Considering a Switch to a New EDI Provider? Find Out Everything You Need to Know about a Seamless EDI Migration

Are you efficiently exchanging data, or are you still on the lookout for the right provider? Switching EDI providers can pose a significant challenge. Nevertheless, if your current EDI provider goes out of business or fails to meet expectations, an EDI migration becomes not just an option, but a necessity. EDI is the cornerstone of contemporary business relationships, and choosing the right provider is pivotal for the sustained success of implementing this technology.

This blog is your comprehensive guide from theory into practice for your EDI provider switch and the accompanying EDI migration process.

Why consider switching your EDI provider?

In addition to the reasons mentioned for dissatisfaction with your current EDI provider or its discontinuation of operations, there are other valid considerations in favor of an EDI provider switch.

EDI has been a proven technology since the 1960s and has since evolved continuously to remain integral in various industries today. Nevertheless, stability requires innovation. The landscape of electronic data exchange is in constant development. Therefore, considering a change in provider becomes essential to align with technological advancements. Opting for an innovative provider can offer more advanced features and enhanced security measures, better suited to current business demands compared to the previous provider.

However, the evolution and development of EDI technology are not the sole considerations. The company using EDI itself may undergo changes. Growth or shifts in market demands can introduce new and expanded requirements for scalability and flexibility. Opting for a new EDI provider can furnish a scalable solution, enabling the company to adeptly manage heightened transaction volumes and an expanding network of business partners.

If we are talking about organizational changes in means of international expansion, it is crucial to take into account industry-specific and regional requirements for the EDI solution. Diverse industries and regions often adhere to distinct EDI standards. A suitable EDI provider should possess the capability to support a range of standards, ensuring the seamless communication of the company with various partners.

These organizational changes can lead to a more intricate IT infrastructure. Simultaneously, contemporary technological advancements present a diverse array of integration options as well as requirements. Opting for a change in EDI providers based on integration considerations can bring numerous advantages for your business. These include the seamless integration of internal company systems, support for modern technologies and enhanced collaboration with business partners. It is important to assess your specific integration requirements, ensuring that the chosen EDI provider can cater to both current and future organizational needs. A streamlined integration process significantly contributes to the efficiency of your business operations, enabling more adaptable responses to the evolving demands of the market.

What’s the criteria for a suitable EDI provider?

The previously discussed reasons for changing EDI providers give rise to the following key attributes that define a reliable and forward-looking EDI provider for your company.

• Choosing an EDI provider with extensive expertise ensures access to a wealth of practical experience. The provider’s years of industry knowledge are manifested in its capacity to deliver tested solutions and technologies custom-tailored to the unique needs of your sector. This accumulated knowledge equips the provider with an in-depth understanding of best practices and challenges associated with electronic data interchange through EDI, ensuring that you gain from proven methodologies and efficient solutions for various business scenarios.
  SEEBURGER stands out as a prominent leader in EDI technology with over 35 years of experience, offering innovative solutions to companies globally.
• An ideal EDI provider offers a scalable solution. As highlighted earlier, scalability and flexibility are crucial, especially for expanding companies and in dynamic environments, to optimize resource utilization. This implies that the EDI platform should seamlessly expand alongside your business. A scalable and flexible EDI solution empowers you to adjust your business processes with agility, seizing new opportunities without sacrificing efficiency, and always staying optimally aligned with your business goals.
• The automation of business processes is a key factor for increasing efficiency in electronic data exchange. By using an automated EDI solution, repetitive tasks such as partner onboarding can be drastically reduced. This not only results in significant time savings, but also minimizes the risk of human errors that can occur in manual processes. When choosing an EDI provider, you should ensure that the solution supports automation to take full advantage of this modern technology.
• EDI in the cloud empowers companies to function with increased flexibility, agility, and efficiency by ensuring constant access to the latest technologies and functionalities, all without manual maintenance tasks. Consequently, an innovative EDI provider extends its EDI software and services with the option of a cloud-based solution. A notable advantage of a cloud integration solution for B2B/EDI lies in its minimal manual effort, thanks to ready-to-use and easily implementable components, which can be acquired individually or combined to establish a comprehensive and holistic EDI communication system within your company.
• A security-conscious EDI provider prioritizes compliance, encompassing adherence to legal regulations and industry standards, especially in the realms of data protection and security. Your chosen EDI provider should guarantee that the implemented solutions align with relevant laws and regulations, safeguarding the confidentiality and integrity of your business information and data.

EDI migration in practice

Having selected the appropriate EDI provider based on these considerations, it’s time to proceed with the migration itself. This involves relocating your processes and data from the legacy technology to the new EDI environment.

The following steps describe the tasks associated with an EDI migration project. Ideally, the IT consulting team of the new provider should be readily available to offer guidance and support, ensuring a smooth transition without any downtime.

1. During the planning phase, conduct a comprehensive analysis of the current EDI structure and its related business processes. This entails identifying weaknesses and pinpointing areas for potential improvement. Simultaneously, clear goals and requirements must be established to guide the migration process and serve as benchmarks for project evaluation. This process involves crafting a clear strategy for the desired changes.
2. Building upon this foundation, technical preparations for the EDI migration are initiated. During data mapping, the emphasis lies in accurately aligning data structures between the legacy and the new EDI system. This meticulous process is vital to guaranteeing consistent and accurate data exchange between the two systems. It entails identifying data conversion requirements, facilitating the seamless transfer of information between diverse formats and ensuring uninterrupted operations without any disruptions.
3. Subsequently, system integration ensues, involving the seamless incorporation of the new EDI system into the existing company applications. This integration into the IT infrastructure enables the comprehensive utilization of the benefits offered by the new EDI system while enhancing the efficiency of the entire company infrastructure.
4. Thorough testing within a secure environment is conducted to guarantee the seamless functionality of the new system. This involves verifying the accurate data exchange between the old and new systems. The assessment encompasses scrutinizing data integrity, format consistency and the successful execution of data conversions. Any identified errors prompt immediate and detailed troubleshooting to rectify issues, ensuring a robust system.
   The test results not only ensure data quality but also facilitate the optimization of underlying processes. Identifying weaknesses and implementing fast improvements during the testing phase ensures a smooth and error-free transition of the new EDI system into live operations.
5. During the pilot phase, the new system is introduced into a limited environment or with selected business partners. This allows for focused testing of functionality under real-world conditions before broader implementation. By deploying it in a controlled environment, potential vulnerabilities can be identified and addressed proactively before expanding the system to the entire company.
6. The rollout will occur following the successful completion of the pilot phase. Any issues that may arise during this transition still require immediate attention, and a support team is on standby to provide prompt assistance.
7. Following the EDI system’s successful go-live, attention turns towards continuous improvement. This involves actively monitoring performance to pinpoint weaknesses and integrating feedback loops for user and stakeholder input, facilitating ongoing optimization. All process changes are meticulously documented, and ongoing maintenance by a dedicated support team ensures the system remains aligned with current requirements and technologies. This comprehensive approach guarantees the long-term stability, efficiency and responsiveness of the implemented EDI system within the company.

SEEBURGER – your experienced EDI provider

Ready to make the switch to a new EDI provider? Look no further! We acknowledge that change can be a challenge, and we’re here to assist you every step of the way.

The BIS Platform’s B2B/EDI capabilities empower companies to seamlessly connect with business partners and authorities. The robust foundation of the SEEBURGER BIS Platform ensures stable and reliable operations, regardless of the data load. Supporting all EDI standards, the BIS Platform facilitates the seamless integration of EDI with your APIs, ERP systems and cloud services across the entire digital ecosystem.