Streamline your steel sourcing with EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)

While email might seem similar to EDI, the main difference is that the documents exchanged via email must be handled by people rather than computers. Having people involved in the process slows down the processing of the documents and increases risks of errors. With EDI, documents can flow straight through to the appropriate application on the receiver’s end and processing can begin immediately.

The most common documents exchanged via EDI are forecasts, purchase orders, invoices and dispatch advices. However, other paperwork such as bills of ladings, customs documents, inventory documents, shipping status documents and payment documents can be transferred using EDI.

Since computers interact using the same data language, a standard format must be used in order to make the documents readable and understandable for the computers involved. Without a standardformat, there would be a risk of each company sending documents using their company-specific format, resulting in the computer system on the receiver’s end not being able to translate the document or get the message across. 

There are several EDI standards in use today, which needs to be taken into consideration when two businesses decide to exchange EDI documents. Both parts must agree on the specific EDI standardand version, to ensure that nothing gets lost in translation.

Automatic process, no manual data inputs and easy to troubleshoot

Paperless (since strictly digital), lower CO₂ emissions

Invoices and orders are sent in a secure environment

Employees can focus on other value adding tasks

No printing or postage and much less administration

Transactions done in a few minutes, no manual work needed