Patent ID: 8108767

Claim:
A method for editing electronic data interchange (EDI) messages, including: retrieving from storage at least one EDI message instance and displaying the retrieved at least one EDI message instance in a first user interface portion, wherein the EDI message is displayed in a hierarchical tree structure; displaying at least one EDI schema corresponding to the at least one EDI message instance in a second user interface portion, the second user interface portion including at least three simultaneously viewable and discrete sections, the at least three discrete sections including: a first section displaying a hierarchical tree structure of the at least one EDI schema, wherein the nodes of the hierarchical tree structure of the at least one EDI schema correspond to the associated nodes of a hierarchical tree structure of the EDI message instance; a second section displaying information about the at least one EDI schema; and a third section displaying a tree structure defined by the EDI schema for the at least one EDI message; displaying in a third user interface portion an error and warning pane within which is displayed selectable errors and warnings; upon selecting a particular error or warning in the error and warning pane, causing a corresponding node within the hierarchical tree structure of the at least one EDI schema and a corresponding node within the hierarchical tree structure of the EDI message instance to be selected and highlighted; and after retrieving the at least one EDI message instance from storage, modifying (A) at least one EDI data element of the at least one EDI message instance; and (B) at least one EDI schema element of the at least one EDI schema.