EDI & Data Pools
EDI and data pools in shoe retail: ECC, PRICAT, and more, clearly explained
Nine EDI message types, from PRICAT to REMADV, cover the data exchange between supplier, association, and retailer in shoe and fashion retail. DezemberHub fully supports this process and imports product master data via the industry standard ECC using EAN or supplier GLN, including images and purchase and retail prices. The most commonly used are PRICAT for product master data and ORDRSP for order confirmations.
- ECC connection incl. images & prices
- PRICAT & ORDRSP from the BTE Clearing-Center
- AI import for PDF order confirmations
- CSV, SFTP & other data sources
Last updated: July 17, 2026
What is EDI?
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the electronic exchange of structured business data between supplier, association, and retailer. In shoe and fashion retail, product master data flows through the ECC master data pool and business messages such as order confirmations through the BTE Clearing-Center.
ECC
Master data pool and industry standard in shoe retail: product data including images and prices, retrieved via EAN or supplier GLN.
BTE
Clearing center for EDI messages in textile and shoe retail, for example PRICAT (product master data) and ORDRSP (order confirmations).
Basics
What is EDI in shoe retail?
EDI replaces typing up catalogs, faxing orders, and manually transferring PDFs with standardized messages that an ERP system can process directly. In shoe and fashion retail, two hubs have become established for this: the ECC as the master data pool for product data and the BTE Clearing-Center for business messages such as orders, order confirmations, delivery notifications, and invoices.
This pays off especially in shoe retail: due to sizes, widths, and colors, a single model quickly consists of dozens of individual items. Anyone creating these variants by hand loses time and produces typos. Through the data pool, they arrive in the system fully maintained.
Supplier
Provides product data in the data pool and sends messages such as order confirmations and delivery notifications.
Data pool & clearing center
ECC and the BTE Clearing-Center standardize the data and relay it between suppliers and retailers.
ERP system
The retailer's ERP system processes the messages: items are created from the master data, and orders and goods receipts stay in sync.
The message types
Which EDI message types are there?
In textile and shoe retail, nine message types are common. They cover the complete journey of goods, from master data through ordering to payment.
Swipe to see all columns
| Message | Meaning | Typical direction |
|---|---|---|
| PRICAT | Product master data: item numbers, EANs, sizes, colors, and prices as a structured catalog. | Supplier to retailer |
| ORDERS | Order: the retailer orders items and quantities from the supplier. | Retailer to supplier |
| ORDRSP | Order confirmation: the response to the order with confirmed items, quantities, and dates. | Supplier to retailer |
| DESADV | Delivery notification (despatch advice): announces a delivery and its contents before the goods arrive. | Supplier to retailer |
| INVOIC | Invoice: the invoice data for the delivery in structured form. | Supplier to retailer |
| SLSRPT | Sales data report: reports sell-through figures to the supplier, for example for replenishment programs. | Retailer to supplier |
| INVRPT | Inventory report: reports current stock levels per item to the supplier. | Retailer to supplier |
| RECADV | Goods receipt notification: confirms to the supplier which goods actually arrived. | Retailer to supplier |
| REMADV | Remittance advice: announces a payment and assigns it to the invoices. | Retailer to supplier |
The message types follow the EDIFACT standard and are exchanged in textile and shoe retail via the BTE Clearing-Center.
How DezemberHub solves this
Which of these does DezemberHub cover?
DezemberHub is the ERP system with POS and AI assistant for shoe, fashion, and sports retail in the DACH region. For EDI and data pools, DezemberHub covers the central routes: master data from the ECC, PRICAT and ORDRSP from the BTE Clearing-Center, and several connections for everything that does not come through a data pool.
ECC master data
Product master data from the ECC via EAN or supplier GLN plus item number, including images and purchase and retail prices.
PRICAT & ORDRSP
The BTE Clearing-Center data formats PRICAT (product master data) and ORDRSP (order confirmations) are processed.
AI import from PDF
Order confirmations that only arrive as PDFs are read by an AI-powered import and transferred into the ERP system.
Other data sources
DezemberHub also connects other data sources and clearing centers without difficulty when needed, from external systems to additional industry pools.
CSV & SFTP
Suppliers without a data pool connection can also be connected via CSV files over SFTP.
All message types
ORDERS, DESADV, INVOIC, SLSRPT, INVRPT, RECADV, and REMADV are also supported. We personally support you in setting things up with your suppliers.
The process
How does the reorder work with data pools?
-
1
Review order suggestions
DezemberHub creates order suggestions (merchandise planning) per location and item. You review the suggestions and decide what gets ordered.
-
2
Order to the supplier
The reorder goes electronically to the supplier as an ORDERS message.
-
3
Order confirmation back into the system
The supplier's response arrives directly in the system as an ORDRSP via the BTE Clearing-Center. Order confirmations in PDF format are handled by the AI-powered import.
-
4
Post the goods receipt
You post the delivered goods against the order. Stock and open orders stay in sync.
Buying groups
Does DezemberHub work with buying groups?
Many shoe retailers are members of a buying group such as ANWR or SABU. For members, the interplay works seamlessly.
DezemberHub handles the ERP side: product master data from the data pool, order suggestions per location, processing of order confirmations, goods receipt, and per-branch reports.
Frequently asked questions about EDI and data pools
What is the ECC?
The ECC is the product master data pool in shoe retail and is considered the industry standard there. Suppliers provide their product data there, and retailers retrieve it via EAN or via supplier GLN plus item number, including images and purchase and retail prices. DezemberHub is connected to the ECC and transfers the data into the ERP system.
Does DezemberHub import product images and prices from the data pool?
Yes. Through the ECC connection, DezemberHub imports product master data including images and purchase and retail prices. Retrieval works via EAN or via supplier GLN plus item number. New items therefore do not have to be created by hand.
Does DezemberHub work for ANWR and SABU members?
Yes. For members of buying groups such as ANWR or SABU, the interplay works seamlessly. DezemberHub handles the ERP side: product master data from the data pool, order suggestions, goods receipt, and per-branch reports.
What is PRICAT?
PRICAT (Price/Sales Catalogue) is the EDI message type for product master data. A supplier uses it to transmit item numbers, EANs, sizes, colors, and prices in structured form to the retailer. In textile and shoe retail, the exchange runs through the BTE Clearing-Center. DezemberHub processes PRICAT data from the BTE Clearing-Center.
How do order confirmations get into the system?
In two ways. If the order confirmation arrives as an ORDRSP EDI message via the BTE Clearing-Center, DezemberHub processes it directly. If the supplier sends a PDF, an AI-powered import reads the order confirmation from the document. In both cases, the confirmed items and quantities are then available in the ERP system.
What if my supplier does not support EDI?
DezemberHub handles order confirmations even without EDI: the AI-powered import reads them directly from PDF documents. In addition, suppliers can be connected via CSV files over SFTP.
Related
DezemberHub ERP System
EDI is part of the ERP system: size and width matrix, branches, merchandise planning, and reports at a glance.
Switch software
From your current ERP system to DezemberHub: how the switch works, with data migration from your existing system.
E-invoice
Structured data for invoices too: what the e-invoicing mandate means for retail.
Master data from the pool instead of from the keyboard.
Test DezemberHub for free and see how product master data flows from the ECC into the system and order confirmations are processed automatically.
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