EDI, or Electronic Data Interchange, is a standardized electronic communication method used by businesses to exchange structured data between different computer systems. EDI enables the transfer of business documents, such as purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices, and payment information, in a machine-readable format between trading partners.
In an EDI transaction, data is formatted according to specific standards, such as ANSI X12, EDIFACT, or XML. These standards define the structure, content, and syntax of the data exchanged. Each trading partner must agree on the specific EDI standards and protocols to ensure seamless communication.EDI requires the use of specialized software or services that can translate data into the appropriate format for both sending and receiving parties. This software acts as an intermediary, translating data between different file formats and ensuring compatibility between systems.
EDI integration refers to the process of connecting and integrating EDI systems with other business applications, systems, and trading partners. EDI integration involves establishing a seamless flow of data between the EDI system and other internal or external systems, allowing for automated and efficient exchange of information. The goal is to eliminate manual data entry, reduce errors, streamline business processes, and improve communication and collaboration with trading partners.
EDI integration can be complex and hard to understand, as it needs to comply with specific industry standards and requirements. It involves making changes to existing systems as well as identifying and establishing integration points within those systems. EDI integration often involves establishing secure connections and communication channels with trading partners. It may require implementing specific communication protocols, such as AS2, SFTP, or FTP, which can involve technical complexities and considerations for security, encryption, and data integrity. As such, many business owners turn to companies that specialize in EDI to streamline the process. Several of these companies integrate with Shopify.
Here are the top 5 EDI companies we recommend that integrate with Shopify:
FLXpoint
FLXpoint provides a comprehensive e-commerce operations platform that combines various functionalities, including inventory management, order management, fulfillment, and integration capabilities. By integrating EDI into its platform, FLXpoint enables businesses to streamline their e-commerce operations and manage EDI transactions seamlessly within a unified system.
The company integrates with various e-commerce channels, such as marketplaces, shopping carts, and other platforms. This integration allows businesses to consolidate their e-commerce operations and synchronize data across multiple channels. By incorporating EDI into the mix, FLXpoint ensures seamless data exchange and integration between EDI and other e-commerce systems. It enables businesses to receive and process EDI orders automatically, update inventory levels in real-time, and generate fulfillment instructions based on EDI transactions. This integration reduces manual effort, minimizes errors, and improves overall order accuracy and fulfillment efficiency
They also offer automation and workflow orchestration capabilities, allowing businesses to design and automate complex order and fulfillment processes. This feature enables the automation of EDI-related tasks, such as order processing, document generation, shipment tracking, and status updates. It enhances operational efficiency and ensures consistent and timely execution of EDI-related workflows.
Popular brands that use FLXpoint include Ecomitize, Glendale Designs, PCR, and CQL.
Here is a testimonial:
“Using Flxpoint, we’ve been able to successfully react to the specific needs of each of our partners. It feels like there’s enough flexibility to determine a suitable workaround if they don’t want to do things a certain way.” - Daniel Taylor, Omni Channel Merchandiser for United by Blue
TrueCommerce
TrueCommerce provides end-to-end integration solutions that cover various aspects of B2B integration and supply chain management. Their offerings include EDI integration, vendor-managed inventory (VMI), e-commerce integration, order management, and more. By consolidating these capabilities into a single platform, TrueCommerce simplifies the integration process and enables businesses to connect with trading partners and systems efficiently.
The company offers managed services that handle the technical aspects of integration, such as EDI mapping, translation, and data transformation. This relieves businesses from the burden of managing complex integration processes and allows them to focus on core operations. TrueCommerce also provides customer support and ongoing assistance to help businesses address integration challenges and optimize their workflows.
TrueCommerce's integration solutions are designed to support businesses of all sizes, from small enterprises to large organizations. The platform scales with the business's needs, accommodating increasing transaction volumes, expanding trading partner networks, and evolving integration requirements. This scalability ensures that businesses can grow without facing limitations in their integration capabilities.
Popular brands that use TrueCommerce include L’Oreal, Pandora, Dannon, and Procter & Gamble.
Here is a testimonial:
“With TrueCommerce I feel satisfied that we’ve accomplished the promised objectives with both our EDI implementation and the continuing growth of our eCommerce implementation—and that’s pretty rare.” - Jeff Pecora, President of Trenditions LLC
Boomi
Boomi is a cloud-based integration platform as a service (iPaaS), meaning it operates entirely in the cloud. This cloud-native approach eliminates the need for on-premises infrastructure and reduces the complexity of managing and maintaining integration environments. It allows businesses to quickly connect and integrate applications, systems, and data regardless of their location.
They provide a vast library of pre-built connectors and APIs that facilitate integration with a wide range of applications, databases, systems, and services. This extensive connectivity enables businesses to seamlessly connect their existing systems, including on-premises and cloud-based applications, creating a unified ecosystem.
Boomi is also designed to handle enterprise-scale integration requirements. It provides scalability and performance optimizations, ensuring that integrations can efficiently handle large data volumes, high transaction rates, and complex workflows. This scalability allows businesses to grow and adapt their integration needs without compromising performance.
Companies that use Boomi include exertis, PTC, riverbed, and Chevron.
Here is a testimonial:
“"After implementing Dell Boomi, we had a 58 percent month-over-month adoption rate and enabled the processing of $30 million worth of revenue. Dell Boomi just works—it was absolutely the right decision." - John Pechmann, Partner Manager of Dell
SPS Commerce
SPS Commerce specializes in serving the retail industry. They understand the unique integration requirements of retailers, suppliers, distributors, and logistics providers, making them well-suited for integration in the retail sector. SPS Commerce offers retail-specific integration solutions that cater to the specific needs of the industry. Their solutions cover various aspects of supply chain management, including EDI, order management, inventory visibility, fulfillment, and analytics. This specialization ensures that businesses can seamlessly integrate with retail partners and efficiently manage their supply chain processes.
SPS Commerce provides managed services and ongoing support to assist businesses with their integration needs. Their experts can handle EDI mapping, testing, partner onboarding, and ongoing monitoring, allowing businesses to focus on their core operations while ensuring smooth integration processes. They offer EDI mapping, translation, and compliance services to ensure seamless data exchange and compliance with retail-specific EDI standards, such as ANSI X12 and EDIFACT.
SPS Commerce offers analytics and visibility tools that provide insights into supply chain performance, inventory levels, order status, and other key metrics. These tools enable businesses to monitor and optimize their integration processes, make informed decisions, and improve operational efficiency.
Brands that use SPS Commerce include The North Face, Lenovo Group, and Blackfriars Group.
Here is a testimonial:
“We are excited to see the continual improvement made possible by partnering with SPS Commerce. Our accuracy and efficiency targets are being met and we have solid technology to support our growth backed by SPS experts at our disposal.” - Marjan Salveter, Director of IT at Benchmade
Cleo
Cleo provides a comprehensive integration platform that supports EDI, application integration, B2B integration, data transformation, and API connectivity. This versatility allows businesses to address various integration needs within a single platform, simplifying the management and maintenance of integration processes.
The brand offers integration solutions that provide end-to-end visibility and control over data flows, allowing businesses to monitor, track, and manage their integration processes effectively. Real-time dashboards, alerts, and reporting capabilities enable proactive monitoring and issue resolution, ensuring smooth operations.
Cleo has built a strong ecosystem of technology partners, system integrators, and service providers. This ecosystem allows businesses to leverage additional expertise, solutions, and services to complement their EDI integration. Collaborating with partners within Cleo's ecosystem facilitates seamless integration with other systems and platforms.
Brands that use Cleo include eBay, Uber, and Straus Family Creamery.
Here is a testimonial:
“We sought a tightly integrated EDI platform and found it in the Cleo Integration Suite, which is quite an upgrade from our previous solution and will help us meet any future business integration requirement." - Andre Barbosa, System Analyst at Mondetta