VDA (Verband der Automobilindustrie) - Document Structure

The VDA (Verband der Automobilindustrie) standard is widely used in the German automotive industry for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). It is a structured data format used to facilitate communication between automotive manufacturers and their suppliers, enabling them to exchange business documents such as delivery schedules, purchase orders, and shipping instructions.

VDA messages differ from other standards like EDIFACT and ANSI X12 as they are flat-file formats, without the complex hierarchical structure seen in those other EDI formats. The VDA standard has multiple document types, each identified by a unique number.

1. Basic Structure of VDA Messages

Each VDA message consists of multiple lines of fixed-length data, with each line representing a record. The record type defines the content, and records have a predefined format with fixed positions for each data element.

VDA messages don't use delimiters like other EDI standards but rely on the fixed-length fields. The position and length of each field are pre-determined, making it necessary to follow the structure precisely.

2. Message Types

VDA documents are categorized by their message type, and each message type is identified by a specific VDA number. Common VDA messages include:

• VDA 4905: Delivery Schedule.
• VDA 4913: Despatch Advice (Shipping Instruction).
• VDA 4908: Invoice.

Each VDA message type is designed for a specific business transaction.

3. Structure Overview

A typical VDA message is composed of the following key elements:

• Header Record: Contains general information about the message, such as sender, receiver, and message date.
• Data Records: Contains the main content of the message (e.g., items, quantities, delivery dates).
• Footer Record: Contains summary information, such as total quantities or number of line items.

Each line or record type in a VDA message has a specific function, and the fields within each record type are fixed in both length and format.

3.1 Header Record

The first line of a VDA message is the header record. It provides general information about the message, such as the document type, sender, and recipient.

Example for VDA 4905 (Delivery Schedule Header):

0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
00123456ABC1234567890DEFGH00011234567890123051420240815

• 001: Record type (Header record).
• 23456: Message reference number.
• ABC1234567890: Supplier number.
• DEFGH: Customer number.
• 0001: Version number.
• 20240815: Creation date (in the format YYYYMMDD).

3.2 Data Records

Data records contain the detailed content of the message, such as line items, quantities, and dates. Each VDA message type has its own specific structure for data records, which corresponds to the type of transaction.

Example for VDA 4905 (Delivery Schedule Data Record):

0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
02200345PART00100000500000000000000000451000020240815

• 022: Record type (Data record).
• 00345: Line item number.
• PART001: Part number or material number.
• 000005: Quantity ordered.
• 00000000000451: Cumulative quantity (i.e., total quantity shipped so far).
• 20240815: Delivery date.

3.3 Footer Record

The footer record concludes the message and contains control information such as total quantities, number of line items, and checksums to verify the integrity of the data.

Example for VDA 4905 (Delivery Schedule Footer):

0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
88800001+0000050000000000451

• 888: Record type (Footer record).
• 00001: Total number of line items.
• +0000050000000000451: Summary of total quantity ordered and cumulative quantity.

4. Example of a Full VDA 4905 Delivery Schedule Message

A complete VDA 4905 delivery schedule might look like the following:

Header Record:

00123456ABC1234567890DEFGH00011234567890123051420240815

Data Records:

02200345PART00100000500000000000000000451000020240815
02200346PART00200001000000000000000000452000020240816

Footer Record:

88800002+0000150000000000451

5. VDA Message Examples

Below are some examples of common VDA message types and their structures:

5.1 VDA 4905 - Delivery Schedule

Used to communicate delivery schedules from customers to suppliers.

• Header Record: Contains message reference, supplier, and customer details.
• Data Record: Contains part numbers, delivery dates, and quantities.
• Footer Record: Contains summary information, such as total quantities.

5.2 VDA 4913 - Despatch Advice

Used to inform the recipient of a shipment.

• Header Record: Contains shipment details, such as reference numbers and dates.
• Data Record: Contains information on shipped items, including part numbers and quantities.
• Footer Record: Contains control information, such as total shipped quantities.

5.3 VDA 4908 - Invoice

Used for invoicing customers.

• Header Record: Contains invoice number, supplier, and customer information.
• Data Record: Contains details of items invoiced, such as part numbers and prices.
• Footer Record: Contains summary information, such as total amounts and taxes.

6. Key Points of the VDA Standard

• Fixed-Length Records: VDA messages are composed of fixed-length records. Each field in a record has a specific position and length, so there are no delimiters.
• Flat Structure: Unlike EDIFACT or ANSI X12, VDA messages are not hierarchical. Each message is essentially a flat list of records.
• Automotive Focus: The VDA standard is tailored to the automotive industry and is primarily used for logistics, ordering, and shipping transactions between manufacturers and suppliers.