Decision Time: In-House or Leverage Existing EDI Technologies

Based on your readings of the "Making informed decisions", "EDI Education", and the "Trading Partner Requirements" you now know what is needed.  It is ok, at this point, if you do not know how to fit "EDI" into your organization.  That is the point of this article.

Each trading partner has their own expectations of what they would like for you to do.  Some may want to exchange the retailer transactions, and other the carrier transactions.  In that case, the EDI system would need to "plug" into your ERP and TMS systems.  Does this seem like a lot of work?  Well, it is.  So the first decision is whether or not to take your entire EDI processing "in house" or to use get some help from a 3rd party.  You can buy costly EDI software which requires computer servers, communication software, and people to run and maintain these on a daily basis; and you will need to keep up with your "Hubs" ever changing EDI requirements.

Or another solution is to leverage pre-existing software from using a 3rd party.  Those solutions and services are plentiful.  Here are a few,

Let's say you want to run your own in-house software, or you already have your own EDI system, you can still leverage off of the EDI VAN solution.  Doing so could help reduce your monthly VAN bill.  Not much work for lots of savings.

Or you want to outsource your entire EDI processing to a 3rd party.  In essence, to have the outsourcer become your "EDI Department".  Many EDI companies provide this service as well.

Or, perhaps, you are pressured by one or two companies to do EDI, and you do not have anything that resembles an I.T. staff.  EDI Web technology exists to trade EDI via your web browser.

These are to name just a few.  There are more EDI Solutions available as you will see by reviewing the above links.