EDI Consultant — expert guidance for your EDI project
In short: An EDI consultant helps a company scope, select and implement an EDI solution: mapping retailer requirements, choosing the right protocol (AS2, OFTP2, SFTP, Peppol, VAN) and integrating with the ERP. EDIconnect provides consulting bundled with its Web EDI portal and ERP integration service.
Key capabilities
- Requirements scoping: We review each retailer's EDI specification (EDIFACT/EANCOM or ANSI X12) and translate it into a concrete implementation plan for your business.
- Protocol selection: AS2, OFTP2, SFTP, Peppol or VAN — we recommend the transport each retailer actually requires, instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.
- ERP integration plan: We map your ERP's order, shipment and invoice objects to the EDI transactions needed, so data flows without manual re-entry.
- No separate consulting invoice: Consulting is bundled into the Web EDI subscription starting at 24 €/month — you don't pay a consultant and a vendor separately.
Why companies look for an EDI consultant
Most companies start looking for an EDI consultant after receiving a retailer mandate: a letter or portal notice stating that all purchase orders, dispatch advices and invoices must be exchanged electronically by a given date. Without prior EDI experience, the terminology alone — EDIFACT, EANCOM, ANSI X12, AS2, GLN, GTIN — can be overwhelming, and the risk of missing the deadline (which can mean lost purchase orders) is real.
A good consultant shortens this learning curve dramatically. Instead of researching every standard from scratch, the company gets a concrete plan: which message types are required, which protocol the retailer expects, and what changes (if any) are needed on the ERP side. The consulting relationship typically continues through the first live transactions, so any mapping issue gets fixed quickly instead of stalling the project.
How EDIconnect replaces a standalone consultant
Rather than selling consulting hours separately from software, EDIconnect bundles onboarding guidance directly into the Web EDI subscription. A dedicated onboarding specialist reviews your retailer list, confirms which of the 30+ pre-built connections (Kaufland, Carrefour, Lidl, Auchan, Mega Image, Metro, Selgros, Penny, Profi, Cora, Dedeman, Leroy Merlin, eMAG, Sezamo, and others) apply, and configures GLN/GTIN mapping on your behalf.
This approach means the advice you get is directly actionable inside the platform you're going to use, rather than a generic report you then have to implement yourself with a different vendor. Most first retailer connections go live in under 7 business days from contract signature.
Frequently asked questions
What does an EDI consultant actually do?
An EDI consultant analyzes a retailer's or trading partner's technical requirements, recommends the right message standard and transport protocol, plans the ERP integration, and oversees testing until the first live document exchange succeeds.
Do I need a consultant if I use a Web EDI portal?
Less than with classic EDI, but guidance still helps for GLN/GTIN setup, message mapping and retailer-specific quirks. EDIconnect includes this guidance as part of onboarding, so most customers never need a separate consultant.
How much does EDI consulting cost?
Independent EDI consultants typically bill hourly or per project, on top of software licensing. EDIconnect includes onboarding consulting inside the monthly subscription starting at 24 €/month, with no separate line item.
Can a consultant help pick between Web EDI and classic EDI?
Yes. The decision depends on document volume, number of trading partners and available IT resources. For most small and mid-size suppliers connecting to a handful of retailers, Web EDI is the faster and cheaper path.
How long does an EDI consulting engagement take?
A typical scoping-to-go-live engagement with EDIconnect takes under 7 business days for a first retailer connection, including GLN/GTIN mapping and end-to-end testing.
Does the consultant also handle ERP integration?
Yes — EDIconnect's team plans and configures the connector between your ERP (SAP, Dynamics 365, NetSuite, Odoo and others) and the Web EDI portal, so documents flow automatically once live.