> the data needs to come to us as xml while our partners are only able to send > flat files... Is there any tool out there that we > can use just for the translation so we can skip on the 100,000 dollars we > might end up having to pay the van...
For Flat File to XML mapping you might look at the Altova products at http://www.altova.com/ . I think for this limited purpose all you would need would be the MapForce product. Up front investment in this product is pretty reasonable. (And there are additional modules to support ANSI/EDIFACT EDI and other things which may come up in the future). However, your VAN is also handling communications... so you will have to find "something" to replace that service. Your VAN is probably also providing some form of archive/restore services so you will want to think about that, too. While you will still incur professional fees to do mapping, you will control it, you will be able to select whomever you want to perform these tasks (or learn how to do it yourself), and you won't be paying any 'per-transaction' fees.. and in any event it's going to cost a lot less than what a VAN typically charges for these kinds of services. You may want to engage a consultant to help you evaluate possible solutions.. that's what we do. The part about 'future options' is important... in my experience every year you will get more and more requests to handle business transactions electronically, and you don't want to invest in a system which cannot grow with you to support these "reasonably anticipatable" future requests. I am not an Altova employee, agent or VAR and do not accept finder's fees or commissions from hardware or software vendors. Michael C. Mattias Tal Systems Inc. Racine WI [email protected] ------------------------------------ ... 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: [email protected] [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/
