Setting up a cloud-based EDI system is simple and cost-effective.If you've ever hosted a party or event, adopting all of the planning, cooking, and serving duties yourself, you may have felt at the end of the day that it would've been more enjoyable to have someone else swoop in and handle all of those particulars.This can be true when setting up your company's electronic data interchange (EDI) framework. It can be a complicated and time-consuming endeavor to manage.But it doesn't have to be. When it comes to EDI set up and execution, BOLD VAN wants you to be our guest — let us do the hosting for you with our managed cloud services, called BOLD Cloud. You can set up your own EDI infrastructure without extra equipment or software via BOLD Cloud's 100% hosted solution. BOLD Cloud operates solely on the web, meaning clients don't even have to think about backing up data or installing new software.
A cloud-based EDI setup is ideal for start-up companies new to EDI or businesses that don't want to assume the cost or burden of setting up their own systems. (The 5 Types of Businesses that Benefit the Most From Outsourcing is another helpful resource.)These managed cloud solutions — also known as managed services — offer mobility. Users can access, manage, and create electronic documents from any device. BOLD Cloud supports a variety of EDI formats.
Cost is another benefit of a managed cloud solution. You can become EDI compliant without having to purchase pricey hardware and software that comes with an onsite EDI infrastructure.BOLD Cloud administers all aspects of EDI. This includes data transmission, translation, and integration; audit notification of errors; alerts that new orders have arrived; and more. All EDI data is stored in the cloud and accessible for 90 days from any device. We then store your EDI data for seven years.
Another area BOLD Cloud operates is API integration. API (application programming interface) software syncs data in real-time. While EDI has been around for decades, API came about in the 2000s. (For a more in-depth article on the differences between the two, see API and EDI: Why You'll Need Both.)
Even if you're not familiar with API, it's something you probably use every day. When you see a weather snippet at the top of a webpage, that data comes from a weather API. Also, API powers third-party sites like OpenTable for dinner reservations. How do you suppose OpenTable knows that Rainforest Cafe has a table for four at 7:30 pm? It's the API serving as the middleman to connect the dots between software programs. Travel sites such as Expedia or Kayak are another example, and the option to pay with PayPal on countless e-commerce sites is brought to you by an API.BOLD Cloud is here to facilitate your API integration, ensuring seamless data transmission, translation, and integration. If you're unsure if EDI and API outsourcing is right for your business, get in touch and we will walk you through it: call 844-265-3777, email info@boldvan.com, or start your three-month trial.
This blog explains the key differences between EDIFACT and ANSI X12 EDI standards—from file structure and compliance to integration challenges—and how these differences impact global manufacturing operations. It also highlights practical solutions, including dual-standard management with BOLD VAN, to streamline supply chains and control costs.
