Futureproof against EDI errors from your suppliers

When looking to implement EDI with your suppliers, we always recommend having measures in place for if, on the off chance, things go wrong. Knowing how to deal with errors before they happen can significantly reduce delays in order processing.

There are common errors to look out for, as well as ways to fix or avoid them. Plus, one way to mitigate errors once going live with suppliers is using a message compliance testing tool to automate testing with your suppliers.

Let’s have a look in more detail.

Common errors and how to solve them

Missing or invalid data

The data in an EDI message needs to align with what you’re expecting. If not, messages may not end up where they’re meant to, which could cause delays in the procurement process. Or, if data you receive is incorrect, it can also make it hard to perform other automations like multi-way matching to approve invoices for payment.

Some ways these errors can occur are:

• if the data wasn’t entered in your supplier’s system correctly
• if data is in the wrong format (e.g. letters instead of numbers)
• if a mandatory field isn’t included.

To prevent bad data from getting to you, we can setup validation rules in your MessageXchange Gateway, to make sure the data is correct before it reaches you. And if it’s not, we can automatically notify the sender, and even you.

Receiving EDI documents out of sync

Sometimes EDI messages arrive in the wrong order, or a document can go missing altogether. This can cause gaps in your data, which can lead to other processing hitting a roadblock. Often this happens when the supplier’s EDI system isn’t following the correct business flow, or it could be because files are sent closely together and one makes it before the other. To prevent this from happening, make sure you have monitoring in place so you can detect when something is missing or arrives too early. You can even automate an error message to send back to your suppliers.

Incorrect SSCC labels

If suppliers send barcodes or SSCC labels in the wrong format, they may not scan properly. That often leads to manual data entry, which defeats the purpose of automation. To avoid this, share clear labelling guidelines and make sure labels are included in your testing process.

How a message compliance testing platform can be part of your onboarding process

Testing EDI messages during onboarding is essential, but it can be time consuming. That’s where a message compliance testing platform comes in.

Colladium offers a tailored service that lets your suppliers test their messages against all your EDI requirements. They can upload their files, see any errors, and fix them – all before they start sending you live messages. No back and forth, just quicker onboarding for both you and your suppliers. Want to learn more about our message compliance testing platform Colladium, click here.