SYSPROs EDI module is geared towards
manufacturers and distributors that must accommodate complex
transactions among a limited community of suppliers in standardized
formats. For such enterprises, EDI is an invaluable tool that enables
the rapid, electronic transmittal of documents between trading partners,
thereby speeding the entire order/shipping cycle. EDI also increases
accuracy by eliminating unnecessary manual entry.
Essentially, the SYSPRO EDI System
translates a document file from a customer/trading partner directly into
the SYSPRO system as an automatic process and generates documents to
customers for processing by their respective computer systems.
EDI for SYSPRO is a mapper/translator
that serves as an interface between the SYSPRO System and EDI standards
for sending and receiving electronic documents. There are three parts to
the full system: SYSPRO software with the EDI translator, the VAN (Value
Added Network) provider, and the communications software which is often
supplied by the VAN.
The VAN serves as the intermediary
between a company and its customer, similar to an e-mail server. The file is sent to the VAN, which in turn, forwards it. Much like e-mail
servers, parties communicating via EDI need not share the same VAN,
since VAN computers interact with each other.
The EDI translator converts document files forwarded by the communications software (typically VAN supplied)
and converts them into the corresponding documents in SYSPRO (i.e.,
sales orders). It is also responsible for generating documents for the
communications package to send to customers (i.e., shipping notices or
invoices.)
