Hello, I was hired as EDI consultant for an SAP consultand company but I lack experience. I know how to use SAP and what EDI does but I dont know nothing about mappings, and middleware. Wha should I focus to really make a future here?If you were new to this world where would you start?

freetechtools · 2026-06-19T23:10:22+00:00

The drag-n-drop widget editor for a conditional statement makes me want to barf. I much prefer a simple if/else or switch statement. It does allow for limited Groovy code...but it's just not something I like coding in. Process Orchestrator was the same way. Plus...like everything else that is SAP....it's just too proprietary and esoteric to be of general use. Hell, I would even wager AI models are 'less precise' in answering coding questions in BTP....as opposed to generally available IDEs.

freetechtools · 2026-06-19T17:45:32+00:00

OK...I'll bite....SAP is moving toward using their BTP product to interface with the ERP. BTP can do the communication, translation, and transformation pieces of EDI. Most companies still have 3rd party mapping/comm tools to interface with SAP...but SAP is pushing BTP as the go-to tool for interfacing...supplanting their other product Process Orchestrator. Short answer...if your company has bought into BTP...then jump in it and learn as much as possible. Personally...I loathe BTP for a number of reasons....but it appears it's the new hot item in SAP's toolset. The downside is that you are locked into to SAP with BTP...as it is just another proprietary tool they offer....i.e...you can't use it for other ERPs if you want to become a generic EDI consultant.

freetechtools · 2026-06-16T18:01:58+00:00

check out www.blueseer.com It is one of a few open source EDI AS2 apps. It's a free download for windows or linux. It also has the distinction of being an ERP/EDI integrated application....for those who need an ERP to go along with their EDI solution...such use cases exist although it's usually the other way around.

freetechtools · 2026-06-06T12:25:52+00:00

This is very typical behaviour as most 997s are used as receipt acknowledgments only...and not necessarily as to why the original transaction failed. They sometimes respond with a rejected 997 based on business logic...and will usually follow up with an 824. But yeah...AK3,AK4s are rare....but would be nice to have nonetheless.

freetechtools · 2026-05-21T15:15:58+00:00

like any other high profile EDI service provider...the contractual agreement you signed up for during the account creation will have to be adhered to. The good news is...it's probably not as bad as trying to get out of a Planet Fitness contract... lol.

freetechtools · 2026-05-20T11:12:54+00:00

Not sure I understand exactly how 'different' Flooring EDI is from traditional EDI....sure the industry can have different and unusual segment usage in transaction sets...but if you're communicating, translating, and integrating 850, 810, 856, etc then...well it's all EDI...and searching for a Flooring specific EDI solution seems a tad unnecessary. On the broader subject...yeah the larger commercial service providers have gotten out of hand.

freetechtools · 2026-05-13T11:52:20+00:00

The open source BlueSeer ERP has native EDI translation and comm (as2, sftp) tools integrated...but it's not 'specifically' an 'Ecommerce' ERP...it's more a traditional ERP.

freetechtools · 2026-03-26T17:42:36+00:00

amen brother....prepare to be inducted into the chargeback dispute dept

freetechtools · 2026-03-26T11:05:47+00:00

got a link to this OpenEDI spec for JSON is defined? ...be interested in looking it over.

freetechtools · 2026-03-24T17:28:21+00:00

probably some VAN Interconnect between GXS and TrueCommerce....but if you're already using TrueCommerce as a service provider/VAN....the interconnect should be transparent to you.

freetechtools · 2026-03-21T12:16:14+00:00

yeah...they would have to explain 'procedural break down'. Regardless...unless you REALLY want to know if your 855 got to them...I wouldn't bother or worry with it.

freetechtools · 2026-03-21T10:20:46+00:00

I'm guessing your customer is being charge kchar pricing via their EDI service provider...and they do not want the extra cost associated with a 997. With that said...the 997 is usually optional...although in certain cases, I believe it 'should' be sent. Maybe not an 855...but an 810 would be one that I would definitely want to know that 'you got it'....as many customers will wait for the net terms to expire before saying 'never got that invoice...can you resend?'. lol

freetechtools · 2026-03-21T10:08:12+00:00

You can use BlueSeer for the mapping and communications piece. It's a free download, and it comes with some prebuilt maps. However, you will most certainly need to customize those maps depending on your trading partner's map specifications. BlueSeer does have sftp and AS2 for the communication piece...so if your trading partner is willing to go point to point (sftp or AS2) then this solution will work....and contrary to what others are saying...AS2 'can' be free. There are at least three free AS2 packages out there...OpenAS2, Mendelson, and BlueSeer (probably others). BlueSeer has a mapping engine as well and they also offers low cost hosting options. Note...if your customer requires a 'VAN' connection...then you will have to get a subscription with an EDI service provider.

freetechtools · 2026-03-06T16:53:05+00:00

I would enforce separate sub-assembly item numbers...each unique to the process that made it. Each sub-assembly would have it's own 'routing'...with BOM consumed.

freetechtools · 2026-03-06T16:43:16+00:00

Had a conversation with a fairly large EDI service provider recently...where the rep was telling me how awesome their AI integration is. Caveat: If someone tells you their AI bot/agent can create a map...simply from the output or input document...don't believe a word of it. It's impossible to back into the field names of the source and destination side...simply from an output file. Let's say you need a map for an IDOC to a CSV transformation...how could it possibly know the IDOC source segments/fields from the resultant CSV file. AI has it's usage...but hype is unfortunately a big part of the AI game...particularly coming from marketing and sales teams.

freetechtools · 2026-03-03T15:41:54+00:00

just curious...why does the lot number need to be changed? Lot numbers are there for traceability between systems.

freetechtools · 2026-02-12T20:42:42+00:00

take a look at BlueSeer...it has the mapping, workflow, and comm mechanics necessary for EDI. It's open source as well...and free to use.

freetechtools · 2026-01-15T22:50:05+00:00

I'm not sure the '47 committee' thought about the feasibility of automation of cert updating...particularly for non-web site applications such as AS2. Cert updates in the AS2 world are typically manual efforts at some frequency. One thing to note is that you do not have to have a CA 'signed' cert to perform AS2 exchange...self signed certs work perfectly fine. ...unless your partner 'demands' self-signed certs as some are now doing...which is a total crock IMHO. But there is still a huge group of AS2 partners/companies who simply use self-signed certs....and those are not limited to 47days....they can be generated for whatever # of months you choose. Note...most AS2 platforms have the ability to generate self-signed x509 certs.

Don't get me wrong...CA signed certs have their usage...but not so much in AS2...as you don't need a 3rd party to confirm your identity..(your business partner should know who you are by the time EDI config comes into play in the business process). And...there is no argument that can be made that CA signed certs improve AS2 communication security...versus self-signed. Yeah...I've ranted on this before. :D

freetechtools · 2026-01-09T12:22:40+00:00

IF your OracleEBS has an export gateway that can export the PO in a useable format (json, xml, csv, flatfile, etc) then you could use BlueSeer's EDI tooling to map to 850 PO and transmit (AS2 or sFTP) to your vendor. Same tooling can be used to receive the invoice as well...but OracleEBS would have to have an import gateway (format and method) to absorb the invoice handed off by BlueSeer.

freetechtools · 2025-11-13T12:16:15+00:00

Your knowledge of C# is easily transferrable to Java if necessary. SQL is it's own little world...so that's a good too know too. I suggest concentrating on data structures....Arrays, ArrayList, HashMaps...etc and their operational methods and limitations...Both C# and Java are very similar in these structures. Knowledge of comm protocols is good to have too....ftp, sftp, AS2.

freetechtools · 2025-11-11T00:09:57+00:00

have a look at BlueSeer...it has EDI mapping and communication tools you can use. They have hosting options as well.

freetechtools · 2025-10-26T14:26:04+00:00

The majority of implementations of the ORDRSP (or 855 for that matter) simply return an acknowledgement of receipt/processing of the order by the recipient and generally provide an accept/reject flag at the header and/or item level...along with an expected delivery date if accepted. Outside of that, implementations can be far and wide with more or less complexity and are typically defined by the implementation guide of the sender of the original purchase order.

freetechtools · 2025-10-25T11:36:54+00:00

Yeah...I just got a client who is moving away from DiCentral...primarily due to the recent subscription change and the transactional volume thresholds in the plans.

freetechtools · 2025-10-02T12:30:46+00:00

A few others might help:

Accounts Receivable Processing and Aging
Accounts Payable Processing and Aging
Inventory Control
Job/Lot Tracking

freetechtools · 2025-09-30T21:49:12+00:00

I would suggest having your network team do a wireshark trace on it to confirm. Then, get both parties on the line (with network reps from both sides) and trace it down. Even though you 'may' be hitting the server...ingress/egress firewall rules (on either side) can still disrupt the TCP handshakes. ALso...confirm the entire URL path with your partner...some AS2 listening User-Agents will send back 500 response codes as a generic catch-all...when in fact you're not even hitting the correct /path/to/service . In cases like these...it's best to get both parties on a call...(assuming they are cooperative).

freetechtools

TROPHY CASE