Guideline for the EDI implementation
To obtain an efficient optimization of your processes with electronic data interchange, it is important to examine thoroughly your technical requirements and exact demands of your company at the beginning of the EDI-project. The following guideline leads you through to the most important implementation phases and to a successful realization of your project in only 8 steps.
1. Analysis of your business processes
Contact as early as possible your EDI partner. The following questions should be cleared in the preliminary meeting:
- Which business processes shall be supported by (GS1) message standards?
- Which data or information will be effectively exchanged?
- Should the data only be sent or also received?
Business partners who want to exchange electronic messages, have to agree on the necessary technical arrangements. This information and general conditions can be documented in written form in the “EDI Basic Agreement” (only in German Language)
2. Make sure your company is a GS1 member and holds a GS1 company prefix.
The GS1 identification numbering for companies (GLN-Global Location Number) and products (GTIN-Global Trade Item) is used for all GS1 Standards. When the physical dispatch takes place it appears as bar code on the products. But it is also used in electronic information exchange among business partners. If you are not sure if your company is already a GS1 member or holds a GS1 company prefix please contact GS1 Austria.
3. Download the necessary eCom interfaces and/or message guidelines from the GS1 Austria Homepage
On the GS1 Austria Homepage all Austrian companies provide their eCom message guidelines free of charge. All message guidelines are documented for an implementation in the EANCOM message standard. They are available for ECR (consumer goods industry) , press distribution, gastronomy, pharmaceutical, construction material industry. Please contact GS1 Austria for any question regarding the use of the message guideline.
4. Find an EDI-solution
To process data in an automated way you need a specific software which supports GS1 eCom standards and its interface requirements. Find information about the EDITEL product portfolio or contact our sales team.
5. Register to eXite®
With eXite® you reach almost every company which uses electronic data interchange. The registration requires a GLN identification number (→ Step 2).
6. Synchronize your master data with your business partners
Master data synchronicity is an important step within the EDI-implementation because master data is not again transmitted in the transaction data like orders or invoice. It is generated with a single link to the standard GS1 identification number. As e.g. the name and address of the customer and supplier are only transmitted as GLN number and not as text. This prevents the redundancy of data within the transmitted messages and ensures an efficient, cost-effective, automated processing of data.
7. Check your messages and start with the test phase
Before starting with EDI transmissions we recommend you to send your messages to GS1 Austria (free GS1 test service - only for Austria) to verify the syntactical correctness of your EANCOM message. If the message syntax is correct, arrange a test phase with your trading partner, to test the communication and processing of the messages.
8. Start exchange of electronic data
Go live with the electronic communication to your business partners!
