Simplify Business Processes with EDI Integration for Microsoft Dynamics 365

EDI (electronic data interchange) is the computer-to-computer exchange of business documents such as purchase orders, invoices and shipping notices in a standard format. It works in three steps: data is gathered from your ERP, translated into an agreed EDI standard (such as EDIFACT or ANSI X12), and transmitted to your trading partner through a VAN or a direct connection like AS2 or SFTP. The receiving system reads it automatically — no retyping required.

An ERP system such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central runs your internal operations — sales, purchasing, inventory, warehousing and finance. EDI is the communication method that lets your ERP exchange documents with other companies’ systems. EDI integration connects the two, so orders from customers land directly in your ERP and your ERP sends back acknowledgements, ASNs and invoices.

No. EDI exchanges standardised documents (often in batches) that every partner in a supply chain agrees on, while APIs provide real-time, custom connections between specific applications. APIs are growing, especially with e-commerce and SaaS platforms, but EDI remains the standard required by most large retailers, distributors and logistics providers. Most businesses need both — Eagle360 handles EDI and builds API connectors on Business Central where partners use them.

A VAN (value-added network) is a managed network that securely routes, stores and tracks EDI messages between trading partners, like a secure mailbox service. You need one if your partners send through a VAN or you don’t want to manage many direct connections. Eagle360 operates its own VAN, so you get fast, secure transfers without contracting a separate provider.

AS2 (Applicability Statement 2) is a protocol for sending EDI documents directly and securely over the internet. Messages are encrypted and digitally signed, and the receiver returns a signed receipt (MDN) confirming delivery. Some large retailers require AS2. Eagle360 configures and monitors AS2 connections, including certificate management.

We support UN/EDIFACT (including GS1 EANCOM, widely used in Australia, New Zealand and Europe), ANSI X12 (common in North America), XML, and custom CSV or flat-file formats. Mapping is configured per trading partner, so each partner receives exactly the format described in their implementation guide.

Not for retail and supply-chain EDI. Business Central includes the E-Documents framework (for example, Peppol PINT A-NZ e-invoicing for Australia and New Zealand) and a Data Exchange Framework, but it does not include EDI translation, trading partner mapping, ASNs, SSCC labels or VAN connectivity out of the box. An EDI extension such as Eagle360’s Unifii360 EDI, plus a connectivity provider, fills that gap.

Unifii360 EDI Integration is Eagle360’s extension for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, published on Microsoft AppSource. It loads trading partner sales orders into Business Central, sends order acknowledgements based on stock, sends invoices and advance shipping notices, confirms shipments, supports scan packing and generates GS1-compliant SSCC labels.

Yes. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is Microsoft’s cloud ERP for small and mid-sized businesses and is part of the Dynamics 365 family. When people search for “EDI for Dynamics 365”, they usually mean Business Central (for SMB and mid-market) or Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management (for larger enterprises). Our Unifii360 EDI extension is built specifically for Business Central.

Yes. Many businesses on Dynamics NAV or GP have ageing EDI customisations that are hard to upgrade. We regularly upgrade clients from NAV to Business Central and can replace legacy EDI with the supported Unifii360 extension as part of the move, so your EDI keeps working through future Business Central updates.

Yes. Our solution connects many different ERP systems, and we create custom connectors as needed — for example to 3PL warehouses, freight platforms, e-commerce stores and CRM systems — using EDI, SFTP files or APIs depending on what each partner supports.

Errors such as an unknown item code, missing ship-to location or price mismatch are flagged in Business Central instead of disappearing silently. Your team can see the message, correct the master data or order, and reprocess it — and our support team can help diagnose partner-side issues.

With Unifii360 EDI the core order-to-cash documents are covered: inbound purchase orders (EDIFACT ORDERS / X12 850), outbound order acknowledgements (ORDRSP / 855), advance shipping notices (DESADV / 856) and invoices (INVOIC / 810). Additional documents can be added through custom mapping based on your partners’ requirements.

An ASN — DESADV in EDIFACT or 856 in X12 — is an electronic message sent before a delivery arrives, listing exactly what is in each carton and pallet, linked to SSCC labels. Retailers use it to plan receiving and to scan deliveries in quickly. Missing or inaccurate ASNs often lead to delays and compliance charges, which is why we generate ASNs directly from scan-pack data in Business Central.

An SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit GS1 number that uniquely identifies a carton or pallet, printed as a GS1-128 barcode on a logistics label. With Unifii360 EDI, Business Central generates GS1-compliant SSCC labels from your GS1 company prefix during scan packing and links each one to the ASN.

Yes. Unifii360 EDI can send sales order acknowledgements when you have enough stock on hand, so customers receive an accurate confirmation of what will ship rather than a blanket acceptance.

Cost depends on the number of trading partners, the documents each partner requires, the connection method and any custom mapping. Typically there is a one-off setup and mapping cost per partner plus ongoing software and connectivity fees. Because Eagle360 provides the extension, mapping and VAN together, you avoid paying several vendors. We provide a clear, fixed-scope quote after a free EDI assessment.

Timelines depend mainly on your trading partners’ testing and certification processes. Because our EDI solution is modular and uses ready-built workflows, a straightforward partner can often be live in a matter of weeks. Full Business Central implementations that include EDI typically take between one and six months.

Once Unifii360 EDI is running, adding a partner means mapping their specification, configuring connectivity and completing their test cycle. Partners using common standards are usually quickest; retailers with detailed compliance testing take longer. We plan onboarding around your first expected order date.

Yes. We provide ongoing monitoring and support from senior consultants in Sydney and Melbourne, help when partners change their specifications, and advice on future solutions as your business grows.

Many major Australian grocery, hardware, pharmacy and department-store retailers — and large distributors and 3PLs — require suppliers to trade by EDI, typically using EDIFACT/EANCOM purchase orders, ASNs with GS1 SSCC-labelled cartons, and electronic invoices. Requirements vary by retailer, so we map to each partner’s own implementation guide.

Not quite. Peppol is a standardised e-invoicing network; Business Central supports the Peppol PINT A-NZ format for Australia and New Zealand through its E-Documents framework. EDI covers the wider supply chain — purchase orders, acknowledgements, shipping notices and invoices. Many businesses use Peppol for general e-invoicing and EDI for retail and logistics partners, and we can advise on the right mix.

Yes. EDI messages travel over secure, encrypted channels such as our VAN, AS2 (with signed receipts) or SFTP, and access in Business Central follows Microsoft’s security model. Eagle360 also offers cybersecurity services so your whole Microsoft Dynamics environment is protected from external threats.

Eagle360 is a Sydney-based Microsoft Solutions Partner delivering ERP and integration since 1999. We own the whole EDI chain — the Unifii360 extension on AppSource, partner mapping, our own VAN and ongoing support — so there is one accountable team. Our consultants are Business Central specialists based in Australia, not an offshore handover.