INTRODUCTION
One of the most critical factors that businesses should consider when it comes to establishing and maintaining a successful relationship with their external partners is communication. Having a clear and seamless channel between their various departments is important for organizations that deal with large and complex documents. The integration between Oracle’s NetSuite platform and the Electronic Data interchange (EDI), which is configurable using the NetSuite platform, can help manage various business transactions. In this blog, we will elaborate on what EDI is, its benefits, and possible issues with implementation.
WHAT IS EDI?
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a type of information transfer that involves the exchange of documents and data between various business partners including purchase orders, order acknowledgments, and vendor bills. EDI can share information across business systems, spanning time zones and borders quickly, which is a vital feature for companies in today’s complex supply chains. Although over 50 years old, EDI technology still helps businesses avoid confusion and improve efficiency with their trading partners.
WHY NETSUITE & EDI?
Simple and Reliable Connections
With the ability to sync your external partners’ data and channels with NetSuite, you can easily work with them and manage all their transactions. This eliminates the need for manual entry and provides a more streamlined process for onboarding new partners. Additionally, you can automate various processes, such as sharing data and updates. This can help reduce errors and improve the effectiveness of your team.
Saves Money
One of the most important advantages of an EDI integration is its ability to save a business owner money. Doing so eliminates the need for manual entry of data and allows employees to work with improved accuracy. Also, electronic data, such as shipment notifications and invoices, can help businesses save money on paper and administrative costs.
COMMON ISSUES WITH EDI
Coding Errors
A coding error occurs when an EDI message contains incorrect or missing information. For instance, it may contain the wrong serial number or item number. To correct coding errors the exact source of the error needs to be found in the originating system and manually updated. In order to avoid coding errors, it is important that the process of onboarding is carried out correctly. This can be done by thoroughly testing all the potential message variants and ensuring that the master data is maintained correctly. Another step that can help prevent these errors is the use of automated validations. When a content error appears in a message, it is important to confirm that the issue was not caused by the incorrect master data. Doing so can prevent future issues.
Configuration Errors
A configuration error can occur when the correct setups are not in place in the ERP system. This can prevent important information from being received, and it can cause messages to become stuck. For instance, if a new party is being added to the list, the messages from the EDI system might not be triggered due to the missing setup. Setting up the correct configurations in the ERP system can be done through the maintenance of master data updates and validation routines. These routines can help prevent errors from happening in the first place.
If you need any additional information on this topic, then feel free to connect with NetSuite experts, they will be happy to help you in every way possible.
CONCLUSION
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) capabilities can help any business process, regardless of its size or complexity, by connecting with its external partners. It can help companies save money, improve their competitive advantage, and reduce risk. Unfortunately, it can also lead to errors if connections are not built correctly. This is why it is so important that businesses have the proper technical expertise to set up and operate their systems.
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