Top EDI Solution Providers in 2024

After the disruptive events of the past year, it’s no surprise that many brands are rethinking their approach to supply chain management in 2024. Electronic data interchange (EDI) is a core component of a sustainable supply chain, so getting help with adopting or updating an EDI system is a smart investment in your business’s future — particularly if you want to avoid common EDI implementation issues.

Over the past few years, EDI has undergone significant advances, including an ever-growing number of cloud-based tools and managed services. These advances have helped reduce barriers to entry while simultaneously increasing the value of finding the right partner.

Here, we’ll offer some insight into the top solution providers on the market, looking at two general categories of EDI providers. The first consists of providers who focus entirely on EDI delivery, while the second includes providers who offer EDI as one component of a more comprehensive service portfolio. Let’s explore the EDI solution provider landscape, beginning with our own company, Data Interchange.

Data Interchange

A pioneer of data communication technology, Data Interchange has 35 years of experience in the EDI field. We employ more than 100 EDI specialists across Europe and work with some of the world’s biggest brands. Our EDI-focused approach allows us to offer both sophisticated off-the-shelf products and bespoke solutions tailored to match your exact needs.

We listen to our customers and take on board feedback — delivering dedicated and responsive managed services, and developing our self-service products inline with the changing needs of our customers. We are small enough to care, but big enough to manage global and high-volume workloads. With a range of capabilities able to service both SMEs and large enterprises, our approach at Data Interchange is focused on finding innovative ways to future-proof processes and improve your business outcomes.

Focused solely on EDI? Yes.

Types of EDI offered: At Data Interchange, our approach is defined by a modern EDI-as-a-Service model. This includes the use of managed services and self-service tools, both enabled by cloud-access that drive a flexible and customisable approach to EDI. Our cloud-based Web EDI (Darwin Hub) and EDI via VAN (DiNet) solutions are easy to use and effortless for your trading partners to adopt. At the same time, our managed services deliver countless benefits, such as on-demand EDI expertise, support and integration, and translation services. We also offer EDI consulting for businesses that just need help improving their strategic vision.

Standout capabilities:

• Our own Value Added Network (VAN) — DiNet — to manage data transmission, allowing us to make robust service guarantees beyond those that rely on third-party support.
• A team of 100+ experts always on hand to provide personalised service and support.
• Updates that are always included in support.
• ISO 27001 certified commitment to customer data security and privacy.
• Best-in-class dashboards and analytics able to simplify EDI system access, management and monitoring.
• On-premise and cloud-based options, along with Web EDI, EDI via VAN and managed service solutions able to support any level of EDI expertise within a supply chain.
• Full range of ERP integrations and support for EDI protocols and standards.
• An inherently flexible and focused approach to EDI — we are able to approach each client as an individual, as well as providing out-of-the-box options.

At Data Interchange, we are customer-focused and structurally aligned to provide responsive services and take customer feedback seriously. Being neither a large-scale enterprise nor a boutique provider, we can deliver robust guarantees and global reach, while still delivering more value (and personalised attention) to businesses of all sizes.

2. NetEDI

Established in 2009, NetEDI is a cloud-based ERP integration, accounting and web form turnaround platform dedicated to connecting and automating critical business processes through EDI. Another EDI-focused supplier, NetEDI provides solutions that can solve B2B integration challenges for businesses of any size. Although they serve a range of industries, their solutions are most prominent within retail.

Focused solely on EDI? Yes.

Types of EDI offered: NetEDI offers cloud-based EDI solutions delivered in Starter, Professional and Enterprise packages. Fully-managed services are also available.

Standout capabilities:

• All solutions are hosted within a certified hosting facility for security & full data protection.
• Managed services offer access to a team of B2B specialists & process experts.
• EDI can be integrated with accounting/ERP systems.
• All software updates are included in the fixed-fee plans, so there are no surprise charges.
  

3. OpenText (formerly GXS)

In 2014, cloud-based integration service GXS was acquired by OpenText, an information management specialist based in Ontario, Canada. Opentext is dedicated to solving digital business challenges for businesses of all sizes, and provides a range of solutions, among which include EDI.

Focused solely on EDI? No. In addition to EDI, OpenText offers comprehensive digital business solutions such as customer experience management, big data analytics and AI, and industrial IoT solutions.

Types of EDI offered: OpenText offers a suite of cloud-based SaaS tools, managed services and consulting services.

Standout capabilities:

• OpenText operates its own VAN.
• Proprietary analytics functions designed to improve operational & business insights.
• Rich request management & business process management tool for real-time support request status tracking, guided report creation and automated workflows.
• 24/7 incident management support, transaction monitoring and exception management.

4. IBM

IBM is a large multinational American technology company providing hardware, software and cloud-based services for businesses of all sizes. Although the company is best known for manufacturing enterprise hardware (and, historically, manufacturing personal computers) they also provide EDI capabilities for a range of businesses — along with countless other products.

Focused solely on EDI? No, IBM operates in countless areas, including machine learning, IT infrastructure, cybersecurity and consulting services.

Types of EDI offered: IBM provides a range of standard EDI offerings, including SaaS-based tools, small partner solutions and business document conversion services.

Standout capabilities:

• Solutions that reduce installation and patch time.
• Centralised onboarding with a self-service feature and cloud-standard APIs.
• Extensive communications protocol support to connect business partners more easily.
• IBM’s Sterling VAN includes over 800,000 preconnected trading partners.

5. TrueCommerce

Background: Founded in 1995, TrueCommerce specialises in omnichannel trading, working to connect its customers’ businesses across the supply chain. This includes EDI systems, but also spans a far wider-range of technology, process optimisation and service delivery.

Focused solely on EDI? No. In addition to EDI, TrueCommerce offers unified and B2B eCommerce, invoicing, PIM systems, marketplace integration and order fulfilment services.

Types of EDI offered: TrueCommerce offers integrated and Web EDI software tools, as well as fully-managed services.

Standout capabilities:

• 20+ years of industry experience and over 120,000 connected companies.
• A responsive, 24/7 UK-based service desk managed by tech experts.
• Automated alerts and proactive monitoring of system availability, message delivery and message validation errors.
• ERP, marketplace and eCommerce integration.
• Easy onboarding of trading partners.
  

6. Seeburger

Seeburger has 30 years of experience in designing and implementing digital business models and focuses on delivering industry-specific solutions.

Focused solely on EDI? No. Seeburger also offers holistic digital tools, products and services, such as a business integration suite, API management, Industrial IoT and e-invoicing.

Types of EDI offered: Seeburger offers Web EDI and cloud-based B2B/EDI full-service solutions.

Standout capabilities:

• A single platform for all integration requirements, including API, IoT, and SAP/ERP.
• A complete, industry-specific B2B/EDI library & a business partner and mapping library.
• Easy, self-service onboarding through Seeburger WebEDI.
• Automated partner and supplier integration.
• Industry-leading security and compliance standards.
  How to pick the right solution

How to pick the right solution

With many high-quality EDI providers to choose from, it can be just as challenging to pick the right partner as it is to hone in on the right type of EDI. However, there are a few things to consider when looking into the specifics that will help you make the right choice for your business.

A personalised touch: If you’re looking for EDI support, you want a provider that will listen to your needs, and help deliver a solution that fits you — rather than simply slotting you into a standardised box. Look for EDI solution providers that are responsive, help you better understand your requirements, and create solutions that are tailored to your business. If you become lost in a sea of faceless customers, you might as well manage your EDI solution in-house.

Focused solely on EDI: While all of the companies on our list do deliver EDI in various formats, EDI is not everyone’s primary focus. If you want to combine EDI services with additional infrastructure support, it may be beneficial to find a multi-service provider. However, an EDI-dedicated partner will improve access to more advanced solutions — delivering more sophisticated off-the-shelf options and increased bespoke flexibility. You benefit from knowledge, experience and expertise that develops within a focused environment.

A provider with its own VAN: Working directly with an EDI VAN provider can deliver additional benefits that boost business outcomes, including back-office integration and trading partner enablement. For instance, our VAN, DiNet, supports data integration and includes intuitive dashboards and analytics features, simple upload tools, and functions that minimise or eliminate manual steps. We are able to optimise our services and guarantee access because we provide that VAN ourselves.

A flexible approach to EDI: To deliver optimal results, EDI must be flexible and tailored to your specific business needs and desired outcomes. Providers that offer hybrid EDI tools/EDI-as-a-Service are best equipped to deliver the personalisation and flexibility that today’s global supply chains require. As EDI experts with more than thirty years of experience in the field, we use SaaS tools to simplify EDI access, and we deploy our managed service to deliver EDI-as-an-outcome. Tailored, simplified solutions enable businesses to flourish, focusing on the benefits made possible by EDI instead of being bogged down by the challenges of EDI rollout and management.

EDI solution providers need to deliver flexibility, visibility and personalisation

A combination of cloud-based tools and managed services make EDI flexible and help deliver supply chain visibility. If your provider can’t deliver on the promise of EDI’s premise, or help you find a personalised solution, then why partner with them in the first place?

At Data Interchange, our goal is simple: to streamline EDI adoption and management, allowing you to reap the full benefits of EDI — harnessing its power to improve your supply chain relationships and drive your commercial success. Whether you’re a small business or a huge enterprise, our team of more than 100 EDI specialists are eager to work with you to deliver customised, cutting-edge solutions to meet your needs and those of your supply chain partners.