Updates
Onboarding New Trading Partners in Under 2 Hours: How Pre-Mapped Formats Speed Up EDI
One of the biggest barriers to EDI adoption is the time it takes to onboard new trading partners. Traditional EDI projects can take weeks or months to map formats, test connections, and go live. For IT distributors who need to onboard new resellers, retailers, and corporate clients quickly, this delay is a competitive disadvantage.
RDS Cloud changes that. With 500+ pre-mapped purchase order formats for major IT brands, resellers, and retailers across the UK and Europe, most new trading partners can go live in under 2 hours.
The Traditional Onboarding Challenge
Without pre-mapped formats, onboarding a new trading partner typically involves:
Week 1-2: Format Analysis
- Receive sample purchase orders from new partner
- Analyze format structure and data fields
- Document mapping requirements
- Identify validation rules and business logic
Week 3-4: Mapping Development
- Develop EDI mapping specifications
- Configure transformation rules
- Set up validation logic
- Build integration with ERP system
Week 5-6: Testing
- Test with sample orders
- Fix mapping issues
- Validate data accuracy
- Get partner approval
Week 7-8: Go Live
- Final configuration
- Production deployment
- Monitor initial orders
- Address any issues
Total time: 7-8 weeks (or longer for complex formats)
How Pre-Mapped Formats Accelerate Onboarding
RDS Cloud maintains a library of 500+ purchase order formats for:
- Major IT distributors and resellers
- Leading resellers and retailers
- Government and public sector organizations
- Corporate clients with custom formats
- E-commerce platforms and marketplaces
When onboarding a new partner whose format is already mapped:
Hour 1: Configuration
- Identify partner format (usually takes 5 minutes)
- Load pre-mapped format template
- Configure partner-specific settings (account numbers, routing rules)
- Set up validation rules for this partner
Hour 2: Testing & Go Live
- Test with sample order from partner
- Verify data mapping accuracy
- Confirm ERP integration
- Go live with production orders
Total time: Under 2 hours
What If the Format Isn't Pre-Mapped?
For new or unique formats, RDS Cloud's UK-based team can typically map them within 24-48 hours. Our experienced team has seen thousands of formats and can quickly identify patterns and structures.
The Business Impact
Fast onboarding delivers significant business benefits:
1. Competitive Advantage
Onboard new trading partners faster than competitors. Win deals by offering same-day or next-day EDI connectivity.
2. Revenue Growth
Start processing orders from new partners immediately. No waiting weeks for EDI setup.
3. Reduced Costs
Eliminate weeks of development and testing time. No need for dedicated EDI mapping resources.
4. Scalability
Onboard dozens of new partners per month without scaling your technical team.
Real-World Example
A leading UK IT distributor needed to onboard 20 new reseller partners in Q4. With traditional EDI:
- Estimated time: 20 partners × 6 weeks = 120 weeks (2.3 years)
- Or with a team of 5: 24 weeks (6 months)
- Cost: £150,000+ in development and testing
With RDS Cloud:
- 18 partners had pre-mapped formats: 18 × 2 hours = 36 hours
- 2 partners needed custom mapping: 2 × 48 hours = 96 hours
- Total time: 132 hours (3.3 weeks)
- Cost: Included in monthly subscription
Maintaining the Format Library
RDS Cloud continuously updates its format library:
- New formats added monthly based on customer needs
- Format updates when partners change their structure
- Version control to handle format changes
- Automatic updates for all customers using that format
Getting Started
Ready to onboard trading partners in hours instead of weeks? Learn more about RDS Cloud for IT distributors or request a free demo.