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EDI portals or web-based EDI is often the go-to choice for suppliers just starting out. And it’s easy to understand why – they’re quick to get setup, accessible and pretty inexpensive.

But there is a point at which they can become costly and inefficient for a business. Processing a high volume of orders using an EDI portal requires a lot of manual inputting, which can be time consuming and error-prone. This is when a fully-integrated EDI solution can help.

Integrated EDI

Integrated EDI simplifies this process through automation, eliminating manual re-inputting.

  1. You receive the order in your existing software automatically which you can send to your warehouse team. You can even integrate your warehouse software with your ERP to receive orders electronically and remove any manual data entry activities by your warehouse team.
  2. Your warehouse team check your inventory (or automate this by integrating your warehouse software with your ERP) and you send a purchase order response (POR) back to the retailer. The POR is preprepared using information from the original order.
  3. Once the order is prepared and ready for shipping, you can then send an ASN to the retailer. If you use an WMS, you may be able integrate with your ERP and automate the creating and sending of the ASN.
  4. 4. An invoice will then be automatically sent to the retailer using the information from the POR or the ASN if it is being used.

Why do suppliers switch to fully-integrated EDI?

There are a number of reasons why business switch to full-integrated EDI:

  • You can use your existing software
  • There’s no need for data re-entry
  • You can automate manual processes
  • It improves data accuracy
  • It helps with faster order and invoice processing.

When is the right time to switch?

  • You trade with a large number of retailers
  • You receive more than roughly 10 orders a day, but this can be less or more depending on the number of lines per order.
  • You sell a large range of products
  • Your customers require a substantial amount of information
  • You don’t want to double-enter data
  • You need a flexible solution that grows as your business does

Process for switching

Talk to MXC

Talk to MXC

Give them details on who you supply to and what software you use

Give them details on who you’re supplying to and what software you’re using.

Sign off on your quote and implement integrated EDI

Sign off on your quote and implement integrated EDI

Go live

Go live!

Interested in learning more about getting your 3PLs sending and receiving EDI messages? Get in touch with our team.