EDI Your Way – Flexible EDI Solutions That Fit Your Business

Category: EDI Services  |  Reading time: 7 min  |  By Integration, Inc.

Flexible EDI solutions are not a luxury — they are a necessity. Every business is different, and at Integration, Inc. we believe your EDI should work the way you work, not the other way around. In this post we will walk you through every way we can deliver EDI to fit your business perfectly.

Most EDI providers give you one way to do things — their way. At Integration, Inc. we give you flexible EDI solutions that fit your business exactly as it is today, with room to grow as far as you want to take it tomorrow.

When most people think of EDI, they picture a complex, rigid system that requires a major IT investment and a team of specialists to manage. However, that does not have to be the case at all. In fact, Integration, Inc. has been delivering flexible EDI solutions to companies of all sizes since 1992 — and no two of our clients do it exactly the same way.

Furthermore, the beauty of working with a full-service EDI bureau is that we can meet you exactly where you are. Whether you want deep ERP integration, a simple spreadsheet, a printed document, or anything in between, we have a solution that fits. Let us walk you through every option.

Option 1 — Full ERP System Integration

For businesses that want to get the maximum benefit from EDI, full ERP integration is the gold standard. Specifically, this means your EDI transactions flow directly in and out of your ERP system — automatically, without any manual steps.

For example, when a retailer sends you a purchase order, it drops directly into your ERP as a sales order. Similarly, when you ship an order, your ERP generates the advance ship notice and invoice automatically. As a result, your team spends less time on data entry, errors are dramatically reduced, and your entire order-to-cash process speeds up.

Integration, Inc. works with all major ERP platforms including:

• NetSuite
• SAP Business One
• Microsoft Dynamics
• Sage
• Acumatica
• QuickBooks
• And many more proprietary and custom systems

Moreover, if your ERP system is older or custom-built, do not worry — our technical team has seen it all. We will find a way to connect it.

Option 2 — Spreadsheet or Flat File Delivery

Not every company needs or wants full ERP integration — and that is perfectly fine. For many businesses, receiving EDI data as a spreadsheet or flat file is the ideal flexible EDI solution.

In this scenario, when a trading partner sends you an EDI document, we translate it and deliver it to you as a clean, formatted Excel spreadsheet or CSV file. Consequently, your team can open it, review it, and process it using the tools they already know. There is no new software to learn and no system changes required.

Additionally, flat file delivery works extremely well for companies that use internal databases or legacy software that cannot connect directly to an EDI network. Instead of overhauling your systems, we simply bridge the gap for you.

Option 3 — Printed Documents

Sometimes the simplest solution is the right one. For businesses that prefer to work from paper, we can translate incoming EDI documents and deliver them as formatted printed documents — purchase orders, invoices, shipping instructions, and more.

Specifically, this option works particularly well for smaller suppliers who are just getting started with EDI and want to ease into the process gradually. Furthermore, it requires absolutely no technology investment on your end. We handle all the EDI complexity behind the scenes, and you simply receive a clean printed document to work from.

Option 4 — Fill-in-the-Blank Return Documents

One of our most popular flexible EDI solutions for companies new to EDI is what we call the fill-in-the-blank approach. Here is how it works:

When you need to send a return EDI document — for example, an invoice back to your retailer or an advance ship notice — we provide you with a simple, pre-formatted document with all the fixed information already filled in. All you do is fill in the variable information like quantities, dates, and shipment details, and send it back to us. We then convert it into a fully compliant EDI document and transmit it to your trading partner on your behalf.

As a result, you get full EDI compliance without needing to understand a single line of EDI code. In fact, many of our clients use this method successfully for years before deciding to move to a more automated approach.

Option 5 — We Turn Your Paper Into EDI

Do you currently process orders or invoices on paper? If so, we can take that paper off your hands and turn it into fully compliant EDI — so your trading partners get exactly what they need without you changing a single internal process.

For instance, if your team fills out paper pick slips, packing lists, or order forms, simply send them to us and we handle the rest. We key the data, validate it against your trading partner’s specifications, and transmit it as proper EDI. Therefore, you get the benefits of EDI compliance without disrupting the way your warehouse or operations team currently works.

Additionally, this is an excellent transitional option for businesses that plan to automate eventually but are not ready to make that investment today.

Option 6 — We Turn Your ERP File Into EDI

Many ERP and accounting systems can export data as a report or file — even if they cannot connect directly to an EDI network. Consequently, Integration, Inc. can take that exported file and convert it into fully compliant EDI on your behalf.

For example, if your system generates a shipment report as a PDF or CSV, we can map that data to the required EDI format and transmit it to your trading partner automatically. As a result, you get the efficiency of a connected process without the cost of a full integration project.

Furthermore, this approach works with virtually any file format — CSV, Excel, XML, fixed-width text, PDF, and more. If your system can export it, we can work with it.

You Choose How Far You Want to Take It

One of the most important things to understand about flexible EDI solutions is that there is no single right answer. In fact, the best EDI approach is simply the one that makes the most sense for your business right now.

Some of our clients start with printed documents and paper processing, then gradually move toward spreadsheet delivery, and eventually arrive at full ERP integration as their business grows. Others have been happily using the same simple approach for fifteen years because it works perfectly for them. Both are completely valid.

At Integration, Inc. we will never push you toward a more complex or expensive solution than you actually need. Instead, we take the time to understand your business, your team, and your goals — and then we recommend the approach that gives you the most benefit at the level you want to take it.

Growing Into EDI at Your Own Pace

Another major advantage of flexible EDI solutions is that you are never locked into one approach forever. As your business grows, your EDI can grow with you — on your timeline, not ours.

For example, many suppliers begin with a simple manual process because they only have one or two trading partners. However, as they add more retailers and transaction volumes increase, automation starts making more and more sense. At that point, we simply upgrade your setup — no switching providers, no losing institutional knowledge, no starting over.

Furthermore, because our team already knows your business, trading partners, and data inside and out, upgrades happen quickly and smoothly. In most cases, moving from a manual process to a more automated one takes only a matter of days.

What Our Clients Say

The Bottom Line

Flexible EDI solutions mean you never have to change your business to fit your EDI provider. Instead, your EDI provider changes to fit your business. That is the Integration, Inc. difference — and it is why companies of all sizes, across every industry, have trusted us with their EDI for over 34 years.

Whether you are just getting started with EDI or looking to get more out of a system you have had for years, we would love to talk. There is no obligation, no sales pressure — just honest advice from people who have been doing this longer than most EDI providers have even existed.

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