Traditional Roadblocks to EDI
Price - At one point EDI was only for the large companies but that day is over. EDI can be tailored to companies from the smallest to the largest and at an affordable cost.
Complexity – This was arguably the biggest hurdle for companies but again, this is no longer true. Standardization and the sheer volume of users has driven down the complexity and as mention above – the cost.
Software – Today there are many, many versions of software available for EDI. In today’s world the EDI translator is a utility – a tool to do a job – and although there are many versions the basic effort is the same: receive in EDI and convert to an internal use or take an internal format and convert it to EDI.
Staffing – Special skills such as mapping and support are usually part of a large EDI operation. For the most part, small to mid-size companies can make use of EDI without special skills or software by outsourcing or making use of Software as a Service (SaaS).
Integration – Integration is at the heart of EDI operations. What data fields are needed and what do they mean? This is part of the integration plan and it is usually a coordinated effort between the company and the EDI group.
EDI is for large companies only / 80%+ partners are not EDI-capable – EDI is one solution in an array of options that make your business electronically capable and at a reasonable cost. What about the many smaller companies who are not EDI-capable? If I have EDI but can’t use it with them then the investment doesn’t seem to pay off. EDI is the way you conduct your business and technology now allows you to be EDI ready while working with your partners in their format. For example, Purchase Orders can be emailed, sent as a flat file, or posted on a secure web site for your suppliers. Replies can come into a central point and they are converted into your internal format.
Time to implement – Implementation times vary per company but are usually much faster than the necessary time for internal changes. For example, EDI can be tested and available while internally, the cutover, training and documentation is being prepared.
Contact our sales team to discuss how Datric's EDI services can help with your project.
B2B brochure