22/07/2021

Which reigns supreme: on-premise or cloud-based EDI?

In the age of digital transformation, customer demands are constantly evolving. It’s important for businesses to not only keep up with those demands but also invest in upgrading their technology to suit. Electronic data interchange or EDI has been around for decades and it’s still an effective way for supply chains to standardise communication. However, some traditional EDI methods have their limitations that make it difficult for businesses to meet demands in today’s sometimes-turbulent times

On-premise EDI software

On- premise EDI software is owned by the business using it and everything from implementation to running the solution is usually done internally. The software is physically on-site and is operated from an in-house server with a connection to an ERP system. On-premise EDI solutions require the company to have an EDI software license, an in-house server, a network and IT staff to support the software.

Cloud- based SaaS EDI software

With cloud-based SaaS EDI, the software is hosted in the cloud (i.e not on-site) and managed by a third-party service provider. Cloud EDI is web- based and is convenient as companies don’t need to invest in any infrastructure, additional resources or licenses. The cloud EDI service provider maintains the software, networks, servers, security and importantly the maintenance for you.

On-premise vs cloud-based SaaS EDI

On-premise EDI software is a more traditional way of exchanging electronic documents through software that is purchased up-front and you own a license to it. It’s your responsibility to complete all software upgrade and backups. Whereas cloud-based, outsourced EDI is more modern and is slowly overtaking on-premise EDI. It’s usually based on a subscription model where businesses pay their service providers for use and maintenance of their solution.

The key differences in on-premise and cloud EDI are:

Cost:

On-premise EDI: An on-premise software requires a lot of effort and can come with large up-front and on-going costs. The initial investment of buying and implementing the software, servers and network and the on-going maintenance and operating cost makes on-premise EDI can be expensive. It may also require extra resources to manage the service within the business. Cloud- based EDI: On the other hand, a cloud-based EDI service is relatively more cost effective and customers have the added bonus of only paying for what they use. Customers don’t have to worry about the maintenance and operating cost as the cloud service provider takes care of all of that, and it’s included in the subscription cost.

Security:

On-premise EDI: Security is the primary concern of many organisations when it comes to procurement and financial transactions. Even though it is believed by many that on-premise EDI solution is more secure as it is in -house and the potential of the information being leaked is less, there are numerous measures that have to be taken to keep your data secure. Your team need to stay on top of security patches and make sure the software is constantly up-to-date to cater for any vulnerabilities. Cloud- based EDI: With cloud-based EDI software, the service provider should have multiple security protocols to keep your data safe. For example, MessageXchange is ISO27001 certified. We maintain the service to this standard and we're audited for this. We also have a team dedicated to ensuring our software it always up-to-date and not exposed to vulnerabilities.

Scalability:

On-premise EDI: When your business grows and you need to trade more electronic documents, on-premise EDI can require you to purchase additional hardware and make more investments to cater for the growth. It can be difficult to scale up your business seamlessly if you’re using on-premise EDI software. Cloud- based EDI: With cloud-based EDI software, it’s pretty easy to scale up your business if your EDI provider has the right infrastructure. Your service provider takes care of the scalability and you can spend more time on the more important tasks for your business and continue to grow. Here at MessageXchange, we’re constantly monitoring the message volumes going through our service to ensure we have ample room to cater for our customers requirements. If you want to learn more about cloud-based SaaS EDI solutions and understand how we can help your business, request a call back from our EDI experts below.

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EDIRetailersSuppliers

21/07/2021

eInvoicing FAQs

1. What integration options do you offer?

We can integrate with any ERP system but some of the common ones we offer integration with are MYOB AccountRight/New Essentials, TechnologyOne CiAnywhere, Basware, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle (on premise and cloud), SAP (on premise and cloud), NetSuite and Intuit Quickbooks. We’re continuing to add more cloud software to our eInvoicing products, so keep checking back!

2. What is your pricing?

eInvoicing Connect:

eInvoicing Connect is our simplest product for you to get up and running with eInvoicing quickly, easily and with minimal investment. Here’s how it’s charged:
  • Annual subscription to MessageXchange's eInvoicing Access Point: $50
  • Credits: $50 for 1,000 credits
    • Credits are charged at $50 for 1,000 credits. 1 credit is 10kb, or part thereof, of data.
    • For more information on how billing works, click here.
*Support charges may apply

eInvoicing Gateway:

Our eInvoicing Gateways give you full flexibility on how you implement eInvoicing. You can choose your connection protocol (sFTP, AS2, API or something else) and we can map your software’s native file format (like XML or CSV) to the Peppol UBL. Our pricing depends on your requirements – if we need to do any mapping, and customisations and the volume of eInvoices you exchange. Fill out the request a quote form on our website so we can send you some more accurate pricing.

3. Can I send/receive eInvoices with attachments?

Yes, the Peppol standard supports attachments in eInvoices and our solution supports this too. Attachments can be in formats such as PDF, CSV and xlxs.

4. How long does it take to implement eInvoicing?

The implementation time varies with every solution. For eInvoicing Connect, implementation takes about 1 day in total, which also includes testing. For eInvoicing Gateways, the implementation time varies depending on your requirements and complexities.

5. What is the biggest challenge when it comes to eInvoicing?

On-boarding suppliers can be a challenge. Because eInvoicing is still in its early stages, there can be a lack of awareness of it, as well as reluctance to get onboard. We offer free- and low-cost-solutions to help get suppliers on-boarded. Colladium, a business network for collaboration and trade, allows companies to register for eInvoicing within minutes. It's free to use and is accessible from a web browser for companies to send and receive Peppol-compliant eInvoices. We also offer low-cost eInvoicing integrations to MYOB and TechnologyOne through our eInvoicing Connect product, with plans to this available to other software users in the future.

6. How can I see if my trading partners can send/receive eInvoices?

Anyone can search the Peppol directory to find out if a business can receive eInvoices. We also offer integrated solutions to our customers to easily check if their trading partners are eInvoicing enabled. Have a chat with us to find out more. And if you try to send an eInvoice to someone who can’t receive it, we’ll let you know!

7. I need a purchase order number/bank details/something else to process an invoice in my software. How do I make sure I receive this on eInvoices?

For customers who subscribe to an eInvoicing Gateway, we can configure your own business rules in your Gateway to check that incoming invoices have certain data present, like an order number or bank details. If we find that the eInvoicing doesn’t have these details, we can automatically send a response message (business level response or BLR) back to the sender to let them know that the invoice has been accepted or rejected and notify them of what action they need to take, if any. Have a chat with our team to find out more. Talk to our team about getting started with eInvoicing.

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E-invoicinggovernmentRetailersSuppliers

13/07/2021

Advanced shipping notices: Get more visibility of your orders

So you’re trying to improve visibility of your orders? There is a way – it’s called an advanced shipping notices (ASNs).

What is an ASN?

ASNs are provided by the supplier to let their customer know:
  • what is in the shipment
  • the delivery date and time
  • where the shipment is going
  • the product details
  • how it’s packaged
  • the carrier information.
Suppliers send the ASN to retailers once the shipment has been packed, allowing the retailer to plan to receive the goods.

How does an ASN work?

Retailers send the order through EDI as usual, and the supplier can respond with a purchase order response (POR) or acknowledgement (POA). When the supplier is ready to ship the goods:
  1. The supplier prepares the goods for delivery
  2. The supplier enters all the information on the ASN. This includes what goods are packed into what carton or pallet, if the goods are perishable or have a batch number, these details will go on there too, the supplier will enter the delivery date and more.
  3. The ASN will generate a serial shipping container code (SSCC) and label for each carton or pallet being created. The supplier will then print these labels and attach them to each package.
  4. When the supplier sends the ASN, the retailer receives the advanced shipping notice into their software for planning. It will include all the information the supplier had input in step 2.
  5. When the retailer receives the goods, they can simply scan the SSCC labels, which can be matched against the ASN information they received, to know exactly what’s come in.

The benefits of ASNs

It improves supply chain visibility

ASNs bring you a step closer to supply chain automation. ASNs will give you an understanding of what you’re receiving straight into your business systems. Your warehouse team can use this information to plan for the delivery in advance. They can also allow suppliers to add SSCC labels providing information of individual packing units (pallet, carton, etc). This allows buyers to cross check what has been received with what is in the ASN.

It can reduce warehouse costs

By knowing in advance what you’ll be receiving, your warehouse team can plan ahead. This ensures you can organise staff when you need them saving time and money. Cost savings in goods receiving activity can be as high as 40 to 50% .

It required much less manual data entry

ASNs are received directly into your business systems. No need for manual inputting of data which can produce costly errors.

It improves customer service

Customers want to know when they’ll be receiving their orders. Retailers, especially those using drop shipping, can send some of the delivery data from the ASN to customers. Customers will then be able to keep track of their order. If you’re interested in ASNs and gaining more visibility of your supply chain, get in touch with our team.

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EDIRetailers

29/06/2021

Creating an eInvoicing compliance program to onboard your suppliers

If you’re onboarding a lot of partners, knowing all parties can send and receive eInvoices is very important. But this is where it gets complicated and time consuming, unless you have an eInvoicing compliance program.

What is an eInvoicing compliance program?

It makes sure ensures suppliers learn how eInvoice you complete with the information and format you need. This could be to make sure your two-, three or four-way matching works, or to make sure the data can be input into your software correctly, or even to help with your automated approval processes.

What does a compliance program check for?

Normally they check:
  • each eInvoice features the information you need, like a purchase order number or payment details
  • the invoice only has characters that your software can accept, like no special characters or adherence to character limits
  • all the elements are in the right place.

There are two types of compliance programs…

1. Manual

  1. a supplier sends you an eInvoice
  2. you review it closely to ensure it meets your criteria
  3. you ask your supplier to amend any issues
  4. you manually repeat this via phone/email until they get it right (particularly time consuming if you’re onboarding a lot of suppliers)
As you can see, manual processing takes a lot of time. In fact, you might even need a few temps get you through.

2. Automated

With an automated program like Colladium it’s a lot easier.
  1. You tell us your requirements
  2. we configure the workflow and business rules
  3. you invite your suppliers to register on Colladium
  4. your supplier upload their eInvoice to Colladium, which automatically reviews it and lets suppliers know if there’s any problems
  5. This 100% automated process keeps repeating until everything is perfect. No temps or staff involved. Just maximum productivity and full visibility of each supplier’s progress.

Why an automated program?

  • It’s a lot less hassle, no phoning/emailing to suppliers to fix errors
  • It’s cheaper
  • It’s 100% automated so no extra staff needed
  • Your team’s free to get on with their jobs.

How to work out if you need an automated compliance solution

Ask yourself, do you:
  • have a lot of suppliers to onboard?
  • lack time and resources?
  • have set invoicing rules for suppliers?
  • don’t want valuable staff time wasted running a manual system?
If you answered YES to any of these then the answer is YES! Get in touch with our team today to learn more about eInvoicing compliance programs.

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E-invoicingRetailers

28/06/2021

The benefits of an eInvoicing mandate for software providers

Right now, a lot of software providers are holding back on enabling eInvoicing due to low demand. However, an eInvoicing mandate would completely change this in 3 ways.

1. Demand for eInvoicing enabled software will explode

If there’s a mandate, businesses will be scrambling for eInvoicing solutions. And while existing customers will want to use their current software, businesses without a financial software will want one ASAP.

2. Welcome to your new revenue stream

You could offer eInvoicing as a premium feature for existing customers or as a standalone product for businesses. Lots of options.

3. Your competitive advantage is waiting

Software that allows eInvoicing will be a differentiator. Xero and MYOB are currently offering eInvoicing to their customers.

MessageXchange offers two solutions to help you integrate eInvoicing

eInvoicing Gateway

  1. Choose your protocol and file format and we’ll connect you.
  2. We translate your file into the Peppol eInvoice file format.
  3. When you or a customer sends or receives an eInvoice, we’ll facilitate it through the Peppol network.
  4. We can help you provide additional services for your customers, including:
    • Reporting To allow your customers to get more insights from the eInvoices they receive or even to track the number of eInvoices exchanged.
    • Business process management To allow you customers to add additional checks on eInvoices they receive like dates being in the future or having a PO number on the eInvoice and build escalation processes around them.
    • And more.
  5. There are minimal changes needed on your side.

eInvoicing Connect

Our eInvoicing Connect product makes it easy for your customers to get onboard to eInvoicing. We connect to your cloud-based software so your customers can subscribe to a low cost solution. Contact us to find out more. Get in touch with our team to learn more about how eInvoicing can improve your business.

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E-invoicingRetailers

20/05/2021

Benefits of an eInvoicing mandate for businesses

The possibility of an eInvoicing mandate for Australian businesses is generating a lot of talk. Right now, the government is seeking feedback on the best way to do this. While mandates can be daunting, this one offers businesses significant benefits.

Direct benefits

  • faster payment
  • automated invoicing processes
  • reduced costs and paper use
  • fewer errors
  • improved security.
Check out our Benefits of eInvoicing for businesses infographic for more.

Businesses will get paid faster

At any given point it’s estimated that unpaid invoices for Australian businesses total $26 billion. According to sources, eInvoicing will reducing payment times and:
  • improve on-time payment by 15%+
  • reduce processing time by up to 65%.

$28b saved over 10 years

Australia exchanges 1.2 billion invoices p.a. eInvoice processing is around 70% cheaper than traditional invoice processing, saving the economy an estimated $28 billion over 10 years.

Business has a reason to get onboard

A mandate will hasten the crucial digitisation of business. More eInvoicing means more businesses on the network making it work better for users, delivering significant benefits for everyone.

The broader digitisation of business and trade

We can all agree digitisation is the future. eInvoicing simplifies trade for many businesses by reducing processes and international trade barriers while improving systems and providing more growth opportunities.

More software will allow eInvoicing

An eInvoicing mandate for business will drive software providers to integrate eInvoicing into their products.

What we’ve seen from other mandates

In Australia Single Touch Payroll (STP) was mandated. It forced employers to disclose payroll and tax information to the ATO after every payday. Without it, businesses would still be using an error prone, paper-based and manual reporting system. Employees would also need a PAYG summary when they do their tax returns.

So, what’s the takeaway of a possible eInvoicing mandate?

An eInvoicing mandate would kick off great things for Australian businesses as they streamline their legacy processes and reduce costs. But adoption is key and an eInvoicing mandate will ensure this. Get in touch with our team to learn more about how eInvoicing can improve your business.

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E-invoicingRetailers

18/05/2021

Three tips to convince senior leadership you need EDI now

Convincing senior management is key to getting a project off the ground. After all, they’re usually the business sponsor. If you’ve identified that EDI is going to benefit your business, here are some tips to convince your senior managers that you need EDI.

Put together a business case

The key thing is to highlight the cost savings of EDI – to show them the impact it’ll have to the bottom line. Here are a few calculations you can use:Orders Calculate the cost of sending a purchase order to your supplier.[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660745420{padding-right: 0px !important;}"]

(time it takes to put together email or postage x orders sent x hourly rate)

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660555829{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

+

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660670420{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

printing related costs

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660587092{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

+

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660687060{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

postage costs

The cost of suppliers processing the orders incorrectly.[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660745420{padding-right: 0px !important;}"]

number of orders incorrectly processed

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660555829{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

X

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660670420{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

time it takes to rectify the incorrect entries

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660587092{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

X

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660687060{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

hourly rate

Invoices Costs of processing an invoice for payment.[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660745420{padding-right: 0px !important;}"]

time it takes to enter invoices into software

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660555829{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

X

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660670420{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

number of invoices

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660587092{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

X

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660687060{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

hourly rate

Costs of fixing incorrect invoice payments.[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660745420{padding-right: 0px !important;}"]

Time it takes to fix errors in invoices

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660555829{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

X

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660670420{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

number of invoice payment errors

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660587092{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

X

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660687060{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

hourly rate

Warehouse Costs of updating incorrect data[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660745420{padding-right: 0px !important;}"]

Time it takes to update inventory in system

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660555829{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

X

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660670420{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

number of orders with incorrect data

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660587092{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

X

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660687060{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

hourly rate

Once you’ve done that you can use these figures to work out your expected ROI.[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660745420{padding-right: 0px !important;}"]

Savings

[vc_column_inner width="1/12" css=".vc_custom_1584660555829{padding-right: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

÷

[vc_column_inner width="1/4" css=".vc_custom_1584660670420{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}"]

(establishment costs + running costs)

* These calculations are to be used as a guide only

Get buy in from other departments

Having the support of internal departments can be what helps a project over the line. There are a few departments in particular that play a big part in the EDI implementation and ongoing processes.

IT

EDI integrates with your software, so your IT team will help with a lot of the technical aspects. Thinking of ways to make their lives easier will go a long way, so ask them:
  • If they’ll need new hardware or software?
  • If they’ll need additional resources to implement EDI?
  • If your EDI provider adheres to your security policy?

Buying or procurement

The buying or procurement teams will probably be concerned about any impact to their ordering process. EDI uses your existing software and automates the exchange of purchase orders, invoices and other messages. Make sure to show them how EDI will simplify their tasks, such as:
  • Providing them with more information like what can be fulfilled and when the order will arrive.
  • Faster stock fulfilment because suppliers will receive orders almost instantly.

Finance

When convincing your finance team, focus on promoting the benefits of EDI. It reduces the amount of manual inputting required and can automate a lot of their processes, leading to:
  • fewer errors: less time and costs to fix mistakes
  • reduced costs: no need to printing and archive paper invoices.
  • more time, allowing staff to work on higher value tasks
  • more accurate data for decision making.
All of this, in turn, can lead to significant cost savings.

Develop a solid plan

Having a plan will give management confidence that you’re on the road to success. Here are three things to include:

The implementation plan

The most important thing in your plan is to set deadlines for each deliverable. At the end of the day, management will want to know when it’ll be completed so they can ensure a solid return on investment. It’s also worth outlining the team members involved in each stage of the process. This’ll provide transparency for everyone involved.

Staff training

EDI will require some change (a good change!) in your business so a little training will help everyone come along on this journey and make sure they feel equipped to handle the change. The training should cover new processes, such as:
  • how accounts staff will process payments to suppliers?
  • how buying teams raise purchase orders?
  • how warehouse staff process deliveries?
It’s also worth adding back up plans to your training to cover the unlikely scenario of an outage to your EDI service. This is also useful for management to show how operations will continue.

Onboarding suppliers to EDI

The amount of trading partners you onboard is paramount to a good ROI. Having a plan for onboarding suppliers will improve the success and also provide confidence for your management teams. Check out our 10 steps to successful community onboarding to learn more.

So summing up...

Getting buy in from management can be daunting but there are a few things that can help.
  • Show off potential savings from EDI.
  • Show you have buy-in from other departments.
  • Develop a plan with dates of key deliverables.
  • Keep management up-to-date with progress as you go.
If you want to learn more about how EDI can help your business, get in touch with our team.

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EDIRetailersSuppliers

14/04/2021

EDI: To in-house or outsource?

When it comes implementing EDI, you have two options. You can do it in-house, but you’ll need to set up a dedicated EDI team with right software and infrastructure. Or you can outsource it to an EDI service provider, which is generally a lot easier and more cost effective. The 4 things to consider in making your decision are:
  1. how much does your company know about EDI?
  2. how many trading partners will you be linking to?
  3. do you have enough spare time to do it inhouse?
  4. do you have complex or outdated software?
Now, let’s compare both options to understand what you’ll need and what outcomes to expect.

Implementing EDI in-house

Step 1: Put together an expert internal EDI team

An in-house roll out is a serious undertaking and starts with putting together an expert internal EDI team to plan, implement and maintain your EDI system. This expertise will need to be ongoing to keep it operating effectively.

Step 2. Get all internal departments involved

Talk to all the relevant internal departments – procurement, finance, warehouse, IT etc – to work out how each one will be impacted and what’s needed to setup EDI.

Step 3: Buy the right software, hardware and infrastructure

Expect this to be costly, and don’t forget to factor in the ongoing maintenance bills. And you’ll need the internal expertise to get it 100% right the first time.

Step 4: Establish a secure and seamless connection with all partners

If your company isn’t experienced working with suppliers or VANs (value Added Networks) this lengthy, arduous process starts with establishing individual partner connections followed by an often laborious testing process of exchanging messages with their EDI provider to make sure messages are being correctly sent and received. Pros and cons to in-house implementation[vc_column width="1/2" css=".vc_custom_1618271818355{padding-right: 10px !important;}"]

Pros

No need to wait for your EDI provider to make changes

[vc_column width="1/2" css=".vc_custom_1618271827363{padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

Cons

Significantly higher staff investment

Maintenance is your responsibility

Without your own dedicated EDI team implementation will be lengthy, complex and costly

As you can see, if you’re time poor and lack the crucial internal resources and EDI knowledge, in-housing your EDI implementation is probably not your best option.

Outsourcing EDI

Step 1: Find the right EDI supplier

Getting someone else to do all the heavy lifting of an EDI implementation offers significant benefits. But you need the right provider. Here’s your 4-step check list to do just that:
  1. Do they meet your technical requirements? Eg, what services can they provide – onboarding, mapping, training, etc? Are they flexible enough?
  2. Can they tailor a solution to your needs and objectives?
  3. Do they have experience in industries relevant to yours?
  4. Is their support offering and pricing what you need?

Step 2: Connect to your EDI provider to ensure everything works

This includes testing your files and connection. But don’t stress, as your provider will guide you through.

Step 3: Connecting with partners

Again, your EDI provider will do this for you this so no stress at your end and you’re 100% ready to go! Pros and cons to in-house implementation[vc_column width="1/2" css=".vc_custom_1618271818355{padding-right: 10px !important;}"]

Pros

No worries about updating EDI technology and systems

Your EDI provider manages all trading partner requirements

You don’t need a dedicated internal team of EDI experts

[vc_column width="1/2" css=".vc_custom_1618271827363{padding-left: 10px !important;}"]

Cons

Some providers are offshore with differing time zones

The undeniable conclusion is…

  1. If you don’t have expert EDI knowledge and resources you should outsource EDI implementation. It’s also very practical if you’re changing your ERP or other software.
  2. A good EDI provider knows their way around most software which makes all integrations significantly easier.
  3. If you already use EDI but have outdated systems and high maintenance costs, outsourcing is a good idea.
To learn more about how outsourcing EDI will help your business, get in touch with our team today.

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EDIRetailersSuppliers

04/03/2021

Three common challenges onboarding suppliers to eInvoicing and how to overcome them

Three of the most common challenges we hear about when customers have onboarded their suppliers to eInvoicing are:
  • lack of knowledge from those you’re onboarding
  • getting buy-in from those you’re onboarding, and
  • sticking to your timeline.
But luckily we’ve got some suggestions for these challenges.

Lack of knowledge

Because it’s still in its infancy here in Australia and New Zealand, you might find that the partners you’re onboarding to eInvoicing only have a very basic understanding of what it is and how it works. This can make it hard for them to feel comfortable enough to make the move. The best way to overcome this is to give them the information they need. Start with the basics like:
  • how eInvoicing works
  • Introduce Peppol
  • what’s in it for them
  • explaining Access Points and what they do
  • where and how to find an Access Point.
It’s also important to make sure your partners don’t fall for any myths about eInvoicing, like it being costly or that it takes a long time to implement. There are free eInvoicing solutions out there that are easy to get setup and use (like colladium.com – it takes minutes to get started), and even paid services can cost as much as a phone plan and take less than a day to set up. Promoting the opportunities and savings of eInvoicing is also a really great way to diminish concerns. Another thing you should pass on to your partners is any business requirements you might have. Things like having due dates in the future or having invoice numbers with no symbols.

Getting buy-in from those you’re onboarding

Another commonly-reported challenge is getting buy-in from your partners. The lack of knowledge (like we’ve spoken about above) doesn’t help to start with, but often the concept needs to be sold to them and some may need to be hand-held. Firstly, be clear on why your organisation has chosen to use eInvoicing. It could be to enable faster payments, improve processes or something else. The next thing is to promote the benefits eInvoicing can have on your suppliers’ businesses. This is the sell. Think about things like:
  • Cost savings Studies have found that it costs $30.87 to process a paper invoice, $27.67 a PDF invoice, and only $9.18 to process an eInvoice.
  • Easier invoice processing Removes the need for unnecessary data entry - the invoice just appears in your software.
  • Faster invoice payments The average eInvoice is processed in 5 days (compared with 23 days for a regular invoice). Or if you’re promising so pay eInvoices in a certain time, mention that here.
  • Fewer errors Because much of the data entry is removed.
  • Security Security measures, like encryption at rest and in transit, are implemented throughout the eInvoicing network so your data remains secure along the way.
I mentioned above that some of your partners might need some hand-holding. So keeping regular contact during the onboarding process can be useful too. Have a think about:
  • Holding information sessions and webinars to educate your partners This can also be a great indication of who might be interested in onboarding and prioritise them first.
  • Listing eInvoicing providers This makes it easier for your partners to get onboard. Having low or no cost solutions are always more likely to entice your partners. MessageXchange provides a free tool, Colladium, for customers to get their partners started.
  • Making direct contact Pick up then phone and chat them through it. They might just need someone to talk them through it one-on-one.

Keeping to your timeline

If this is your first rodeo, you mightn’t know what to expect. After all, how long is a piece of string? Firstly, be realistic about the timelines you set for yourself. And call on the expertise of your Access Point provider. The likelihood is that if you’ve chosen a reputable, experienced company, they’ve seen this done many times over. Putting together a comprehensive communication and implementation plan puts you in the best position. Make sure you put together a timeline of your communications and the groups you’ll be sending it to. This will help you stay organised and ensure you don’t miss any communications to your suppliers. Another thing you can do is plan ahead for the changes at your end. Break down what each department will need to do in preparation, and when you’ve gone live to send and receive eInvoices. Don’t forget we’ve got this whitepaper, A guide to successfully onboarding trading partners to eInvoicing. Check it out if you’re new to this all. There might be some things in there you haven’t thought about before. If you’re interested in learning more about onboarding partners to eInvoicing, request a call from our eInvoicing team below.

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E-invoicingRetailers

23/02/2021

Data driven decisions with EDI

The key to effective decision-making is having relevant and accurate data at your fingertips. This is where electronic data interchange (EDI) can help. EDI reduces errors, which significantly improves data accuracy. EDI can capture data such as:
  • the number of purchase orders and invoices exchanged
  • the number of invoices waiting to be issued
  • how long the delivery of goods take from the time they’re ordered
  • the orders, or the percentage of them, that are fulfilled in a certain period
  • and more.
Let’s have a look at how best to use this data.

See your top suppliers by volume and value

Seeing who your top suppliers are, either by the volume or orders you raise, or the value of them, is useful for any retailer to know. It’ll let you know what your key relationships are, because after all, the old 80/20 rule applies here – around 80% of your stock is likely to come from 20% of your suppliers. EDI gives you easy access to this information.

Improve stock management

Whether you’re a retailer or a supplier, having data on buying patterns can help optimise your stock management. EDI captures what’s being ordered, how much of it and when, which can help you identify trends. This will help you better predict demand, and help with just-in-time ordering to reduce the risk of overstocking or understocking.

Monitor suppliers’ delivery performance

With a purchase order and an advanced shipping notice, it’s easy to capture data on how long goods are taken to despatch after being ordered, how long they’re taking to arrive after being despatched, and how accurate the delivery time on the advanced shipping notice is. With this data, retailers can add KPIs around delivery and use the information from the EDI messaged to monitor it. You can use this to identify the suppliers that aren’t meeting requirements and might need some attention.

Identify your slow-paying customers

It’s important for retailers to maintain good relationships with suppliers. For them, a big issue can be slow-paying customers. Cash flow is key for any business, particularly for suppliers where margins are generally thin. That’s why it’s important for retailers to monitor their outstanding invoices. EDI data on the invoice captures due dates and a remittance advice tracks when it’s been paid. It’s easy to create report to see, at a glance, which invoices are outstanding. This helps retailers prioritise payments and ensure you don’t miss any payments.

Failed orders per supplier

Keeping track of failed messages, but particularly orders, is key to maintaining a well-oiled supply chain. After all, if an order doesn’t reach a supplier, you can be sure the stock won’t reach you or your customer. By monitoring failed orders, you can identify the orders that need troubleshooting. It could be a one-off issue, but if not, it also allows you to recognise consistently troublesome suppliers and reach out to them. If you’re interested in learning more about how EDI helps with decision making, request a call from our EDI team below.

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EDIRetailersSuppliers

12/02/2021

Creating an EDI compliance program for onboarding suppliers

When you implement EDI for the first time, comprehensive testing is undertaken. This testing is on the mapping from your software’s format to that of the standard you’re using, like EDIFACT D01B or D96A, is correct and working as expected. But what about when you onboard suppliers? Compliance testing with suppliers is often overlooked, but if you’re onboarding large volumes of suppliers, it’s something that can bring huge payoffs in the end. It makes sure your suppliers can correctly process the EDI messages you send them, and checks that the messages they send back to you match what you’re expecting. Imagine onboarding suppliers, sending out hundreds of orders in those first weeks and having them fail. Not only will your stock not arrive, but your team will have to spend time troubleshooting the issues and getting the orders to your suppliers again. This is all when your stores are expecting stock to arrive.

What is an EDI compliance program?

In short, the process checks the EDI messages your supplier will send you. The checks are done early on in the process, so you don’t run into issues like the one above, where you’re scrambling to get things corrected. The compliance program can be administered manually, or you can choose an automated program like we offer on Colladium.

What does an EDI compliance program check for?

You can design the compliance program to be as simple or as complex as you need. What you choose will depend on your business. It can check things like:
  • File format Like making sure they’re sending an EDIFACT D01B message rather than a CSV file.
  • Syntax Like making sure the elements are in the correct spots.
  • Business rules within a message Like making sure the invoice number doesn’t have any special characters.
  • Business rules within the procurement conversation Like making sure the invoice date is after the ASN date. Or making sure your supplier can send the correct messages to ship goods in one despatch as well as multiple.
  • and more.

Why use an EDI compliance program?

Basically, it helps you find any issues before you move to EDI in production with your suppliers. Just look at the example above – the last thing you want is to have sent out a whole bunch of orders, which your stores are waiting for, only to find out they’ve failed somewhere along the way. Without it:
  • stock could be delayed arriving
  • stores will expect stock that won’t arrive
  • your team will need to scramble to troubleshoot the issues
  • customers might not receive the stock they ordered when they expected.

What do I need to do to prepare for the EDI compliance program?

First, decide and document the workflow you want to check

For example:
  1. Send your supplier a test purchase order.
  2. Ask your supplier to confirm they can process it successfully.
  3. Ask your supplier to send you a test purchase order response, fully accepting the order you sent them in step 1.
  4. Confirm the message you received is as expected. If not, start again from step 3.
  5. Ask your supplier to send you a test purchase order response, rejecting the order you sent them in step 1.
  6. Confirm the message you received is as expected. If not, start again from step 5.
  7. Ask your supplier to send you an advanced shipping notice for the order response they send you in step 3.
  8. Confirm the message you received is as expected. If not, start again from step 7.
  9. Ask your supplier to send you the SSCC labels they generated from the ASN they sent you in step 7.
  10. Scan the labels at your end and ensure they meet your requirements. If not, start again from step 9.
  11. Ask your supplier to send you an invoice relating to the ASN they sent you in step 9.
  12. Confirm the message you received is as expected. If not, start again from step 11.

Then decide and document business rules you want to check

This could be:
  • The date formats you require
  • Dates must be in the future
  • Whether prices on the invoice and order must match
  • Whether quantities on the invoice must match or total those on the order
  • A vendor number is present on all messages
  • Invoices must be received within seven days of shipment
  • Order response must be issued within a day of the order
  • One invoice is issued per ASN.

What are my options for an EDI compliance program?

As we’ve mentioned above, you can choose to do this manually or choose an automated program.

A manual EDI compliance program

You could probably start using this today. You can generate a test order and email it to your supplier, they’ll ingest it into their software, generate the next message and send it back to you. The really time-consuming part comes in when you need to check the file manually to make sure it meets all the criteria you documented in the workflow section above. Let your supplier know the issues you find and what you’re expecting instead. Continue this for each step. The obvious downside to this method is the amount of manual labour involved. If you’re onboarding even a couple of suppliers a week, this could easily take up days of work. Not to mention, you may be dictated by when you and your supplier are both ready to test.

An automated EDI compliance program

An automated EDI compliance program requires far less manual work for you. If you chose to use Colladium, for example, we’d spend a bit of time configuring your requirements, like workflow and business rules. Then all you need to do is invite your suppliers. They’ll be prompted to download an order (this will be generated automatically), then confirm that it was successfully processed, all from within the portal. When they upload messages, like an order response, the portal validates everything in the message against your business requirements. It displays all of the errors on the screen for your customer to see. The good thing is, that they can continue to upload their files as many times as they like, and have it validated there and then. There’s no waiting for your staff. And you have full visibility of everything – where your supplier is at in the workflow, what’s been successful and more.

What are the benefits of an automated EDI compliance program?

  • there’s no need to be on the phone or sending emails to suppliers constantly to fix errors
  • it’ll cost you less
  • there’s no need for additional labour
  • your team can spend more time on other tasks.
If you’re interested in learning more about EDI compliance programs, request a call below.

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EDIRetailers

04/02/2021

Getting your accounts payable department ready for eInvoicing

eInvoicing can help businesses improve their processes and save money. But often the success is dependent on the collaboration within the business – how well you can bring everyone on the journey. One of the key departments to be involved is accounts payable.

Think about your accounts payable team’s current processes and how they’ll change

The processes of traditional invoicing and eInvoicing can be different for your accounts payable team. Traditional invoicing looks something like this:
  1. Receive email with PDF invoice
  2. Send to accounts payable team
  3. The invoice is downloaded, reviewed and approved
  4. Accounts payable inputs invoice information into relevant software programs
  5. Invoice is paid and archived
eInvoicing cuts out a lot of the manual processes by automating the inputting into your software. It looks a bit more like this:
  1. The seller sends the invoice electronically from their software. The invoice is sent, almost magically, through the Peppol network directly to the buyer’s accounts payable team’s software.
  2. Accounts payable match the received invoice against the PO for payment authorisation.
As you can see, your accounts payable team’s processes will change with eInvoicing – they’ll no longer have to input invoices into their software.

Planning for eInvoicing

There are a few things you can do to plan ahead for receiving eInvoices.

What’s in it for them?

Figuring out what’s in it for each team when it comes to eInvoicing, is an important step to bring them along on the journey. In this case, your accounts payable team won’t need to spend nearly as much time on entering invoices into your software. And if you’ve setup automated matching in your software, the automation could handle with mismatches like incorrect prices, or the absence of a purchase order number – something that your accounts payable team would have handled in the past. So all in all, it’ll mean less work for them, and more time they have to spend on the more important things.

Knowledge sharing

You not only need to get buy-in from each team, but you also need to make sure they’re armed with all the information they’ll need. It’s worth running a session with your accounts payable team to explain to them:
  • what eInvoicing is
  • what’s in it for them
  • what will change for them
  • what’s in it for your customers and suppliers
  • what the process be for your customers and suppliers
  • what questions they might get from suppliers and how to answer them
  • and who to contact for help.

Who will look after the supplier onboarding and communications?

If you’ve decided that your accounts payable team hold the relationship with your customers and suppliers, you might task them with the onboarding and communications. Skill the team up before the rollout to make sure they’re well equipped with the information and collateral they need, as well as making sure they’re familiar with what you’re asking of your customers and suppliers. We’ve got a handy resource you can use as a starting point, ten steps to successful community onboarding.

What if something goes wrong?

Your accounts payable team need to be ready if things go wrong or if they get curly questions and know what process to follow. If a supplier says they’ve sent an invoice but they can’t see it in your software, should they contact your IT team or Access Point provider? If your team are contact by a supplier who’s received a notification to say their invoice has been rejected, who should your accounts payable team contact? It’s also worth having a plan for the case that your suppliers can’t send an eInvoice because of an issue on their end. Perhaps you offer email as a last resort. If you’re interested in learning more about getting your accounts payable ready for eInvoicing, request a call below.

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E-invoicingRetailers