Selecting the Right EDI Company: Key Considerations for Your Business

Choosing an EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) system and a service provider for your business can be one of the most consequential decisions you will make. Before choosing an EDI provider and system, you should define what your EDI needs are. To develop a clear understanding of your needs you must consider the following core areas: The types of transactions you need to support, the number of trading partners you work with, and if there any industry compliance standards. By establishing your needs and requirements up front you can make an informed choice and search for the best EDI service provider.

After you understand your needs, it's time to start researching EDI companies. These companies can be identified through searches on the internet, industry referrals, visits to trade shows, and referrals from companies in your industry. The goal is to develop a list of providers who are offering services consistent with your needs.

When evaluating potential EDI companies, it is important to find out about their experience and reputation in the market. Look for customer reviews, case studies and references to help determine their track record; ask them about their amount of experience and seek references from other companies in your industry to gain perspective on their ability to deliver on what they promise.

Additionally, it is also worth checking that the EDI provider you choose is knowledgeable of your sector's compliance standards and industry requirements. Compliance is very important with EDI, especially in industries like retailers, health care, automotive and so on. Selecting a provider that adheres to your industry's compliance standards will help you in avoiding costly mistakes and help your EDI run smoothly.

Scalability and flexibility are also considerations to keep in mind. Your business is likely to grow and your EDI needs are likely to change, therefore it is important to choose a provider that can evolve and scale its services to match your needs. A flexible solution will keep your downtime to a minimum while saving you time and money!

The ability to connect with your existing systems is another important consideration. Ideally, EDI systems are compatible with your ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software and other internal systems. The better your connection, the better your data exchange process will be. Investigate the compatibility and ease of integration expected from potential companies.

Technical considerations aside, think about the availability and quality of customer support from the EDI company. If you have a situation or question that needs to be resolved, you want a customer support team that works quickly to fix you up and does not leave you hanging. The availability of good customer service can be an advantage when selecting an EDI provider.

Of pragmatic concern, pricing should never be far from one's mind. Different EDI providers may adopt different pricing models, for example, transaction-based or subscription-based pricing models. Any pricing model should clearly state its cost structure, any hidden fees, and whether it fits into your budget.

Finally, assess data security and protection measures. As we discussed, EDI exchanges sensitive data, so it's critical that the provider employs measures for data encryption, storage, and access. Adherence to data protection regulations is non-negotiable.

To make an informed decision, it is important to compare multiple EDI providers, set-up demos or trials, and evaluate your choices. By following this systematic approach and keeping all of this in mind, you will be ready to select the best EDI Company for your business. Keep it in mind that EDI is a critical part of your supply chain, and spending your time to ensure that you are making the right decisions will serve you well in the consequences that follow.

Choosing the right EDI Company is an important step toward increased efficiencies with your business and communication with your trading partners. By considering the following key points, you should be able to make appropriate decisions to meet your business expectations for EDI implementation.

Infocon Systems: Leading EDI Services Company

Infocon Systems is an established EDI solutions company providing a fully managed, easy to use Cloud-based platform and B2B integration into its customers' core business applications.

Headquartered in Louisville, KY and backed by a dedicated team of experts for over 30 years, we design custom solutions which maintain a seamless workflow between you and your Trading Partners. We also fully integrate with your internal systems (any Accounting/ERP, WMS and E-commerce solutions) to make the entire supply chain more efficient. Any Trading Partner, Any Integration, Any Industry-We offer:

• 24/7 access to our EDI specialists (by phone or email)
• Fast set-up of your EDI domain and EDI ID (within 24 hours)
• Easy training for our popular EDI web portal (takes 30 minutes)

To learn more about how Infocon Systems can take care of your EDI needs, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at +1 888-339-0722 or email sales@infoconn.com. We’d love to hear from you.