Typical EDI Problems Discovered Daily

Here are a few of the problems that frequently occur even in stable EDI operations:

  • Resolve unacknowledged outbound messages – Functional Acknowledgement reconciliation (997, 999, CONTROL) and FTPS message delivery notices (MDN)
  • Re-start halted processes
  • Correct illegal characters – processing stoppers Example: ` (to the left of 1 on your keyboard)
  • Correct or notify of incomplete documents (810, 855, 856) that erred out due to missing or incorrect data. Examples: PO # too short or Part Number or missing
  • Repair broken transmission (all customers) – perhaps an I.P. address changed
  • Repair broken transmission (one customer) – perhaps a certificate expired
  • Provide proof of delivery of Invoices (810, 880, INVOIC) and Shipment Notices (ASN, 856, DELFOR) – to speed cash flow
  • Read and correct error messages – (864) Select messages always copied to DCS
  • Resume AS2 firewall connections. Example, a port being erroneously closed during a security scan
  • Perform maintenance routinely: weekly, monthly, quarterly, and end-of-year
  • Update non-integrated print and screen entry forms
  • Update customer required modifications. Example, changing from ship date to arrival date
  • Monitoring B2B providers Examples: EDI outsourcers such as SPS Commerce, True Commerce, GXS, Sterling, iTrade, OB10, or 1SYNC service
  • Optimizing inefficient processes Example: reduce cut’n’paste or the number of clicks needed to do a process
  • Archive off inactive customers and old data
  • Mini-training of I.T. and customer service, shipping, and accounts receivable users

Non-EDI errors.  Some INbound errors will need to be resolved by customer service, not DCS:

  1. price incorrect
  2. part number unknown
  3. case quantity incorrect
  4. ship-to address unknown

A small amount of time spent by a skilled EDI consultant can save hours of time for your busy staff. It also ensures achievement of your process automation key goal: better key customer service.

Contact DCS to learn more about how we can help you with your EDI concerns.