One of the most important things to look at between Gentran, Harbinger or
Extol is which of those packages offers the communications and EDI
transaction management features that you need.
All three packages work with JDE in the same way. After you receive an EDI
transaction into the translator package the software maps the data from the
incoming EDI transaction into the JDE EDI file.
JDE EDI transactions are essentially batch input programs. Most JDE EDI
interface programs implement only a portion of the ANSI X12 standard for a
particular EDI transaction. This is usually the major issue for companies
implementing EDI with JDE, their trading partners are passing information
that the JDE interface files do not have the capability of accepting. The
incoming EDI sales order is a primary example of this.
Before evaluating EDI software it might be helpful to develop a list of who
you would be trading EDI transactions with and what transactions you would
trade with each partner. A good second step is to get your trading partners
EDI guidelines. Firms such as WalMart, Sears, and Office Depot all have
written guidelines for their EDI trading partners to use in interpreting
their transactions. The third step is to compare your list of transactions
and the details of your trading partners needs with the capabilities of the
JDE EDI interface and identify gaps.
I hope some of that is useful,
Patrick Conlon
XE SP19.1, Update 5, AS/400, JAS