(Last Updated On: January 30, 2025)
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PPD Group: On-Premise EDI Integration

Discover how PPD Group optimized its business transactions with our EDI solution. Automating invoicing, ordering, and delivery processes enabled the company to improve efficiency and responsiveness.

Founded in 1960, PPD Group has become a leading provider of polymer and rubber processing solutions. With decades of experience, PPD offers innovative and comprehensive manufacturing solutions tailored to the unique needs of clients across various industries, including transportation, agriculture, medical, and more.

PPD specializes in a wide range of processes, such as molding, extrusion, and mold manufacturing, consistently delivering high-quality and innovative products to meet the demanding requirements of its clientele.

Leveraging extensive experience and state-of-the-art production facilities, PPD tackles complex challenges by providing customized and innovative solutions. Whether for industrial, medical, or consumer applications, PPD is committed to exceeding client expectations.

EDI2XML is a sister company of Namtek Consulting Services, founded in Montreal in 2000. Namtek is one of Canada’s leading IT companies, specializing in delivering flexible and high-quality business systems and IT solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises in various industries.

PPD worked with a key trading partner requiring EDI exchanges compliant with the X12 standard. Integrating incoming and outgoing EDI documents with their JDE ERP system was essential to enhance operational efficiency and reduce manual errors.

Additionally, the company needed a cost-effective and quick way to connect with existing and new trading partners to facilitate EDI document exchanges.

The objective was to create an on-premise integration platform to transform and synchronize EDI transactions.

EDI2XML designed and deployed a tailored on-premise EDI solution to meet PPD’s specific needs while ensuring data privacy requirements were met. The on-premise solution allowed PPD to maintain full control over their EDI processes while ensuring maximum security for exchanged data.

This approach kept all data within the company’s local infrastructure, minimizing risks associated with external transmissions. On-premise EDI allows businesses to manage and customize their EDI operations directly in their environment, ensuring seamless integration with internal systems. This model is ideal for companies seeking to balance flexibility, performance, and security.

For this project, EDI2XML utilized the following tools:

Magic xpi Integration Platform

Installed and configured to handle complex integration workflows, Magic xpi orchestrates data exchanges between disparate systems. With features like ready-to-use connectors and a visual development environment, it optimizes EDI data transformation and synchronization with PPD’s business processes.

EDI2XML Transformation Engine

Deployed on-premise, the engine converts X12 EDI files to XML and vice versa. Integrated directly into the local infrastructure, it ensures high levels of data security and customization to meet organizational needs.

Customization

Processes were tailored to PPD’s specific requirements, ensuring seamless synchronization with Oracle JDE tables.

Technical Details

EDI Documents Processed:

On-premise EDI

Incoming Document Workflow:

  1. The EDI2XML engine continuously monitors a local folder on PPD’s platform where the VAN drops incoming EDI files.
  2. Upon detecting an X12 file (e.g., an 850 Purchase Order), the process initiates and includes the following steps:
    • Collect X12 messages from the monitored folder.
    • Convert X12 files to XML using the EDI2XML transformation engine.
    • Generate functional acknowledgments (EDI 997) for each received X12 transaction.
    • Transform the data into a format compatible with Oracle JDE transit tables and insert it into those tables.
    • Place the functional acknowledgments in a dedicated folder for trading partner transmission.
    • Send email notifications to a designated group about the received EDI transactions.

Outgoing Document Workflow:

  1. Every 15 minutes, the EDI2XML engine queries PPD’s Oracle JDE database for invoices or ASNs ready to be sent, based on predefined filters.
  2. If data is available:
    • Extract relevant information from JDE tables.
    • Convert the extracted data into XML for transformation.
    • Transform the XML into X12 format per trading partner specifications.
    • Create X12 files (e.g., 810 Invoices) in the required format.
    • Place X12 files in a local folder for transmission via the VAN.
    • Send email notifications to a designated group regarding processed transactions.

Technical Requirements:

  • Windows server with 10 GB RAM and 100 GB of free space.
  • Oracle JDE as the primary ERP system.
  • Magic xpi for managing integration workflows.

Following the implementation, PPD achieved significant improvements:

  • Drastic Reduction in Human Errors: Automating EDI workflows virtually eliminated manual data entry errors, ensuring greater transaction accuracy.
  • Simplified Partner Onboarding: The solution streamlined and accelerated the process of integrating new trading partners, reducing associated costs.
  • Faster Processes: Transactions with a trading partner, which previously took hours, now occur within minutes, thanks to near real-time integration.
  • Enhanced Compliance and Traceability: Automatic generation and transmission of acknowledgments (997) ensured complete visibility at every stage of transactions.
  • Simplified EDI Data Management: By standardizing data in XML and centralizing infrastructure, PPD’s IT team reduced integration complexity and focused on higher-value tasks.
  • Increased Partner Satisfaction: A key trading partner expressed satisfaction with the speed and reliability of exchanges, strengthening the business relationship with PPD.