WebEDI
EDI and SAP integration – Part 1: Added Value beyond Mere Data Transfer
What benefits do you get when you integrate Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) with SAP ERP? This question was explored at an Aimtec-organised workshop with presentations by Business Development Manager Adam Heller and SAP SD Consultant Tomáš Pašek.
Aimtec Integration Platform: An Effective Solution for EDI, WebEDI and System Integration
In the globalised, interconnected world of industry today, flexibility and effectiveness are crucial for staying competitive. And tools that go beyond just handling ordinary operations and further streamline your processes are essential. Aimtec Integration Platform is a comprehensive solution for managing and optimising electronic data interchange and integrating internal systems.
EDI - A Communication Standard in the Automotive Industry
There is currently no alternative for the exchange of information between suppliers and their customers in the automotive industry. EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) has become an industry standard over the past decades and has outgrown its original purpose. Those who want to succeed in the automotive segment cannot do so without solutions and tools designed for this type of communication. In the following lines, we will outline where EDI can be used, introduce the terminology and show what types of messages, communication protocols and communication standards are used in EDI.
How not to get lost in the flood of OEM concepts in EDI communication
Recall (4905, 4984, DELFOR, 4A3, ANSI 830). Yes, this is also the OEM requirements for EDI communication. Hundreds of message types are exchanged, with each manufacturer requiring different standards. This creates a variety of different concepts that require different EDI system settings.
EDI communication with new partners is now a piece of cake, says Thomas Schott of RAPA
RAPA supplies components and system solutions for automotive, healthcare and industrial applications. The approx. 1000-employee firm was long plagued by slow debugging of EDI communication with new suppliers and slow adoption of new EDI message formats. "Thanks to the cooperation with Aimtec, these processes now take a fraction of the time they used to," says Thomas Schott, head of IT at RAPA.
Moving to the cloud is just a matter of timing
Alexander Schrödel is responsible for IT at Rehau Industries. The company, which supplies polymer solutions for automotive, construction and other industries, has extensive experience in EDI. Schrödel himself sees the electronic exchange of data as a condition that allows the group to do business in the volume and time required. "It is a great challenge to achieve automation in the entire process chain and to start perceiving and optimizing the EDI process as a whole and not just as a queue of orders," says the German manager in an interview with Jan Stočes, Director of Cloud & Integration Solutions at Aimtec.
Air it out and sweep the cobwebs, or: doing EDI migration right
Companies in automotive spend easily dozens of years building up their EDI. And it gets reconfigured many times over those years. Meanwhile few teams are responsible enough to thoroughly document all the adjustments to their on-premise system. The end result is that the risk of losing or damaging data when migrating it feels stronger than the benefits that can come from an EDI migration. “A data upgrade and migration is a fundamental act that will benefit every company’s operation”, says Jan Stočes, Cloud Services Director at Aimtec. And this process doesn’t have to be a risk, as long as a firm chooses the right partner. But how do you make that choice? Learn what to watch out for and what trends you can put to work in EDI.
EDI could be with us for the next 15 years, says RAPA's IT chief
Thomas Schott has been responsible for IT at Rausch & Pausch (RAPA) for six years. However, he has been gaining experience in information technology for much longer. In the early 1990s, he was there when reputable suppliers in the automotive industry were beginning to implement electronic data interchange (EDI) systems. "This topic has been a constant presence in my professional life for thirty years," says the German manager.
The supply chain inside out: SEAT starts with the end customer
Innovative technologies and digitalisation are inexorably entering supply chains. Thanks to them, it is also possible to abandon traditional practices, as demonstrated by the presentation of representatives of the Spanish company SEAT:CODE at the Trends in Automotive Logistics (TAL) 2021 Conference, which took place in Pilsen.
EDI is alive and well, says Tolga Ozkundakci of IAC
Occasionally one can hear the opinion that EDI is slowly but surely leaving the scene. Ozkundakci strongly disagrees. At least in the automotive sector, he says, this is not the case.
Now that we have the data, let's mine it across the supply chain
Visibility. A key word in today's automotive industry. Specifically, supply chain visibility. In today's turbulent world with disrupted traditional business channels, few things are more valued by automakers than accurate and timely information on the status and flow of supply. However, not every supplier is able to share them. The potential of digitalised communication is far from being exploited, so time and money continue to be wasted.
EDI mapping in automotive? A quick and affordable solution exists
Electronic data interchange (EDI) is an essential part of business, and this naturally applies to the automotive industry as well. However, as companies use different in-house systems, information sets need to be tailored to ensure that communication runs smoothly. This is a task for so-called EDI mapping, which is becoming an indispensable tool for automotive suppliers.
Supply chain digitalisation and automation at RAPA
For more than 70 years, RAPA has been known as a specialist for solenoid valve technology, and in total this company has 100 years behind it. Today, hydraulic and pneumatic components and system solutions for the automotive industry as well as numerous customers in the healthcare and industrial sectors are produced under the RAPA brand. This company with roughly 1,000 employees cooperated with Aimtec to resolve a lack of know-how in integrations and to digitalise the supply chain. We talked about the details of this solution with Jan Stočes, Aimtec’s director of Cloud & Integration Solutions.
Mapping Factory - Developing EDI Conversions
The Digital Factory doesn’t have to only mean introducing Industry 4.0 at manufacturing and logistics firms. We also have our own digital factory at Aimtec.
