Glossary of Terms

Term	Definition
Account	A value that you and your trading partner agree to use to represent a trading connection. You can have more than one location, and therefore more than one account with a trading partner.
Address	A bill-to, ship-to, or main location where mail is received.
ASN	Advance ship notice An electronic document (EDI 856) a supplier sends to inform the trading partner of a purchase order that is in route. It contains a list of items, shipping method, and carrier information.
Business process	A transaction type (for example, Purchase Order [EDI 850]). Also known as a document or doc type.
Buyers	Entities that create and manage purchase orders for GHX's supplier, provider, and distributor community, which verifies that the correct items are delivered at the correct time for the correct price.
Channel	GHX software solutions through which transactions are processed. Channels include the Exchange, MetaTrade, and TradingNet.
Connect Plus	A GHX appliance within the customer's network that is the connection point between on-premises (non-cloud) MMIS/ERP systems and GHX.
Contact	A person at an organization or facility who can be contacted by a partner.
Distributors	Suppliers that contract with a manufacturer to distribute or repackage original inventory for sale to buyers. Distributors may also manufacture and sell their own branded products.
DUNS	Data Universal Numbering System Dun and Bradstreet's copyrighted proprietary means of identifying business entities on a location-specific basis.
EDI	Electronic Data Interchange A standard method for electronically transmitting data between companies that drives automation and increases efficiencies. This standard is based on each transaction and data interchange.
Effective date	A future date that controls when changes will take effect (for example, when business process will be available). The default for integrated trading partners is the next business day. MetaTrade business processes are effective immediately.
EID	Exchange Identifier Also known as a GHX ID.
ERP	Enterprise resource planning A business management system trading partners use to manage all facets of their business, including planning, manufacturing, sales, and marketing.
Exchange, the	The GHX software solution that facilitates the flow of electronic transactions between trading partners.
Facility	A physical location, such as a hospital or medical center, which may have multiple shipping addresses associated to it. Each facility belongs to only one organization.
GLN	Global Location Number
IDN	Integrated Delivery Network Identifies a group of hospitals or providers with a common owner. In Registration Center, identifies the top facility level.
Integrated	Refers to trading partners that transact through GHX using EDI.
INV	Invoice An electronic document (EDI 810) for an itemized bill for goods and services sold by a supplier.
MetaTrade	A GHX software solution that lets buyers purchase goods electronically from suppliers who are not yet connected to the Exchange. MetaTrade converts EDI orders into a fax or email format and then automatically routes that fax or email order to the appropriate trading partner.
MMIS	Materials management information system A software application that tracks the movement of supplies and other goods and communicates with accounts payable (AP) functions, such as supply ordering, fulfillment, billing, and payment.
My Exchange	The dashboard and user interface of GHX’s core software solution (the Exchange).
Organization	A buyer or supplier entity that has one or more facilities.
PO	Purchase order An electronic document (EDI 850) the buyer sends to a supplier authorizing a specific transaction and the transaction terms. This document normally defines an item and its corresponding price, unit or measure, shipping details, and payment terms.
POA	Purchase order acknowledgement An electronic document (EDI 855) a supplier sends to its trading partner confirming that the supplier will fulfill a PO request or notifying the trading partner that the PO cannot be fulfilled as ordered.
Registration	The process of registering new organizations and accounts. Also known as boarding.
Suppliers	Organizations that provide goods and services to buyers.
Trading partners	Supplier and buyer (provider) organizations that have established a business agreement.
TradingNet	A GHX channel consolidation used to manage cycle transactions for partners who are not currently on the GHX Exchange.
WebConnect	A GHX software solution that allows small hospitals, laboratories, and other healthcare institutions without an MMIS to shop, submit orders, and check the status of orders from an Internet browser.