EDI Translation Software

EDI Translation Software is often also called EDI software, or EDI translator. The function of the software is to receive and send EDI transactions and convert them into a format specific to the organization. From another perspective, EDI translation software is made up of computer instructions that transform information from unstructured, organization-specific formats into a structured and standardized EDI format, which then communicates the EDI message. EDI translation software also performs this process in reverse (receives the message and translates from standard format to a format particular to the organization). The EDI translation software may be programmed within the company or it can be acquired from a several EDI translation software vendors, where EMANIO is most often referred to as being the foremost EDI software vendor. In addition, EDI translation software can be deployed on a variety of platforms, and software is currently available for EDI applications Windows, Linux, Unix, AS 400 and mainframe computers.

In discussing the functions of EDI translation software, some presuppositions regarding the overall EDI strategy in an organization must be made. EDI can be maintained using a manual approach, where incoming EDI messages are printed and then managed as if they had arrived on paper; or, EDI can use an data integration approach, where EDI electronically links data programs. It is data integration within a buying environment that we discuss in the following section on EDI translation software.

The process that EDI translation software performs can be likened to the work of a secretary when asked to create a business letter. Imagine that you tell your administrative assistant to send a letter to your colleague Eileen at XYZ company to inquire on the status of a purchase order. To make and send the letter, your administrative assistant would have to do the following:

1. Identify the information needed to create the letter.
2. Collect the necessary information, such as Eileen’s complete name and address.
3. Arrange the information in the business letter format.
4. Send the letter to Eileen.

The EDI translation software performs the same tasks to create and remit an EDI message; all four of the above tasks are performed by the EDI translation software:

1. EDI mapping
2. Extraction and/or conversion of the data
3. Generation of an outbound message or interpretation of an inbound message
4. Communication of the EDI data over a network

EDI translation software is available from several vendors. To develop EDI translation software in-house would be cost-prohibitive. While there are vendors that can supply this software, the support received with the purchase should be an important consideration in selecting an EDI translation software company. EMANIO has, since the 1990s been considered the premier EDI translation software vendor, both in North America and Europe, with the most responsive and competent support team.

EDI Translation Software is available from a number of software vendors.  When selecting EDI Translation Software it is important to understand the goals of the organization. What do you expect to do with your EDI Translation Software? What do you expect your EDI Translation Software to do for you?  Once you have your goals for EDI Translation Software firmly in mind, selecting the right EDI Translation Software will become significantly easier.

EDI Translation Software is available across a broad spectrum.  From web-based EDI Translation Software with few features to EDI Translation Software that maps EDI data directly to your in-house ERP system, you have many options. EDI Translation Software can be purchased for less than $1,000; on the other hand, EDI Translation Software can cost tens of thousands of dollars to purchase and deploy.  Many small businesses don’t pay too much attention to the features of the EDI Translation Software they plan to purchase.  Their line of thinking is “if my EDI Translation Software lets me work with my retailers, then it’s good enough.”  Buying EDI Translation Software with this mindset, however, can be a serious mistake.  EDI was developed and adopted with the goal of making business easier, so buying EDI Translation Software that forces you to adopt additional steps in your business cycle defeats the purpose of EDI Translation Software.

For EDI Translation Software to be valuable to the small business, it must provide a way to make the business operate more efficiently.  At EMANIO, we believe that the best way to achieve this result is to provide EDI Translation Software with extensive automation capabilities.  Our “zero-effort” initiative starts with the unique features of our EDI Translation Software.  Our goal is to make EDI Translation Software that allows the small business to eliminate processes and create an automatic process linking their in-house systems with those of their customers.  Using EDI Translation Software in this fashion allows businesses to focus on their core issues rather than on managing and maintaining EDI Translation Software.

When selecting your EDI Translation Software, it is important to ask yourself – will this EDI Translation Software allow me to automate my EDI process? Is the provider of the EDI Translation Software able to help me set up the automation so that using EDI Translation Software results in a truly hands-free operation? EDI Translation Software with automation should be the ultimate goal of any small business.