Using Value Added Networks to Manage EDI

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the process of electronically exchanging information between trading partners.

Over the last 20 years, many standards have risen to allow paper mills to exchange information with their customers and suppliers. The Embarc standard was developed 20 years ago. Later came ANSII X12 and, today, PapiNET is the foremost global standard.

It can be taxing for paper mills to keep up with all these standards and to support variations in implementations of these standards as well as legacy systems. In addition, mills need to buy software and subscribe to an array of electronic mailboxes on various networks (such as GE, Western Union) to communicate with their trading partners.

We propose that paper mills outsource the managing of their EDI to Value Added Networks (VAN). These VANs have the software, infrastructure and support staff to manage all the EDI for the mill and to resolve technical problems with the trading partners as they occur.

Basically, the mill sends the data in an agreed format to the VAN by email or FTP, and the VAN translates the data according to the trading partner’s profile and sends it to the trading partner.

Usually, VANs serve multiple industries, but it would be advantageous to choose a VAN that enjoys a good relationship with the paper industry.

VANs can relieve your IT department from supporting EDI while providing your trading partners with a fulltime EDI professional.