
Additional Test Cases
Two or more transfer institutions
Multiple degrees
Repeated courses
Student with Holds
Old courses, all grade codes
In-progress courses
Ungraded and graded in same term
*UO began receiving in July
EDI Transcripts in Oregon
by Sender 2004
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
LBCC OSU PCC
LBCC
OSU
PCC
PSU
UO*
EDI Transcripts in Oregon
Trades January April, 2005
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
EDI Transcripts in Oregon
Total transcripts traded in Oregon in 2004
is 11,118
Average = 927 per month
3 institutions are sending
5 institutions are receiving
At least 4 institutions are now in the
process of implementing EDI
Chemeketa CC, Clackamas CC, Lane CC,
Southern Oregon U.


EDI or XML
What is XML?
Characteristics of EDI
Characteristics of XML
Is EDI going away?
Extensible Markup
Language
XML
Is a dynamic trading
language that enables
applications to flexibly,
intelligently & cost efficiently
exchange information. XML-
based EDI is well suited to
use over the Internet.
Characteristics of EDI
Provides standardized rigid format
American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) EDI standards (X12)
Stability and uniformity
High level of security
Point-to-point integration
Exchanges large amounts of data with no
intervention



Characteristics of EDI
Requires dedicated EDI server
Minimizes file size in the exchange
Machine decipherable (difficult for a
person to read)
Focus on data and structure
Not web based
Many trading partners available

Characteristics of XML
Transacts over existing internet
Focus on syntax and graphics
Developed for graphic representations
A way to format & manipulate text
Very large file size
Less efficient transmission
A cousin to HTML
New, hot technology; easy to learn


Characteristics of XML
Approved Version 1.0.0 by the
Postsecondary Electronic Standards
Committee in April 2004
UT Austin Server supports PESC XML
standard
XML users cannot trade with EDI users
(crosswalk is being developed)
Man and machine decipherable (easy to
read by humans; not as secure)


Is EDI going away?

NO

There are benefits of both EDI and
XML. One significant factor in favor
of EDI is that our current trading
partners are using EDI.
Benefits of EDI
More Secure than paper
Cost savings
Acknowledgements from receiving
institution
Speed
Easy partner exchange each term
Automated transfer articulation
Small file size

Perspectives
Server issues
All technological systems need upgrades
Staff training
Interface with your student software
system
Move from SSN to generated ID
Web transcript requests
Who owns EDI processing?

EDI on the Web











AACRAO EDI in Education: general introduction to EDI
technology http://www.aacrao.org/speede/index.htm

Quick n Easy SPEEDE: includes the software, implementation
guide, and FAQs
http://www.utexas.edu/student/giac/speede/spaacrao/

Univ. of Texas-Austin EDI Server: includes registration how to, list
of participants, and FAQs
http://www.utexas.edu/student/giac/speede/ediserv.html

MIT Distribution Center: download the freeware version of PGP
6.5.8 http://web.mit.edu/network/pgp.html















Beginners Guide to PGP: step-by-step instructions for installing &
using PGP http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/pgp/

EDI.Smart Discussion List: listserv for Banner schools
listserv@sct.com

Conferences:
AACRAO Technology Conference (encompassing EDI and
XML) October 9 - 11 in Atlanta, GA
http://www.aacrao.org/tech05/index.htm
EDI on the Web (more)
Questions?
Linda Sather Cheryl Kolbe
linda.sather@oregonstate.edu kolbec@earthlink.net