Compliance is one of the most essential EDI services because it aims to support customers' EDI operations including outsourcing. 123 EDI's certification services encompass all of the steps required for bringing a trading partnership into production and include the following areas:
Business Processes Analysis
Beyond the specifics of an EDI implementation, each trading partner is unique in terms of its logistics and general operational procedures. During the process of certification, an analysis is performed to provide specific recommendations that are not necessarily technical but are intermingled with EDI and constitute an essential part of the operation to ensure full compliance.
Communications
This service includes an analysis of the data transmission volume and number of trading partners in order to decide which method of communication will be most effective; 123 EDI supports all methods including direct connections, such as AS2 and FTP, as well as the traditional Value Added Networks (VANS). In addition, during this phase, an analysis of the volume and utilization pattern is performed to determine the best method and/or VAN to be utilized and the best plan that suits each customer's needs. After a particular method has been selected, our staff proceeds with the setup and configuration of the EDI mailboxes and/or direct connections, and the completion of the corresponding communications testing.
Trading Partner Certification
Trading-partner certification is an intricate service because trading partners differ from each other and the requirements of each company can be quite varied. For example, in the retail industry, some companies may require their suppliers to initially test with a third-party certification agent and then test with each other, but in other cases, certification may be carried out directly with the trading partner. Regardless of the method that is utilized, the certification process requires the active involvement of both parties.
A typical certification entails several different steps that vary in length and complexity. Below is a list of some of the steps involved in this process:
- Contract and Profiles Forms
Trading partners may require forms and/or legal contracts prior to starting EDI.
- Set-up of trading partner via VAN or with a direct connection.
Some VANs require to establish a relationship with the trading partner before the communication can start; in some instances, inter-VAN connections may be required when the vendor and the retailer are not sharing the same VAN.
- Testing of EDI documents
Test transmissions, which are exchanged in both directions, are typically accompanied by the exchange of telephone conversations, emails and questionnaires, which are needed to confirm the validity and correct interpretation of the data by both parties.
- Testing of non-EDI documents
Examples of non-EDI documents are container labels and shipping manifest, to name a few. At this stage, it is important to do a thorough examination of additional elements like barcodes certification.
Moving from Testing to Production
After testing has been satisfactorily completed, it is necessary to switch the trading partner into production, which will require the coordination of different parties and groups in each organization and the establishment of operational procedures
Audit
It is important to audit initial transmissions and maintain contact with trading partners. It will also still be necessary to monitor and regularly check for compliance with trading partner's specifications.
