Lost Your EDI Experts? How AI is Filling the Knowledge Gap in Trucking

Last week, I received a call from a distraught CIO of a major trucking company. “Dan,” he said, his voice tinged with worry, “our EDI expert just retired, and she took 30 years of knowledge with her. We’re in the middle of a major merger, which means onboarding a whole new set of EDI trading partners, and I have no idea how we will manage our EDI processes now.” 

This scenario is common across North America’s logistics landscape, particularly for companies running on IBM i systems. As veteran EDI experts retire or move on, many organizations find themselves with a critical knowledge gap. Add in the complexities of mergers, acquisitions, and modernization initiatives, and you’ve got a perfect storm of EDI challenges. 

Here’s the good news: AI is stepping up to fill this gap, transforming how we approach EDI. AI-assisted EDI is shortening the onboarding time for new partners and dramatically simplifying the addition of new EDI formats. 

Let’s dive into how this technology keeps trucks rolling, even when human expertise is in short supply. 

The EDI Brain Drain: A Growing Industry Challenge 

The exodus of EDI experts is leaving many trucking companies in a lurch. Here’s what I’m seeing: 

1. Decades of institutional knowledge walking out the door 
2. Difficulty finding and retaining new EDI talent 
3. Existing staff struggling to manage complex EDI processes 
4. Long waiting periods for onboarding new partners and for adding new documents 

This loss of expertise couldn’t come at a worse time for companies undergoing mergers or modernization efforts. But as one door closes, another opens – enter AI-assisted EDI management. 

Eradani Connect with Eradani Assist: Your AI-Powered EDI Co-Pilot 

At Eradani, we’ve developed a solution that doesn’t just patch the knowledge gap – it revolutionizes how we approach EDI. Here’s how our Eradani Connect and Eradani Assist work together to change the game:

1. Automatically generate the EDI transformation code: Use an AI-based system to describe how to map EDI data into your existing applications in plain text. The AI will generate the transformation code for you. Our AI assistant guides users through EDI tasks, making them accessible to a broader range of personnel. 
2. Simplification of complex processes: Describe in natural language any business logic you need to apply to the EDI data. The Eradani generators will generate the standard code for implementing those business processes. 
3. Intuitive document management: Create and modify EDI documents using regular language instructions without specialized knowledge or programming skills. 
4. Built-in best practices: The Eradani-generated EDI processing code includes the latest in security and error handling, so you don’t have to create that code by hand. 

One of our clients, a mid-sized trucking company that had recently lost its EDI expert, managed to onboard three new customers in a week using Eradani Connect. Their operations manager said, “I thought we’d be dead in the water without our EDI guru. Instead, we’re moving faster than ever.” 

Bridging the Knowledge Gap with AI 

With Eradani Connect, you’re not just replacing human expertise – you’re augmenting your team’s capabilities: 

• Faster onboarding: New staff can get up to speed on EDI processes in days, not months.
• Consistent quality: AI ensures that EDI documents adhere to standards, reducing errors and delays.
• Adaptability: Easily modify EDI setups as your business evolves without overloading your scarce expert resources.
• Knowledge retention: The system becomes a repository of your EDI processes, preserving institutional knowledge. 

A logistics company I worked with recently used our platform to seamlessly integrate the EDI systems of two companies they’d acquired. What would have been a nightmare with their previous setup was accomplished smoothly, even with a team that had limited EDI experience. 

Embracing the AI-Assisted EDI Future 

If you’re feeling the pinch of lost EDI expertise, it’s time to consider a new approach. Here’s how to get started: 

1. Assess your EDI knowledge base: What processes are at risk if crucial personnel leave? 
2. Identify pain points: Where are you spending the most time and resources on EDI management? 
3. Consider your growth plans: How will your EDI needs evolve with upcoming mergers or expansions? 

Once you’ve got a clear picture of your situation, it’s time to explore how AI can transform your EDI operations. At Eradani, we’re not just offering a stopgap solution – we’re providing a comprehensive platform built on our robust Integration Hub for IBM i. That means you get top-notch security, integrated file transfer capabilities, detailed logging, real-time monitoring, intuitive dashboards, and proactive alerting, all included in the platform. 

Remember, with Eradani Connect, you’re not just filling a knowledge gap – you’re future-proofing your EDI operations. No more overloading your hard-to-find EDI experts, no more knowledge walking out the door. Just the power to manage, modify, and grow your EDI capabilities with the help of AI. 

Ready to bridge your EDI knowledge gap with AI? Let’s talk. We can walk you through how Eradani Connect integrates seamlessly with your IBM i platform, supports your modernization initiatives, and gives you the EDI agility you need.