The Standard Exchange Format (SEF) File

The Standard Exchange Format (SEF) is an  open-standard, computer readable, text format used for defining EDI document structures, and conventions.  Basically, SEF files are  used to convey the EDI implementation guidelines of trading partners.

The purpose of SEF is to standardize the format of EDI implementation guidelines, so that EDI applications can directly import and read SEF files to obtain the rules and instructions contained in them for constructing, translating and validating EDI documents. 

The advantages of SEF over other file formats (e.g. pdf, doc, htm or paper) are:

• It is an open standard, which allows you to create your own SEF files and distribute them without any permission or having to pay any royalty fees.
• SEF files are immediately useable by computers
• SEF files are small electronic files that can be transmitted easily
• SEF files can be edited by a text editor, and read by a SEF reader