Many companies already conducting EDI or eCommerce can significantly increase efficiency and ROI by automating additional customers and documents through their existing systems. Once the initial setup is complete, adding new customers or EDI documents requires only a fraction of the original investment—often delivering returns that exceed 200%.
Two Expansion Paths: Integrated and Rip-N-Read
Integrated EDI
Best suited for high-volume customers and documents, this method routes data directly into your ERP or business systems for seamless automation.
- For each EDI document (Transaction Set), DCS develops a comprehensive map and configures the EDI gateway, along with the intermediate “flat file” or table that integrates with your application system.
- While customer-specific EDI requirements may vary, your internal flat-file structures remain unchanged—saving time and reducing complexity.
- Adding new customers becomes more efficient, as initial mapping challenges have already been resolved.
- When introducing a new document, existing maps for similar Transaction Sets can be reused—cutting development time significantly. For instance, a PO Change Request often shares key elements with a PO, allowing for rapid implementation.
Rip-N-Read
Primarily used for low-volume transactions or seasonal trading partners, this approach uses Print and Data Entry templates.
- Commonly applied to documents like Remittance Advices or infrequent Purchase Orders.
- New documents are quick to implement since the customer profile already exists and has been validated in the EDI Translator.
Why It Matters
The benefits of expanding EDI include faster response times, fewer errors, broader fulfillment windows, and shorter business cycles. Whether you’re onboarding new trading partners or automating additional documents, the payoff is clear. For most businesses, the return on investment typically materializes within months—often yielding over 100% ROI.