Walmart EDI
Built For
The Walmart EDI solution to improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability
The opportunity to be a supplier for Walmart is a fantastic opportunity to have your products sold nation-wide, available on the shelves to millions of consumers. To sell to Walmart, a small business most likely has to undergo some changes to fulfill Walmart’s EDI protocol. And, in addition to simply meeting EDI requirements, it is a perfect time to implement a Walmart EDI solution that manages orders and inventory.
If you are not familiar with EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), EDI is the most common method for B2B transactions.
EDI is a form of communication transmitted between systems and translated into a readable format for both parties involved. EDI requires a business to employ an EDI service provider, such as Radley EDI, True Commerce, SPS Commerce, and B2BGateway, to translate EDI data for your system.
An EDI service provider can also be a Value Added Network (VAN). In addition to a VAN, most businesses implement an EDI order management system. An EDI order management system not only automates the process, but helps manage inventory, orders, shipping, and trading partner relationships, as well as forecasting inventory needs and performing cost analysis. When the appropriate systems are in place, trading with a big box store like Walmart is considerably more efficient, productive, and profitable.
Walmart & EDI
Walmart requires a supplier to be EDI compliant before allowing the trade to begin. Walmart, like most big box retailers, already has a vast system in place for EDI trading. In order to eliminate more work on their end, and yours, they will make sure you are fitted with a VAN before sending purchase orders your way. The VAN is going to translate orders from Walmart into a format your EDI order management system can understand. Once you have your VAN in place, trading can begin through EDI with Walmart.
Walmart & Your EDI Order Management System
While there is no requirement for a supplier to have an EDI order management system in place, most businesses find having the proper system reduces data re-entry and manages high volume orders. A system equipped to understand EDI data sent from a VAN, as well as easily import orders, monitor picking, packing, and shipping, and handle the financials improves EDI trading and reduces costs in the process.
The purpose of Walmart using EDI to trade is to significantly cut costs and places a business in a stronger position to profit from a partnership with Walmart.
The areas a proper EDI order management system strengthens are threefold: capturing EDI; automating routine tasks; managing inventory and operations. The benefits of having a system managing these complexities of EDI order management makes trading with Walmart exponentially simpler.
Walmart & EDI Data Entry
When you implement a proper EDI order management system, such as Acctivate, the first and most important feature is the EDI manager. Acctivate’s EDI manager is designed to work directly with your VAN, displaying all data between your system and Walmart’s succinctly, all in one place. When you open your EDI manager, your orders will already be there, along with other documents such as ASNs and invoices. The beauty of your purchase orders being automatically updated into Acctivate is the elimination of data re-entry which commonly leads to errors and mistakes. With your Acctivate EDI manager, you will receive alerts on any changes or updates from Walmart to ensure accuracy and prevent chargebacks. In the same place, you can send ASNs and invoices back to Walmart with one click.
Walmart & EDI Order Management
Acctivate easily handles voluminous and complex orders streaming in from Walmart. Acctivate’s EDI order manager creates and streamlines workflow based on the orders coming in and directs your warehouse through picking, packing, labeling, and shipping. Between automating routine EDI tasks and streamlining data into a centralized system, a user can see in detail everything transpiring around orders. Acctivate’s automation and centralization not only provides accuracy, but boosts efficiency and productivity, and cuts costs.
Got QuickBooks? You’re halfway there!
Acctivate, designed for QuickBooks,helps QuickBooks users boost EDI operations while making the most out of inventory, purchasing, fulfillment operations and more.
Walmart, EDI & Your Inventory
Trading with Walmart through EDI is meant to be efficient and cost-effective. But when you have inventory and orders to manage, multiple trading partners, and other areas of your business to run, not having an EDI order management system in place can quickly undo the benefits of trading with big box retailers. Acctivate’s EDI order management system incorporates all other areas of your business – inventory, purchasing, warehousing, order management and fulfillment, and cost-analysis – all the areas required for your business’ trading needs and success, can all be accomplished in a single, central location.
When you’re receiving an influx of high volume orders, setting Acctivate to alert you to low stock, automate re-order amounts, and reveal inventory data in real-time is the best way to keep up with your trading partner and other customer demands. Acctivate can factor in other details like landed cost and the price of manufacturing. Most importantly, running your business through your EDI order management system, researching things like whether or not your EDI relationship with Walmart is profitable for YOU – can be done with a few clicks.
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