08/08/2022

The art of writing MIGs

When you onboard suppliers it’s important for them to understand what the requirements are for the messages they need. A Message Implementation Guideline (MIG) refines a generic EDI standard such as UN/EDIFACT and details how it will be used for your company. In simple terms, it tells your suppliers what messages they need to send, what information the messages contain and how they’re formatted.Here are important things you need to know…

Choosing an EDI standard

There are different EDI message standards used around the world. Once you choose a standard it will be used as the base for your MIG. Here are a few of the common ones and where they’re most used:
UN/EDIFACT Standard coined by the United Nations and the most commonly used worldwide, and heavily used in the Australian retail supply chain industry.
ANSI X.12 Commonly used in North America
EANCOM Commonly used in the European retail industry
ODETTE Commonly used in the European automotive industry
EbXML Global standard developed by United Nations body for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business Information Standards (UN/CEFACT) and Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS ).
TRADACOMS Commonly used in the UK retail industry
HIPAAhow Commonly used in the North American Healthcare industry
SWIFT Commonly used by financial institutions worldwide.
 

Choose the message types you want to use with your suppliers

This comes down to what your objectives are as a business. Here are some of the common messages and what they do:
  • Purchase order Sent from buyer to supplier to order goods or services
  • Purchase order change Sent from buyer to supplier if the original purchase order has changed
  • Purchase order acknowledgement Sent from the supplier to the buyer to acknowledge receipt of the order
  • Purchase order response Sent from the supplier to the buyer to let them know how much of the order can be fulfilled, and any discrepancies from the original order
  • Advance shipping notice (or despatch advice) Sent from the supplier to the buyer to let them know when and how the goods will be shipped
  • Invoice Sent from the buyer to the supplier for payment of the goods or services
  • Recipient created tax invoice (RCTI) Sent from the supplier to the buyer for payment of the goods or services
  • Remittance advice Sent from the buyer to the supplier to confirm payment
  • Price/sales catalogue Sent from the supplier to the buyer with up-to-date product and pricing information
  • Product activity data Sent from buyer to the supplier with the number of units sold and units on hand
  • Transport instruction Sent from a buyer to a transport supplier (and related parties) to communicate transport arrangements
  • Transport response Sent from a transport provider to confirm instructions
  • Functional acknowledgement An automated response sent from a receiver of an EDI message to confirm receipt of the message.

Find out what data your ERP system requires to process your message types

This is important because it’ll determine what fields and values you need from your partners. This includes things like:
  • character limits
  • whether only integers are allowed
  • if it needs to be number
  • how many decimal places
  • whether the field is dependent on another field (conditional)
  • whether a field is used for particular use cases only
  • how calculations are made.
From here you can provide a list of values that can be used, If not, all values in your chosen EDI standard. We have a range of MIGs from various companies you can check out here.

Putting your MIGs together

This is where you take everything from the previous steps and document it. Writing MIGs can involve a bit of work and so you can get an external party to help. This where an EDI provider, like MessageXchange, comes in. We can assist or lead the MIG writing process, developing it from scratch or upgrading your MIG. Find out more here. Have more questions? Ask our experts by getting in touch below.

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EDIRetailers

03/08/2022

EDI documents explained: The retail industry

The retail industry has been using EDI for decades. It’s been proven to give retailers more visibility, better accuracy and truckloads of savings. And there are even benefits for suppliers too, especially those who fulfill large volumes of orders. The use of EDI is mature in the retail industry and covers basically all use cases of the procurement process. Let’s have a look at the different EDI message types that are used in the retail industry and why.

Purchase order

This is sent from a buyer (retailer) to its supplier. It will tell the supplier exactly what they want supplied. It will tell the supplier where to ship the goods to, and it might even tell them when the retailer expects the goods by. A purchase order typically starts the procurement process. In the EDI world, you might see a purchase order referred to as ORDERS (EDIFACT) or 850 (ANSI X12).

Purchase order response

A purchase order response is sent from the supplier to the buyer (retailer) to let them know whether or not they can fulfill what’s been requested on the order. Typically, there are three scenarios – the supplier accepts the order in full (if they can fulfill everything as requested), the supplier rejects the order in full (if they won’t fulfill any of the order), or the supplier proposes changes to the order. Changes on the order response are typically changes to the quantity, the price or the delivery date. In the EDI world, a purchase order response can be called ORDRSP (EDIFACT) or 855 (ANSI X12).

Purchase order change

A purchase order change comes after a purchase order or purchase order response. It’s sent from the buyer (retailer) to the supplier. As the name suggests, it can be used to make changes to the original purchase order. Or if the supplier sends a purchase order response, some retailers send a purchase order change to confirm the supplier’s changes (response).

Advanced shipping notice

This can sometimes be referred to as a despatch advice. It’s sent from the supplier to the buyer to let them know what’s being shipped and when. There are a couple of ways that retailers use a despatch advice. The first is a relatively simple one – it basically tells them how many of each product is being shipped, to where and when. It just gives retailers a bit of visibility. The second one is much more detailed. The retailer requires the supplier to tell them exactly what’s being shipped, how, to where and when. These ASNs have SSCC, or serial shipping container code, details on them. SSCCs are unique numbers that identify a unit. This can be a pallet, carton or something else. The supplier tells the retailer how many of each product are going into each pallet, for example, and what the corresponding SSCC number is. The retailer may also require the supplier to tell them the batch number, best before and expiry dates of the products in that pallet. The supplier then prints labels, with the SSCC number represented as a barcode and sticks it onto the pallet they’re sending. This information is sent to the retailer on the ASN ahead of the goods being sent. When the retailer receives the goods, they can scan the barcode to know exactly what’s on the pallet. In the EDI world, this message is called DESADV (EDIFACT) or 856 (ANSI X12).

Invoice

An invoice is sent from a supplier to a buyer to let them know what to pay them for the goods or services they’ve supplied. Unlike invoices that you might send and receive by email, EDI invoices don’t typically have bank details on them, because these are usually agreed on as part of the supplier agreement. The EDI invoices generally just outlines the total to be paid, the breakdown of what’s to be paid and sometimes the payment terms, although these can also form part of the supplier agreement. In the EDI world, you might see the invoice referred to as INVOIC (EDIFACT) or 810 (ANSI X12).

Product catalog

A product catalog gives the retailer details of the products you’ll be supplying to them. It can be as simple as supplying them with the GTIN or item number, product description and unit price. In the EDI world, this is called a PRICAT (EDIFACT) or 832 (ANSI X12).

Functional acknowledgement

Unlike the other message types we’ve discussed here, functional acknowledgements aren’t your typical procurement messages. These are usually handled behind the scenes. They tell the sender of the message whether it’s been received and if it’s A-OK or why it might have been rejected. In the EDI world, these are called CONTRL (EDIFACT) or 997 (ANSI X12).If you have any questions or need help getting started, just get in touch!

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EDIRetailers

24/03/2022

How to use EDI with Xero

If you use Xero and you’ve been asked to use EDI, your head might be in a bit of a spin. It can seem complicated but there’s no need to worry – there are options and they’re not as complex as you might think. Many retailers require a combination of these documents:
  • Purchase order
  • Purchase order response
  • Advanced shipping notice
  • Invoice.
And you might be thinking, Xero doesn’t even have all of these. You’re right, Xero doesn’t support sales orders or advanced shipping notices. But that’s not a showstopper.

An EDI web portal is the simplest option

Many Xero users choose to use an EDI web portal. It’s a website you can login to, to view orders and respond to them with the response, advanced shipping notice and invoice. It’s simple to use, inexpensive and gets you compliant with your customer’s requirement. Here at MessageXchange, our EDI web portal is called FormXchange. If you choose to go with our FormXchange product, you can even automate the process one step further. By turning on the integration between FormXchange and Xero, you can sync the invoices you enter in the EDI portal (FormXchange) directly to Xero, so your invoices are always up-to-date in your accounting software. That means whenever you send an invoice to your customer on FormXchange, a copy will go to them, as well as to your Xero account. It’s that simple.

Who can you trade with on FormXchange?

Trade with any of these retailers on FormXchange:
  • Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API)
  • Aldi
  • Anaconda
  • Big W
  • Bing Lee
  • Bunnings
  • Chemist Warehouse
  • Coles
  • Costco
  • David Jones
  • Drakes
  • Harris Scarfe
  • Harvey Norman
  • Kmart
  • Metcash
  • Myer
  • Officeworks
  • Petbarn
  • PFD Foods
  • Reece
  • Repco
  • Sigma
  • Spotlight
  • Symbion
  • Target
  • The Good Guys
  • Winning Appliances
  • Woolworths

How do you get started?

It’s pretty easy:
  1. Head to messagexchange.com and click register
  2. Enter your details, choose FormXchange as your service and select the retailers you wish to trade with
  3. You’ll receive a verification email so just click the link in there to verify your account
  4. Let your customer(s) know that you’re using MessageXchange as your EDI service provider (they might refer to it as a ‘VAN’ or value added network)
  5. Then once you receive your first order, follow the prompts on screen to respond to it. You can also look at our knowledge base here to walk through the entire process in detail.
If you have any questions or need help getting started, just get in touch!

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EDISuppliersXERO

23/03/2022

Top 5 EDI questions answered

There are some questions that seem to come up in most calls. Have a look below to find out the answers to the most frequent EDI questions we receive.

1. What types of EDI solutions are available for me?

There are two main types of EDI that are available:

Integrated EDI (EDI Gateway)

An integrated solution allows you to exchange EDI messages directly from your software. When an order is sent to you, it’ll go to your VAN (value added network) then straight into your software. There’s no need to re-key it or anything. Then when you create the order confirmation, despatch advice or invoice, it will go directly from your software to your VAN and onto your customer. This option has the least impact on your current process and requires minimal manual processing.

Web portal/EDI Webforms

The simplest solution for EDI compliance is a webform solution. This allows you to logon to a web portal to view purchase orders and respond by sending back the required information such as purchase order responses, advance shipping notices and invoices. The information input into the web portal is sent directly to your customers’ software.

2. How much does EDI cost?

The cost will depend on the product you go with:

EDI Gateway

The price to setup an EDI Gateway is determined on a few factors, including how many customers you trade with, your customers’ testing requirements, the complexity of your setup and more. After implementation, our pricing is based on your data consumption (file size) so you only pay for what you use.

EDI Webforms

There’s no setup fee to use our EDI Webforms (which we sometimes call FormXchange). You can get started from just $99 a month, which allows you to exchange as many messages as you like with one of your customers. Plus you can add an additional trading partner for just $49 a month.

3. How long does it take to implement EDI?

The implementation time varies with every solution.

EDI Gateway

The implementation time varies depending on your requirements, complexities, the amount of testing you require, the amount of testing your trading partners require, your availability and more. It can take anywhere from a day or two, through to a month or more to get started.

EDI Webforms

For EDI Webforms, you simply register on the platform and you’re good to go. Some retailers require you to go through a testing and accreditation process, but our team are here to help you through that.

4. What does my customer mean by ‘accreditation testing’?

Accreditation requires you to test your EDI messages before they’re sent to your retailers’ production systems. This just makes it more likely that you won’t have issues when you’re sending and receiving EDI messages. The testing checks your files and ensures fields are correctly formatted.

5. Do l have to make changes to my ERP system to get the EDI message?

No, you shouldn’t need to – as long as your software can export and import files, your EDI provider will do a lot of the work connecting to your ERP system and mapping, or translating, the files to EDI messages. However, if your ERP software doesn’t handle certain EDI messages, like advanced shipping notices, you might need to use another bit of software to do that. We provide our EDI portal, Colladium, to our customers to help them send and receive EDI messages that might not be compatible with their ERP system.Have more questions? Ask our experts by getting in touch below.

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EDIRetailersSuppliers

10/03/2022

Retailers: Use your EDI gateway for more

EDI is often implemented to exchange purchases orders (POs), advanced shipping notices (ASNs) and invoices then forgotten about. But there are so many other ways to benefit from it. Here are some really simple ways so get the most from your EDI investment.

Capture non-fulfillment of orders earlier

Sending an order to a supplier and not receiving the goods in time can really impact a business’ reputation and lead to loss of customers. If only there was a way to receive an EDI message of what a supplier can fulfill in an order and even when it’ll be fulfilled. There is – it’s a purchase order response (POR). The great thing is that you can easily add PORs to the EDI messages you receive through your existing EDI gateway.

Get more visibility of your order

Want to know what goods are being delivered and when? This is exactly what advanced shipping notices (ASNs) do. If you add serial shipping container code (SSCC) labels to your ASNs, you can even have suppliers tell you what’s in individual packing units. All this can improve visibility, reduce warehouse costs, reduce manual data entry and improve customer service.

More data = better decisions

EDI captures a lot of data that can be used for more informed decision making. For example, you can work out your top suppliers by getting access to supplier volumes and values. Knowing your top suppliers can help work out your key relationships. EDI can also get your access to supplier performance by showing how long each supplier takes to deliver goods. Use this to identify relationships that need attention. Another use is to track failed orders per supplier. Using this data can help put realistic KPIs and expectations on your suppliers.

Implement a web portal

Getting all your suppliers sending and receiving your EDI messages is critical. Some of your suppliers might not be too keen to set themselves up for EDI. The good thing is you can set up these suppliers using an inexpensive (even free with Colladium!) and simple to use web portal. The web portal connects directly into your EDI gateway and allows your suppliers to send and receive EDI messages using a web browser. This makes it easy to onboard your smaller suppliers to EDI and allows you to automate more of your procurement processes.Want to learn more about implementing any of the topics in our blog? Request a call from one of our EDI team below.

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EDIRetailers

04/03/2022

How EDI can help retail supply chain shortages

Lately we’ve seen even bigger impacts to the supply chain than before, thanks to the new Omicron variant of COVID-19. The transport industry has struggled with staffing issues due to many drivers being unable to work. This has caused a domino effect. Retail stores have had empty shelves, limited the number of items customers can purchase and have been forced to operate with skeleton staff. And we’ve all heard or experienced the shortage of rapid antigen tests. Chemists have had to put on extra staff just to handle the extra phone calls they’re getting. Some of these issues are definitely unprecedented – there’s no denying that. But having efficient supply chain processes in place to start with can keep you ahead of the game when times get tough. This is where EDI comes in:

Use EDI to get faster fulfillment from suppliers

Using EDI for procurement, rather than manual procurement, speeds up the time from when you place the order to when the goods arrive. Your order is sent immediately to the supplier, you don’t need to wait for them to check their emails and enter the order in their software. The order can be picked and packed straight away by the warehouse. Manual procurement also introduces a lot of errors. These errors can take days, if not weeks, to rectify causing delays in orders being fulfilled and shipments being sent. With EDI, you can be confident that the data you send will be what’s received by your supplier.

Use EDI to get stock on shelves faster

An advanced shipping notice, or ASN, is a fantastic way to know what’s going to be delivered ahead of time – even down to what’s in each carton and pallet. When stock arrives, your team can just scan each package to see what’s arrived – no need to open them, check what’s in there or anything like that. Imagine the time it could save!

Use EDI to keep customers informed of when stock will arrive

For products that are ordered on demand, are in transit or on back order, getting advanced shipping notices or despatch advices from your suppliers will let you know when they’re to be delivered. You could even go a step further and connect to transport companies to get even more up-to-date statuses. Keeping customers informed of arrival dates is becoming an expectation from customers these days, but many retailers aren’t doing it well. If you can keep you customers more informed than your competitors, you’re ahead of the curve!If you’re interested in learning more about using EDI to help supply chain shortages, get in touch with our team.

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EDIRetailers

01/03/2022

EDI messaging standards and formats

If you’re new to EDI, you might be a bit overwhelmed with all the new terms, acronyms and the like. You’ve probably come across EDI standards, like EDIFACT or EANCOM, and have no idea what they mean. Well, you’re in the right place. In this blog, we’ve put together some information around EDI, its different message standards and the ones that are commonly used in Australia.

What are EDI messages?

In simple words, EDI messages are business documents, often procurement-related, exchanged between companies’ software, perhaps through EDI provider(s) in the middle. These documents are often exchanged in a standardised format to make it easier to communicate with all of your trading partners. These messages can be purchase orders, despatch advices, invoices and more.

Why use standards?

EDI message standards define the rules and requirements for the structure and format of an EDI message. These standards are defined by various organisations like GS1 and Peppol. Organisations choose to exchange data in a standard format because it makes it much easier for their trading partners to get on board. If everyone exchanged a different file format, onboarding one trading partner to EDI would be like starting from scratch every time.

What are the different EDI message standards and what EDI message standards are commonly used in Australia?

There are different EDI message standards used around the world. Some of the most popular ones are UN/EDIFACT, ANSI X.12, EANCOM, ODETTE, ebXML, TRADACOMS, HIPAA, and SWIFT.[vc_column width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1618271818355{padding-right: 10px !important;}"]

UN/EDIFACT

ANSI X.12

EANCOM

ODETTE

EbXML

TRADACOMS

HIPAA

SWIFT

[vc_column width="3/4" css=".vc_custom_1618271827363{padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

Standard coined by the United Nations and the most commonly used worldwide.

Commonly used in North America

Commonly used in the European retail industry

Commonly used in the European automotive industry

Global standard developed by United Nations body for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business Information Standards (UN/CEFACT) and Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS ).

Commonly used in the UK retail industry

Commonly used in the North American Healthcare industry

Commonly used by financial institutions worldwide.

Out of the many EDI standards, the ones that are commonly used in Australia are UN/EDIFACT, ANSI.X12 and GS1 XML. Let’s have a look:[vc_column width="2/4" css=".vc_custom_1618271818355{padding-right: 10px !important;}"]

Transaction

Purchase order

Purchase order response

Invoice

Despatch advice

Remittance advice

Product catalog

Functional acknowledgement

[vc_column width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1646013227774{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

UN/EDIFACT

ORDERS

ORDRSP

INVOIC

DESADV

REMADV

PRICAT

CONTRL

[vc_column width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1646013158821{padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

ANSI X.12

850

855

810

856

820

832

997

What to do if your software doesn't exchange these standards?

Don’t worry – this isn’t uncommon. If your software doesn’t produce these standards, we can help you map them. This means we’ll translate files produced by your software to the standard required, mediating between message standards and protocols and aligning business processes.

Industry-specific:

Retail (supply chain)

The retail industry in Australia has taken advantage of the benefits of EDI over the last 30 years. The industry uses EDI for procurement as well as shipping and logistics. UN/EDIFACT dominate the as the standard used in the retail sector. If you’re interested to read more about EDI in the Australian retail industry, click here.

Transport and logistics

The Australian Logistics Council and GS1 Australia developed the Australian Freight Labelling and EDI standards in 2016. The GS1 Open Global supply chain standard requires each shipment label to have a ‘license plate’ known as the SSCC code. SSCC - serial shipping container code - is a common identification among the buyers and suppliers of the transport and logistics industry in Australia. In addition to the common EDI messages like the purchase order, purchase order response, invoice, this sector uses EDI to share information about booking as well as tracking details. The transport and logistic industry commonly uses GS1 XML standard to exchange EDI documents.

Finance

The finance industry uses EDI to transfer payments, information related to payments and other financial documents. ISO20022 is the format used by MessageXchange for our customers in the finance industry. ISO20022 is an internationally-recognised standard developed by ISO. It is used for the development of financial EDI messages in the payments, securities, cards, trade services and foreign exchange business domains.If you want to learn more about EDI for your business, request a call back from our EDI experts below.

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EDIRetailersSuppliers

24/02/2022

Digital transformation: An important intervention in 2022 and beyond

Digital transformation - the topic has dominated panel discussions and media, with suggestions about how businesses can stay relevant in the digital world. In simple words, digital transformation is about harnessing technology to improve the business, its environment and its customers’ experience.

Why is digital transformation important in 2022?

It enables us to pivot quickly

In the pre-COVID era, organisations were slowly transitioning to more digital business models but as the pandemic hit, it forced dramatic changes within companies and accelerated investment in digital transformation. All of a sudden business started operating remotely. They turned to various digital platforms to streamline internal business processes in order to function to serve their customers. This paradigm shift brought by the Coronavirus made the business world realise that in order to stay competitive and meet the increasing customer demand, going digital is essential. Many of our supply chain customers turned to us for help to streamline their business process during this period. With our cloud-based EDI, we helped our customers get everything onto their accounting software where everyone can access everything remotely. With cloud-based SaaS EDI, the software is hosted in the cloud and managed by a third-party service provider, in this case it’s us. Cloud EDI is web-based and is convenient as companies’ don’t need physical on-site infrastructure, additional resources or licenses. The cloud EDI service provider maintains the software, networks, servers, security and importantly the maintenance for you. It was the companies with cloud-based EDI that companies could transition most smoothly to working from home without interruption to their supply chains.

It reduces the risk of errors and improves customer experience

Customer experience is increasingly becoming key to a company’s long-term success. Digital transformation can help businesses have more agile capabilities both in terms of IT services and user experience. MessageXchange can help you improve your customer experience by reducing the risk of errors by using EDI. With EDI, processes are automated reducing manual errors. For example, when a buyer places a purchase order (PO), and the order can be put into the supplier’s system. The supplier can raise an invoice in their software, which can be sent automatically to their customer’s software. Without EDI, all these processes would be manual which increases the risk of errors. Fewer errors mean a reduction in the number of disputes lodged as a result of accuracy. Businesses can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty by making things easier and faster with more streamlined digital processes.

It makes for more productive employees

With the impact of COVID-19, companies are not sure if their employees will fully return to the office. It is a constant challenge to manage a dispersed workforce. Digital platforms can help managers create productivity improvements and help their employees stay motivated and be more effective in their roles. For departments like finance and HR, digital transformation provides an excellent opportunity to move from traditional paper-based processes to modern automations in areas such as payroll and eInvoicing. With our eInvoicing service you can send eInvoices to your customers almost instantly and be up-to-date on the status of the invoices through the eInvoice response message to see if your customer has received the eInvoice, whether it’s been approved and submitted for payment. These automations free up employees’ time by reducing the need for follow up calls and emails and give them an opportunity to focus on more important tasks.

It’s so much more sustainable

Corporate social responsibility is becoming a necessity, not a choice these days. Many multinational companies are already focusing on sustainability and finding new ways to make their businesses more sustainable. Research by Forest ethics highlighted that Australian businesses and families use over 2.4 million tonnes of paper for printing and writing every year. Every tonne of paper needs 12-24 trees to manufacture. It is estimated that 180 trees are used for just one business each year. eInvoicing cuts out the need for paper as the invoices are exchanged electronically. Going digital is a good first step to make your business more environmentally friendly. Paperless communication and transaction mean practically no use of paper and energy used in production and transportation of paper documents. If you want to learn more about how EDI and eInvoicing can help your business smoothly transition and adopt digital processes, request a call back from our experts below.

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E-invoicingEDI

15/02/2022

EDI Glossary

EDI has a lot of jargon and it can be hard to understand. We’ve put together some of the key words to help make it easier for you.

Advance Shipping Notice (ASN)

This message tells a buyer when the goods will be shipped, how they’ve been packed and the estimated arrival date. This can also referred to as a Delivery Notice or Despatch Advice.

EDIFACT

This stands for Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce and Transport. It’s an international EDI standard that was developed by the United Nations. Types of EDIFACT messages include 96A and D01B. They’re commonly used in the retail industry here in Australia.

Translation

The conversion from one file format to another.

ERP system

Also known as an Enterprise Resource Planning system. This software is used by companies to manage much of their business activity – they’re like an accounting package on steroids. Examples of ERP systems include SAP, Oracle, Pronto, JD Edwards and Sage.

Gateway

A Gateway is the central point that enables the exchange of messages between systems (often provided by a value added network, or a VAN). It mediates the differences between your software and those of your trading partners. If you think of a hub and spoke model, the Gateway is the hub, and you and your trading partners are the spokes. Through MessageXchange, Gateways can be configured per customer to have specific business rules, mappings, error handling and more.

GLN

A Global Location Number (GLN) is a unique number that is assigned to locations to enable them to be identified worldwide. These global location numbers can be used to identify any legal, physical and functional locations. They’re issued by the standards body GS1. GLNs are also used in the EDI to identify a business to exchange messages with.

GS1

GS1 is a worldwide not-for-profit that encourages the use of standards in business to create efficiency in supply chains and overall business. GS1 develops and publishes standards for barcodes, product data and EDI. They’re the organisation that issue GLNs and GTINs.

GTIN

This stands for Global Trade Item Number. It’s a unique identifier for each product. If you look at a barcode, they’re often GTINs. Here in Australia, they’re issued starting with a 93 or 94.

iDoc

iDoc stands for intermediate document. It’s a data structure for electronic data interchange between application programs written for the popular SAP business system or between an SAP application and an external program.

Mapping

Mapping refers to translating, or converting, one file format to another. For example, if your software outputs a CSV file and your trading partner requires an EDIFACT file, your EDI VAN would ‘map’ the CSV file to EDIFACT.

Message type

An structured set of data covering the requirements for a specified type of transaction, for example, an invoice or purchase order.

MIG

A MIG, or message implementation guide, details the file structure that your trading partner requires. A MIG is usually written for each message type required by that trading partner. You can see examples of MIGs on our website: home.messagexchange.com/resources/migs/

Network service provider

A company that maintains an EDI network on behalf of businesses, also known as a value added network. They offer its services and capabilities to others for a fee.

SFTP

Secure file transfer protocol. A network protocol that provides file transfer over the web securely using authentication and encryption.

SSCC (serial shipping container code)

An 18-digit number that is used to identify logistics units. It allows whoever it is receiving the goods to track them throughout the journey, and gives them more insight into what’s inside a shipping unit.

SSCC label

The label is linked to the ASN. The label has one or more barcodes on it, which includes the SSCC number. Often in retail, these are scanned when receiving the goods to mark them as received in the retailer’s software and to identify exactly what’s in the package.

Transmission protocol

Transmission protocol refers to how your messages will get from your software to your VAN. Some examples include sFTP or AS2. Choosing your transmission protocol largely depends on the level of security required as well as the need for timely, real-time information.

VAN

VAN is the acronym for Value Added Network; they’re the company that provides an EDI service. VANs enable your EDI capability to be scalable because they sit at the core of your trading network and enable the routing of messages, which reduces the impact of change. At MessageXchange we combine the VAN capability with Gateway capability so message routing can be combined with message mapping, business rules business intelligence reporting, custom error handling, notifications and the top level of security.

Web-based EDI

A method of EDI that allows users to send and receive EDI from an internet browser portal. It does involve manual inputting of information.

XML

The abbreviation for extensible markup language – it is a file format commonly used by software to export and/or import data. If you want to learn more about EDI for your business, request a call back from our EDI experts below.

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EDIRetailersSuppliers

07/09/2021

Retailers: Here’s why you should add eInvoicing to your arsenal

eInvoicing has brought about a new way to send invoices electronically. Like EDI, eInvoicing uses a network model, where each business either connects to the network themselves or uses a service provider. Unlike EDI though, eInvoicing uses a true standard file format exchanged between Access Points, or service providers. You might be thinking EDI also uses standard, and you’re somewhat right. There are standards like EDIFACT in use, but the reality is that retailers generally have their own unique business rules for suppliers to adhere to. Having one true standard to exchange brings a lot of benefits. Here’s why you, as a retailer, should consider using eInvoicing:

It’s easily accessible by your suppliers

Many accounting software packages such as Xero and MYOB offer eInvoicing solutions to their customers today. The solutions are largely integrated with their software making it simple for their customers to exchange eInvoices. Xero and MYOB account for 90% of the small business market, which means a majority of your SME customers could be able to issue you eInvoices today!

It’s low cost or even free for many of your suppliers!

Cost is a big constraint for suppliers complying with EDI requirements. The major players in the accounting software space are proving eInvoicing as part of their product or for a low add-on cost. There are also eInvoicing solutions, like Colladium, that allow suppliers to send eInvoices for free. What better way to onboard suppliers than a free web portal!

Your suppliers only need to connect to the network once to connect with many

eInvoicing through the Peppol network uses a standardised file format. Unlike EDI, it means your suppliers only need to connect to the network once, then they can exchange eInvoices with anyone else on the network. This makes compliance for your suppliers so much easier. Plus, if any of your suppliers are already using Peppol eInvoicing, they can start issuing you eInvoices today!

The network is set to grow

Right now, Peppol eInvoicing supports the exchange of electronic invoices, but that’s expected to change. The purchase order (PO) is currently being reviewed to be added as another message type and more are being looked at. Eventually we could see all supply chain messages being added to the Peppol network. Plus, the Australian and New Zealand Governments have offered incentives for their suppliers to issue eInvoices, so as more businesses get onboard, the more of your suppliers will be ready to exchange eInvoices.

Ready to add eInvoicing to your arsenal? Here’s how…

Adding eInvoicing to your arsenal only takes a few steps:
  1. Contact an eInvoicing service provider Here at MessageXchange, we offer both EDI and eInvoicing services. We’ll translate your software’s native file format messages to the Peppol UBL file. All you’ll need to do is a bit of testing.
  2. Connect to the Peppol network No need to worry, we’ll do the work for you.
  3. Go live! Start sending and receiving eInvoices!
If you’re interested in learning more about adding eInvoicing to your electronic messaging, get in touch with our team.

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E-invoicingEDIRetailers

06/08/2021

EDI in the retail industry

Major players in the retail industry have taken advantage of the benefits of electronic data interchange (EDI) over the last 30 years. But there are still some companies that use paper-based procurement. This shows EDI still has potential to deliver even more benefits and savings to the industry. EDI in the retail industry allows companies to electronically exchange documents like purchase orders, despatch advices, invoices and other documents with suppliers. It replaces the manual process of sending these documents via email, fax and other ways of communication. Businesses in the retail industry generally issue a high volume of orders and EDI helps to improve operational efficiency and reduce the turnaround time to process purchase orders and invoices. It also has added benefits like providing more visibility and better customer service.

How is EDI used in the retail industry?

EDI is extensively used in the retail industry. This sector uses EDI for procurement, shipping as well as invoicing. In the procurement process, two basic EDI documents are used: purchase order and purchase order response. The buyer sends the purchase order to the supplier and the supplier then sends the purchase order response back to the buyer. This tells the buyer what can be fulfilled. In the second stage, shipping, the main EDI document used is the advance shipping notice. The supplier sends the ASN to the retailer to notify them about the shipment. It tells the buyer things like what’s being sent in each package, when it’ll be sent, by whom and more. In the final stage, the supplier issues an EDI invoice and sends it to the retailer. The retailer’s accounts payable team can generate an EDI remittance advice and send it to the supplier to confirm payment.

Why is EDI important in the retail industry?

Customer demands for good quality products, competitive deals and low prices have grown enormously, but the expectation for fast delivery has increased more than ever. Retailers today struggle to keep up with the high delivery frequency and keep count of stock (SKUs). EDI helps in automating this process. EDI purchase orders enable retailers to specify store destination with quantities of each product in a single document, the supplier, on the other hand, processes these purchase orders, ships products directly to the stores and sends advance shipping notice with details of products and quantities being shipped. It is because of this EDI process that retailers are able to fast track the delivery process, have visibility of SKUs and reduce human errors and turnaround time. There are also benefits when it comes to receiving invoices. For retailers who receive thousands of invoices a month, the time it takes to enter each invoice into their accounting software can really add up. Not to mention it opens the floodgates to mistakes being made. It’s easy to do a quick calculation of what this might cost a business by multiplying the number of invoices by the time it takes to enter each one by staff members’ salary. It all adds up. Some retailers use scanning or optical character recognition (OCR) but this is usually error-prone and can chew up time just fixing the errors. These processing figures can be slashed if a retailer uses EDI to receive invoices directly into their software. It’s like magic. EDI gives a competitive advantage to companies in the fast-moving retail sector. The Good Guys approached us with the aim to get their suppliers trade electronically with them. They saw EDI as a strategy to have an edge over their competitors. Learn more on how MessageXchange helped The Good Guys achieve this objective and get tremendous results here.

Benefits of EDI for retailers, suppliers and distributors

It reduces errors and saves costs

Traditional procurement involves a lot of manual processes. There is a potential for expensive errors with every instance of human intervention. EDI eliminates manual work, automates the process and reduces transaction errors by 30 to 40 percent. Retailers and suppliers can save costs and reduce errors with EDI integration. They can save up to 90 percent of invoicing costs with EDI.

Shorter transaction times

EDI messages can be exchanged in minutes in contrast to the paper-based documents which can take days to be delivered. These reduced cycles lead to faster invoice processing and improved cash flow. Retailers receive EDI invoices directly into their software so they can process them quickly and efficiently. Target, an Australian department store that operates more than 300 stores in the country, wanted to achieve visibility and remain current and transparent in the fast-moving retail industry. Read how MessageXchange helped Target achieve their goal here.

It frees up time for staff to spend on more valuable tasks

EDI in the retail industry helps to automate processes and lets employees focus more on higher value tasks. Instead of spending time data entry, your staff can spend time on more strategic work to help your business grow. EDI helps both retailers and suppliers to streamline their business process and use their resources mindfully.

EDI documents used in the retail industry

[vc_column width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1618271818355{padding-right: 10px !important;}"]

Message Types

Purchase Order

Purchase Order Response

Invoice

Despatch Advice

Remittance Advice

Product Catalog

Functional Acknowledgement

[vc_column width="1/3" css=".vc_custom_1628228479994{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

Description

Sent from buyer to supplier to order goods or services

Sent from the supplier to the buyer to let them know how much of the order can be fulfilled, and any discrepancies from the original order

Sent from the buyer to the supplier for payment of the goods or services

Sent from the supplier to the buyer to let them know when and how the goods will be shipped

Sent from the buyer to the supplier to confirm payment

Sent from the supplier to the buyer with up-to-date product and pricing information

An automated response sent from a receiver of an EDI message to confirm receipt of the message

[vc_column width="1/6" css=".vc_custom_1628228971532{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

ANSI X12

850

855

810

856

820

832

997

[vc_column width="1/6" css=".vc_custom_1628229725830{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

EDIFACT

ORDERS

ORDRSP

INVOIC

DESADV

REMADV

PRICAT

CONTRL

If you want to learn more about how EDI works in the retail industry, have a look at our case studies or request a call back from our EDI experts below.

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EDIRetailersSuppliers

03/08/2021

Capture nonfulfillment earlier in the piece: Enter purchase order responses (PORs)

Businesses often don’t find out if an order can be fulfilled until part of that order arrives, or it never turns up. This is where adding a purchase order response (POR) to your EDI messages can help. A purchase order response is sent by the supplier to let the buyer know if their order can be fulfilled. A POR will often include:
  • the related purchase order number
  • an accept or reject indication
  • the number of products the supplier can fulfill
  • the price per unit
  • scheduled despatch date
  • backorder dates, if applicable.

Benefits of purchase order acknowledgement

Capture nonfulfillment earlier in the piece

The POR makes it clear what can be fulfilled. You won’t have to wait to see what turns up – the supplier should let you know much earlier on. It’s also a good way to keep your own customers in the loop about when their order will be ready.

Say goodbye to pricing surprises

No one likes surprises when it comes to getting an invoice. PORs help keep everyone on the same page because the supplier can let you know how much they’ll be supplying the goods for and if they’ll charge you any shipping costs. By getting this information before the shipment is sent and the invoice is issued, you can settle disputes earlier and avoid delays.

Streamline two- or three-way matching

Matching invoices against an order can be challenging if your suppliers don’t fulfill the orders in full. Adding PORs to your EDI messages makes sure everything up-to-date in your systems, so matching is a breeze, saving your team time and effort.

So to conclude…

Adding a purchase order response to your EDI messages can really improve visibility of your supply chain – it gives you clarity on what suppliers can fulfill. But why is this important?
  • You know what you’re going to receive earlier on in the piece
  • You have more transparency on what they’ll ask you to pay before getting the final invoice
  • You’ll reduce the amount of manual data entry, saving time and reducing errors.
If you’re interested in PORs and capturing non-fulfillment earlier, get in touch with our team.

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EDIRetailers