Evaluating Your EDI Options: 7 Building Blocks of Full-Service EDI [White Paper]

Whether you’re new to EDI or an EDI veteran, the countless cloud type of EDI offerings available in the market today probably all sound the same.

A Google search for “EDI providers” leads to over 8 million results! Although the multitude of EDI services may sound similar, there are significant differences between providers. The most straightforward way to categorize these providers is by whether they offer a managed EDI service or a full-service solution.

What’s the difference between managed EDI services and full-service EDI?

A managed EDI service is a cloud-based solution in which the EDI provider is responsible for developing and maintaining the core technology, while the customer’s internal staff is responsible for the day-to-day customization, optimization and operations of the technology. Full-service EDI includes both the cloud-based solution and associated staff resources that customize, optimize and operate the technology. In this model, the EDI provider carries out a complete business function on behalf of the customer.

Which type of EDI solution is right for your business?

How can you tell whether your business needs managed services or a full-service EDI solution? The answer comes down to whether EDI is a core competency. In other words, does having EDI capabilities in-house create a competitive advantage for your company? Is having a dedicated team of EDI experts on staff something that you want for your business? If EDI is a core competency of your business, managed EDI services are a good choice. For many companies, EDI is an important requirement of doing business, but it is not a core competency. Instead, their core competencies revolve around activities that further their competitive advantage through product innovation, service delivery or other distinctive capabilities. For these businesses, a full-service EDI solution is the best option.

How can a full-service EDI provider help me?

Full-service EDI providers take ownership of understanding the EDI requirements and business rules of your retail customers, which are constantly changing. A full-service provider also proactively monitors and optimizes your EDI system, so you get the most value from your solution without having to understand the technical details yourself. Full-service EDI solutions have seven primary components:

• Technology
• Trading partner expertise
• Design and configuration
• Trading partner communication
• Testing and launch
• Proactive monitoring and analysis
• Ongoing resource access

A truly full-service provider will be able to describe their capabilities in all of these areas, so you can get a clear picture of what ongoing tasks the provider will handle and what tasks (if any) your team will be responsible for. Get more insight on the full-service type of edi and the seven components it’s founded on by downloading our new white paper – Evaluating Your EDI Options: Seven Building Blocks of Full-Service EDI.

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Jim Frome

President & Chief Operating Officer at SPS Commerce

As President and Chief Operating Officer at SPS Commerce, Jim Frome oversees global strategy, sales, marketing and operations. Since joining SPS in 2000, he has secured and expanded the company's leadership position in cloud-based supply chain management. With more than 24 years of experience in technology marketing and management, he has been named a "Pro to Know" by Supply & Demand Chain, written numerous white papers and is a frequent speaker at customer and industry events. Prior to Information Advantage, Mr. Frome held several marketing and product development positions in which he focused on building business partnerships and resellers for IBM's AS400 division.

Latest posts by Jim Frome (see all)

• When Omnichannel Retail Accelerated - December 3, 2021
• Evaluating Your EDI Options: 7 Building Blocks of Full-Service EDI [White Paper] - February 28, 2019
• Intersection of technology, processes and people - July 19, 2018