EDI

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the electronic exchange of business documents between organizations in a standardized format.

With 20+ years of experience at 3M, our technology supports a wide variety of business documents. EDI systems require the most investment to set up of the methods shown here, but create one of the most integrated business links between 3M and its trading partners.

3M customers can send EDI messages to us in any of the following ways:
Value Added Network (VAN)| EDI - Internet | EDI - Via 3rd Party Intermediary.

• Mature Technology – EDI has been established for more than 20 years in 3M. EDI has a high level of security and well defined data formats, data dictionary, and communication methods.
• Business Integration – Since EDI can be integrated into a company’s business structure, it can provide faster, better, and more accurate information. Furthermore, setting up EDI can provide trading partners with a better understanding of each other’s business processes.
• High Volume – EDI is the best technology for routinely sending large quantities of data, such as purchase orders, forecasts and point of sale.

Any medium to large 3M customer can potentially communicate with 3M via EDI.

Commercially available translation software.

EDI messages can be sent to 3M in the following ways:

VAN (Value Added Network)
A VAN is an independent company offering services for electronic transmissions of messages.
We currently have mailboxes with:

• Sterling
• IBM Information Exchange (now owned by GXS)

EDI-INT requires communication software to send the EDI documents to 3M in encrypted form via the Internet. 3M currently uses AS2. Whilst EDI-INT avoids the cost of using Value Added Networks, there are costs involved in the purchase and set-up of the software.

We can interconnect with other VANS and intermediaries as required. Should you already work with an EDI intermediary with your other suppliers, you may find it convenient to use the same intermediary and format in your communications with 3M. We will endeavour to accommodate your requirements.

We commonly use the following message standards; however should a customer require a different standard to be used we would be happy to investigate.

EDIFACT
EDIFACT is the international EDI standard developed under the United Nations. EDIFACT has been adopted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as the ISO standard ISO 9735.

TRADACOMS
We currently process Tradacoms messages for UK retail customers – please contact us if you wish to use Tradacoms standards.

Odette
We currently process Odette messages with some of our automotive customers – please contact us if you wish to use Odette standards.