bots.botslib.InMessageError: [S50]: Line:1 pos:1 record:"ISA": message has an error in its structure; this record is not allowed here. Scanned in message definition until mandatory record: "ST".

[Perry Harden]

Hi Everyone,

I am upgrading the ERP of a client that has been using EDI for a long time. The old translation system they have been using is no longer supported or updated, and will not function on the new servers. 

On the recommendation of a third party, we installed Bots-EDI to replace the old system. We are running parallel to their old system while we test everything out. 

I have downloaded the various plugins for the x12 850 translations, and with each one, I am getting the same error, and this seems to happen prior to getting the mapping stage.  

We are going from x12 to fixed. 

I am a consultant by trade, but have done some minor programming in the past. I have worked sporadically in EDI, so I would classify myself as a beginner here. 

I have entered print() statements in the code to trace where we are getting to. 

With each of the plugins I have tried, here is what I end up with:

2025.07.30 10:46:53 INFO      [bots.engine] Connected to database.

2025.07.30 10:46:53 INFO      [bots.engine] Run "new".

2025.07.30 10:46:53 INFO      [bots.engine] Run active routes from database that are in default run: "['Test850']".

2025.07.30 10:46:53 START     [bots.engine] Running route: Test850 0

2025.07.30 10:46:53 START     [bots.engine] Start communication channel in: inbound_in_850 (file)

2025.07.30 10:46:53 DONE      [bots.engine] Finished communication channel in: inbound_in_850 (file)

***** In 850004010 Before Records *****

*** In Records004010 ***

***** In 850004010 After Records *****

*** In EnvelopeRecords ***

**In x12Syntax **

**** In x12 after imports ****

2025.07.30 10:46:54 ERROR     [bots.engine] Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "C:\Users\pahar\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python313\site-packages\bots\inmessage.py", line 74, in parse_edi_file

    ediobject.initfromfile()

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^

  File "C:\Users\pahar\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python313\site-packages\bots\inmessage.py", line 145, in initfromfile

    leftover = self._parse(structure_level=self.defmessage.structure, inode=self.root)

  File "C:\Users\pahar\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python313\site-packages\bots\inmessage.py", line 442, in _parse

    raise botslib.InMessageError(

    ...<14 lines>...

    )

bots.botslib.InMessageError: [S50]: Line:1 pos:1 record:"ISA": message has an error in its structure; this record is not allowed here. Scanned in message definition until mandatory record: "ST".

Thank you all,
Perry

[Wojciech Kazimierczak]

Hi Perry,

This mailing list is for Bots 3.2.0 (frozen), which is based on Python 2, but it seems you're using Python 3.13. See Bots versions on bots-edi.org and where to ask questions about each version.
Installation instructions for Bots 3.2.0: https://bots.readthedocs.io/en/3.2.0/

Best regards,
Wojciech