Making your carbonless footprint in the EDI world

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), e-Invoicing, VANs, going paperless...chances are, if you aren’t already implementing some facet of EDI, you’re at least familiar with it. So where is your place in the cloud?

First, a little EDI 101: EDI became popular in the mid-1990’s. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, EDI is, “the computer-to-computer interchange of strictly formatted messages that represent documents other than monetary instruments.” So what does that mean exactly? It’s the automated translation and transmission of structured data from one business to another. Most popular belief is that EDI is intended for larger firms, but with today’s technologies, that’s not the case. B2BGateway, for instance, offers a web based solution, WebConnect 2.0, where setup time takes only a day and costs as little as $39 per month. That’s one option, but depending on your document flow, the opportunities are endless.

Now, for the perks…

1.     Less to Dispute: With hard documentation floating around everywhere, factual information is always at ones fingertips, creating less mistakes and less hassle.

2.     Expedited Pay Cycle: With automated documentation, invoices get to their destination faster and paid sooner, which leads to perk #3.

3.     Higher Growth Possibilities: Faster, more cost-efficient methods allow for the same job to get done with less manpower and less inherent errors.

4.     Eliminate Paper Costs: With everything done automatically and digitally, there’s no paper laying around, therefore cutting costs and making your carbon footprint that much smaller.

Whether you’re utilizing some form of EDI or not, there is no question that the ultimate goal of your business is to grow. With little to no administrative overhead, less errors and quick turnaround, the financial and ecological gains are exponential.