edi programmer Interview Questions and Answers

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100 EDI Programmer Interview Questions and Answers

  1. What is EDI?

    • Answer: EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange. It's the electronic exchange of business documents in a standardized format between trading partners. This eliminates the need for paper-based documents like purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notices.

  2. Explain different EDI transaction sets.

    • Answer: Common transaction sets include 850 (Purchase Order), 856 (Shipping Notice/Manifest), 810 (Invoice), 997 (Functional Acknowledgement), and 204 (Purchase Order Change Request). Each set has specific data elements defined by standards like ANSI X12, EDIFACT, or TRADACOMS.

  3. What are the benefits of using EDI?

    • Answer: Benefits include reduced costs (paper, postage, manual data entry), increased efficiency (faster processing), improved accuracy (less human error), enhanced visibility (real-time tracking of orders and shipments), and better collaboration with trading partners.

  4. What are the different EDI communication methods?

    • Answer: Common methods include AS2 (Applicability Statement 2), FTP (File Transfer Protocol), VAN (Value-Added Network), and SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol). Each has its advantages and disadvantages regarding security and cost.

  5. Explain the concept of a Value-Added Network (VAN).

    • Answer: A VAN is a third-party service provider that acts as an intermediary between trading partners. They provide secure and reliable EDI message exchange, translation, and management services.

  6. What is an ANSI X12 standard?

    • Answer: ANSI X12 is a widely used standard for EDI in North America. It defines the structure and data elements of various EDI transaction sets.

  7. What is EDIFACT?

    • Answer: EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport) is an international standard for EDI, used more widely in Europe and other parts of the world.

  8. What is a Functional Acknowledgement (997)?

    • Answer: A 997 is an EDI message that confirms the successful receipt and processing of another EDI transaction. It provides details about the receiving system's ability to interpret and process the received data.

  9. What is a map in EDI?

    • Answer: An EDI map is a set of rules and instructions that defines how data is translated between a company's internal system and the EDI format (e.g., ANSI X12 or EDIFACT).

  10. How do you handle EDI errors?

    • Answer: Error handling involves analyzing error messages (often included in 997s or error reports), identifying the source of the error (e.g., data mapping, data validation), and correcting the data or the map to resolve the issue. This might involve debugging the EDI translator or working with the trading partner to resolve discrepancies.

  11. What are some common EDI security concerns?

    • Answer: Security concerns include unauthorized access to EDI data, data integrity issues (alteration of messages), and denial-of-service attacks. Secure communication protocols (AS2, SFTP) and encryption are essential for addressing these concerns.

  12. Explain the importance of data validation in EDI.

    • Answer: Data validation ensures that the data included in EDI messages is accurate and complete before it's sent. This helps prevent errors and ensures that trading partners receive and process valid data.

  13. What programming languages are commonly used in EDI development?

    • Answer: Languages like Java, C#, Python, and others are commonly used. The choice often depends on the specific EDI solution and the company's existing infrastructure.

  14. Describe your experience with EDI mapping tools.

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe their experience with specific tools like IBM Sterling Integrator, Informatica, or other mapping tools, highlighting their skills in creating and maintaining EDI maps.]

  15. How do you troubleshoot EDI connectivity issues?

    • Answer: Troubleshooting involves checking network connectivity, verifying firewall settings, ensuring correct communication protocols are used, analyzing error logs from the EDI translator and communication software, and contacting network administrators or trading partners as needed.

  16. What is the role of an EDI translator?

    • Answer: An EDI translator converts data between the company's internal format and the EDI standard (and vice-versa). It applies the mapping rules to transform data appropriately.

  17. Explain the difference between synchronous and asynchronous EDI communication.

    • Answer: Synchronous communication requires a real-time response, like a direct interaction. Asynchronous communication allows for sending and receiving messages without immediate interaction; messages are processed and delivered later.

  18. How do you handle different character sets in EDI?

    • Answer: EDI uses various character sets (e.g., ASCII, EBCDIC). The translator must correctly handle these to ensure data is interpreted properly. Character set conversions might be needed during the translation process.

  19. What are some common challenges in EDI implementation?

    • Answer: Challenges include mapping complexity, data validation issues, integration with existing systems, security considerations, and managing communication with multiple trading partners.

  20. How do you ensure data integrity in EDI transactions?

    • Answer: Data integrity is ensured through checksums, error checks, and secure communication protocols (preventing unauthorized modification). Using appropriate data validation techniques in mapping and transaction processing is also crucial.

  21. Describe your experience with different EDI software packages.

    • Answer: [Candidate should list and describe their experience with specific EDI software packages. This could include specific features used and their level of proficiency.]

  22. Explain your understanding of EDI compliance.

    • Answer: EDI compliance refers to adherence to specific EDI standards and regulations (e.g., HIPAA for healthcare, specific industry regulations). This ensures that data is exchanged in a format acceptable to all trading partners and regulatory bodies.

  23. What is your approach to testing EDI integrations?

    • Answer: Testing should involve unit tests (individual components), integration tests (interaction between components), and end-to-end tests (complete flow from one system to another). Test data should cover various scenarios, including edge cases and error conditions.

  24. How do you document your EDI work?

    • Answer: Documentation should include technical specifications, mapping diagrams, data flows, error handling procedures, and any relevant configuration details. This ensures maintainability and understanding by others.

  25. Explain your experience with database technologies relevant to EDI.

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe their experience with database technologies such as SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, or others, and how they've used them in EDI-related projects. Mentioning specific database interactions like querying, updating, and storing EDI data is important.]

  26. How familiar are you with different EDI document formats (e.g., XML, JSON)?

    • Answer: [Candidate should explain their understanding of these formats and how they relate to EDI, possibly mentioning their experience with converting between formats.]

  27. How do you handle changes in EDI standards or trading partner requirements?

    • Answer: This involves analyzing the changes, updating the maps and translation rules, testing the changes thoroughly, and coordinating with trading partners to ensure a smooth transition.

  28. What is your experience with performance tuning EDI processes?

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe their experience with optimizing EDI processes, such as improving mapping efficiency, optimizing database queries, or improving communication protocols for faster message exchange.]

  29. How do you stay current with the latest EDI technologies and standards?

    • Answer: I stay current by [mention specific resources like industry publications, conferences, online courses, professional organizations, etc.]

  30. Describe a challenging EDI project you worked on and how you overcame the challenges.

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe a specific project, highlighting the challenges faced and the steps taken to overcome them. This showcases problem-solving skills and experience.]

  31. What is your understanding of different EDI control numbers?

    • Answer: Control numbers are used to track and identify EDI documents uniquely. This helps to prevent duplicates and maintain data integrity. Different transaction sets may use different control number fields.

  32. Explain your experience with scripting or automation in EDI processing.

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe their experience with scripting languages like PowerShell, Python, or bash to automate tasks such as file transfer, error handling, or monitoring EDI processes.]

  33. How do you handle situations where EDI data is not formatted correctly?

    • Answer: This involves analyzing the incorrect data, identifying the cause of the formatting issue, correcting the data (if possible), or rejecting the data and notifying the trading partner about the problem. Error handling and logging are crucial here.

  34. What are your salary expectations?

    • Answer: [Candidate should provide a salary range based on their experience and research of market rates.]

  35. Why are you interested in this position?

    • Answer: [Candidate should explain their interest in the specific role and company, highlighting relevant skills and experience.]

  36. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

    • Answer: [Candidate should provide a thoughtful and honest answer, highlighting relevant strengths and addressing weaknesses constructively.]

  37. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

    • Answer: [Candidate should articulate career aspirations, showing ambition and a long-term vision.]

  38. Tell me about a time you failed.

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe a failure, focusing on what they learned from it and how they improved.]

  39. Tell me about a time you had to work under pressure.

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe a situation where they worked under pressure, highlighting their ability to handle stress and deliver results.]

  40. Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult team member.

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe a challenging teamwork experience, emphasizing their ability to navigate interpersonal conflicts and maintain productivity.]

  41. Describe your problem-solving skills.

    • Answer: [Candidate should provide specific examples demonstrating their ability to define problems, analyze information, develop solutions, and test outcomes.]

  42. How do you handle conflicting priorities?

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe their approach to prioritizing tasks, considering urgency and importance.]

  43. What is your experience with Agile methodologies?

    • Answer: [Candidate should describe their experience with Agile principles and practices, such as Scrum or Kanban.]

  44. What are your preferred tools and technologies for EDI development?

    • Answer: [Candidate should list their preferred tools and justify their choices based on experience and suitability for EDI tasks.]

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