Business Processing Logic & Automation

A particularly powerful feature of AFT’s outsourced managed EDI service is the ability to add business logic to the data in messages as they flow through AMOS from sender to receiver. These are bespoke routines to ensure data contained within messages is compliant with the receivers ERP systems and can be imported automatically without the need for manual checks or pre-processes.

EDI only goes as far as governing the structure, format and content of messages. It does not however ensure data is fit for purpose once imported in to a receiver’s business systems. As part of the Managed EDI service through AMOS, AFT can intercept the message flow and apply various validation checks and substitutions and even enrich messages where mandatory data is missing – i.e. adding the full delivery address details where only a delivery location code is given. 

Equally, the receiver may require their own product codes in inbound orders. In that scenario, AFT would substitute the given codes (e.g. the senders own codes or Global Trade Identification Numbers (GTINs)) to the receivers own codes by means of reference data supplied to us. 

The extent of business rules is virtually limitless as long as they are (a) logical and (b) have the necessary supporting master data to operate them. This feature is often used to achieve full process automation and prevent unnecessary manual intervention in what is supposed to be a straight through process.