Le coût de l'EDI

Le coût de la mise en œuvre de l'EDI dépend de l'approche que vous adoptez : en interne ou en travaillant avec un fournisseur d'EDI tiers.

Understanding EDI pricing models and implementation costs

The cost of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) varies widely depending on the model your organization chooses. Below are three common approaches to EDI pricing, each with different levels of investment, control, and internal resource requirements.

Option 1: Building your own in-house EDI system

For large enterprises with extensive IT capabilities, building a fully in-house EDI system offers maximum control—but also the highest EDI implementation cost.

Requirements:

  • EDI software and communication protocols
  • Skilled personnel for development, mapping, integration, and maintenance
  • Long-term investment in upgrades and support

Challenges:

  • High upfront and ongoing costs
  • Complex partner onboarding and support
  • Greater risk and time to deploy

Best for:

  • Organizations with very specific compliance, customization, or control needs.

Option 2: Using a VAN with in-house teams

With this option, companies work with a third-party EDI provider to implement a cloud-based Value-Added Network (VAN) to handle document transport and network infrastructure, while internal teams remain responsible for integration, mapping, and trading partner support. While this model lowers EDI implementation costs compared to a DIY approach, both options 1 and 2 are more susceptible to EDI fees due to non-compliance, unless your in-house team is able to consistently keep up with evolving regulations.

What’s included:

  • Secure document exchange over a shared VAN
  • Standard tools for connecting trading partners
  • Subscription pricing based on data volume or number of transactions

Considerations:

  • Some VANs charge based on minimum record lengths, potentially inflating the cost of EDI for small transactions
  • You must allocate internal resources for mapping, troubleshooting, and support

Best for:

  • Companies that want to maintain partial control but avoid building full infrastructure

Option 3: Fully managed EDI services

For organizations looking to outsource the heavy lifting, managed EDI services or B2B managed services from a third-party EDI provider are the most hands-off and scalable option. This approach is ideal for companies with limited internal IT resources or those seeking access to outsourced expertise.

What’s included:

  • End-to-end management of EDI infrastructure and partner onboarding
  • Mapping, translation, and integration services
  • 24/7 monitoring and support
  • Continuous compliance updates

EDI pricing models are typically based on:

  • Monthly or annual subscriptions
  • Volume-based tiers (documents or kilo-characters transmitted)

Benefits:

  • Minimal internal resource requirements
  • Predictable costs
  • Scalable architecture and access to EDI experts

Choosing the right EDI cost model for your business

Each of these EDI options involves different levels of cost, complexity, and control. Most businesses find the right balance between cost-efficiency and operational capability with option 2 or option 3 to avoid the overhead of in-house systems.

Il n'est donc pas surprenant que la plupart des entreprises aient choisi de travailler avec un fournisseur tiers qui peut leur fournir l'infrastructure EDI sans qu'elles aient à faire cet investissement initial. Cela peut être particulièrement important pour les petites et moyennes entreprises qui n'ont tout simplement pas le personnel ou ne peuvent pas trouver l'argent nécessaire pour ce niveau d'investissement au sein de leur entreprise.

Download a sample EDI RFP (Request for Proposal) to help you evaluate providers and select the best fit.