---
title: IEdiElement
summary: API reference for IEdiElement.
status: draft
owner: SAIF Doc Gen
last_reviewed: 2026-09-15
library: SAIF.Framework.Common.Files
reference_type: package
---

# IEdiElement

`IEdiElement` is the contract implemented (via `EdiElement`) by every parsed EDI element kind — segments, simple data elements, and composite data elements — establishing the shared shape of an ordinal position, raw text value, and element-kind classification.

## Purpose
- Declares the minimal common surface (`Index`, `Value`, `Type`) that `EdiSegment`, `EdiDataElement`, and `EdiCompositeDataElement` must all expose, enabling code to work generically across element kinds.

## Context
- Namespace: `SAIF.Common.Files.Edi`
- Assembly/package: `SAIF.Framework.Common.Files`

## Public members
| Member | Signature | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Index | `int Index { get; set; }` | The element's ordinal position within its parent. |
| Value | `string Value { get; set; }` | The raw text value of this element. |
| Type | `ElementType Type { get; }` | Identifies which concrete element kind this instance is (`Segment`, `DataElement`, or `CompositeDataElement`). |

## Sources
- Common\SAIF.Common.Files\Edi\IEdiElement.cs