If you’re a Salesforce user without integrated systems, you might be facing several challenges. These include manual data entry, a lack of real-time updates, inconsistent communication with trading partners, and higher operational costs.
These issues can be solved with Salesforce EDI integration. You can automate document exchanges, reduce errors, get real-time updates, and streamline your sales and order management processes, making your operations much more efficient and better aligned with your trading partner’s expectations.
How To Connect Salesforce With EDI
Salesforce doesn’t have EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) capability built in, so a native integration is off the table. That leaves us with two main options: custom API integration and a middleware platform. Let’s break these down.
1. Custom API Integration
Here, you’re developing a custom API between your Salesforce system and your partner’s system. This means automating electronic data interchange through code that your developers create from scratch. It requires strong technical expertise, and your team mostly does it in-house. There are three ways to do it:
- Webhook-based: EDI provider pushes structured messages to Salesforce endpoints.
- API-based: Salesforce REST callouts to EDI provider APIs.
- File-based: Salesforce triggers integration logic when a file is received (less common, as Salesforce doesn’t natively handle file drops).
While it offers full customization (which is great if you want the integration tailored specifically to your business needs), it also comes with challenges. If your dedicated team of developers isn’t highly skilled in API development, you could face roadblocks, plus it’s quite resource-intensive. But for businesses that need a completely unique solution, this method gives you total control over the integration.
2. Middleware Integration
Here, you hand over the heavy lifting to a third-party EDI service provider. Middleware platforms are EDI-compliant and can easily connect Salesforce with your partner’s system. These platforms act as a bridge, managing the data transformation, mapping, and transmission of EDI messages between the trading partners.
They essentially translate your Salesforce data into EDI formats like X12 or EDIFACT, and vice versa, ensuring smooth and accurate communication between the different systems. This is much simpler for organizations that don’t want to deal with the complexities of custom development and prefer a faster, less technical solution.
3. Hybrid Integration
Hybrid integration allows Salesforce to be connected to EDI systems through both Custom (direct) integrations for certain use cases or data types, and Middleware or managed integrations for others.
This method is chosen often in growing or transitional architectures where you don’t move everything into middleware at once, but still need some direct connections for speed or legacy reasons.
Also read: EDI Transactions & EDI Integration: A Step-by-Step Manual for Seamless Operations
How EDI Integration With Salesforce Works
In Salesforce EDI integration, the system typically integrates with external trading partners’ software, like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) or WMS (Warehouse Management Systems). Let’s break it down clearly using an example of Partner A (who uses Salesforce) and Partner B (who uses an ERP) to understand how the data flows between systems and why.
Scenario: Partner A (Distributor) uses Salesforce, Partner B (Manufacturer) uses ERP
1. Partner A (Distributor) Places An Order In Salesforce
- Who does what: Partner A (Distributor) enters a sales order into Salesforce.
- Document type: EDI 850 (Purchase Order).
- Who sends the document to whom: The EDI integration tool translates the sales order into an EDI 850 format and automatically sends it to Partner B (Manufacturer)’s ERP system.
- Why: To inform the manufacturer about the distributor’s order, so the manufacturer can process and fulfill it.
2. Partner B (Manufacturer) Acknowledges The Order
- Who does what: Partner B (Manufacturer) reviews the order in their ERP.
- Document type: EDI 855 (Order Acknowledgment).
- Who sends the document to whom: Partner B’s ERP system sends an EDI 855 back to Salesforce, acknowledging that the order has been received and is being processed.
- Why: To keep Partner A updated on the status of the order and confirm that it’s being processed.
3. Partner B Ships The Order
- Who does what: Once the order is ready, Partner B ships the products.
- Document type: EDI 856 (Advance Shipping Notice).
- Who sends the document to whom: Partner B’s ERP generates an EDI 856, which is sent to Partner A’s Salesforce system.
- Why: To notify Partner A that the shipment is on its way, including EDI shipping details like tracking numbers and expected delivery dates.
4. Partner B Invoices Partner A
- Who does what: After shipping, Partner B issues an invoice for the products.
- Document type: EDI 810 (Invoice).
- Who sends the document to whom: The EDI 810 is sent from Partner B’s ERP to Partner A’s Salesforce, where the sales team can track the invoice.
- Why: To request payment from Partner A for the products delivered.
When Should You Integrate Salesforce with EDI [+ Real-Life Examples]
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is typically used between ERPs of trading partners (like purchase orders, invoices, ASN, etc.), not CRMs.
So, integrating Salesforce (a CRM) with EDI isn’t the default scenario, it happens only under specific business conditions.
Let’s go step by step so you can see exactly when and why it makes sense.
1. When you only need to exchange customer data with EDI and want to avoid exposing your ERP
If the EDI relationship involves only customer-related data (like partner IDs, billing info, address updates, account metadata, or customer-specific settings), it often makes more sense to integrate EDI with Salesforce, not ERP.
Why:
- ERP systems expose broad, sensitive operational data (inventory, costing, financials, procurement).
- You may not want an EDI provider or partner touching ERP endpoints at all.
- Salesforce lets you restrict the EDI integration to just customer or partner information.
- Customer master data often lives and changes more frequently in Salesforce than ERP.
This is especially relevant when:
- The business wants tight security segmentation.
- The EDI use case is lightweight, e.g., only customer onboarding, account sync, address validation, partner setup, etc.
- ERP access would be overkill or risky.
2. When ERP integration isn’t immediately on the cards
Legacy ERPs (like older versions of SAP, JD Edwards, AS400, Infor, NetSuite customisations) can make EDI integration:
- costly
- slow to implement
- hard to maintain
- or blocked by IT constraints
The CRM, in this case Salesforce then becomes the first integration surface because it:
- Is easier to extend
- has modern APIs
- and reduces dependency on legacy systems.
3. When Salesforce is the central hub of your tech stack (especially with multiple ERPs)
If a company runs multiple ERPs due to acquisitions, separate business units, or global operations, integrating EDI with each ERP individually becomes complex and expensive.
In these cases, Salesforce often becomes the single consolidation layer where all customer-related data, order visibility, inventory snapshots, and partner information flow in.
This way:
- You avoid building separate EDI integrations for each ERP.
- Salesforce becomes the central system where all trading-partner interactions are visible.
- You also benefit from better communication with customers and partners.
This is one of the strongest architectural reasons to push EDI flows into Salesforce. To understand these situations better, here are some examples:
Example 1: A distributor using Salesforce + EDI to send recurring customer updates to a partner’s ERP (without exposing their own ERP)
A distributor’s sales and support teams keep all customer details updated in Salesforce, including new store locations, ship-to addresses, contact changes, compliance IDs, and so on.
One of their retail partners needs these updates regularly because their ERP uses this information to route shipments correctly, validate invoices, and keep store-level records clean. These changes happen often, so the data needs to move in a recurring, structured way.
Instead of connecting their ERP, the distributor simply sends these customer updates from Salesforce through EDI:
Salesforce CRM → EDI → Partner’s ERP (or any system they use)
This lets the distributor share only the fields the partner needs, keeping their ERP completely private, and still deliver consistent, standardized data. It’s an easy way to exchange customer information without opening up larger internal systems.
Example 2: A distributor routing EDI through Salesforce until ERP integration is possible
A distributor is running an old, heavily customised ERP that would take months to connect with EDI. It’s too complex, too expensive, and not an immediate priority.
But they still need to send order updates, shipment details, and invoices to trading partners automatically.
Since their sales team already works in Salesforce, they connect Salesforce → EDI → Partner’s ERP and start automating those documents right away. The ERP stays as-is for now, and they avoid a major IT project. The full ERP integration can be added later when the business is ready.
Example 3: When Salesforce becomes the central hub across multiple ERPs
A distributor operates several divisions, each running its own ERP. There’s no single ERP that holds all customer or order data, but Salesforce is already connected to every ERP and functions as the one place where everything comes together.
Instead of building complex individual ERP-to-ERP connections for EDI, they integrated Salesforce → EDI. Salesforce already has the combined customer, order, and partner information, so it becomes the natural system to send EDI documents out to trading partners.
It’s simpler, cleaner, and far easier to maintain than connecting multiple ERPs directly.
Common EDI Transaction Sets For Salesforce
Here are some common EDI transaction sets used with Salesforce:
- EDI 850 – Purchase Order: Used to send purchase orders from Salesforce (typically used by distributors) to a supplier’s ERP system. This initiates the order process and specifies products, quantities, and prices.
- EDI 810 – Invoice: Used to send invoices from the supplier’s system to Salesforce, detailing the products or services provided, pricing, and payment terms.
- EDI 856 – Advanced Shipping Notice (ASN): Sent by the supplier to notify the Salesforce user of the shipment details, such as tracking numbers, packaging information, and estimated delivery times.
- EDI 855 – Purchase Order Acknowledgement: Used by the supplier to confirm receipt and acceptance of the purchase order sent from Salesforce. This helps in keeping track of order statuses.
- EDI 940 – Warehouse Shipping Order: Used to instruct warehouses to ship products. This can be integrated with Salesforce for businesses managing logistics and warehouse operations.
- EDI 945 – Warehouse Shipping Advice: Sent by the warehouse to confirm that goods have been shipped. This is useful for Salesforce users who rely on third-party logistics for fulfillment.
- EDI 832 – Price/Sales Catalog: Used by suppliers to send updated product information and pricing to Salesforce, helping keep the system updated with the latest product details.
- EDI 997 – Functional Acknowledgment: A standard response sent to confirm the receipt of an EDI transaction, ensuring proper data transmission between systems.
These EDI transaction sets streamline the data exchange between Salesforce and trading partners, enabling automation in processes like order management, invoicing, and shipping.
Also read: Understanding EDI Shipping Integration [Methods + Process]
Benefits Of Salesforce EDI Integration
As a distributor or manufacturer, you likely deal with many B2B trading partners. But what happens when a customer requests EDI transactions, and you’re not EDI compliant? You might reject them once or twice, but can you keep saying no? Especially in this age, where everything is online and automated.
Many of your trading partners are already EDI compliant, exchanging documents seamlessly with little human intervention. Eventually, you’ll need to adopt EDI to get that competitive advantage, so why not start now? It’ll help you retain customers and strengthen your relationships with partners.
Here are a few other benefits of Salesforce EDI Integration:
Streamlined Sales And Order Management
Your Salesforce system manages customer relationships, tracking quotes and orders. Integrating EDI allows seamless data transfer to external trading partners (e.g., suppliers, customers, distributors), automating processes like order processing, acknowledgments, shipping notifications, and invoicing. Without EDI, these tasks often require manual input, leading to errors and delays.
Improved Accuracy And Data Consistency
When Salesforce and EDI are integrated, data like orders, invoices, and customer information are automatically transferred between systems. This reduces the risk of errors from manual data entry, improving accuracy and consistency across the board.
Real-Time Updates
Seamless integration provides real-time updates on orders, shipments, and inventory within Salesforce, keeping your sales team informed. This ensures they always have accurate stock availability, order status, and shipping information when communicating with customers.
Faster Order Fulfillment
Automating the exchange of purchase orders, shipping notices, and invoices between Salesforce and EDI speeds up order fulfillment. This reduces bottlenecks from manual processes, ensuring quicker processing, shipping, and billing.
Enhanced Customer Experience
Salesforce EDI integration improves the customer experience. The sales team can quickly respond to inquiries, confirm orders, provide real-time shipping updates, and send invoices without delay, ensuring a smooth and transparent process for customers.
Automation Of Routine Tasks
Routine tasks such as order confirmations, shipment tracking, and payment processing can be automated through Salesforce EDI integration. This allows employees to focus on more strategic tasks, like building customer relationships and driving sales growth.
Also read: Shopify EDI Integration: Process, Challenges, and Best Practices
Connect Your Salesforce With EDI Using DCKAP Integrator
DCKAP Integrator is a powerful EDI integration solution, built to meet the specific needs of manufacturers and distributors. If you need to connect your existing EDI system with your ERP, we can seamlessly integrate that for you. And if you don’t have an EDI solution yet, DCKAP Integrator can serve as both your EDI system and your integration tool.
Integration is our specialty but we can also take care of all the mapping and translation for you. Give it a try! Check out our demo and get in touch with our experts for more details.
FAQs
Why should I choose an EDI provider?
Choosing the right EDI provider ensures a hassle-free experience when managing business data exchanges. A good EDI provider offers comprehensive EDI support, giving you the flexibility to connect your systems to multiple partners, platforms, and applications. Their integration hub allows for seamless connections between your ERP, CRM, or other business systems, providing end-to-end data flow.
An experienced provider also brings valuable technical resources and support to guide you through any conditions or challenges that arise. With strong EDI providers, you get an efficient connection that enhances your operational efficiency while aligning with your business values.
What are some common EDI use cases for Salesforce?
Salesforce EDI integration is an essential part of a company’s innovation strategy because it automates the entire order lifecycle. It leverages the world’s data, AI-powered insights, and AI certifications to optimize supply chain processes and improve overall operational efficiency.
Typical EDI use cases include end-to-end order processing, inventory management, and invoice generation. It’s popular in industries like consumer goods and distribution where timely and accurate data exchange is critical for business operations.
How does Salesforce EDI integration improve customer service and satisfaction for B2B orders?
Salesforce EDI integration enhances customer satisfaction by providing real-time visibility into order statuses, shipment tracking, and item details. This seamless data exchange helps ensure orders are processed and fulfilled efficiently, offering a superior experience to B2B customers. By automating these processes, businesses can focus more on customer service and less on manual order management, thus driving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
How does EDI integration with Salesforce Order Management System simplify the lifecycle of orders?
EDI integration with Salesforce OMS simplifies the lifecycle of orders by automating the processing of B2B orders, including purchase orders, shipping notices, and invoicing. Companies gain relief from manual tasks, allowing orders to flow through the system on a real-time basis, ensuring accuracy and timely fulfillment. This automation is particularly useful for managing high volumes of transactions, especially in consumer goods industries.
