EDI is powerful but incomplete. Many suppliers — even large ones — do not support it, partially support it, or support only a subset of transactions (such as 850 but not 855). As a result, distributors must handle:

• Emails with attached PDFs or spreadsheets

• Order confirmations arriving in inconsistent formats

• Supplier portals requiring manual navigation and copy-paste

• Pricing, quantities, or lead times communicated informally

• Frequent discrepancies requiring manual reconciliation

The gap between structured EDI and unstructured supplier communication creates:

• Slow order processing

• Data entry errors

• Lost confirmations or partial updates

• A lack of visibility into exceptions and mismatches

• Growing operational workload as volumes scale

Traditional EDI systems cannot automate these unstructured workflows.