"A 'GEDI Profile' is the key to which processes you want to activate"
In the 'GEDI Profile' page view in Business Central you will find 'GEDI Profiles'. A 'GEDI Profile' is the key to which processes you want to activate in the Standard App, and what exact GEDI configurations will be used.
A 'GEDI Profile' often refers to a 'CIP Connection', but not always. The 'CIP Connection' can be used for a "1 to 1 connection" for example between the Business Central company and one specific customer. Or it can be a "1 to many connection" to a Value Added Network (VAN) where the Business Central company reach multiple recipients/senders. 'GEDI Profiles' used only for Standard App internal functions don't need a 'CIP Connection'. Sometimes a 'GEDI profile' both use a 'CIP connection' and Standard App internal functions.
Parties such as customers or vendors, that the Business Central company is going to integrate with, needs to have a 'GEDI Profile' set in the card details. That 'GEDI Profile' will then be inherited down to each transaction related to that party, for example orders and invoices.
Sometimes within the same 'CIP Connections', there are different variations that is needed to support different scenarios. In this case multiple 'GEDI Profiles' can be configured against the same 'CIP Connection', but they will have different 'GEDI Message Setups'. For example when you have more than one method of delivering invoices or if the EDI-Invoices needs a variation in the content depending on the recipients. One of the most common scenario is the need of different banking details for different recipients within the same VAN 'CIP Connection'.
'GEDI Profiles' can be divided into some different concepts;
CIP Connection Profiles: Profiles with a 'CIP Connection' allows the CIP to read and write 'GEDI Messages' to that 'GEDI Profile'. This is the standard scenario for EDI.
Internal profiles: Profiles without a 'CIP connection' can be used for Business Central internal functions.
For example, a PDF Invoice 'GEDI Profile' automates standard Business Central e-mail sending with PDF. In this case there is no need to integrate with the CIP.
CIP Generic profile: The 'GEDI Profile' 'INTERNAL' is a default profile to be used with the CIP for integrating general functions. The 'CIP Connection' ID for this profile is always 'GEDI-INTERNAL'. The 'GEDI Profile' 'INTERNAL' is for example used when downloading 'GEDI Setups' from the CIP.