Changing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a major undertaking. Whether your organization is upgrading an existing platform, migrating to a new ERP, or implementing one for the first time, the project can affect nearly every part of your business.
One area that deserves particular attention is electronic data interchange (EDI).
Your ERP and EDI environments often work closely together to exchange critical business documents with customers, suppliers, retailers, manufacturers, and other trading partners. If the two systems aren’t properly aligned, an ERP migration can lead to integration problems, delayed transactions, additional work for your IT team, and disruption for your trading partners. Not to mention the additional learning curve required if an EDI bolt-on application or module is deployed. The skills needed will not align with the EDI skills currently on your existing team.
That’s why an ERP change is also an ideal opportunity to evaluate your overall EDI strategy.
Before You Go Live, Ask These Four Questions
A successful ERP implementation isn’t simply about getting the new system running. It’s about making sure the systems and processes surrounding your ERP are prepared for the transition as well.
Here are four important EDI questions to consider before your go-live date.
- Will Your EDI Solution Integrate Seamlessly with Your New ERP?
Not every EDI solution is designed to work equally well with every ERP platform.
Your organization may rely on EDI to process purchase orders, invoices, advance ship notices, inventory information, shipping documents, and other essential transactions. Those data flows need to continue working correctly after the ERP transition.
Before going live, confirm that your EDI environment can integrate effectively with your new ERP database or file requirements. This includes understanding how information will move between systems, what mappings or integrations need to change, and how those changes will be tested. Will there need to be pre and post processes developed in order to manipulate data to conform to the new ERP system.
Addressing compatibility early can help prevent unnecessary delays and reduce the risk of discovering integration problems after implementation.
- Will Your IT Team Have the Bandwidth?
An ERP implementation can place significant demands on internal IT resources.
At the same time your team is configuring the ERP, migrating data, testing workflows, training users, and addressing implementation issues, someone also needs to manage the EDI side of the transition. The legacy systems do not simply shut down and wait for the new EDI system and processes to be developed. Legacy and new need to be run simultaneously.
Organizations should realistically evaluate whether their internal teams have the time and specialized EDI expertise required to manage those responsibilities alongside the ERP project.
- What Happens After Go-Live?
The go-live date may feel like the finish line, but in many ways, it is only the beginning.
Once the new ERP is operational, organizations still need to monitor integrations, address transaction errors, respond to trading-partner requirements, and adapt as their business evolves. Is the staff you had previously to manage the EDI systems and processes now the staff you need?
Look beyond the implementation itself and consider the long-term relationship. Will knowledgeable support be available when an issue arises? Have you truly achieved seamless data integration with your new ERP system or are there still manual interventions required? Does the provider understand your business and trading partners? Can the solution adapt as transaction volumes, customer requirements, and business processes change?
A successful ERP and EDI environment should support the organization not only on launch day, but well into the future.
- Is This the Right Time to Evaluate Your EDI Strategy?
An ERP migration creates a natural opportunity to examine processes that may have been in place for years.
Your current EDI solution may still function, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best fit for where your organization is headed.
Consider whether your existing approach supports your current business goals and future growth. Are manual processes consuming too much time? Is your team struggling with support? Can your EDI environment accommodate new customers and trading partners? Does it provide the reliability, security, and scalability your organization needs?
Instead of simply recreating an existing EDI environment around a new ERP, use the transition as an opportunity to determine whether there is a better approach. Ask yourself “Is this also an opportunity to lower our overall cost of ownership and monthly costs associated with EDI’?
Why Organizations Choose Promethean Software Services
Promethean Software Services, Inc. has more than 33 years of experience providing managed EDI services and has helped many organizations transition their EDI systems and processes during an ERP conversion. More importantly, new software is often misinterpreted as things will become easier and more efficient. Understanding that new software, with respect to EDI, usually entails more complexity and change. Promethean’s approach is to provide platform independence, lower cost with a more efficient completely hosted Managed EDI Service Solution. Promethean works with organizations of all sizes and industries, including some of the world’s largest retailers and manufacturers with complex EDI environments.
Our approach emphasizes personalized service and solutions designed around each organization’s specific processes and requirements.
Dedicated 24/7/365 U.S.-based project leaders and specifically assigned teams. Promethean provides highly skilled, on-demand human resources located on-site in Ohio, helping customers access knowledgeable assistance when they need it.
Customized ERP and EDI integrations. Rather than forcing every organization into the same model, we develop tailored digital solutions designed to align with business processes and long-term objectives.
Security and compliance. Promethean provides a certified public interconnect and supports direct connection protocols within a highly secure, redundant environment.
Most importantly, our goal is to become a long-term partner that understands both your EDI environment and the trading relationships behind it.
An ERP Migration Is an Opportunity to Build for the Future
Changing ERP systems is already a significant investment of time and resources. Taking the opportunity to evaluate EDI at the same time can help your organization create a more cohesive technology environment and prepare for future growth.
Before your new ERP goes live, make sure your EDI strategy is ready to go with it.
Ask whether your current solution can integrate effectively with the new platform, whether your IT team has sufficient resources, what support will look like after implementation, and whether your current EDI approach still aligns with your organization’s goals.
The answers can help you identify potential challenges before they become operational problems.
When Was The Last Time You Evaluated Your EDI Solution?
To discuss your ERP migration or EDI requirements with Promethean Software Services,
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