13-Digit ISBN Overview for POS Providers
and Retailers with Custom EDI Translators

Pubnet has started to adopt the BISG changes and suggested roadmap, EDI Strategies for the Book Industry and the 13-Digit ISBN, for handling 13-Digit ISBNs via EDI. As such, POS providers and those retailers with custom EDI translators are required to have their systems accept, store, and transmit the 13-Digit ISBN no later than January 1, 2007.

To prepare for this conversion, Pubnet retailers will have the option to send either 10-Digit ISBN, 13-Digit ISBN and/or UCC/EAN-14 identifiers for book products they wish to order, starting January 1, 2005. As a best practice during the 2005-2007 transition to this conversion, Pubnet recommends all EDI documents include both a 10-Digit and 13-Digit ISBN.

Starting in August, retail EDI systems may begin testing this functionality with Pubnet Technical Support as needed. This approach to the conversion will allow trading partners to remain active with each other, no matter how far along each are in the transition process.

From a programming standpoint, the changes have been amended to the Pubnet Standards Documents under the Product/Service ID Qualifier element name. The changes are rather simple to implement and we urge all POS systems and custom retail solutions to integrate them as soon as possible to ensure proper receipt and delivery of Pubnet EDI orders moving forward.

Once the programming has been implemented for these changes, testing may be scheduled with the Pubnet Technical Support staff by emailing info@pubnet.org or calling 1-800-PUBNET-1.

Eventually, the 10-Digit ISBN will be discontinued and dropped from the Pubnet Standard. Until that time, Pubnet will keep an active list of where Pubnet vendors are in the transition to assist you gauging the community’s progress.

Questions or feedback about the transition process or new standards?
Call 1-800-782-6381 or email info@pubnet.org.