RESOURCES • ONBOARDING
Trading Partner Onboarding: A Simple EDI Setup Process
A clear, repeatable onboarding plan to connect new partners faster — with less back-and-forth.
Most EDI delays are avoidable. This guide shows you the exact information to gather, the steps to follow, and how to reduce rejections during testing.
- Define scope (docs + systems)
- Confirm standard + transport
- Map + validate
- Test, certify, go live
What you need before onboarding starts
Having these details early speeds everything up:
- Which documents you’re exchanging (PO, ACK, ASN, INV)
- Your internal system fields (ERP, WMS, OMS)
- Partner format requirements (EDIFACT/X12/Tradacoms)
- Connectivity method (AS2/SFTP/other)
- Sample documents and test scenarios
Tip
Ask your partner for their implementation guide and test pack on day one — it prevents “waiting time” later in the process.
The onboarding process (repeatable steps)
Follow this sequence for each partner to reduce delays and rework.
Scope & documents
Agree document types, message versions, and what success looks like.
Connectivity
Set up AS2/SFTP endpoints, certificates/keys and acknowledgements.
Mapping
Map your internal data fields to partner requirements and code lists.
Validation
Enforce mandatory fields and partner “house rules” to prevent rejections.
Testing
Run realistic scenarios and verify acknowledgements, ASNs and invoices.
Go live
Switch to production with monitoring and alerting enabled.
Onboarding with Orcastream
Build workflows yourself or let us manage partner setup. We provide free support and free translation throughout onboarding.
Get started
Try a free-for-life account or speak to an expert about your trading partner requirements.
