Our eBook, “Automate Digital Supply Chains with a Modern Cloud ERP Business Platform Featuring Embedded EDI,” is your go-to guide for navigating the complexities of EDI with the help of ERP solutions like Acumatica with embedded EDI from SPS Commerce.

What you’ll learn

This eBook is packed with insights and practical strategies to help suppliers streamline their operations and comply with EDI requirements. Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect:

The essentials of EDI

Dive into the fundamentals. Learn how EDI replaces traditional paper-based processes, reducing time, errors and costs associated with manual data entry. Discover why EDI is essential for your business and how it can transform your operations.

The real impact of EDI on your business

Explore the tangible benefits of embedded EDI within your Acumatica ERP system, from increasing sales opportunities and reducing cycle times to decreasing errors and improving efficiency.

Navigating EDI standards and requirements

EDI compliance can be complex, especially with varying standards from different trading partners. This eBook explains how to handle these differences seamlessly, ensuring you meet the unique requirements of partners like Kroger, Amazon and Walmart.

Common EDI transactions explained

Gain a clear understanding of common EDI transactions such as the 810 Invoice, 850 Purchase Order and 856 Advance Ship Notice. This knowledge is crucial for ensuring smooth operations and maintaining good relationships with your trading partners.

Avoiding common EDI mistakes

Implementing EDI can be tricky, and mistakes can be costly. The eBook highlights common pitfalls and provides strategies to avoid them, ensuring your EDI implementation is smooth and successful.

Why download the free eBook?

While this blog gives you a sneak peek, the full eBook offers detailed explanations, practical tips and real-world examples.

• Comprehensive insights
  Get a thorough understanding of EDI and its impact on your business.
• Practical guidance
  Learn actionable strategies to maximize the benefits of EDI.
• Expert Advice
  Benefit from the expertise of industry-leading ERP and EDI providers, Acumatica and SPS Commerce.

Don’t miss the opportunity to simplify your EDI integrations and transform your business operations. Download the full eBook today and realize the full potential of embedded EDI with Acumatica and SPS Commerce.

Download the full eBook here

Whether you’re a tried-and-true Dynamics AX user or have been loving the benefits of the cloud with Dynamics F&SCM, you’re happy with your ERP. We get it! That’s why we have a feeling you’re ready to implement EDI or upgrade your current EDI system directly in your ERP. (But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.)

If you’re completely new to Microsoft Dynamics 365 EDI solutions, we’re here to help you get started with the five most important considerations to prioritize before implementing. If you’re looking to upgrade your current EDI solution, these items are still helpful to follow—things may have changed since you last evaluated your business needs.

These are the most important items to consider when implementing or upgrading your EDI solution:

Data needs

Choosing a solution that can be fully integrated into your existing EDI sets you ahead of the competition and gives you flexibility as your business adapts to changing industry trends. While many EDI solutions can be implemented into Microsoft Dynamics 365 software, you should carefully consider your company’s data needs before choosing one.

These are items such as the number of documents that you exchange, the number of trading partners and any existing trending partner requirements. This way, you’ll know that the EDI solution you adopt makes the most sense for your business and your budget. If you’re totally new to EDI, it’s worth reaching out to the EDI service provider of your choosing so they can walk you through your needs.

Cloud vs. on-prem

When it comes to opting into the cloud or adopting an on-premise or managed EDI solution, we’re always going to nudge you toward picking the cloud. By storing and exchanging data in the cloud, you reap the benefits of increased accessibility, better security and total automation. Plus, it’s always good to stay up to date on the latest technology, and cloud solutions are certainly the newest trend in the tech world.

There are some exceptions, of course. If you’re running an older Microsoft Dynamics 365 software, like AX or GP, you may be more comfortable with managed service EDI. However, this only holds true if you’re a smaller business; mid- to large-sized companies will eventually need to shift to the cloud to keep up levels of productivity and efficiency.

Scalability

One of the reasons to choose a Microsoft Dynamics 365 EDI solution is to set your business up for success and continued growth through seamless connection with your trading partners. However, if your EDI solution doesn’t have the capabilities to grow with you, you’ll soon find that you’re out of luck and need to begin the adoption process all over again.

EDI isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your solution should be unique to your business and your needs, and probably looks different to even your closest competitor. If there’s no customization or adjustability once implemented, it’s eventually going to become a barrier to your growth.

Security

In an age when cyberattacks are becoming more advanced and occurring more frequently, security must be a top priority for businesses. One data breach could be detrimental to your company, costing you money and valuable time while you get back on track.

With the right Microsoft Dynamics 365 EDI solution, you’ll be able to focus on other aspects of your business with the assurance that your data is secure. Of course, this is truer of a cloud-based solution, but sending invoices and purchase orders through any EDI solution is always going to be more secure than using email or traditional mail.

Retail and system expertise

There are many things that you want from your EDI provider, but the number one priority you should have when choosing a new EDI solution is expertise. Your Microsoft Dynamics 365 EDI provider should be knowledgeable, accessible and committed to providing you with the best possible support and any additional resources that you may need on the journey towards automation and optimization.

SPS Commerce, for example, boasts over 20+ years of experience in the industry with 300+ team members dedicated to Microsoft. We’ve been around long enough to identify upcoming trends and adjust our solutions accordingly. Plus, we’ve established a retail network of over 500,000 trading connections, which means we’ve already done most of the heavy lifting for our customers.

Beyond that, we understand the complexities of the market, so our ongoing maintenance includes compliance updates on our customers’ behalf, giving them time back in their day and removing items from their workload.

The choice is yours

While there are plenty of Microsoft Dynamics 365 EDI options for you to choose from, each offers something different. That’s why we suggest keeping these five considerations in mind as you begin to implement a new EDI solution to set yourself up for success.

Whether EDI is totally new for your business or you’re just looking for a solution that better fits your needs, we’d love to get in touch with you. Contact us today to learn how we can help you optimize your supply chain and get you refocused on your business growth.

Specifically, I’m talking about companies like Fastenal and Grainger, as well as NAPA and AutoZone. If you’re not in the trades, you’re probably not familiar with them. These are the “stores” (they’re actually called branches) the contractors and auto mechanics go to for tools and parts. Rather than going to the hardware store, a contractor can call a distributor to order the specific new hammer drill or sump pump needed for their worksite or job.

Fulfilling special order requests

In the past, anything that wasn’t in stock at the branch was processed as a special order, where the sales associate would look up the item in a paper catalog and fax or phone the supplier directly with the order. The supplier would ship and fulfill each order, and send individual invoices to the branch who relayed them onto corporate or the customer. This is the retail special order system.

Special orders have always been a particular pain point for distributors, but today many are streamlining this order process. SPS Commerce has been working with dozens of distributors to automate their ordering and inventory systems as a way to eliminate special orders and place them through the automated electronic trading process used with all orders. This allows each branch to place special orders, but everything runs through a centralized system. It’s streamlined and operates more efficiently, and its tracked and monitored for improved customer service.

Branch personnel still place and receive the order, but suppliers love it because now 60 – 80% of their orders are placed from a single source per distributor not the hundreds of branch offices, which means they improve the accuracy and timeliness of their shipments.

Lastly, distributors can easily measure the popularity of special order items to determine whether they should stock these products or sizes at the branch. If they see the same part or tool being frequently ordered at a site, the distributor can include the item in its inventory at the branch.

Ultimately, streamlining the retail special order system and regular orders into one process has been important to distributors, both for the cost reductions as well as the improved customer service. Now that the order cycle is automated, they have access to order status information and shipping details from advanced shipping notifications (ASNs). And they can confidently communicate these details to their customers.

Streamline the replenishment of the retail special order system

SPS Commerce can help maximize the efficiency of warehouses and distribution center by optimizing order management and warehouse throughput. This will remove warehouse bottlenecks by improving the way distributors work with suppliers.

If you’d like to learn how your business can automate its own ordering process and how we’ve helped distributors achieve success, please contact us today.

As a leader in the retail industry, SPS Commerce is employing next generation technology to drive the cloud-based solutions of the future. Businesses are shifting to the cloud, where they expect a seamless experience and solutions that work together with minimal complexity. More than one million customers use QuickBooks Online globally, including 30,000 retailers in the United States.

Experience the benefits of QuickBooks EDI solutions

SPS Commerce can now address the needs of those suppliers, brands and retailers that rely on QuickBooks Online. With Integrated Fulfillment for QuickBooks Online, users will experience:

• Efficient collaboration between trading partners;
• Workflow automation;
• Turnkey EDI services;
• At-a-glance visibility into all orders;
• And so much more.

With QuickBooks EDI solutions from SPS Commerce, you can quickly and cost-effectively connect with your retail customers. Easily extend the order fulfillment capabilities in QuickBooks using our QuickBooks EDI integration. Scale your business by leveraging QB EDI and our network of 50,000 subscribing customers.

Learn more about how SPS can help you quickly connect to your retail partners with QuickBooks EDI. 

What is an EDI ERP integration?

An EDI ERP integration is the translation of electronic order documents (EDI) from your vendors software into your ERP system. This connection allows data from orders, invoices and other documents to flow directly into your ERP system without human intervention.

Many businesses consider EDI ERP integration when planning to purchase new order management or resource planning software. Questions that arise during this process often include: Should we implement EDI or ERP first? Should we replace both systems at the same time? Do we have enough resources to manage these projects internally? Will vendor selection influence these questions?

Our point of view is based on our experience implementing our Fulfillment solution for clients. In short, Fulfillment is full-service EDI with end-to-end integration technology that allows for transaction automation all the way into the ERP. It’s a major reason we almost always recommend starting with EDI system replacement first. Here’s why:

EDI Resource Re-enforcement

If you’re looking to replace your EDI system, you’re likely in one of two camps: EDI is currently running in-house but it’s taking resources away from more important tasks. Or, your current EDI solution doesn’t meet your needs and you want to make a change.

Either way, signing on with a full-service provider will modernize your technology while freeing up resources to focus on critical ERP migration tasks.

Multi-ERP Testing and Automation

Access to automation and integration technology from a vendor like SPS Commerce can be a huge asset in implementing EDI before an ERP migration. The SPS Fulfillment technology allows for direct integration into multiple ERPs and full automation of EDI transactions, which is significant on a couple of fronts.

First, SPS Fulfillment will eliminate EDI dependencies in the current ERP, thereby creating a logical first phase to the project and a steppingstone to the ultimate goal of outsourcing EDI.

Second, when it’s time to parallel test transactions, SPS will deliver data into both the old and new systems simultaneously and provide the auditing and reporting needed to validate transaction success, resulting in a much smoother cutover.

Figure 1: An image of the System Automation for SAP workflow tree showing transaction delivery to multiple ERPs.

Keep EDI Complexity Out of the ERP

ERPs vary when it comes to EDI. SAP, for example, has robust out-of-the-box features. Oracle JD Edwards, meanwhile, requires you to build out functionality to get to a minimum viable EDI product, potentially leading to a heavily customized, home-grown solution – which should be avoided so you can stay flexible, nimble and scalable in the future.

The best practice is to leave complexity out of the ERP and host it with your EDI provider (assuming they can handle it). SPS provides access to a team of ERP experts who build business rules to your specific processes. We also offer dashboard and reporting tools to fill visibility and error -handling gaps. Knowing the extent of the integration and automation capabilities and tools provided by your EDI vendor can help inform your ERP selection and the project scope.

Timing and Risk

Let’s face it, an ERP migration is fraught with risk – after all, over 50% of all migrations fail. That said, migration is often necessary for growth and you’re only going to have one shot at it. Eliminating as much risk as possible from the process by implementing EDI first is very important.

There are many considerations when deciding to do an EDI ERP integration. Please contact us today on how SPS Fulfillment can be your EDI resources, speed up your migration timeline, and set you up for a more successful, lower-risk ERP integration.

We’ve compiled common EDI questions and answers to help you make an informed decision.

What is an EDI provider?

An EDI provider is a business that sells EDI services, including web-based or on-premise software. EDI providers may also deliver other EDI-related services, such as value-added network (VAN) services or EDI testing.

EDI providers often specialize in a particular industry, such as retail, grocery, distribution, healthcare or automotive.

Is EDI still used?

Yes. For almost 50 years, EDI has been a standard method for data exchange. It is used today by organizations around the world and continues to expand every day.

EDI has become a shorthand way of describing various modes of electronic data transmission and the business processes associated with fulfilling an order to a customer. By using EDI, trading partners can exchange business documents such as orders, shipments, inventory updates and invoices in a standard format. Other terms such as B2B integration (B2Bi), order fulfillment and eCommerce fulfillment are also used to describe a similar process.

Rather than EDI, some companies may use XML, AS2, FTP, APIs or other methods to exchange this data. In some cases, these other methods are also referred to as EDI and are supported by EDI providers.

Want to learn more about how to select an EDI provider? Get our free white paper and a list of questions to ask a prospective EDI provider.

What are the types of EDI providers?

On the surface, many EDI providers sound the same. But there are very important differences between EDI providers. There are essentially two types of EDI providers: managed service and full-service EDI providers.

Managed services provide EDI technology that users manage and maintain themselves. In contrast, full-service EDI providers offer EDI technology but also provide the associated staffing resources responsible for customizing, optimizing and operating your EDI solution.

The most helpful question for businesses trying to navigate the full vs. managed service decision is this…. “Do you consider EDI to be a core competency of your business?” Or, if you’re new to EDI, “Will on-site EDI expertise provide a competitive advantage for your business?” Or even, “As you look to compete with others in your space, will having a team of EDI experts on staff set you apart from competitors?” If the answer to those questions is a resounding “YES!,” a managed service partner is likely your best option. If the answer is an emphatic “absolutely not!,” a full-service partner is a great fit as it will allow you, your team and your business to focus on things you know to be foundational to your growth.

What exactly does a full-service EDI provider do?

Full-service EDI providers manage the EDI function on your behalf. Here are a few of the tasks they perform:

• Take ownership of understanding your trading partners’ compliance requirements and EDI mapping updates and changes
• Communicate with your trading partners about EDI requirements and issues, including picking up the phone and calling your partner’s EDI department to fix an issue on your behalf
• Optimize your EDI solution with your ERP and other business systems
• Centralize all your orders (wholesale, retail, eCommerce and marketplace) in one place
• Help you share data with 3PLs and other partners
• Provide a team of trading partner, system and EDI experts available 24×7

What is the difference between EDI providers and vendor portals?

Vendor portals are created from purchased software or developed internally. The retailer manages the software, hardware, infrastructure, personnel and training. In addition, the retailer is responsible for driving adoption of the portal with its vendors. Suppliers need to log onto a separate vendor portal for each of their retail partners.

In contrast, EDI providers deliver a single system that can be used by all retailers and suppliers. An EDI solution frees businesses from the time-consuming process of either managing or using multiple portals.

Where can I find more information about EDI providers?

By applying the foundational principles above, your business can quickly and easily decide which approach to solving this challenge is right for you!

Check out our free white paper on the 7 building blocks of full-service EDI, or download our list of questions to ask a prospective EDI provider. You can also find objective reviews of SPS Commerce Fulfillment (EDI) on the G2 Crowd website.

Considering a new ERP implementation? These 5 strategies will help everything run smoothly within your company and with your customers:

1. Plan for change
2. Manage people, not just technology
3. Think beyond your four walls
4. Consider timing
5. Define “done”

Here are 5 tips to ensure a successful ERP implementation.

1. Plan for change

A new ERP implementation is one of the few opportunities a business gets to rebuild longstanding business processes to align with future business requirements. Change management is the most difficult aspect of implementing new ERP systems. Make sure you’ve taken inventory of all of your current processes and integrations across the business. Take note of how new processes will be created when plugging in a new ERP. The last thing you want is for a process to be unexpectedly broken because it wasn’t accounted for in the ERP implementation process.

Appoint a leader to oversee the change process. They’ll set milestones along the way, convert the old processes and documents (order management process, item masters, document standardization, and so on), and take the time to handle everything carefully.

2. Manage people, not just technology

In many cases, upgrading your technology is relatively easy compared to managing the people who will be interacting with the new system. Your employees are used to working with the old system and are set into their routines with the existing processes. They may have even become accustomed to the time-consuming workarounds required to bypass system limitations. 

Despite the pain points motivating the system upgrade, humans are generally resistant to change. Some people might be intimidated by the unfamiliarity or complain that they miss aspects of the old system. It’s to be expected. But with executive sponsorship, the right action plan, training, clearly communicated rollout expectations, and clearly defined benefits, your team will quickly embrace the system and process changes.

3. Think beyond your four walls

How will your ERP system connect with your supply chain processes? If the ERP is the heart of your company’s internal systems and processes, EDI provides the oxygen, handling the exchange of important data such as invoices, purchase orders and ship notices into your company and out to your trading partners. EDI not only provides access to communicate with your customers, but it’s also your access route to revenue. If you can’t properly exchange your trading data, you risk lost sales, non-compliance fees, incorrect shipments, missed payments and damaged relationships.

Your EDI solution will need to be configured to accommodate your new ERP and whatever new processes result. If you have in-house or managed service EDI, your team will have to make all of the necessary changes to your EDI system. With a full-service EDI offering like Fulfillment from SPS Commerce, the EDI provider will help align your EDI processes with your new system, make changes on your behalf and ensure you don’t miss any steps. 

For most businesses, it’s best to connect your ERP to your EDI system before you begin your  ERP rollout. That way you can test the data flow between systems before you go live. Plus, you can approach your ERP implementation as one project rather than a series of many projects, allowing for less change management and increased adoption.

4. Consider timing

When you choose a new ERP system, you’ll want to implement it with plenty of time to get everyone adjusted and fluent in the new systems and processes. 

The best time to roll out a new ERP system is during the low season when there are the fewest chances for disruption. For many companies in the retail industry, that low period is after “return season” has finished up by mid to late January. 

Late Q2 and early Q3 are also good times to roll out, depending on your products. Additionally, the back-to-school shopping season in late July to early September is a great opportunity for testing how the new system is working. If you haven’t rolled out your new ERP by the first of August, you’re taking a big risk that your system won’t be ready for the holiday shopping season.

Surprisingly, many companies roll out new ERPs in the fourth quarter, smack dab in the middle of the holiday shopping season. This may be the worst time possible. Not only is there an influx of orders, but the deliveries are extremely time-sensitive – if the package isn’t delivered on time, you risk angry customers and returned products. 

5. Define “done”

Finally, define what “done” means for your ERP implementation. Are you OK with rolling out the new system before every process has been implemented? Or do you want to have absolutely everything in place before the rollout? This should be decided as part of the change management plan.

Depending on your business, which path you choose here can have an impact. Is your ERP changed over and mostly in sync with your EDI system? Are you shipping products in bulk to distribution centers? If so, you might be able to roll out the ERP before you’re actually “done.” That way, you can do live testing and just work through any bugs as they arise. 

Do you ship single units of product to retail stores for customer pickup? Or drop ship directly to customers? If so, your ERP system really needs to be 100 percent ready before you roll it out. Otherwise, you risk making customers very unhappy and driving them away from your business.

Need help with your ERP implementation?

SPS Commerce has helped thousands of customers find technology partners to implement a new ERP solution, connect ERPs to our EDI system, as well as navigate the treacherous waters of an ERP changeover. For additional information speak with an SPS representative.

Where to start with EDI software

Many companies start using EDI software to comply with a retailer’s request. They find that most retailers and distributors require EDI for orders, invoices or other types of supply chain data. By being EDI-ready, you can say “yes” to any opportunity and comply with all EDI requirements. 

If you’re just getting started, consider whether EDI is a core competency of your business. Many businesses don’t want to dedicate resources to time-consuming EDI tasks, such as making retail map updates and EDI testing. 

For those businesses, using a full-service EDI provider is the ideal choice. Full-service providers deliver outsourced EDI services that include technology and associated staffing resources. Full-service EDI providers include experts that customize, optimize and operate your EDI solution. With full-service EDI, your provider does all the heavy lifting of EDI software implementation on your behalf.

What if you’ve outgrown your current EDI software?

Many companies get to a point when their current EDI system won’t support their growth plans. Here are some common reasons this can occur:

• Data entry has become time-consuming because you’re processing a high volume of orders.
• Your EDI can’t keep up with surges or spikes in demand.
• Trading partners have increasingly complex requirements.
• Errors and/or chargebacks are occurring frequently.  
• You have a new business system of record and would like to also update your EDI software.

If this sounds like your situation, full-service EDI can help. Full-service solutions such as Fulfillment from SPS Commerce automate order fulfillment and reduce data entry by 90 percent or more. In addition, Fulfillment can be seamlessly integrated with dozens of different business systems such as QuickBooks, NetSuite and SAP.

How can you distinguish between EDI software providers?

On the surface, many EDI solutions sound similar. It’s critical to make an informed choice that will support your business for years to come. 

Learn how to differentiate between EDI providers in our EDI white paper. You’ll gain access to definitions and qualifying questions so you can make an apples-to-apples comparison between EDI solutions. Looking for a checklist to select the right EDI software? You can access our free RFP template here.

Interested in taking your business to the next level with EDI? Schedule a demo with one of our EDI experts.

If your company is going through a transition like this, automating your order-to-cash process is a must. Improving how you process EDI transactions is an effective way to gain this level of automation.

If you are a NetSuite user, deciding on the best EDI solution can be overwhelming given the vast number of choices available. When your business is evaluating EDI options, it is important to understand if the solution is “Built for Oracle NetSuite Certified,” embedded within NetSuite, and whether or not the solution is full-service.

What is Built for Oracle NetSuite Certified, and why is it important?

Built for Oracle NetSuite Certified (BFN) is a NetSuite initiative to provide quality SuiteApps to NetSuite customers. This ensures that SDN Partner solutions meet the same level of standards for security, data privacy and overall quality as the solutions offered by NetSuite.

All NetSuite Development Partners must complete the Built for Oracle NetSuite Certified review process for each of their SuiteApps before going to market with their products. The BFN approval status must be renewed in each new NetSuite product release cycle twice per year.

Once NetSuite Development Partners go through the in-depth evaluation and certification process, then the SuiteApp has qualified for the Built for NetSuite badge and publication on SuiteApp.com

Industry-leading EDI and NetSuite ERP integration

What sets SPS Commerce Fulfillment for NetSuite apart? The SPS Commerce integrated SuiteApp is built within NetSuite, allowing you to work within the system to exchange required documents. With SPS Commerce Fulfillment for NetSuite you can:

• Extend sales order records
• Extend Item fulfillment & inventory records to meet EDI requirements
• Use your existing processes and workflows
• Minimize data entry and errors

Unlike other EDI solutions, SPS Commerce Fulfillment for NetSuite doesn’t require unique mappings per trading partner –– or a separate tool to export files or upload anything into your system. Simply log in to NetSuite, and your orders will be automatically available.

Maximize your NetSuite experience with 24/7 full-service support

As the industry leader, SPS Commerce is trusted by more than 50,000 subscribing customers worldwide to provide technology and EDI expertise. Because SPS Commerce Fulfillment for NetSuite is a full-service EDI solution, it’s also supported by a dedicated team of NetSuite integration specialists.

SPS uses an agile and phased approach that strategically aligns with NetSuite best practices, ensuring a positive experience and outcomes from the start and as your business evolves.

We make it simple to collaborate with trading partners around the world so you can benefit from the speed and accuracy of automated sales order creation, order acknowledgment, ship notice management, invoicing, and more. 

Ready to take the next step?

Whether you are looking to connect to one trading partner or hundreds, already using NetSuite or in the process of implementing it, SPS Fulfillment for NetSuite can easily scale to meet your needs.

And because our full-service solution is BFN certified and embedded within NetSuite, you can be completely confident in ongoing compliance and seamless operations as your business grows.

For more information or to get started today, please contact us or visit our NetSuite ERP page.