In addition to this top ranking, SPS Commerce also secured a place in the Top 100 Best Software Products overall. This recognition means so much to us because these awards are based entirely on feedback from the people who matter most—our customers. Your trust, reviews and partnership made this possible, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Empowering businesses through technology

2024 was a stand-out year for SPS Commerce. We’ve been working hard to make supply chain connections even easier, helping businesses like yours streamline operations, automate processes and eliminate the headaches of manual work. From seamless integrations to full-service support, we’re committed to delivering innovative solutions that help businesses scale, automate and adapt—and it’s amazing to see that recognized.

What our customers are saying

Hearing how our solutions make a difference is what keeps us going. Here’s what SPS Commerce users had to say on G2:

• “It is so easy to navigate through the system and find what you need. Easy to process invoices for payment, there has never been an issue with any invoices that we have processed through this system. The same goes for any orders we receive; they are easily accessible through the dashboard. It takes no longer than a couple of minutes to complete the tasks of processing, accepting or finding anything on here. Good job on creating such a helpful tool. Plus, customer support is exceptional!” – Laura G.
• “I love the fact that their reach is so vast and they are able to quickly make a connection to any customer we have come up. Making any new connections is always quick and easy to get set up. They are always quick to respond to any questions or concerns that our team may have.” – Derek I.
• I am not the most tech-savvy human, and the team over at SPS does a great job at breaking down the system for me to use and understand what is going on. I really like the ease of use when it comes to file transfer.” – Braxton L.
• SPS makes it easy to pass order information back and forth frequently. With its integration into NetSuite, we’ve been able to really automate much of the order process and make communication seamless with our customers.” – Kasia W.

These reviews are why we do what we do!

Looking ahead

As we celebrate this achievement, we’re not slowing down. SPS Commerce will continue to innovate, evolve and expand our capabilities to meet the needs of our customers. Whether you’ve been with us for years or just started, we appreciate your trust and collaboration. Your success is our success, and we can’t wait to keep delivering solutions that help you grow.

Learn more about what makes SPS Commerce a G2 leader.

It’s no surprise that young girls often associate math and science with boys, as only 24% of women make up the STEM workforce. Events like “Think Like a Programmer” are helping to break down those barriers.

“Think Like a Programmer” is a full-day event for Girl Scouts ranging from grade K-3. This event provides young minds to take part in practical exercises to help them understand the fundamentals of programming, jumpstart their coding skills, and continue their dedication to STEM opportunities.

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. STEM begins during childhood education and stays dynamic throughout college and beyond. This curriculum focuses on converging math and science with hands-on experiences to apply “real world” knowledge in the classroom and prepare them for success in the future.

Since 2019, SPS Commerce has partnered with Girl Scouts River Valleys twice a year to bring this event to our local community. The girls will use their recently developed knowledge and skills from this event to earn their “Think Like a Programmer Award Badge.”

“Events like this give young girls confidence in their abilities and an interest in technology, at a critical age of development. We can get these girls excited about programming early enough to make a difference as they get older and think about careers. If we want more women in computer science, we need to get them hooked when they are young. This event helps build the future we want to see,” says Amy Patton, VP of Technology at SPS.

March 2020  Event

On Saturday, March 7, 2020, SPS hosted “Think Like a Programmer with SPS Commerce.” More than 30 Girl Scouts, their troop leaders and, SPS employees came together at SPS headquarter, eager to learn how a programmer really does think.

The Girl Scouts collaborated directly with the SPS Women in Tech team to witness first-hand how their learnings would help them develop the necessary skills for prospective future careers.

“As a girl, experiences like this led to my own future as a programmer; it was wonderful to be part of exposing that same possibility to so many more young women for the future of all women in technology,” Charlotte Countryman, SPS Women in Tech member, reflects on her own path to becoming a programmer.

The Women in Tech group consists of more than 60 employees in the Minneapolis office that continuously live out the SPS company value “Give Back.” Similar to their work with Girl Scouts River Valleys and other local organizations, the Women in Tech team is one of many groups at SPS that provide opportunities similar to “Think Like a Programmer with SPS Commerce” throughout the year.

Thank you to all those that made this event such a success!

As a company, SPS Commerce is dedicated to giving back to our local communities and encourage volunteerism and philanthropy among our employees. If you would like to learn more about what SPS Commerce does, visit this page.

But as we discussed in our previous post, not just any SAP EDI integration will do if you truly want to achieve the maximum benefits that system automation has to offer.

Special considerations for SAP EDI connections

To start, it’s important to note that SAP does not work directly with EDI. SAP has its own messages called IDOCS, which are similar to EDI messages, but they have their own formats. Because of this, in order to integrate EDI into SAP, a conversion of the information must take place, whether the conversion is happening from SAP IDOC to EDI, or from EDI to SAP IDOC.

For example, when you receive a purchase order in SAP, it is translated from the EDI format into an IDOC that is then integrated into the ordering process. When issuing an invoice from SAP, an IDOC is generated that is converted into EDI format for its shipment.

It’s this issue of translation from SAP to EDI – and EDI to SAP – that often trips up many EDI providers. Transactional Remote Function Call (tRFC), the standard SAP interface for communication between SAP systems, acts almost like a firewall and determines what information gets in and out of SAP, and how it gets there. That includes data being sent to and from your trading partners.

Many EDI setups don’t play nicely with tRFC, leaving you to take care of the transmission and translation of information on your own. Depending on what systems and trading partners you want to connect with EDI and SAP, the information may need to be translated and transmitted to multiple destinations. Without the right configurations, you could end up with more work than you expected. You may even need to hire additional people, even though EDI automation is supposed to help you reduce manual processes and staffing needs.

Implementing EDI Integration for SAP

As you can imagine, integrating SAP with EDI requires an abundance of preparation and expertise before you move forward. How you integrate each system and trading partner into your EDI solution requires careful preparation for each stage of implementation, from pre-planning to final rollout.

How you plan to use EDI could impact the solution you need. Are you using EDI for all your trading partners or just a few? Which manual processes are you automating? Which documents will need to be mapped and integrated? What systems and trading partners need to be connected to accomplish those goals? How will you align all of the processes for smooth operations? Most importantly, what do you expect success to look like once your EDI solution is live?

These and other questions should be thoroughly investigated and answered before making a decision on an EDI solution. You want to make sure that the vendor you choose will be able to make your vision a reality and address whatever needs that may arise.

Full-Service EDI Integration for SAP

SPS Commerce offers a complete end-to-end EDI solution for SAP, including the ability to support tRFC transmissions and SAP IDOC formats, all within a seamless integration. We bring the proven technology and SAP experts to manage the process from implementation through ongoing, day-to-day operations.

SPS Fulfillment automates inbound and outbound communications to keep you connected with your suppliers, vendors, and third-party logistics companies. That includes communications about purchase orders, invoices, inventory updates, shipments and more.

Part of what makes the SPS EDI integration for SAP so successful is how it addresses the issue of tRFC. In order to exchange all the documents listed above, the data needs to be able to get in and out through your systems securely. We have three ways to help you accomplish this, depending on your preferences and requirements:

• Direct tRFC – SPS pushes files directly through the firewall; it becomes a direct, native connection for information to flow in and out through EDI system automation.
• On-Premise Agent – If you want to have more control over what information can get into your SAP system, an “On-Premise Agent” configuration automatically sends outbound information for you, but restricts inbound transmissions.
• SFTP – This is the ultimate level of control. SPS Fulfillment EDI accommodates a variety of FTP options for you to send and receive data.

SAP EDI integration through SPS can also help you disseminate the information received through tRFC and on-premise agents across vital departments, streamlining and improving your current business workflows for faster, more accurate and secure transactions.

SPS full-service EDI solutions are flexible, scalable, and customizable to suit your systems, your support needs, your goals for system and communication automation within your organization.

The SPS Difference

Other solutions can only do so much in their ability to transfer information and translate IDOCS to and from EDI. In most cases, you’re expected to figure out on your own how to get the information from SAP to your EDI (and vice versa). SPS can figure it out for you in order to incorporate and automate all the documents, rules and processes vital for your unique business.

The SPS EDI solution is compatible with SAP’s multiple environments. Where other EDI solutions fall short, SPS makes it easy for you to send the information you need to where you need it, whether you’re working in Test, Production or Development environments.

The SPS Fulfillment EDI solution offers a level of visibility, automation and process orchestration to your operations that’s unlike any other EDI solution out in the market. You’ll be able to get a view of what’s happening in the system and how transactions are moving along within it. EDI automation ensures that information is moving from system to system, partner to partner appropriately, according to the business rules and process requirements of your unique organization.

With role-based access, empower your staff with the information they need to perform at their best – IT personnel can log in directly and see every IDOC, every EDI transaction, while every customer service can get a view that helps them answer questions. The data from within can be used to help you make forecasts, improvements and identify issues that may not have come to your attention yet.

When errors do arise, you have help with SPS. When our system identifies errors, it sends you a notification about the problem. We can send the message directly through SAP natively, so you can know quickly what is causing the issue and address it before it becomes a bigger problem.

When you need to improve business processes and efficiency, trust SPS Commerce to help. The SPS SAP EDI solution offers support for any business document and any trading partner. Additionally, SPS Commerce is a member of the SAP PartnerEdge program and has the expertise to extend the value of your SAP investment.

Join hundreds of other companies that have ditched manual processes with the industry’s most complete EDI Integration for SAP. Contact an SPS representative today for a 10-minute consultation or a brief, personalized demo.

When it comes to designing and configuring your EDI solution, it’s important to understand how much of the implementation work your team is responsible for and what your provider will handle on your behalf. Here are some questions to ask prospective EDI companies about how they handle EDI system design and configuration:

• Who researches my trading partner (retail, grocer, distributor, 3PL) requirements for connectivity, fulfillment models and other specifications?
• Who designs the EDI solution based on my requirements?
• Who develops the project plan for rolling out my EDI solution?
• Who handles implementing my EDI solution? What does your team do and what is my team responsible for?
• Who manages issues or risks that may come up during the implementation process?

Don’t just take our word for it. Many customers, like Cliff Garrett from Tiger Logistics, say they choose SPS Commerce as their EDI provider because:
“We had a client, in 3PL, that required EDI. We researched EDI companies and SPS came out always in conversation as being the most prolific, [with] the largest trading partner connections and relationships that already existed. That became very important for this first customer that brought us into the EDI world.”
— Cliff Garrett, Vice President of Logistics at Tiger Logistics

There are a lot of EDI companies out there. To get more insights on selecting the right EDI provider for your company, as well as a complete list of questions to ask, download our white paper: Evaluating Your EDI Options: Seven Building Blocks of Full-Service EDI.

If you’re wondering how to get started, here are some basics about EDI technology to consider.

Five Components of EDI Technology

EDI is a mature technology that has been used by companies to standardize business data exchange for more than 50 years. While the technology continues to evolve, an EDI platform always includes these five primary components:

Translation:

An EDI translator provides a means of transforming EDI data to and from various data formats in order to comply with trading partners’ requirements.

Connectivity:

The connectivity layer transports data between your company and all of your trading partners. This may include a VAN, AS2 or FTP connection (or all three) based on your trading partners’ requirements.

Mapping rules:

The mapping layer is where electronic trading parameters are set up for all of your EDI relationships. These maps are unique for each trading partner due to their unique supply chain or business process requirements. A different map is needed for each transaction with each individual unique trading partner, and these maps are often updated multiple times a year.

Cross-referencing business rules:

Cross-referencing rules allow you and your trading partners to speak the same language. For example, a retailer may think of your products in terms of SKUs whereas you think of your products in terms of UPCs or vendor part numbers. In this example, cross-referencing allows you to send your part numbers to your retail customers in terms of their SKUs.

Automation:

EDI solutions include automation features that save time by reducing keystrokes and minimize data entry errors. These solutions include intelligence about your trading partners to automate data exchange and when needed, automate data with your business system(s) of record such as eCommerce, ERP, shipping or other system using APIs.

Some companies have reduced keystrokes per order by 90 percent or more by taking advantage of EDI automation.

Full-Service EDI Providers Go Beyond Technology

While evaluating an EDI platform’s technology is an excellent place to start, technology is just one of seven critical components of a full-service EDI solution. Full-service EDI solutions include all of these components as well as access to dedicated experts that develop, monitor and maintain all aspects of the technology—so your team doesn’t need to become an expert in these technical details.

Download our new white paper for insight on selecting an EDI platform that goes beyond technology with a full-service team to manage all the complexities of EDI on your behalf.

A Google search for “EDI providers” leads to over 8 million results! Although the multitude of EDI services may sound similar, there are significant differences between providers. The most straightforward way to categorize these providers is by whether they offer a managed EDI service or a full-service solution.

What’s the difference between managed EDI services and full-service EDI?

A managed EDI service is a cloud-based solution in which the EDI provider is responsible for developing and maintaining the core technology, while the customer’s internal staff is responsible for the day-to-day customization, optimization and operations of the technology. Full-service EDI includes both the cloud-based solution and associated staff resources that customize, optimize and operate the technology. In this model, the EDI provider carries out a complete business function on behalf of the customer.

Which type of EDI solution is right for your business?

How can you tell whether your business needs managed services or a full-service EDI solution? The answer comes down to whether EDI is a core competency. In other words, does having EDI capabilities in-house create a competitive advantage for your company? Is having a dedicated team of EDI experts on staff something that you want for your business? If EDI is a core competency of your business, managed EDI services are a good choice. For many companies, EDI is an important requirement of doing business, but it is not a core competency. Instead, their core competencies revolve around activities that further their competitive advantage through product innovation, service delivery or other distinctive capabilities. For these businesses, a full-service EDI solution is the best option.

How can a full-service EDI provider help me?

Full-service EDI providers take ownership of understanding the EDI requirements and business rules of your retail customers, which are constantly changing. A full-service provider also proactively monitors and optimizes your EDI system, so you get the most value from your solution without having to understand the technical details yourself. Full-service EDI solutions have seven primary components:

• Technology
• Trading partner expertise
• Design and configuration
• Trading partner communication
• Testing and launch
• Proactive monitoring and analysis
• Ongoing resource access

A truly full-service provider will be able to describe their capabilities in all of these areas, so you can get a clear picture of what ongoing tasks the provider will handle and what tasks (if any) your team will be responsible for. Get more insight on the full-service type of edi and the seven components it’s founded on by downloading our new white paper – Evaluating Your EDI Options: Seven Building Blocks of Full-Service EDI.

That evening, retail professionals will gather to hear a panel discussion among some of their peers on key challenges and how they are addressing them, particularly insights regarding retail technology stacks. The panel will be followed by networking, where attendees can continue the conversation. Of course, we’ll have delicious food and drinks.

The IN>LA18 event is co-sponsored by SPS partner Skubana. The fun starts at 6:00 p.m. at American Junkie in Hermosa Beach. Guest speakers at IN>LA18 include:

• Remy Margerum, Head of Operations, Nomad
• Jon Leposky, Director of Operations/Logistic, Z Customization
• Michelle Kohen, North America Sales Operations Manager, JR286
• Melissa Cheng, Head of Product, Merchandising & Operations, CocoFloss

“SPS Commerce IN>LA18 brings together a variety of innovators who are tackling the demands of today’s retail environment,” said Jim Frome, COO at SPS Commerce. “Southern California is home to many of the top retail, logistics and eCommerce businesses, and we are delighted to highlight a wide array of regional expertise on the panel. Attendees will hear first-hand what leaders are doing to streamline supply chains, engage consumers and their assessment on the latest developments in EDI, artificial intelligence and personalization.”

Registration for IN>LA18 is open. There is no cost to attend.

Can’t make it to IN>LA18? You can still talk to an SPS consultant and request a demonstration of our retail technology solutions.

Though this is the final event in our roadshow series for this year, #TeamSPS will be back on the road next year. We’ll also kick off January at NRF 2019 and SHOT Show 2019. Keep an eye on our Events & Tradeshows calendar for updates.

Subscribe to the SPS Commerce blog to get information about future events where you can meet some of our retail technology experts and representatives.

Find the correct EDI solution for your business.

Get more insights on full-service EDI by downloading our white paper.

READ OUR WHITE PAPER