Discussion on:

EDI legacy systems: Make the old work with the new

There is another option in accomodating older EDI systems. It has the side benefit of enabling data interchange with any application that can import or export data.

There are a large number of data conversion companies. Some of them now offerautomated translation and forwarding services.

As an example, we have several customers that send data files via email and other means to one of these vendors. The vendor translates them from their various file formats into our preferred layout. They then upload them to our FTP site.

We are exploring the option of converting these situations into web services connections. When we do, nothing will change on our customer's end.

As alraedy stated out in the article there are reasons for EDI solution replacement. Who has experienced in this matter and which technology was taken in account (how was it done)?

If you talk about VAN's and data translation as being "EDI", you are missing the concept. EDI is a tool to exchange business transactions in a format recognizable by all partners. When EDI was developed, the methods of data communication were very limited by today's standards. While we all talk about the now available seamless exchange of data between business partners using tools auch as web services and XML, how many small and medium sized businesses have really entered this world? Not many at all. The article references B2B processes as alternatives to EDI processes, and implies that it is less costly to particpate in B2B than to use a VAN. It is not inexepensive to establish a B2B infrastructure. Many small businesses do not have the It resources (what is a contemporary IT shop anyway?) nor the capital to embark upon B2B. A VAN is not very expensive for the small user. We pay less than $120.00 per month for VAN services. The maintenance on the EDI translator is $800.00 per year. Idon't believe a B2B solution would be any less to maintain.

We implemented an ERP system in 1999 and export data into a flat file which is imported by our EDI data translation program. Incoming transactions go through a reverse process. It ain't broke!

While we are looking into ways to use the Internet for EDI now that we have a VPN in place for other business functions, EDI alone did not justify leaving the VAN arena.

A final point, the Internet is not an equalizer for small businesses, any more than EDI is an equalizer. In most cases small businesses do not have what is necessary in resources and expertise to take full advantage of what the Internet offers as a business tool.

For your edi questions, check out http://www.ediaxis.com