B2B / EDI Integration

EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange and is the exchange and processing of documents electronically, utilizing a standard format. It allows for accurate and reliable transmission of data between your systems and those of your trading partners.  EDI integration means the transfer, mapping, and translation of EDI data to and from business applications, and is an important piece of how businesses create efficiencies.

EDI is a critical piece in driving the supply chain across a multitude of verticals including, but not limited to retail, manufacturing, healthcare, insurance, logistics, distribution, automotive, financial services, and government. There are a number of EDI standards & protocols supported to help you with your EDI integration and we continue to add more.  We currently maintain a library of over 5,000 standards versions and over 25,000 transaction sets, which are implementations of individual EDI file types.

• Data Formats: All EDI (X12, EDIFACT, TRADACOMS, XML, CICA, HL7, etc.), XML – (WSDL, XSD), cXML, Flat Text Structures, Hierarchical Text Structures, and more…
• Transport Protocols: AS2, FTP/SFTP/FTPS, HTTP/S, Web Services (SOAP, REST), ODBC, JDBC, File Shares, LDAP, SMTP / POP3, and more…
• Platforms: Cloud, Windows, Linux, Solaris
• Enterprise Applications: SAP, Microsoft Dynamics (CRM, AX, GP, NAV, SL) PeopleSoft, Oracle, JD Edwards, and more…
• Databases: Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, MySQL, Sybase, Teradata, and more…
• Existing SOA Platforms: webMethods, Tibco, IBM WebSphere, BEA WebLogic, and more…
• 3rd Party Applications: QAD, Infor, Vertical Response, Interwoven, AMS Advantage, Microsoft Sharepoint, Documentum, Amazon.com, and more…
• SaaS Applications: Salesforce, NetSuite, Workday, RightNow!, Siebel On-Demand, and more…
• Other Systems: Web Services, XML, Flat and Hierarchical Structures, Legacy, Active Directory, LDAP, and more…

EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange and is the exchange and processing of documents electronically, utilizing a standard

Types of EDI systems vary depending on business function with common functions ranging from purchasing and accounting, to warehousing and logistics.  Specific EDI use cases also exist for healthcare, government, real estate, and other vertical markets.  Common business functions automated via EDI integration include:

• Sales & Purchasing: Purchase Orders (PO), PO Acknowledgements/Changes/Adjustments, Order Status Reports/Inquiries
• Finance & Accounting: Invoices, Payment Remittance/Advice, Payment ,Acceptance/Rejection, Tax Reporting, Credit/Debit Memos
• Logistics: Advance Ship Notices/Status Messages, Freight Details, Bills of Laing, Prepayment Adjustment Advice
• Marketing: Requests for Quote, Sales Catalog/Pricing, Price Authorization, Product Activity, Sales Tracing
• Inventory: Inventory Adjustments, Planning Schedules, Inventory Advice, Product Transfers/Resales
• Manufacturing: Product Specifications, Test Results, Planning Schedules
• Insurance: Claim Submittal, Claims Tracing, Benefits Enrollment, Eligibility Inquiries

The ANSI X12 EDI standard supports over three hundred electronic data interchange types for automating specific business transactions. The most used EDI transaction types for EDI integration include:

• Purchase Orders (850): Terms of sale
• Invoices (810): Request of payment with details
• Purchase Order Acknowledgement (855): Confirmation of the purchase order
• Advance Shipment Notices (856): Goods shipped/packed estimated time
• Product Catalog (832): List of product and services
• Remittance Advance (820): Payment has been made

EDI is the preferred method of B2B integration for a majority of businesses and adopted by over 80% of large companies.  EDI has a decades-long track record of security, reliability, and scalability in high-volume environments.  There are several reasons for EDI’s longevity and wide adoption.

Compared to manual transaction processing, EDI software integration has the following advantages:

1. EDI is a requirement for doing business with many retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers
2. Manual data entry is slow and error-laden, impeding order fulfillment and other business functions
3. EDI integration allows businesses to optimize cash flow, reduce costs, and redirect resources to other business initiatives
4. EDI integration accelerates the cash-to-order cycle and increases ROI by automating these common business tasks
5. Successful EDI implementation can reduce costs over 90% compared to manually processing business transactions

Compared to other B2B integration methods, EDI has the following advantages:

1. EDI is a widely adopted, and a frequently required, method of B2B integration
2. EDI eliminates the need to support multiple, disparate B2B systems
3. EDI does not require custom coding or API integration for each Trading Partner
4. EDI removes the need to expose sensitive application APIs to the Internet for B2B integration
5. Trading Partners can be added in a fraction of the time compared to other B2B integration methods
6. EDI can handle a far greater volume of transactions than competing B2B integration methods

Ready-Built Connectors

As an Integration Platform as a Service (IPaaS) solution, Jitterbit has ready-built connectors for virtually all major business software packages.  Jitterbit’s robust API support allows for the rapid integration of new applications or custom enterprise systems.

Integrate Any Workflow

Unlike other EDI processors that simply dump transactions into a single system, Jitterbit can seamlessly integrate EDI data into even the most complicated business workflow.  Data can be instantly managed and synchronized with multiple business applications throughout your enterprise.

Intuitive EDI Tools

Utilize out-of-the-box tools to build out your EDI integration.  Easily create and manage your trading partners.  Quickly streamline the flow of your EDI documents with features such as EDI mapping and management, EDI Dashboard, EDI Acknowledgement, EDI Splitter, and EDI Validator.

Future-Proof Solution

By eliminating the requirement for custom coding, Jitterbit’s direct EDI integration maintains an unprecedented level of forward compatibility.  The impact of future systems upgrades and software migrations is minimized, allowing for near-zero downtime during changes to your IT infrastructure. 

Reliability and Performance

Jitterbit maintains the highest level of performance and reliability.  Jitterbit is easily able to handle production environments that process over 120 million records per day without performance related issues.  Jitterbit can split, manage, and process EDI files containing thousands of individual transactions without error.  

Legendary Support

Jitterbit’s direct EDI integration is backed by the highest level of support found anywhere in the B2B industry.  Backed by seasoned EDI professionals with decades of experience, Jitterbit provides unparalleled support with guaranteed rapid response times.  This level of support, coupled with Jitterbit’s commitment to quality, brings proven performance and peace of mind to B2B integration.