EDI
Translator Solutions
EDI Translator
An EDI translator is regularly described
as EDI software, or EDI
Translation Software. The function of an EDI
translator is to transmit and receive
EDI messages and transform these into a format
suited to the enterprise. In other words, an
EDI translator is comprised of machine instructions
that convert data from an irregular, enterprise-specific
data framework into a ordered and standardized
EDI data structure, which then transmits the EDI
document. An EDI translator also reverses
the above process (receives the EDI document
and interpretes from standard data structure
to the enterprise’s format). An EDI translator
may be created within an enterprise or it may
be bought from an EDI translator vendor. Adding
to this, an EDI translator can work on a several
of computer hardware platforms and operating
systems, and EDI translators exist for Intel
based Windows and Linux, Unix, AS 400 and mainframe
computers.
Top
Reasons For Emanio's EDI Translator |
- One of the most widely deployed
EDI translators in history
- More than 1,200 active customers
- Desktop, server and workgroup
versions
- easy to use and easy to deploy
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The EDI strategy for an enterprise must be
discussed when considering the functions of EDI
translators. Many companies can use
manual EDI, where incoming EDI messages are
printed and then treated as if they arrived
on paper; or, EDI may be integrated with a
company’s backend accounting or ERP systems.
It is an integrated EDI translator in a purchasing
organization that is explained below.
An EDI translator performs the same tasks
as when you create a business letter. Imagine
that you want to send a letter to Julie at
Random Corporation to ask about the status
of a purchase order. To write and send the
letter, you would have to do the following:
- Identify the data necessary to write the
communication.
- Retrieve the needed information, such as
Julie’s contact information.
- Arrange the data in the business letter
structure.
- Transport the letter to Julie.
The EDI translator functions in the
same way to create and transport an EDI message;
everything mentioned above is achieved by the
EDI translator:
- EDI mapping
- Extraction and/or conversion of the data
- Generation of an outbound message or translation
of an inbound message
- Transmission of the EDI document over a
network
EDI translators are sold by several vendors.
Creating an EDI translator in-house would be
cost-prohibitive. One issue to consider when
selecting an EDI translator from a vendor is
the technical assistance you get when buying
the EDI translator software. EMANIO is probably
the most recognized EDI translation vendor,
both regarding the knowledgeable and responsive
support team and also the depth of functionality
of the EDI translator software.
How do you select an EDI Translator ? This
question can scare even the bravest of small
business owners. That is because an EDI
Translator is easy to find, but an EDI Translator
that is going to make your life easier is not
as easy to find. An effective EDI Translator
must provide the small business with a way
of making EDI easy. To accomplish this,
the EDI Translator should hide as much complexity
as possible, while at the same time providing
the user with essential data. A good EDI Translator
is easy to install, easy to use and the ideal
EDI Translator should provide a high degree
of automation. For more sophisticated
businesses, an EDI Translator should also come
with options for data integration – the
process by which the EDI Translator sends EDI
data to the company’s ERP system.
So what criteria should you use to select
your EDI Translator ? An EDI Translator
should be easy enough for a user to install
in minutes. A good EDI Translator should run
on off the shelf hardware as well as on high
end servers. An EDI Translator for small
businesses should provide an easy means of
adding support for new trading partners as
the business grows. An EDI Translator
should provide for ways to automate as much
of the process as possible. The EDI Translator
should also either give the user the option
of printing out a report of EDI data or the
EDI Translator should allow for sending the
EDI data to a file for further processing. An
EDI Translator should also be selected from
a company that is reputable and has a knowledgeable
support organization experienced with the features
of the EDI Translator. An EDI Translator
is only as good as the company that stands
behind it.
As a small business selecting an EDI Translator,
if you follow these tips in choosing an EDI Translator
you are bound to make the right choice. Choosing
an EDI Translator is one of the most important
decisions you will make. The EDI Translator
you select can either make your business more
profitable or it can contribute to failure. When
purchasing an EDI Translator don’t focus
on price alone – often you will find that
the cheap EDI Translator is not the best EDI
Translator. Selecting the best EDI Translator for
your business will give you a significantly
higher return on your investment. |
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