EDI, The ultimate Software as a Service

There are now more and more applications that are available as Software as a Service (SaaS). The highest profile is Salesforce.com, which we use internally for CRM, Customer Support and Project Management. We have partnered with another SaaS offering in Netsuite, which offers a complete ERP as SaaS, and we also use Google Docs for sharing Spreadsheets and Text Documents.

However, one of the very best applications that SaaS can be used for is EDI. The way EDI is moving at present with multiple standards (EDI, XML and Flat File) and multiple communication methods such as EDI VAN and AS2, it makes sense to outsource the technical complexity to a company that specialises in it. Whilst the importance of EDI as a way in increasing both profits and cash flow for your business are undeniable, it would be rare for the technical complexity to be a core business for any organisation other than an EDI specialist.

Since we started making our software available as SaaS in 2003, all our customers have moved to this model. They all share the same benefits of a single method of communications (to suit their requirements) and a single file format (which suits their ERP). On our customers behalf we currently have in excess of 800 different message translations and 17 different communication methodologies. Whilst some IT teams in large organisations may see this as "their territory", I am sure that the directors do not see it as core competency for the business, and would rather see them developing inventive uses for IT that affect their core business, whatever it might be.

SaaS is a growing market, even Microsoft are looking at planning to enter the market, and EDI SaaS is a natural fit.