Supply chain management has been increasingly challenging in recent years. Supply chains that have been sustaining business industries, from food and beverage to automotive, have come under severe strain due to rapid changes in the trading environment.

Both the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit have impacted on the ability of manufacturers to source raw materials and components. At the same time, warehousing, logistics and delivery firms have all been hit by recruitment pressures. And retailers in some sectors have struggled to get finished goods into the hands of customers.

To improve the resilience of supply chain management, many businesses have identified scope for improvement in the processes that enable them to share essential trading data with partners.

But what kind of process improvements can be made to help with supply chain management?

Businesses everywhere are having to adapt to a world changed dramatically by the pandemic. In the UK we have additional challenges thrown up by Brexit including new cross-border administration requirements for trading with the EU. That’s all on top of the Business As Usual (BAU) pressures of continual technological change, other brands competing for market share, as well as rising operating costs.

So what can companies in national and international supply chains do to safeguard cashflow and build prosperity given the hurdles in their way? One answer lies in adopting greater automation of back-end processes.

Discover your savings with EDI

Automated document exchange

Effective and resilient supply chain management requires accurate information to be available instantly. EDI, or Electronic Data Interchange, is the backbone that facilitates the automated sharing of data and documentation across trading networks.

EDI’s ability to support your supply change management depends on the quality of the set-up and implementation, your provider’s platform and the ongoing customer service they offer.

Crucially, whether you are a small manufacturer new to EDI or you are a multi-channel retailer with complex supply chain arrangements and existing IT back-up, you want to ensure the solution can efficiently and accurately simplify communication across your entire trading network.

This is why you want to choose a provider with a deep understanding of EDI and the value it offers to supply chain management.

Supply chain management with EDI

EDI benefits

EDI solutions should help you manage budgets and cashflow.

If you are a niche manufacturer planning to go to the next level you will need to achieve greater efficiencies in supply chain engagement so you can handle higher volumes of orders and generate more profit. You’ll also want your invoicing system to help you avoid delays in being paid. This is what EDI does.

In a similar vein, if you are an established retailer managing a multitude of suppliers, you will want your EDI solution to underpin reliable systems and processes such as reconciling warehouse stock to ASNs and invoices.

Frictionless business

Here at digital supply chain technology provider Transalis we provide the connectivity required for frictionless business whichever part of the trading network you occupy.

All our end-to-end EDI and eInvoice solutions involve us doing the heavy lifting on the technical side so you don’t have to. Our cloud-based approach means you have a easy to navigate online platform that anyone involved in processing trading data within your organisation can use.

We provide our customers with complete price transparency, seamless migration to maintain BAU, shorter lead-in times for implementation, operator training and reliable, ongoing support.

Business to government

It’s not only private enterprise that has leveraged EDI to deliver effective supply chain management.

PEPPOL Access Point Certified Provider

The NHS supply chain operates Peppol standards (Pan European Public Procurement Online) to help trading partners navigate the complexities of its network. If you are a business looking to do business with the NHS or other public sector organisation, rest assured. We are one of the few UK tech firms to have been certified as an AS4 Peppol provider, reflecting compliance with the highest level of international public procurement standards.

In 2020, we also became one of just 12 EDI companies globally to pass a rigorous new EU eInvoicing standard. It enabled us to proudly take our place in a related consortium called EURINV19. Under EURINV19 protocols, companies can signal to other traders that they operate EDI to a recognised common standard, so making the electronic exchange of invoices, order data and other documentation much easier.

PEPPOL Access Point Certified Provider

The NHS supply chain operates Peppol standards (Pan European Public Procurement Online) to help trading partners navigate the complexities of its network. If you are a business looking to do business with the NHS or other public sector organisation, rest assured. We are one of the few UK tech firms to have been certified as an AS4 Peppol provider, reflecting compliance with the highest level of international public procurement standards.

In 2020, we also became one of just 12 EDI companies globally to pass a rigorous new EU eInvoicing standard. It enabled us to proudly take our place in a related consortium called EURINV19. Under EURINV19 protocols, companies can signal to other traders that they operate EDI to a recognised common standard, so making the electronic exchange of invoices, order data and other documentation much easier.

Both EURINV19 and AS4 Peppol support the goal of enabling safe and secure trade through greater supply chain interoperability.

You can go online right now to check your potential savings from switching to a Transalis solution for supply chain management. Simply visit our ROI calculator. And you can talk to us on 0845 123 3746 (calling from UK) or +44 1978 369 343 (for international callers), or contact us via email sales@transalis.com to discuss your requirements.

Frictionless Business Trading Network