All companies large or small that sell product on-line or for warehouse fulfillment to retailers and e-tailers eventually find themselves in a position where they need to rely on EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) to communicate with them. It’s a hassle, forcing many suppliers to employ individual(s) just to manage it and keep it accurate. But does EDI really have a sustainable future?
Well, first, let’s discuss its evolution and the path that this technology is on. The EDI concept was introduced in 1960 and the first EDI document was sent in 1965. The primary motivation behind the development of EDI was to facilitate better communication in the commerce / trading world by overcoming these obstacles:
- Computers were not connected
- Data Transmission costs were very high
- There was no consistent format for data files
- There were no standards for file format
EDI has continued to play a significant role over the last five (5) decades. However, over the last two (2) decades there has been a major shift in the industry because of the Internet. Business processes have changed because of the Internet and the speed of data transmission has increased by a 100 fold. The only thing that has not changed is EDI and the new reality is that now:
- Computers are seamlessly connected
- Data transmission cost is zero due to the Internet
- There’s no need for a file format to exchange data
Everybody wonders then why do we still have EDI? The answer is simple – resistance to change. Traditional businesses have been using it for so long that they no longer question it. EDI companies, on the other hand, cannot change without destroying their revenue stream.
As business has evolved, the Typewriter was replaced by the Telegram, the Telegram was replaced by Fax, and the Fax was replaced by EDI. EDI is now being replaced by the Application Programming Interface (API).
Businesses in the current time are far too dynamic to rely on such an outdated tool to be the backbone of their business operation. APIs are a messaging format that allows data to be transmitted from one system to another in nanoseconds WITHOUT those expensive EDI Document fees. Opal is the answer. Book your FREE Demo now to learn more.