Toy manufacturer leverages EDI to enable frictionless growth

EDI messages go beyond the commonly used order and invoice. As a forward-thinking organisation, our client realised the benefits of extending their standard message-set to include, among others, ASN’s (Advanced Shipping Notices) and inventory reports.

Integrating directly into Office 365 enabled our client to take full advantage of the valuable information now coming into the business. It made the information instantly visible to what had previously been a siloed business, leading to greater agility through better decision-making.

The benefits of combining a broader range of EDI messages, directly integrated with internal systems is clear. However, according to research commissioned by Transalis*, 42% of respondents have concerns about integrating an EDI solution with internal systems.

Further investigation highlighted the commonly held belief that the “sticker price” for integration is not representative of the actual cost upon completion. To minimise this concern, Transalis provides total price transparency for a wide range of integrations, including the most commonly used order and supply chain management software.

For further details visit our self-serve calculator: eDI Freedom.

Onboarding of new customers was central to developing robust sales growth. Transalis recommended that the client provides all new retailers access to its Transalis eDI™ online platform, giving them a simple and effective way to place orders and receive invoices and ASNs.

Phase two of the onboarding strategy was identifying high order frequency. This allowed our clients to identify their valuable customers and recruit them for a roll-out of a one-to-one EDI connection, thus optimising the ordering process further.

Having stock stuck at Customs or at a wrong distribution point equates to lost sales. Part of our client’s Brexit strategy involved setting up satellite distribution hubs inside the Europe Economic Union.

By using inventory reports and other EDI messages, the client was able to better predict demand relative to a satellite distribution hub sufficiently, early enough to ship stock from the UK warehouse.

Using Smart Message Routing from Transalis ensured that retailers’ orders were always routed to the relevant distribution hub, reducing delays and additional admin.

As businesses develop new channels to market, leveraging EDI to connect new technology to existing infrastructure delivers supply chain resilience.

It’s important for businesses to understand that EDI for toy manufacturers is much broader than order, invoice and ASNs. To realise the full benefits of this technology, businesses need to utilise untapped data within their trading networks, which can inform faster and better business decisions.

Ensure your current EDI has the capability to support your business objectives. Understanding your technology roadmap for the future will provide the necessary insight to ensure your business has the right solution in place, with the capabilities to support you and your customers’ changing needs.

* Independent research commissioned by Transalis Ltd: Is EDI addressing the challenges of 21st-century commerce?