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File Naming Conventions — How to Configure and Customize EDI File Names

How do I configure custom file naming patterns for EDI files sent via AS2 or SFTP?

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Written by Ashwath Kirthyvasan
Updated over 2 months ago

Audience: EDI developers, B2B integration teams, system administrators

When Orderful sends EDI transactions to your trading partners, it uses configurable file naming conventions. This article covers how to view, modify, and customize file naming patterns for different communication channels, and how to resolve common file naming issues like spaces in names or missing partner identifiers.

AS2 — Default Naming Convention

For AS2 connections, Orderful uses a fixed naming convention that cannot be modified:

<SENDER_ISA_ID>_<RECEIVER_ISA_ID>_<TRANSACTION_TYPE>_<RESOURCE_ID>.edi

For example: SENDER_RECEIVER_856_574049198.edi

The <RESOURCE_ID> will be either the transaction ID or the acknowledgment ID depending on the document being delivered.

This convention is not configurable for AS2. In most cases, trading partners using AS2 don't rely on file names to route transactions in their systems — and when they do, this pattern is unique and contains the key metadata needed for identification.

FTP and SFTP — Configurable File Naming

For FTP and SFTP connections — both Orderful-hosted and self-hosted — the file naming pattern is fully configurable. You can use any combination of the available variables and hard-coded text, and choose any file extension.

To configure the naming pattern:

  1. Go to Communication Channels in Orderful

  2. Select your FTP or SFTP communication channel

  3. Click Edit on the channel configuration

  4. Specify your custom file naming pattern under Upload Requirement for Self-hosted FTP/SFTP and Advanced Settings for Orderful-hosted SFTP

  5. Save the changes

Available Variables

Variable

Description

Notes

<SENDER_ISA_ID>

Sender's ISA identification from the EDI header

<RECEIVER_ISA_ID>

Receiver's ISA identification from the EDI header

<TRANSACTION_TYPE>

EDI document type

e.g. 850, 856, 810, 214

<RESOURCE_ID>

Transaction ID or acknowledgment ID

<RESOURCE_CREATED_AT>

Timestamp when the resource was created, precise to seconds

<DELIVERY_ID>

Unique delivery identifier

Required when using Orderful-hosted FTP/SFTP

Note on <DELIVERY_ID>: This variable is required for Orderful-hosted channels to guarantee uniqueness across deliveries. It is optional for self-hosted channels.

Note on <RESOURCE_CREATED_AT>: If multiple files are created within the same second, they will share an identical timestamp. Include <RESOURCE_ID> or <DELIVERY_ID> alongside it to ensure file names remain unique.

Common Naming Patterns

Most customers use patterns that include enough metadata for their downstream systems to identify the file without needing to open it. Here are patterns commonly used:

  • Standard — mirrors the AS2 default:

<SENDER_ISA_ID>_<RECEIVER_ISA_ID>_<TRANSACTION_TYPE>_<RESOURCE_ID>.edi

  • Transaction type first — useful when downstream systems filter by file name prefix:

<TRANSACTION_TYPE>_<SENDER_ISA_ID>_<RECEIVER_ISA_ID>_<RESOURCE_ID>.edi

  • Timestamp-based — useful when trading partners need to process files chronologically:

<RESOURCE_CREATED_AT>_<TRANSACTION_TYPE>_<RESOURCE_ID>.edi

  • Minimal — just the delivery and resource ID:

<DELIVERY_ID>_<RESOURCE_ID>.edi

  • Custom extension:

<SENDER_ISA_ID>_<RECEIVER_ISA_ID>_<TRANSACTION_TYPE>_<RESOURCE_ID>.x12

  • Hard-coded prefix with variables — useful when a trading partner expects a specific prefix:

EDI_<TRANSACTION_TYPE>_<RESOURCE_ID>.edi

What to Send Orderful Support

If you need help configuring your file naming pattern, contact [email protected] with:

  • Communication channel type (FTP, SFTP self-hosted, or Orderful-hosted)

  • Trading partner name and ISA IDs

  • Desired naming pattern using the variables listed above

  • File extension required by your trading partner

  • Whether the pattern should apply to multiple transaction types

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different naming patterns for different trading partners?

Yes. File naming is configured per communication channel. Each channel can have its own pattern.

Can I use a mix of hard-coded text and variables?

Yes. For example, EDI_<TRANSACTION_TYPE>_<RESOURCE_ID>.edi combines a hard-coded prefix with variables. Any text outside of a variable placeholder is treated as a literal string.

What file extensions are supported?

Any extension is supported for FTP and SFTP channels. Common choices are .edi, .x12, and .txt. The extension is part of the naming pattern and can be set to whatever your trading partner requires.

Can I change the naming pattern for AS2?

No. AS2 file naming uses a fixed convention that cannot be modified.

What happens if two files have the same name?

This can occur if your pattern doesn't include a sufficiently unique variable. Including <RESOURCE_ID> or <DELIVERY_ID> ensures uniqueness. If using <RESOURCE_CREATED_AT> alone, files created within the same second will collide.

Can I change the naming pattern retroactively for files already sent?

No. The naming pattern only applies to files delivered after the configuration change.

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