Steve,
If an organization is finding it necessary to do programming for each
Trading Partner's variation of a purchase order one of two things has
occurred.
1) A failure to do complete analysis of the Order Processing system (be it
ERP or legacy). As an EDI consultant, I compile data defining every
possible required field for Order Processing and a separate list of all data
that has to be returned to the Trading Partner (although not used on the
vendor's end). Then when the data base(s) are built they are "all-inclusive"
and will book correct orders in the Vendor's system and maintain all data
required to return to the customer. Additionally, I provide a set of "work
fields" that allow for variations in data requirements for that "next
Trading Partner". After all, the receiver of a document should know what
his/her requirements are and anything other than that constitutes
meaningless data. If your Trading Partner insist on receiving that
"meaningless data" back on other EDI documents (ASN etc) simply map it to
the "store and forward fields" described above.
2) A poor choice of EDI software solutions. There are currently many EDI
software packages for various platforms which are capable of handling all
sorts of manipulations (I call them creative interpretations) of the X12 and
EDIFACT standards.
I too have been in EDI for over 10 years and have spent the last 6 as an EDI
consultant. I spend the majority of time installing and implementing EDI
software for small to mid-sized companies. Typically, the only programming
required are is any driver programs to execute the in-house (ERP or legacy)
edit/update jobs after each communication (be it internet, VAN or direct).
The mappers available in today's EDI software are fully capable of providing
conditioned results, doing math operation and manipulation of codes and
field differences. The advantage of these mappers (at least the ones I work
with) is that in a period of 1 week, I can train almost anyone in the office
environment to perform maintenance and/or additional mapping for new Trading
Partners without ANY assistance from a programmer.
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