The advantages of electronic communication over standardized interfaces, enabled by EDI, are undisputed. Huge savings and improvements in efficiency can be obtained if the handling of the most frequent business transactions takes place electronically. This is especially true in hub-and-spoke relationships, typical for the consumer goods industry and a lot of others.

But numerous suppliers still hesitate to implement EDI. Some of the following reasons are often refered to:

• For smaller enterprises, relatively high capital investment is necessary
• Pay back lacks if data exchange via EDI is limited to one single partner
• If data integration is not possible, a supplier can’t obtain significant rationalization (EDI system is expensive fax device)
• In case of lacking EDP infrastructure, outgoing data such as invoices or delivery advices can’t be made available by the supplier (one way EDI)

The use of the Internet as a worldwide communication infrastructure makes it possible to illustrate such business relationsships electronically, too. EvI (EDI via Internet) and WEB-EDI represent alternatives to classical electronic data interchange, which are suitable for the transfer of smaller volumes of data:

WEB-EDI: How does it work?
With WEB-EDI, a big customer allows his suppliers to log in to a central web server, using only a simple Browser without additional software. After successful password identification, the supplier can read its orders online and make a printout. These are processed in conventional manner, i.e. a modification of the organization is not necessary.

Electronic invoices and despatch advices are created by the supplier, using so-called online forms, which can be automatically processed by the customer. However, to execute these transactions, the supplier must log in again on-line on the Internet server.

The technical facilities with the supplier are conceivablly small - a Browser is already sufficient in principle. Since this is available free of charge and the supplier does not need further software, no capital outlays develop for the supplier. For the strong trading partner thus good argumentation possibilities arise to convince suppliers of a binding to such systems.

But what should also be looked at are the subsequent costs for the supply side, resulting from online fees because forms have to be filled in online operation. Furthermore, if several partners of the supplier turn to WEB-EDI, he must surf the web for each partner day by day - a possibly time-consuming procedure, resulting in a cost explosion.

As experienced EDI service company, we know pros and cons of both systems - and help you to make the best choice for your enterprise. Interested? Contact us by mail, telephone or fax - fastest however via eMail.