EDI services provider are working as an innovative and convenient option for modern-day businesses to exchange critical business files in a specific format with business partners across the globe. There are different types of EDI services available in the market today that are used for seamless B2B communication with trading partners by companies. Electronic Data Exchange (EDI) refers to the electronic exchange of business documents (e.g. purchase orders, invoices, acknowledgements, bills of lading, etc.) in a standardized format within an organization or between computer systems of trading company partners.

Why are EDI Services Important for Your Business?

Without EDI, efficient communication between organizations would not be possible. Think of any major commercial business -healthcare providers, retailers, manufacturers, or even country governments, everybody trusts EDI for the secure, error-free, fast, and efficient exchange of important business information.

EDI in retail industry is helping major giants, such as Walmart to securely transmit information with their business partners. In order to achieve seamless information exchange, today’s EDI-managed providers offer different types of EDI, which are mentioned below.

Different Types of EDI Services

The types of EDI services are mainly dependent upon how EDI communication and conversions are organized between trading partners. Broadly, there are two main types of EDI – proprietary or in-house EDI solutions and third-party EDI solution. 

Based on the EDI communication methods, proprietary and provider EDI solutions can be further categorized, which are given below: 

  1. Direct/Point-to-Point EDI
  2. EDI via VAN
  3. EDI through AS2
  4. EDI through FTP/VPN, SFTP, FTPS
  5. Web EDI
  6. Mobile EDI
  7. EDI Outsourcing

Which Type of EDI Services Suits Your Business Better?

Whether it is retail, finance or automotive EDI industry, large organizations can easily adopt a “hybrid approach” while opting for EDI services.

Adopting a hybrid approach means having a separate EDI solution for each business partner for information exchange. For example, when dealing with a small-size vendor, it is better to perform EDI via Web as it would be more affordable and convenient for both whereas in the case of a large company partner, performing EDI via VAN is more appropriate.

On the other hand, as a startup or emerging business working on cutting-edge tech like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, etc. – it is generally advised to partner with a third-party EDI consulting services provider or choose a provider EDI solution, considering limited budget, manpower or technical capabilities.

Outsourced EDI consultants are highly experienced to track down the EDI transaction volume, integration requirements, and business resources, you have, as a startup and accordingly integrate a custom EDI solution in your business hierarchy, meeting your budget constraints.

Checklist to Consider Choosing the EDI Services Provider

Here are a few points you should check out when choosing a new EDI services provider:

  • Custom Centric and Responsive
  • Company Portfolio
  • Transparency
  • Flexibility and Resource Capabilities

Partner with a Reliable EDI Services Provider to Run Your Business Better

EDI consultants at A3logics are innovative architects who understand your business needs and revolutionize your company operations by integrating EDI into your systems. We are also recognized as a leading IT consulting and Salesforce development company with operations in more than 69+ countries. Contact us directly to explore our widest range of EDI mapping & integration services.


Original Source: https://www.a3logics.com/blog/know-different-types-of-edi-services-and-which-one-suits-your-business-better