Most managed EDI service providers do not meet customer expectations due to simply providing translation services and pushing the customization and data prep back onto their customers. That is because other EDI vendors have learned it is far more profitable to over promise and simply connect trading partners and translate data. The best EDI provider will have a commitment to cultivating, training and providing very skilled on-demand professional resources.
What is Truly a Managed EDI Services Provider?
A viable Managed EDI Service provider will host, maintain and service every aspect of what is required for a business to connect with trading partners, translate data, integrate and interrogate data to and from any-and-all customer formats and applications with flexibility, reliability, 24/7 availability. Most important, maintain all the professionally skilled resources required to manage each process on demand.
4 Reasons your Current EDI Provider is not a Good Fit
- Onboarding: Many providers rely on prebuilt trading partner maps or oversized networks as a sales tactic to boast quick onboarding. In reality, these generic, one-size-fits-all solutions often cause errors, rework, and delays. Without skilled professionals available to customize maps, onboarding becomes slow or even impossible without significant involvement from you. The right provider ensures onboarding is fast, accurate, and smooth.
- Cost & Hidden fees: What starts as an attractive base price can quickly balloon with extra charges for testing certification, open-ended problem resolution, training, or transaction volume surcharges. A reliable EDI partner offers budget-friendly, transparent, predictable pricing that scales with your business, without hidden costs.
- Lack of Control: If your vendor relies on third-party hosting, every outage or disruption depends on another company to resolve. That can stall critical operations in industries like manufacturing. Providers that own and manage their own infrastructure have far greater control and faster resolution times.
- Poor Reliability & Reputation: Some of the biggest EDI providers are infamous for outages, slow support, and unmet promises. Forums like Reddit are full of frustration from users caught in flashy sales pitches. Always research a provider’s real-world track record before signing.
4 Things to Look for when choosing an EDI Provider
1. Successful track record of successful implementations: Check trusted review sites like Gartner Peer Insights or G2 for verified user feedback. A provider with consistent positive reviews is more likely to deliver.
2. Quick, Skilled Onboarding: Look for providers with experienced professionals, not just pre-built templates. Direct access to a dedicated team ensures faster, more accurate onboarding.
3. Format Compliance: A strong EDI partner supports any-to-any file formats (EDIFACT, XML, JSON, CSV, databases, managed file transfer, and more) while tailoring solutions to your specific needs.
4. Visibility & Transparency: Dashboards should offer real-time visibility into your transactions: orders, file types, tracking, monitoring, and partner activity. Beyond dashboards, top vendors continuously update and improve reporting to create the best client experience. Custom mapping gives you true transparency when the overall platform design has an advanced capability to provide the visibility and transparency that incorporates the maps and processes designed specifically for your business rules and file requirements.
Questions to Ask a Potential EDI provider
- How many years of EDI experience does your company have?
- What makes your customer support different/better from other EDI vendors?
- Do you provide alerts and notifications to prevent chargebacks?
- Do you rely on pre-built maps? Can you offer custom solutions?
- Can you scale with our business?
- What security certifications can you provide? (Security Scorecard rating, SOC-2, BitSight Technologies, RiskRecon).
- Can you provide a full, transparent quote with no hidden fees?
When to choose Promethean Software Services
Whether you’re running EDI in-house, dissatisfied with your current Managed EDI provider, or new to EDI altogether, Promethean Software Services delivers a solution built around your needs.
Here’s what sets Promethean Software Services apart:
- 30+ years in business with the majority of clients being long-term
- On-site data center that offers 99.999% uptime and allows for full control and rapid issue resolution
- Dedicated project teams. No support runarounds
- Instant client alerts for quick action
- Custom mapping for accuracy and speed
- Scalability to grow with your business
- #1 most secure EDI vendor (BitSight, Security Scorecard)
- SOC-2 and other certifications for verified compliance
- Flat, transparent pricing. No hidden fees
Don’t settle for a cookie-cutter Managed EDI Services provider. Choose a partner who prioritizes your business as much as you do.
Make the Smart EDI Decision: