In EDI, a cross-reference table maps data elements between two different EDI standards or between an EDI standard and a company's internal data format. It provides a translation between the data elements used in one format and those used in another.
Use cross-reference tables to convert the data you enter before it is sent to your partner and convert the data your partner sends before you receive it.
For example, if you use an internal format for purchase order that differs from the format used in EDI, a cross-reference table can be used to map the internal format data elements to their corresponding EDI data elements, allowing the purchase orders to be translated into the EDI format.
To handle these type of differences, set up a cross-reference record for each requirement type.