Its Been Decided, You Need an EDI Solution to Streamline your BusinessNow What??

Tricia Hartigan, TrueCommerce EDI Solutions

You just received an EDI compliance directive from your new customer, a large account with a big name retailer or your current EDI system isnt meeting your expectations. Now what??

For starters, relax. You can integrate EDI with your Microsoft Dynamics ERP system in time to meet your compliance deadline. Not only that, it can save your company money in the long run by making purchase order and invoice processing more efficient and error-free.

Making a Short List

It shouldnt take long to evaluate EDI providers and identify the leaders of the pack. Dont worry if none of the EDI companies your partner may have recommended seem to meet your needs. Remember, its your choice — your partner may have a preferred EDI provider, but they cant require you to use one provider over any other.

The key to a smooth EDI implementation is one-stop shopping. You dont want to integrate point solutions from multiple vendors, or do any significant integration yourself. Keep it simple and save money and headaches by choosing an end-to-end EDI solution from one source, the type that TrueCommerce provides.

Keeping it simple also means simple integration with your existing accounting system. Insist on an EDI solution that works with what you have. TrueCommerce is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and the TrueCommerce EDI Platform is certified for Microsoft Dyanmics GP. So you can be certain the EDI system will seamlessly integrate with your business system.

Next, call a few of the EDI providers whove survived your first two inquiries. Do you get a speedy response? Straightforward answers to your questions (including some you might not have known to ask)? If not, what does that say about the quality and timeliness of support you might get later?

Last vendor standing

If you still have more than one vendor on your short list, ask about implementation and training timeframes and particulars. Can installation be done remotely? Whats the plan for training? And whats this all going to cost?

Asking about what will actually need to happen, how long it will take and how much it will cost may reveal that not every vendor that claims to have a simple, integrated solution actually does.

Your cost evaluation should encompass not just software and implementation but the total cost of ownership. Get a feel for:

• Transmission costs
• Maintenance and software update fees
• Support costs
• Cost and level of difficulty for adding new trading partners to the solution

By following the path outlined here, its likely that with short time investment youll be able to confidently select an EDI provider that can meet your needs quickly and affordably.

Do you have thoughts to share on your EDI solution evaluation process? Please comment on your experiences and whether you found the above suggestions helpful.

By True Commerce EDI Solutions, Microsoft Dynamics EDI provider

Its Been Decided, You Need an EDI Solution to Streamline your BusinessNow What?? is a post from: Distribution Software Blog

Related posts:

1. How EDI Got its Big Break in the Distribution World As you may already know, EDI is the electronic communication...
2. Future of the Freight Industry Slower-than-expected economic growth combined with smaller than usual inventories are...
3. TrueCommerce EDI Solutions Integrated with Microsoft Dynamics GP Brings Value to Businesses Knowing what solution is right for your business takes research,...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Permalink for Its Been Decided, You Need an EDI Solution to Streamline your BusinessNow What??