Many more trading partners in the auto industry will be able to enjoy the benefits of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) with the development of a new low-cost and simplified Web-based EDI recommendation, named ‘E-Forms’. Developed by Odette, it is the result of sixteen months of European co-operation.

"E-Forms" was eagerly awaited by many users and there was also a strong interest among the software industry and marketplaces that want to offer a formally approved Odette standard to meet their business needs.

The aim of this project was to develop specifications for web-EDI solutions which can be produced by validated software companies and to be used by:

• Companies using “classical” EDI with their non-EDI small suppliers for production parts;
• Large EDI suppliers with their non-EDI customers for finished goods;
• All companies for non-production parts and/or services.”

The objectives of the Project were to:

• Define the needs on the whole supply chain;
• Develop, publish & promote usable global e-Forms solutions based on international EDI standards for production and non-production suppliers;
• Guarantee conformity of the e-Forms to the Odette EDIFACT standards;
• Guarantee the layout, the functionality and the homogeneity of e-Forms for the Automotive Industry.