EDI Implementation Checklist

Back to EDI Cookbook Table of Contents

Please reference Section 2 in the BISAC Implementation Guideline for EDI for more information on implementation.

INTRODUCTION
EDI is a major system in that it impacts many areas of a company's structure. The management of the company, therefore, must be involved in the approval phases of the project to ensure adequate support, both from financial (the commitment of needed personnel and resources) and from the position of ensuring the support and assistance from the areas impacted.

While the requirements for the implementation may vary from one business or organization to another, this checklist is intended to, at a minimum, remind the reader of the steps necessary in most businesses to implement a major system.

The most common problems that should be avoided when undertaking the implementation of EDI are:

• Deviating from the published standards.
  You should avoid any deviations from the published standards or transmission standards. Deviations will only cause you to have to customize your system when adding new trading partners and increase time and cost.
• Too much too soon.
  Do not start the use of your EDI system in a production mode prematurely. When you have completed all the steps necessary for the implementation and had some experience, then embark on expansion.
• Be certain that the systems interfacing with EDI are working properly.
  EDI is not a cure for the problems you have in your existing systems. If anything, they may be accentuated by this method of transmitting and receiving data for these systems.

SUMMARY

1. Obtain commitment from key management
2. Establish a plan
3. Establish a project team and define each person's responsibility
4. Designate EDI business contacts
5. Designate EDI technical contacts
6. Review internal systems and business procedures
7. Secure the appropriate reference materials
8. Conduct a trading partner survey
9. Conduct a communication/equipment survey
10. Review data contained in the documents to be exchanged
11. Determine what optional information will be employed
12. Confirm trading partner Standard Address Number (SANs)
13. Develop an overall design
14. Code and test the interface to in-house system(s)
15. Decide on translation software configuration
16. Decide on a network provider/direct connect options
17. Finalize any optional services that you may wish to use from a network provider
18. Implement the translation software
19. Implement the network connection
20. Conduct a system test with translation and network
21. Conduct a system test with your trading partner
22. Decide on production cut-over date
23. Implement
24. Re-evaluate checklist for future implementations
25. Review legal considerations
26. Establish continuing education procedures

Back to EDI Cookbook Table of Contents