Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is required by many suppliers as a way to expedite orders and improve documentation. Like any connection between organizations, there are standards and protocols to be observed, but that doesn’t mean that implementing and using EDI can’t be simple. The trick is keeping it simple in the long term!
Pick Your Approach
There are two fundamental approaches to implementing EDI. Either you have your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software modified by programmers to perform EDI functions, or you purchase a reliable product that will interface with your ERP.
The idea of it being sewn into the fabric of the system that runs your business may intuitively seem like the right way to go. This is where the long term repercussions of such a solution comes into play.
One thing which is consistently true of ERPs is that they are frequently updated. Whenever an ERP upgrade happens, there is a good chance you may have to have the EDI programmers come in and fix what doesn’t work anymore with the new ERP version. Not only can this become expensive, but you may decide to skip an upgrade or two, then find yourself marooned in an old ERP version when improvements come out that you really want to take advantage of.
What to Look For
Join us for a live webinar on May 16 at 1pm ET as we share the options that Dynamics NAV customers have when it comes to EDI or XML integration solutions. Without the right preparation and expertise, the effort can be expensive and complicated, but knowing the right questions to ask and best practices of successful implementations can help you decide on the right integration path for your company. Data Masons will share this critical information and you’ll leave being able to turn integrated EDI and eCommerce into a strategic advantage at your organization.