For over seventeen years now retailers and suppliers in the grocery sector have been using electronic trading (EDI). As a result all parties have achieved significant savings in terms of reduced paperwork, time and errors as well as increased supply chain efficiencies. And now Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is beginning to happen in the Irish Hardware, Building Materials and DIY sector.

Having completed a very successful EDI proof of concept pilot project with Atlas Products Ireland and a select group of both retailers and suppliers, a live roll out to all companies in the Irish DIY Sector is now taking place. The major advantage to the sector is that the industry has agreed on a common and standardised suite of electronic trading messages, including Invoice, Credit note, Purchase order and Purchase order response, with other supply chain business messages to follow as the initiative progresses.

The electronic trading initiative is being coordinated, developed and supported by the IHBMA and GS1 Ireland. Retailers and suppliers looking to implement a standards compliant EDI messaging solution are advised to only use a GS1 Ireland Accredited Solution Provider.


LINKS: GS1 EDI in the DIY Sector Brochure
LINKS: Putting the Squeeze on Paper - EDI: The Future Is Now. IHMBA Magazine.