What Could Be Easier...
...Than Doing Nothing?
In Hands-Free™ Mode, EDI just happens
EDI Advantage solutions have the ability to go beyond typical communications, translation, and integration. Way beyond. When you use Hands-Free™ Mode, EDI just happens. Forget clicking. Don't even think about importing files, exporting files, 'doing' an integration, running Visual Integrator jobs, or typing anything.
EDI just happens:
In Hands-Free™ Mode, EDI Advantage initiates and performs inbound and outbound EDI data integration with the accounting or ERP system without requiring any human interaction beyond the normal operation of the accounting or ERP system.
How?
Behind-the-scenes sophistication. The need for human intervention during EDI processing can be reduced or eliminated only when processing decisions can be made based on available information. To accomplish this, system designers need to anticipate the decisions that will come up, the information that will be needed to support those decisions, and how and when to collect, store and access that information. This takes a lot of time and a lot of experience with actual EDI processing.
Thanks to our many years of experience with EDI, and a relentless ongoing design improvement process, EDI Advantage has accumulated a high "EDI IQ". Its programs, databases, and processing rules have evolved to include the ability to make many common EDI processing decisions on-the-fly without waiting for operator input. So that in many cases EDI processing can occur without waiting for human intervention at all - in other words, in totally Hands-Free™ Mode.
EDI Advantage solutions remove complexity from your daily operations, replacing system interaction with intelligent behind-the-scenes programming logic, system exception reporting, and alert monitoring. So even if you decide you want to perform a review or audit somewhere in the processing cycle, or if an unusual requirement adds a data entry step to your procedures, you know you'll have the most efficient EDI processing system available.
What if I want to be hands-on?
Hands-Free™ Mode is just one way of using EDI Advantage. That's the other benefit of sophisticated design. For some users, Hands-Free™ Mode isn't the best option, and a more hands-on approach is desired or required. If you need real-time, hands-on control of system events and want to interact with the data, initiate EDI processing, and do more than review detailed audit reports, you can.
Other Approaches to Accounting or ERP
System Integration
When you're shopping for an EDI solution, you might find yourself wondering how the solutions you are comparing are different from each other and what those differences could mean to you.
As you may already realize, one important way that EDI solutions can differ is the way accounting or ERP system integration is accomplished. How does the solution get your EDI data into and out of your accounting or ERP system? What steps, if any, do you have to perform manually? How often?
These are key factors to consider when evaluating EDI solutions,
as they could have a significant impact on the time and energy (read: money) you spend on a daily basis to do EDI.
Manual "Integration"
Let's start by acknowledging that manually entering EDI information isn't actually "integration". However, for some users, it may be the quickest and least expensive way to comply with a trading partner's EDI requirements.
Unfortunately, when this method is used, your trading partners may be enjoying the benefits of your investment in EDI capability, but it's likely that you are not.
Beyond the fact that you are able to do business using EDI, you aren't experiencing any of the benefits of an integrated solution. Manual integration means that you are receiving EDI data from your trading partners, but you are required to manually enter the corresponding business transactions into your accounting or ERP system. Data entry errors could go unchecked, and you have no opportunity to save time or money as a result of EDI. When it's time to send EDI data back to your trading partners, you have to manually create the EDI document from your accounting system data. You may actually need to employ more order processing staff to do EDI this way.
Import / Export Integration
This type of integration refers to systems using general purpose import/export tools or utilities to bring EDI data into and out of the accounting or ERP system. The import/export tools aren't specifically designed to handle EDI data. Rather, they are designed to generally perform all kinds of data import and export tasks throughout your accounting or ERP system.
With EDI integration based on the capabilities of general purpose import/export tools, you can expect to experience somewhat lower data entry requirements than you would with the manual method described above. And when a relatively low number of EDI transactions are being handled, this type of integration may be appropriate.
However, some factors may cause this method to become impractical, including:
- a higher volume of EDI transactions
With this method, it's more likely that you will be required to manually add or edit data for some or all of your transactions. If transaction volume is low, this may be acceptable. If not, you may find this method too cumbersome. - certain trading partner requirements
Some trading partners may require data or data formats that may be difficult or impossible to accommodate with this type of integration. For example, a requirement for using XML often creates problems for this method. Another common requirement that often can't be met well with this method is the requirement to send Advance Ship Notices (ASNs). - a need for greater data processing flexibility
If you want to have more control over what happens with the data after it has been imported into your accounting or ERP system, this method may not offer you the flexibility you need.
Since the data is deposited in an external location in preparation for the import or export step, the external database may need to be maintained, so you could find that you will pick up additional database maintenance tasks.
Further, if a change is made within the accounting or ERP system that impacts the design of the database or the way the import/export tool is used, additional maintenance may be required to make the import/export process compatible again.
"Mostly Automated" Integration
With "mostly automated" EDI systems, programs designed specifically to handle EDI data are used to accomplish integration with the accounting or ERP system.
These tools are tailored specifically for EDI integration tasks, but the system may still require some degree of manual operation and possibly a limited amount of data entry by the user. If these interactions are acceptable to the user, a higher volume of EDI transactions is generally workable under this method than the import/export method.
Mostly automated systems generally offer more flexibility than systems based on import/export utilities in that menu-driven automation can be combined with setup options to give the user more control and flexibility in terms of how EDI data is integrated and processed in the accounting or ERP system.
A potential concern with "mostly automated" systems is that the automation may be accomplished through the use of source code modifications. This means installation of the EDI system modifies programs (source code) that are part of the accounting or ERP system.
With EDI Advantage, you get the best of both worlds.
EDI Advantage offers extremely well-integrated processing (even going 'beyond integration' with Hands-Free™ Mode) yet does not modify source code. To our knowledge, no other EDI solution for Sage MAS 90, 200 and 500 can offer such a strong set of benefits.
Ready to get started? Contact us at 800-562-5456 today!
