Mapping involves creating rules which dictate how pieces of information from a company database are inserted into (and extracted from) an EDI message. Mapping is also used to translate EDI messages in one standard to another format (e.g. that used by a partner). Successful mapping requires technical expertise and comprehensive testing to ensure that EDI connections will be successful once made live.

As the name implies, master data is data that is central to business operations. Crucially, master data is not the same as transaction data, which changes regularly and has only limited significance. Master data is highly static data that is rarely updated and usually has long-term validity. While different industries and individual companies may treat different data elements as master data, common examples of master data elements include basic information such as the name of a supplier/customer or a product's ID number. If master data is not kept clean the consequences can be costly and difficult to fix.

A Message Disposition Notification (MDN) is used in AS2 EDI exchanges to confirm the receipt of a message and to ensure the non-repudiation of the process. It is a digital confirmation of receipt that is provided with a digital signature and is sent back to the sender by the recipient. This confirmation enables the sender to know that the message has been successfully delivered and verifies the integrity and authenticity of the transmitted data. The use of MDNs increases the reliability and security of EDI transactions as they ensure that messages have not only been successfully transmitted, but also received unchanged and by authorised parties.

The Message Integrity Check (MIC) is a procedure that is linked to the MDN (Message Disposition Notification) and ensures the integrity of the message content. A check value is calculated via the payload of the message using a secure hash function. The receiver also calculates the MIC value via the received payload and sends this back to the sender together with the MDN. If the MIC value sent back matches the originally calculated MIC value, the payload is considered unchanged and intact.

A Message Implementation Guideline (MIG) is a document that contains specific instructions and standards for the implementation and use of a particular technology, system or process. In relation to electronic data interchange (EDI), for example, a MIG can define the structure and format of EDI messages to ensure that the exchange of data between different systems runs smoothly. The MIG may also contain technical requirements, business rules and other relevant information necessary for the successful implementation and utilisation of the technology or system.

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) is an extension of the original Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP), which enables the transmission of text messages. MIME extends the functionality of SMTP by supporting various types of multimedia content such as audio, video, images and application programmes. These are encoded in the e- mail message to ensure reliable transmission over the Internet. MIME allows emails to contain not only text, but also complex data structures and file formats, making communication over the Internet more diverse and flexible.

A modem (short for modulator-demodulator) is a hardware device that converts data into a format suitable for transmission from one computer to another. Modems are essential for connecting to the internet, enabling computers to send and receive data over telephone lines, cable systems and satellite connections.