B2B Data Integration and Transformation Blog

When I came to REMEDI this past summer, I was excited for the opportunity to work in a professional setting and do meaningful work for the first time in my career. Cleaning tables and preparing food was about to be a thing of the past, and I wasn’t complaining. I had a very basic understanding of EDI and how it impacted the economy and business world, but I was interested to see exactly what REMEDI’s role in the process was. I can remember looking through the CRM my first day and seeing a lot of company names I recognized. As I continued to scroll through the list, more and more brands popped up, including some that I use a lot in my life. When I realized REMEDI played a big role in the EDI department of so many impactful brands, I knew what I was doing could actually make a difference.

When REMEDI started as a business twenty-one years ago, our focus was solely on EDI - integrating data from/to a trading partner from/to a company's business software. EDI software basically did what data integration software does today, but on a limited basis and it was strictly business-to-business. As companies began choosing software packages instead of developing applications in-house, the need for internal data integration grew and software developers answered the need with, what was then called, middleware. These days integration software satisfies the needs of business-to-business and application-to-application data exchange.

Logic versus Syntax – Different Approaches for Different Phases.

Here are two quick thoughts to consider the next time you need to hire an EDI professional.

Screen for Syntax

In the early stages of the hiring process someone within your organization will likely conduct initial screening calls of applicants for a position you need to fill.   Sometimes this can be done by HR and sometimes, based on the complexity of the role, it will need to be conducted by someone with a technical EDI or Data Integration background.    During these initial calls, screening for a meaningful command of relevant syntax is important.

Often times when helping companies modernize their B2B integration, I get a glimpse of their old systems and gain insight as to why they felt the need to modernize. One of the most common reasons is to get all their integration software onto one comprehensive package. Generally, companies add additional software tools one by one as needs arise in their EDI department for requirements which older existing tools will not accommodate. In the instance of IT backlogs, Line of Business folks will procure integration solutions as a work-around to the capacity limitations of their IT department. Acquisitions frequently result in overlapping systems as well. Over time, more becomes less as complexity and inefficiency rise with each additional integration tool- a typical case of too many cooks.

Through my 5 years at Remedi, I have been constantly searching for the best EDI talent in North America. There always seem to be plenty of EDI Administrators available but I can’t say the same for EDI Mappers, Developers, and Architects. These individuals tend to have full schedules throughout the year. Many EDI Managers wonder when is the best time of the year to find the best talent in EDI. Most new EDI projects usually kick off in January for the 1^st quarter of the following year where the budget is available. In my experience, if you wait until January to start hiring you have missed an incredible window. Most EDI projects wrap up with companies in November before the Thanksgiving holiday where people usually take vacations, which means most EDI talent is looking for a new project in December.