Over time I have delivered many Data Connectivity developments. I don't want to use the term EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) as we have moved passed this term as we now have XML and JSON in the mix. In my time I have delivered delivered Data Connectivity projects that support 1) Wholesaling (B2B) 2) Drop Ship Vendor (B2C) 3) Market Place (B2C) 4) website trading (D2C) Each method of trading brings its own unique "issue", however I built a solution to support all types of trading. Simple you might think but when you have to consider what systems that work with the data not so simple. Wholesal ..read more

Shipping is so simple, or is it? We now have cross border trading, if you are selling into the EU and you might have a requirement to support Serial Shipping Container Codes (SSCC). And not to mention that we need to understand what the shipment looks like. Pick, pack and dispatch To ship the order you need the warehouse staff to follow a process and collate information in a system that supports your customers requirements. The customer might require: 1) Specific packing requirements - carton only, carton on pallets 2) Specific labeling requirements - the label format plus the data contained o ..read more

In my blog entitled https://www.southwestdataintegration.co.uk/post/an-edi-development-could-impact-many-teams-within-the-business I considered the various departments/teams that might be impacted by an EDI development. I now want to discuss when an EDI development needs to be considered within a Project Management Office (PMO) portfolio and managed by a Project Manager (PM). I appreciate that this could be a little contentious to the PM world but I want to highlight why an EDI development should not sit within a PMO or a PM. Bear with me. The Project Management Office Please do not get me wro ..read more

I met up with a friend and whilst talking touched on my consulting work. It was the proverbial “what are you doing and why”. To which I explain how I work with businesses to put in systems and processes that enable them to connect to their wholesale distributor and retailers and then support the ongoing processes. This is really happening This then led into an interesting discussion in respect of what my friend is seeing and experiencing at their work. My friend works in part of a large multinational that is trying to consolidate various trading arms onto one new ERP system. Parts of the vario ..read more

When a process is in place and working why change the process but adapt what is new into what exists so saving time and money. I worked on a development in which an existing Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) process had been built to support Orders and Invoicing for Wholesale. Drop Ship Vendor (DSV) was clearly a new method of trading, at the time, and the developers adapted the old Wholesale process to also support the new DSV process. This meant that an EDI Order could contain a Wholesale or DSV order. As the supplier I had to define a process to support the process and split the data using ..read more

I have discussed the need for an Electronic Data Integration (EDI) strategy so that you can fully utilise the service if you use an EDI Managed Service Provider (EDI MSP). These blogs are aimed at small to medium sized businesses that might think that EDI is out of their reach. It also considers that the business uses an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system plus other systems that might be internal as well as external to the business. These thoughts that I am sharing consider that the business does not have the cost base and experience to support some form of dedicated Application Program ..read more

Over the years I have seen changes made as new technology is developed. I have been working with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) since 1997. I have seen the internet grow to where we are now, and every step of the way change is being made to all our business systems, in particular how these various systems connect and share data. EDI is dead long live XML I do remember attending a conference at the Association of British Insurers (ABI) back in 1999 in which the audience were presented with new technology, in this instance it was XML. The presentation was looking at XML removing the need for ..read more

When we talk about an EDI development have you ever thought about the different parts of your business that might be impacted. This blog will consider who might be interested in a new EDI connection within your business. When a new EDI development is presented, normally by the Sales Team there are so many other teams that could have an interest in the proposed work and how it might impact their workload. The diagram above considers all of the possible teams impacted by an EDI development. Your business might have different team names or might multi task certain roles within your business. I h ..read more

Following the vote in 2016 that took the UK out of the Euro zone Cross Border trading became a reality in 2020. In the run up to 2020 many businesses moved into the Euro zone so continuing to trade with the Europeans without the need to worry about the rules and paperwork of working across a border. Other retailers stopped trading in Europe as the whole process became to complicated. I worked through a development that enable the retailer to continue to trade with Europe processing the shipment details electronically. EDI Strategy In previous blogs I have discussed trading with retailers, mark ..read more

Previously in other blogs I have discussed having an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) strategy. EDI can benefit the business, however, if not thought through can cause issues to the business. What is EDI? EDI is no longer the EDIFACT, Tradacom, ANSI X12 transactional file formats. There is now a plethora of formats now available to use from simple CSV, Pipe Delimited to more complex XML and JSON file formats. Many of the newer file formats are bespoke so each might be unique. You then have the connection. EDI was set up to use a Value-Added Network (VAN) however, technology has moved on and t ..read more