Determining an EDI strategy

Planning for EDI and determining how to use your system most effectively is important. Part of the planning process is determining an EDI strategy, a plan for using EDI to re-engineer and streamline your company's operating procedures. Your basic EDI strategy should include:

  • An analysis of your company's business needs

  • An analysis of how EDI can help your company accomplish its goals

  • A listing of EDI program goals that can be used to justify the cost of installing an EDI system

  • A listing of the EDI transactions your company wants to implement

  • A plan and timetable for implementation

  • A list of short- and long-term EDI usage goals

Examining business needs

The purpose of EDI is to streamline and re-engineer your business. Before your company adopts an EDI system, it must analyze its business needs and determine how the system can help accomplish its goals.

After your company has decided to adopt EDI, it needs to decide which transactions to implement. Adopting EDI transactions takes time and demands the adjustment of business processes.