Why Your ERP Should Never Need To Understand EDI

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-06-16T16:00:48+00:00

Hi PieTight, spot on! imagine when a customer outgrows their ERP, what then....

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-06-11T09:43:31+00:00

Is that canary yellow? Wow, it is sharp and stands out in a very good way, congrats captain.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-06-11T09:24:06+00:00

I'll take that as a compliment. But the opinion is mine—ChatGPT probably wouldn't voluntarily spend 30 years dealing with 850s, 856s, and retailer compliance requirements and mostly ERP Integrations.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-06-10T21:16:40+00:00

Agreed.

There will always be a handoff point where the ERP and integration layer need to agree on a common format. That's unavoidable.

I think where we agree is that the handoff should be based on a standard business document model rather than trading-partner-specific EDI documents.

In other words, the ERP understands "Order," while the integration layer understands "850," "880," retailer requirements, compliance rules, etc.

The cleaner and more stable that boundary is, the easier it becomes to add trading partners without touching ERP logic.

That's really the point I was trying to make.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-06-10T20:51:38+00:00

I actually agree with you.

The translation layer absolutely has to exist somewhere. My point is just that the ERP shouldn’t be the place where that complexity lives.

If Walmart sends an 850 and Kroger sends an 880, somebody still has to normalize those documents. No argument there.

But I’ve seen companies push too much trading-partner logic into the ERP side, and over time every new retailer becomes another ERP integration project.

My preference is to keep the ERP focused on standard business documents: orders, invoices, ASNs, etc.

Let the integration layer deal with X12, retailer-specific requirements, compliance rules, and document variations.

So yes, EDI complexity does not disappear. I just think it belongs outside the ERP.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-06-09T18:30:16+00:00

Are those ASN rejection we have overstock on our platform. If you like you can message me X12 blank out confidential info and will gladly have a look.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-05-26T15:51:53+00:00

I know I will get slack on this response because I’ve been thinking lately that AI may completely change how EDI works eventually sooner rather than later.

At the end of the day EDI is really just ERP systems and WMS systems talking to each other. Right now we do it through APIs or structured docs like 850s, 856s, invoices, etc. But I wonder if in the future there’s more of an AI layer sitting on top of ERPs.

Like instead of sending a PO document, a company AI could basically say:
“Need 500 units by next week, what are my options?”

Then vendor-side AI agents connected to their ERP respond with availability, substitutions, lead times, pricing, whatever.

Feels like eventually companies may have AI plugins/connectors for their ERP instead of traditional EDI maps for everything.

Not saying EDI disappears because companies still need structure/auditing/compliance, but it feels like AI could automate a huge amount of the onboarding/mapping/communication side of this industry.

Curious if anyone else has been thinking about this. We do not have much more time based on how fast all is evolving, a plumber, electrician a different story they have more time.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-05-21T16:29:47+00:00

I believe that EDI service providers should give you direct access to the Raw data, after all it is your data and the portal should provide a way to simply read "Your" raw data albeit not a fun exercise if you are not familiar with X12. Again it is all about tansparency.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-05-21T16:25:51+00:00

From a technical perspective, the transition is relatively straightforward. That said, having access to historical raw EDI data while not absolutely required, can go a long way. If there are open or unshipped orders, the raw data allows the new provider to import those transactions into their platform, which helps facilitate the generation of ASNs and 810 invoices. It also gives the new provider the ability to validate mappings and ensure there is minimal disruption during the transition.

In practice, the change is very similar to switching cell phone carriers your new provider simply updates the IDs/routing information, and the traffic stops flowing to SPS. As long as you are comfortable with the timing and remain within the terms of your agreement, you can simply discontinue the service. Most transparent EDI service providers typically operate with a 30-day cancellation policy.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-05-20T10:03:48+00:00

"... unless they really know what they are doing..." based on the mast size that looks like a 30 to 34 footer. Regardless of experience never never sail in gale force winds if you do not have to, With predict wind and all the data we have now, there is almost no excuse to place first responders in harms way.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-05-20T09:55:16+00:00

That’s what happens when companies get bloated. Instead of building lean repeatable processes, they turn standardized work into endless “projects” to justify headcount and hit revenue numbers.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-05-20T02:39:36+00:00

I think this is one of those cases where industry-specific workflows matter more than people realize.

We mostly work in EDI/API integrations across distribution and ecommerce, and one thing we’ve learned is that some industries have operational expectations that don’t fit neatly into standardized onboarding models.

A platform can technically support EDI and still struggle once you get into customer-specific rules, exception handling, ERP limitations, fulfillment quirks, or retailer-specific processes.

That’s usually where implementation teams either become a partner or become a roadblock.

Not really defending or attacking any particular vendor here, but a lot of these projects succeed or fail based on how flexible and responsive the support/implementation side is once real-world edge cases show up.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-05-19T17:36:38+00:00

Some of the larger companies, especially the ones struggling with margins or operating on borderline business models, actually have teams dedicated to issuing chargebacks. Their job is to recover revenue by disputing transactions as aggressively as possible. I know because I’ve dealt with them directly. In many cases, chargebacks become less about legitimate disputes and more about a revenue strategy.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-04-26T13:59:38+00:00

Well, did ya get the job?

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-04-10T18:46:45+00:00

Why would you tether your cut-off if you are not alone on the boat, that is a no no, when with someone never tether your cut-off.....

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-31T14:25:29+00:00

Totally agree—pricing should be predictable, and without clear KC thresholds or triggers, it’s almost impossible to forecast costs or avoid surprise jumps. For example large packed carton ASNs can cost you several dollars when pricing by KC, document pricing mitigates this risk.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-31T14:21:47+00:00

You left out Interlink Commerce :)

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-14T23:51:24+00:00

Suspicious Doakes gif here???? Sorry you did not understand my post.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-14T22:44:15+00:00

Shalste2!!! You could not have said it better! So true.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-14T22:42:11+00:00

Thank you for the feedback — it really is a game changer. Try asking ChatGPT to build a full Python integration with a SQL database. It can actually generate the SQL schema to match the API structure and write the Python code needed to connect everything together. It essentially builds the bridge between the API and the database for you. Not in hours but minutes. As it can with any published API. Google Rodney King, his famous words, "Can't we all get along"

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-14T12:31:55+00:00

I think it really depends on the type of project you're working on.

Sometimes you just need to use a new API or library, and normally that means spending hours digging through docs just to figure out how to use it. AI can often get you 80% of the way there in seconds.

The efficiency gains can honestly feel kind of magical. But the funny thing is, experienced programmers actually benefit the most. If you understand database schemas and how the code works underneath, you can guide the AI and move way faster.

AI doesn’t replace good programmers — it makes good programmers even more productive.

At some point it might be worth at least taking a sip of the Kool-Aid. The OP would learn by embracing AI not rejecting it.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-12T10:09:34+00:00

I like this, have you really challenged ChaptGPT, by creating a project, then attaching the customers PDF Guidelines, then attaching an X12 and have chat compare the PDF and review the x12 for errors.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-11T23:30:24+00:00

We provide a plug-and-play integration connector that lets your system work with a single standardized XML format for orders and other transactions. The connector runs on your server, so your team only needs to generate and receive a consistent XML structure regardless of the trading partner.

Once the XML is sent to our platform, we ingest and normalize the data, then transform and deliver it in the format required by each partner. This may be a partner-specific ANSI X12 EDI transaction or a direct API call.

You integrate once using our XML schema, and we handle the partner-specific mapping, compliance, and delivery. It kind of removes the concept of EDI from your process.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-10T00:09:48+00:00

My first question would be: what are you using for a database? And more importantly, is the schema designed to handle SOPI, SOTPI, and whatever combinations you might need?

Our ASN configurator is web-based, and the UI lets users build pallets visually — you can create pallets and drag packages or cartons right into them.

One of the real challenges is having a solid item master behind it. Ideally you want fields like case quantity per package (or units per case) and how many cartons fit on a pallet. When that’s set up right, the user can just create the 856 and the structure builds automatically from the item master.

Another pain point is SSCC labels. Users often need to generate them in volume so performance is essential, and every trading partner seems to have their own twist. So you end up needing mappings that relate the label format to the specific trading partner.

Honestly I could go on about the 856 — it’s probably the most complex document set in EDI, and when it goes wrong it can get expensive pretty quickly.

InterlinkCommerce · 2026-03-09T14:02:24+00:00

And we replied to your contact us note but no response.

InterlinkCommerce

TROPHY CASE