That’s the reason for testing. But there are different types of testing, and there is testing for different reasons. It’s been said that some EDI providers see the testing process as nothing more than a profit center. Other providers don’t even test with live data, simply plugging sample data into a standard document and passing it through their processes. Obviously these approaches are less than helpful in several ways, but overall the testing process is a necessity if EDI transactions are to move through the supply chain without requiring manual intervention.

One part of the issue is the creation and management of the specification for the document itself. Like most business processes, these kind of things work best if they operate in a closed loop. That is, the system used to originate the document specification is the same tool used to  test the documents that are supposed to match the specification. In the current environment this is rarely the case, as so many document specs were originated manually, or even years ago and modified over time to match updated needs.

There of course, tools like Specbuilder that allow users to create their specifications using an application to systematically create a standards compliant EDI document, then test the resulting transactions through the system. Infoborders CE is another option that provides creation, management, and testing through its cloud based system. But there is a difference between Infoborders and other spec builders and testing environments.

The most striking difference is that Infoborders is a kind of social network in that users are able to create their own accounts, add their own specifications, add to and comment on existing documents, and generally to make the process more collaborative. In this way Infoborders adds value by stepping away from the control of the processes and the content. The updates are left to the experts who need the information to work properly in order to get their business transactions executed without errors, and without delays.

The other area in which Infoborders differs is in its cost structure; there is none. Infoborders is offered as a free service. In fact, it is available directly from the ec-bp.com menu “EDI Specs”. Once connected to the site, users can search for existing documents and specifications, create their own personalized account, create and modify specs, and test their EDI documents. All at no charge.

Infoborders CE offers facilities that are normally provided only to subscribers to expensive services. And while not every retailer’s specs are available through the system, they can be built quickly by any user who has access to the retailer’s specs. Then, once built, the EDI documents can be tested through the system at no charge. Even if the retailer or EDI service provider still requires testing through their system prior to going live, the free testing service can be used to pre-validate the documents so that they will go through the mandated testing on the first try.

What are your experiences with building specs, documents, and testing services?