Electronic Document Interchange, EDI, is turning into an essential solution for companies as it generates many benefits, improves competitiveness and boosts the efficiency of businesses.
The standard format used in electronic data interchange (EDI) for administration, commerce and transport is defined by the United Nations and is known as UN/EDIFACT. It consists of a set of internationally agreed standards, directories, and guidelines for the electronic interchange of structured data, between independent computerised information systems.
Starting to use EDI means adapting your procedures and programs in areas such as invoicing, warehousing and accounting, to a new language and coding that most of the ERPs on the market do not cover. Why? The main reason is that it is a type of relationship that takes into account both the sender and receiver, while ERPs usually focus only and exclusively on organising the customer and not so much on the relationship between that customer and their commercial partners - customers and suppliers.
The use of electronic data interchange is common in many industries, but it has penetrated the following sectors more thoroughly: Retail (supermarkets, department stores, distributors, etc.), Automotive (car or car part manufacturers, dealerships, etc.), Healthcare (hospitals, health centres, clinics, chemists, etc.), and Transport.
1 252 million electronic invoices were processed and delivered in 2015 by members of the European E-Invoicing Service Providers Association (EESPA), based on a set of survey results completed in July 2016. This represented a significant growth of 27 per cent over 2014 volumes of 985 million.
