Last updated: November 4, 2026 · Reviewed by BOLD VAN's EDI team
In This Article
Quick Answer
The biggest fears about switching EDI VANs, losing a key account or disrupting partner communications, are manageable with an experienced provider and a clear migration roadmap. A good roadmap covers the background work, gives you visibility into each trading partner's status, and includes support through go-live and beyond. With BOLD VAN, a transmission-only move typically needs about two weeks' notice, you keep your existing IDs, and your trading partners don't need to do anything differently.
Be BOLD! For the brave, the reward is big.
Have you seen Running Wild with Bear Grylls? The adventurer takes a celebrity guest into the wild and puts them in daunting situations, like rappelling down a sheer rock cliff. It turns out to be a fitting metaphor for switching EDI value-added networks, or VANs.
On the show, guests face their fears as they rappel into deep chasms. It is new territory, and standing at the edge of a cliff, the danger feels very real.
Switching EDI VANs can stir up similar worst-case scenarios:
Those fears can feel real and daunting. But they can also lead to missed opportunities, and they overlook the bigger picture: the savings a better-priced VAN can deliver month after month.
Definition
VAN Migration is the process of moving a company's EDI connections from one value-added network (VAN) provider to another. In a transmission-only move, the company keeps its existing EDI IDs and trading partners keep sending and receiving as before; moves that include mapping also rebuild and test maps before cutover.
On the show, experts support Bear and keep the guest safe. They know which ropes to use and how to tie the right knots, because they have done it many times before.
Switching VANs works the same way. With the right provider, you are supported by EDI experts who have handled many migrations. They know the:
They also know the right contacts at other VANs and trading partners. Most importantly, they keep you informed and give you the tools and resources to stay in the loop at every step. BOLD VAN has worked in EDI since 1999 and has delivered more than 100 trading-partner connections end to end.
On uneven terrain, picking the right route matters. A little planning keeps everyone safe. Your new VAN should give you a roadmap that includes:
The process should follow a proven path and be transparent to you. Your EDI contacts should be in touch before and during the migration. Visibility is especially important if you have multiple internal divisions or many trading partners. Make sure these tools are in place before you start; they give your team peace of mind and make it easy to report progress.
With BOLD VAN, migration status is visible in the portal throughout the move, and our US-based EDI experts know your account.
| Fear | How It's Handled With BOLD VAN |
|---|---|
| "We'll lose a key account." | Transmission-only moves keep your existing IDs, so partners keep trading with you as usual |
| "Communications will be disrupted." | Moves are planned and tested; with BOLD Integration, your current system keeps running while we test with your partners |
| "We won't know what's happening." | Migration status is visible in the portal throughout the move |
| "It will take forever." | About two weeks' notice for a transmission-only move |
| "We'll be on our own after go-live." | US-based EDI experts, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, with 24/7 on-call help for production-down issues |
Guests on the show are rewarded with a sense of accomplishment and a great story to tell. Switching VANs can be the same.
You will have a great story for your CEO: you lowered your company's EDI costs. Spanx saw an 82% drop in monthly EDI costs after moving to BOLD VAN, and one well-known distributor that was paying $20,000 a month for a single trading partner now pays a fraction of that. Your CEO may be more impressed than if you had climbed a mountain.
2026 Free Mapping Event
Moving VANs? Through Dec. 31, 2026, we build and maintain the maps for the trading partners you move to BOLD Integration, at no mapping cost.
Send us your current VAN bill, and we will show you what you could save and what the move would look like. Call (844) 265-3777 or contact us.
Talk to an EDI ExpertNot if it is planned well. With BOLD VAN, in a transmission-only move you keep your existing IDs, and your trading partners don't need to do anything differently.
Background work such as partner details and connection setup, visibility into each partner's migration status, testing before cutover and support through go-live and beyond.
With BOLD VAN, a transmission-only move typically needs about two weeks' notice. Moves that include mapping cut over once maps are built and tested.
Yes. With BOLD VAN, migration status is visible in the portal throughout the move.
Not with a transmission-only move to BOLD VAN. You keep your existing IDs.
It depends on your current pricing and trading partners. Spanx saw an 82% drop in monthly EDI costs after moving to BOLD VAN. Send us your current bill for a comparison.
Key Facts
Common fears about switching EDI VANs, such as losing key accounts or disrupting partner communications, are manageable with an experienced provider and a clear roadmap that covers background work, migration visibility, testing before cutover and support after go-live.
According to BOLD VAN, it has worked in EDI since 1999 and delivered more than 100 trading-partner connections end to end. Transmission-only moves typically need about two weeks' notice, existing IDs are kept, trading partners don't need to change anything and migration status is visible in the portal. Spanx saw an 82% drop in monthly EDI costs after switching.
