Evolved360 EDI

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the automated exchange of business documents (purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices) between companies in a standardized electronic format. Canadian businesses need EDI because: major retailers and suppliers require it (Walmart, Loblaws, Canadian Tire, Amazon), manual order processing is slow and error-prone, EDI reduces order processing costs by 70-90%, eliminates data entry errors, accelerates order-to-cash cycle, improves inventory accuracy, and meets trading partner compliance requirements. Without EDI, you can't efficiently do business with large retailers or automate B2B transactions.

EDI implementation costs in Canada vary by complexity and transaction volume. EDI software/service costs $200-$1,000 CAD/month depending on transaction volume and trading partners. Implementation services range from $5,000-$25,000 for setup, testing, and integration with your ERP/accounting system. Per-transaction fees (if using managed EDI service) range from $0.05-$0.50 per document. For a typical distributor with 3-5 trading partners and 500 monthly transactions, expect $8,000-$12,000 implementation plus $400-$600/month ongoing. We provide fixed-price quotes after assessing your trading partners and systems.

We support all major EDI standards used in Canada including: X12 (ANSI) - most common in North America for retail, distribution, EDIFACT - international standard, XML - modern format for web services, AS2, SFTP, HTTPS - secure transmission protocols, and industry-specific formats (PIDX for petroleum, VICS for retail, UCS for grocery). Common document types include 850 (Purchase Order), 810 (Invoice), 856 (Advanced Ship Notice), 997 (Functional Acknowledgment), 855 (PO Acknowledgment), and 820 (Payment). We map between your system's format and trading partner requirements.

Yes, EDI integration with your business system is essential for automation. We integrate EDI with: Acumatica, QuickBooks, Sage (50, 100, 300, Intacct), Microsoft Dynamics (Business Central, NAV, GP), SAP Business One, NetSuite, and custom systems via APIs or file imports. The integration automatically: creates orders in your system from EDI 850s, generates EDI invoices from your system, updates inventory from EDI transactions, creates shipment confirmations, and syncs all data bi-directionally. Manual EDI defeats the purpose—full integration is where ROI comes from.

EDI implementation timelines depend on trading partners and system complexity: Single trading partner (basic documents) takes 3-4 weeks including testing, Multiple trading partners (3-5 retailers) take 6-8 weeks, Complex implementations (custom documents, multiple systems) take 8-12 weeks. The process includes: trading partner setup and agreement, EDI mapping and translation setup, ERP/accounting system integration, testing (critical - each trading partner tests thoroughly), certification with trading partners, and go-live. Testing is the longest phase—trading partners require multiple test transactions before approving production.

EDI and APIs both automate B2B transactions but use different technologies. EDI uses standardized document formats (X12, EDIFACT) over protocols like AS2/SFTP—it's mature, widely adopted by large companies, handles complex business documents, and is required by many trading partners. APIs use modern web services (REST, SOAP)—they're faster, more flexible, easier to develop, and better for real-time transactions. We implement both: EDI for trading partners who require it (retailers, manufacturers), and APIs for modern cloud platforms and custom integrations. Often both are needed in a complete B2B automation strategy.

We provide full EDI managed services, not just implementation and abandonment. Our managed EDI service includes: 24/7 monitoring of EDI transactions, error detection and resolution, trading partner communication and issue resolution, mapping updates when partners change requirements, onboarding new trading partners, monthly transaction reports, compliance monitoring, and help desk support. Managed EDI pricing starts at $200-$500/month depending on transaction volume. Most clients prefer managed services because EDI requires ongoing maintenance and trading partner coordination.

EDI failures and errors are handled through our monitoring and alert system: Automated monitoring detects failed transmissions or errors immediately, Alerts notify appropriate staff (email, SMS, dashboard), Error reports show specific issues (mapping errors, validation failures, transmission problems), Retry logic attempts re-transmission automatically, Manual intervention for complex issues with root cause analysis, and Trading partner communication to resolve their-side issues. We track error rates, response times, and resolution times. Our managed EDI service includes error resolution—we don't just alert you, we fix the problem.

Yes, EDI is required for Amazon Vendor Central and Walmart Retail Link suppliers. We implement EDI for: Amazon Vendor Central (purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices, compliance with ASIN requirements), Walmart Retail Link (compliance with strict EDI requirements, GDSN product data sync, invoice reconciliation), Canadian Tire, Loblaws, Metro, and other major Canadian retailers. Each retailer has specific EDI requirements, compliance rules, and testing procedures. We handle certification with each retailer, ongoing compliance monitoring, and chargebacks prevention through accurate, timely EDI transactions.

EDI testing validates that your EDI transactions meet trading partner requirements before going to production. Testing includes: Syntax validation (document structure is correct), Business rule validation (data meets partner requirements), Integration testing (data flows correctly between EDI and your ERP), Interoperability testing (partner can receive and process your documents), Round-trip testing (full cycle: PO, acknowledgment, invoice, payment), and Certification (partner formally approves your EDI). Testing takes 2-4 weeks per trading partner because: partners test batches at their pace, issues must be fixed and retested, and certification is thorough to avoid production problems. Rushing testing causes expensive production errors and chargebacks.