Supply Lens

How do I set up an EDI Integration with a retailer or trading partner?

Add an EDI Integration

Add the VAT, GLN and Customer-Assigned Codes EDI needs, create the EDI Integration, add a Configuration per message, and test it in Test state before going live.

About 6 min

By the end of this guide you'll have an EDI Integration for a trading partner, with your organisation's identifiers in place and a Configuration for each message you exchange. The Supply Lens team usually creates EDI Integrations for you as part of the setup project, but the steps are the same as for any other Integration.

Before you start

  • You've collected the specification, codes and sample orders from your retailer. See Prepare for an EDI retailer.
  • Your VAT number.
  • A GLN (Global Location Number), a unique 13-digit code that identifies your business in the supply chain. These are generated by the Supply Lens team, who will coordinate this for you.
  • The list of Customer-Assigned Codes: the codes each trading partner uses to identify you (your supplier code with them). Conventions vary a lot between partners.
  • Access to Parties and Settings → Integration setup → Integrations.

Steps

Prepare your organisation party (one time only)

  1. Go to the Parties screen and open your organisation party.
  2. Add an identifier for your VAT number. Your organisation party must have one before you can set up any EDI Integration. See Add a Party identifier.
  3. Add your GLN as an identifier on the same party.
  4. Keep your list of Customer-Assigned Codes to hand for the Integration form. You don't need to add them to the party yourself.

Create the EDI Integration

  1. Go to Settings → Integration setup → Integrations.
  2. Click + ADD INTEGRATION in the top-right.
  3. Find the EDI Integration you want and click ADD.
  4. Fill out the form. Your VAT and GLN identifiers are already filled in from your organisation party. Enter the Customer-Assigned Codes here; they're added to your organisation party automatically.
  5. Click CONNECT.

Add Configurations and set the State

  1. Click the arrow on the new Integration to expand its tile.
  2. Click Configurations, then + Add to open Add configuration.
  3. Choose a document type, for example Order, Order Acknowledgement, Shipment or Invoice.
  4. Choose Send, Receive or both. These are from Supply Lens's point of view: a retailer's purchase order is received; an invoice to the retailer is sent.
  5. Click Create Default JSON, review the settings, and click Save. Repeat for each message the retailer exchanges with you. The settings are explained in EDI settings.
  6. On the State card, choose Test while you test. State usually only has an effect on EDI Integrations.
  7. Add the Mappings that route orders to your ERP and despatches and invoices back to the retailer, then set Activation to Enabled.

Run a first test

  1. With the Integration in Test state, run a test cycle using the retailer's sample purchase orders. The Supply Lens team normally runs this with you.
  2. Check each test order has created the right Sales Order in your ERP: products, quantities and delivery location.
  3. Confirm with the retailer's EDI team that the test acknowledgement, despatch advice and invoice were accepted.
  4. When the retailer signs off, switch State to Live.

Check it worked

  • Your organisation party shows the VAT and GLN identifiers, plus the Customer-Assigned Codes added from the Integration form.
  • The EDI Integration appears in the Integrations list, with a Configuration for each message and the right direction on each.
  • Test orders appear in Supply Lens and in your ERP, and the retailer confirms it accepted your test documents.

If something goes wrong

  • The VAT or GLN isn't pre-filled on the form. Check the identifiers are on your organisation party, not another Party.
  • Messages route to the wrong place in testing. Party identifiers can be limited to an Integration state of Live or Test. If the retailer gave you a separate test code, check the Integration's State matches.
  • An order is held. A retailer product or depot code couldn't be matched; ask the Supply Lens team to add the cross-reference, then reprocess the order.