VMI EDI or XML to exchange data with external customer

[Former Member]

Hi Gurus,

We are in process of setting up VMI with one of our bigest customer. We are working on SCM5.0 and ECC6. But customer has non R/3 system and already have EDI infrastructure.

This VMI implementation using APO ( that is Customer system -> APO(DP/SNP)-> ECC6 (Sales order)), Customer will be sending sales and stock data to APO and we may have to send confirmation after Sales order create in ECC6.

My questions is what is best method to exchange data between customer, EDI or XML? If so what are the advantages using one over other?

Regards,

Niranjan

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hey

Speaking from XI's perspective,i would vote for XML.

Its a lot easier to handle XML messages and troubleshoot them,performance is also better.

To handle EDI messages you may have to use some external tools or develop your own adapter modules.

You can check the below for comparison between EDI and XML

http://www.tdan.com/view-articles/4838/

Thanks

Aamir

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Both sides already have EDI infrastructure (we and our customer) and it is up and running for some other process.

In this case, is it a good idea to change to XML or add additional messages to existing EDI. How can I justify new infrastructure for XML ( i don't know what it takes to run XML, i am not a XI person) when EDI infrastructure already exists? Can I make a valid case?

Thanks,

Niranjan

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hey

XI understands only XML,anything you send to XI (IDOC,RFC,JDBC,FILE,JMS,EDI etc) needs to be converted to XML before XI can use them.This job is primarily done via Adapters.

XI has provided several adapters for most commonly used interfaces like IDOC,RFC,File,JDBC,JMS etc but there is no adapter for EDI from XI.

You need to buy adapters for EDI separately from a third company,most of them buy it from SeeBurger,install these adapters on XI and then use it.

If you already have VAN infrastructure and adapters to handle EDI messages,then you can make use of EDI otherwise its better and less cumbersome to use XML.

Thanks

Aamir

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

I understand from your reply that EDI method is okey if EDI infrastructure already exists. Yes we already have VAN etc to run EDI. So let us stick to EDI.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Do you have adapters installed on XI to handle EDI messages?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

I think we are not using XI (I may be wrong, i am not a XI person) for EDI. We are using some middleware for receiving (and translation) and sending the IDOCs.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Well if you are not using XI currently and there is some other tool to transfer EDI message,then its fine to continue using that other tool.

But if you want to use XI and transfer EDI messages then you need to deploy third party adapters or develop your own(which is a very tedious job)

Thanks

Aamir

[MichalKrawczyk]

Hi,

>>This VMI implementation using APO ( that is Customer system -> APO(DP/SNP)-> ECC6 (Sales order)), Customer will be sending sales and stock data to APO and we may have to send confirmation after Sales order create in ECC6.

in terms of VMI your customer does not need to have SAP

there are standard EDI VMI messages likes orders/ ordersp/invrep

which can be used in all VMI scenarios in SAP and in non SAP env.

so in terms of multiple customers you should be using what your GS1 org or similar is proposing

in your country - so you can add other clients in the same way

if you use an EDI broker they usually have a predefined standard (EDI or XML)

which can be easily used

Regards,

Michal KRawczyk