Why it’s Important to Reassess Your EDI Program

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) has been a cornerstone of business-to-business communication for decades. Oftentimes, businesses implement EDI systems but let them run on autopilot, expecting the programs to remain robust and beneficial to their supply chain operations. Dynamic business environments bring changes in customer demand, technology advances, and evolving regulations, making it more difficult to maintain high returns without optimizing supply chain efforts. Ignoring these changes in an EDI program can lead to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and issues with compliance.

Here are some signs it's time to reassess your EDI program:

• Increased error rates: A spike in EDI errors might indicate underlying issues with data mapping, system integrations, or partner communication and requirements.
• Slow processing times: Delays in EDI transactions can impact order fulfillment, inventory management, and customer satisfaction.
• Difficulty with new business partners: If onboarding new trading partners is becoming increasingly complex, it might be time to streamline your EDI processes.
• Compliance challenges: EDI standards and regulations are constantly changing. Falling behind can lead to costly penalties and damaged relationships with customers.
• Missed business opportunities: EDI can be a powerful tool for growth. If you're not leveraging it to its full potential, you might be missing out on opportunities to reduce errors, save time, and improve efficiency in your supply chain.

Where to Focus During Your Review

A comprehensive EDI reassessment should include the following:

• Is your business currently relying on manual data entry or fax or email to exchange business documents with customers?
• How many trading partners are in your current network?
• What is your current kilo-character (k/c) volume per month?
• How would you rate the performance of your current EDI translator?
• Can your EDI infrastructure handle future growth and increased transaction volume?

• How many dedicated EDI employees are available?
• Do you have the capacity to expand your trading network?
• How well does your EDI system integrate with other business applications?
• Do you currently have integration capabilities with a current ERP,  business, or accounting system? 
• Is your business data being mapped correctly to prevent errors and rejections?
• If you currently manage EDI in-house, what is the age of equipment being used to manage the system?

• What is the company budget for full EDI-outsourcing?
• Have you explored the Return on Investment (ROI) of your current EDI system and opportunities for cost reduction?
• Do you have the resources needed to onboard new suppliers?
• Have you considered the cost of processing data from suppliers unable or unwilling to become EDI-capable?
• What are the annual operating costs and maintenance fees of maintaining your current processes?

Embracing EDI Innovation With Edict Systems

Reassessing your EDI program doesn't mean starting from scratch. It's about identifying areas for improvement and implementing targeted solutions. Consider these solutions from Edict Systems that create improvements for buying organizations and suppliers alike:

• Cloud-based solutions: Our cloud-based EDI solutions offer increased flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. We help buying organizations onboard more suppliers and connect to 100% of their supply chain, while suppliers benefit from reduced manual data entry and faster order processing with customers.  
• Trading network expansion: Our customizable onboarding programs help businesses of all sizes maximize the number of EDI trading partners and free up resources. Our experts manage all communication with suppliers from initial communications and EDI-enabling to testing and certification and ongoing support. 
• Integration with existing business systems: Our Cloud-based Data Mapping solution enables integration with any existing business system regardless of EDI format. It eliminates the need for in-house EDI translation software and lowers costs. 
• EDI managed services: Outsourcing EDI management to our team of experts allows your team to focus on core business initiatives. We do EDI so you don’t have to, and that means we combine cloud-based EDI connectivity, project management, and technical expertise into a comprehensive solution designed to remove the complexity from the EDI process and connect you with more suppliers.

We do EDI so you don't have to^®

By taking the time to reassess your EDI program, you can unlock its full potential and maximize the value of your EDI investment. By improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing customer satisfaction, you create a process that will pay dividends for years to come. If you are ready to take the next step in maximizing your EDI investment, the experts at Edict Systems can help you get started. With options for supplier onboarding, web-based EDI, data mapping and translation, and fully managed solutions, our experts will help you tailor an EDI program that performs to its full potential.