Standardized ERP export format for invoices?

Question

Does anybody know if there is an open/standardized file format for exporting invoices from ERP systems? I am not even sure if that is possible, but I'd like to know nonetheless.

Except for the vague SAP/ERP export file format? item I couldn't find much useful information.

Is perhaps EDI supported for such things?

Answer 1

SAP uses its Idoc format to export business docouments. Idocs are essentially flat files, containing different segments with any number of fields. For invoices the standard idoc type is INVOIC01. To export a document as an Idoc you setup a message (the default invoice message is RD00) with output mode "EDI" and configure your SAP system to for instance save it on the file system (other options are available too, e.g. sending the Idoc to a RFC Server).

You can take a look at the Idoc definition using transaction WE60. You can also extend Idoc types, adding your own segments and fields to it.

as an addition: EDI is mostly used to send messages between business partners, for instance to send an invoice to the payer. Most ERP systems seem to be able to export documents so that an EDI system can create EDI messages from them, but they mostly don't support EDI messages themselves. They usually need that EDI mapping system as a translator between sender and receiver (actually 2 EDI systems, one operated by the sender, the other by the receiver).