# EDI Capable


Being EDI capable means a company can send and receive business documents electronically in a standard EDI format that its trading partners accept. A retailer asking if you are EDI capable wants to know whether you can exchange orders, invoices, and ship notices as compliant X12 transactions without manual handling.

## What it takes to be EDI capable

Three things: a way to translate documents into the required standard (an EDI translator or platform), a connection to your partner (AS2, SFTP, or a VAN), and a mapping of your internal data to the exact specification each partner publishes. Being capable for one retailer does not make you capable for another, because every retailer has its own segment requirements, qualifiers, and timing rules.

## Becoming EDI capable quickly

Suppliers are often told by a large customer that they must be EDI capable within weeks or risk losing the account. The traditional path is buying a translator and paying per-document VAN fees, which can take months to map and test. A modern alternative is a platform that processes EDI alongside PDF and email orders, so you become capable for the EDI partners that demand it and still handle the buyers who send orders by email.

## FAQ

### What does EDI capable mean?

EDI capable means a business can electronically exchange standardized documents, such as purchase orders and invoices, with its trading partners in the EDI format they require, without manual data entry.

### How do I become EDI capable?

You need an EDI translator or platform, a connection method (AS2, SFTP, or VAN), and a mapping to each trading partner's published specification. Modern platforms can make a supplier EDI capable in weeks rather than months.

### Do I need to be EDI capable for every retailer separately?

Yes. Each retailer publishes its own EDI requirements, transaction sets, and timing rules, so being EDI capable for one does not automatically satisfy another.

## Sources

- [ASC X12 standards body](https://x12.org)