EDI Analyst

An EDI analyst is a position within an organization that can be critical to ensuring the success of EDI usage.  While it's very common for larger organizations to have more than one EDI analyst, smaller businesses often don't even have the position of EDI analyst and  feel that the role of an analyst is not mandatory for them, relegating the duties of the EDI analyst to another IT employee.  While at first this type of role-sharing may seem to be a good time and money saving technique, there are many important reasons to have a dedicated EDI analyst.

What the EDI Analyst does

The duties of an EDI analyst can be as varied as there are EDI users.  Generally speaking however the EDI Analyst is going to be the person that is most familiar with your organization's use of EDI and with the software and services you use for EDI.  For this reason the EDI analyst needs to be well versed in your company's business processes as well as in the features and capabilities of the EDI software you are using.  If you are implementing EDI for the first try to resist the temptation to make your EDI analyst the IT person with the least workload currently available.  While this may seem like a wise initial strategy, that person may not have the requisite business knowledge or skill set to learn your business and the software you will use.

Using your EDI Analyst

Once your system is operational the role of your EDI analyst will likely change from that of planner and designer to a role as overseer.  In this day to day role the EDI Analyst will need to become familiar with the reporting and analysis functions of your EDI software to ensure that your use of EDI is not only satisfying the needs of your trading partners, but is also maximizing your return on investment in the EDI software.

Hiring an EDI Analyst

If you have made the decision to hire an EDI analyst you should make sure that the person who will become your EDI analyst has expertise in your business.  This is far more critical than is intimate knowledge of the EDI software you use.  The reason is simple, while the EDI analyst can easily learn how to use your software, learning the intricacies of your business and your industry can take much longer.  Remember that your EDI analyst is there to help you get the most from EDI -and to do that, the EDI analyst will need to be intimately familiar with your business.

Sharing the EDI Analyst Role

If you must have one role in your organization where the EDI analyst function is just one of many functions a person may hold, the best person for the job may be the EDI administrator.  It's very common in smaller companies for the EDI administrator and the EDI analyst to be the same person.  In this hybrid role the EDI analyst will become your one and only "EDI expert"; they should be well versed with the latest EDI information and the EDI analyst should be familiar with your software and what is needed to maintain compliance with changing standards and changing trading partner requirements.

hat role should your EDI analyst play in the larger IT organization?  This is a vital question and one with which companies often struggle.  An EDI analyst is a critical role for your organization, one that is responsible for a system that is vital to the very survival of your organization.  While you may be able to live without your ERP system for some time, it's doubtful you will be able to work without access to your EDI data.  For this reason the EDI analyst often has dual reporting requirements - to your IT organization as well as to your finance department.  As you map out your EDI needs you should take some time to consider what role an EDI analyst will play and when.  Understanding when to hire a dedicated EDI analyst, when to share the EDI analyst role with another title and what the reporting requirements of the EDI analyst will be can be a critical part to ensuring the best usage of EDI in your organization.

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