I just went through that. A lot depends on who you choose for outsourcing.
My experience was as good as I could have wished, given I was putting myself out of a job. The company that runs the VAN we (they) use is the same company that handles the outsourcing. We had to train somebody on the help desk to handle the ERP EDI interface issues, the outsourcer in this case only handles EDI: mapping, translation, TP issues on the EDI side, and pickup and delivery of interface files to/from the ERP's interface file system. The VAN charges are calculated on number of transactions (ST's), not kilocharacter, and there are no other charges, except for an annual subscription fee, waived when you purchase a block of transactions in advance, plus a setup fee for each new interconnect. The outsourcing costs are amazingly low, and the remaining staff has told me they are very pleased with my choice of vendors. So choose carefully. Contact me offline if you want to know more, or if you want to hire me as a consultant. (Please hire me as a consultant.) Art Douglas Blackwater Network adouglas <at> blackwaternetwork <dot> com 877-464-8915 -----Original Message----- >From: tcstoodt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Sep 28, 2006 8:52 AM >To: [email protected] >Subject: [EDI-L] Re: negotiating outsourcing contracts > >Hi, > Thanks for the great advice. I appreciate it. >In dealing with these companies (giant vans), I find it >is very difficult to calculate what our costs might be. >When you're given a per kilochar rate you have to estimate >your future trading partners data requirements (and probably >pray nobody wants XML!). You also end up paying for the >outsourcer to push data via ftp and AS2. I realize it's >a trade-off. They will provide a much more solid infrastructure, >and a motivated army of mappers and support people. Has >anyone ever switched from the hands on day to day edi support >guy to the role of managing an outsourcer? I'm thinking that >doesn't happen too often. I imagine it's usually handed over >to a non-technical business person (and the edi guy gets whacked). >Thanks. TS ... Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Job postings are welcome, but for job postings or requests for work: <JOBS> IS REQUIRED in the subject line as a prefix. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
