EDI integration: trade electronically with retailers and suppliers

If you supply larger retailers or distributors, sooner or later you'll be asked to trade by EDI. Purchase orders stop arriving by email and start arriving as structured EDI messages, and your invoices and despatch notes are expected back in the same format. For many suppliers, the hard part isn't receiving the messages. It's getting them in and out of Sage or the ERP without someone retyping every line.

EDI integration connects your trading partners' messages directly to your back-office systems, so orders flow in and documents flow out automatically.

What is EDI integration?

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a standard way for businesses to exchange trading documents, such as orders and invoices, in a structured format that systems can read without human intervention. EDIFACT is one of the most widely used EDI standards, and D96A is a release of it that many trading partners still specify.

EDI integration links those messages to the systems you already run. With Zynk, that typically means:

• EDI messages in EDIFACT D96A format, converted to and from XML
• Accounting and ERP such as Sage 50, Sage 200, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Xero and QuickBooks
• Other systems that need the same data, such as Shopify, Magento, Salesforce, HubSpot and Shiptheory
• File transfer using FTP and SFTP to pick up and drop off message files

Why manual EDI handling breaks down

Some suppliers meet an EDI requirement with a web portal or a standalone tool, then copy the data into their own system by hand. That approach struggles as you take on more trading partners:

• Re-keying every order. Each purchase order is read from one screen and typed into Sage or the ERP, line by line.
• Errors and chargebacks. Wrong quantities, product codes or prices lead to mis-shipments and disputes with the retailer.
• Missed deadlines. Retailers expect despatch advices and invoices within set timescales, and manual processes slow them down.
• Hard to scale. Every new trading partner adds more manual work, which makes it harder to say yes to new business.

How EDI integration works with Zynk

Zynk is a low-code integration platform, so the flow is configured rather than custom-built. A typical setup looks like this:

1. Receive the message. Incoming EDIFACT D96A files are collected, for example from an SFTP location agreed with your trading partner.
2. Convert and map. Messages are converted to XML and mapped to your system, matching the partner's product codes, locations and prices to your own records.
3. Create the order. The order is created in Sage or your ERP, ready to be picked and fulfilled like any other.
4. Send documents back. Despatch advices and invoices are generated from your system, converted to EDIFACT D96A and sent back to the trading partner.
5. Monitor every exchange. Each transfer is logged and errors are flagged, so a failed message is spotted and fixed rather than missed.

Because EDI orders land in the same back-office system as your other sales, they sit alongside order processing automation, ERP integration and inventory sync on one platform.

What to look for in EDI integration software

When comparing options, check that the software can:

• Handle the EDI standard and messages your trading partners require, including orders, invoices and despatch advices
• Connect directly to your accounting or ERP system, not just give you a portal to read messages in
• Map partner-specific codes for products, delivery locations and pricing without custom development
• Exchange files using the transfer methods your partners specify, such as SFTP
• Give you clear logs and alerts, so problems are fixed before they affect the relationship
• Make it straightforward to onboard new trading partners as your business grows

Get started

EDI requirements vary from one trading partner to the next, so most projects start with a conversation about the messages and systems involved. Read more about our EDIFACT D96A integration, see all integrations to check the systems you use, or browse templates for pre-built connections between your sales channels and Sage.