What is an exchange?
An interchange is the transfer of digital information from one computer to another. In business, it usually refers to Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), a system used to communicate strictly formatted messages that represent documents other than monetary instruments.
An exchange should not be confused with the interchange rateor “swipe fee”, which is a fee that a merchant is required to pay for each credit card and debit card transaction.
Key points to remember
- Exchanges enable the efficient and secure transfer of digital data from one computer system to another.
- Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) allows businesses to process and transmit documents that previously only appeared in paper format.
- EDI can streamline operations and reduce costs, but can also make some processes cumbersome and open up the possibility of data breaches.
- Blockchains have been proposed as a way to better secure online EDIs.
Understand exchanges
An electronic data interchange may be transmitted using certain telecommunications or transported via electronic storage media. Many EDI transactions use the extensible markup language (XML) instead of traditional EDI data formats such as X12 or EDIFACT. These transactions are transmitted over the Internet using HTTPS protocol.
In the years to come, it may be interesting to follow the evolution of blockchain technology affects traditional EDI applications. While some may think that blockchain, a digitized, decentralized public data ledger originally used to power cryptocurrencies like bitcoin – can supplant the EDI, it could actually increase its capabilities. Consider that transactions through EDI systems typically involve a buyer, a seller, and a third party. EDI systems depend on one-way point-to-point communication, which means that a third party is always excluded. However, the blockchain’s shared ledger would enable the participation of all parties involved, which would facilitate information sharing and increase efficiency.
Electronic data interchange
The advantages of electronic data interchange include its cost effective nature. For example, digitizing data transmission reduces paper waste and everything that goes into paper processing. The IDE, shaken by the development of cloud computing and machine learning, can significantly eliminate the risk of human error and redundancies. EDI also improves transparency in terms of real-time visibility into transactions. This allows businesses to make decisions faster and improve their responses to changing market dynamics. EDI can also shorten lead times for product enhancements and the delivery of new products.
Additionally, EDI may be able to help businesses meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards and promote corporate social responsibility.
Disadvantages of EDI do exist and can make certain processes cumbersome, perhaps requiring exploration of different solutions. For one thing, IDE uses multiple standards, which can often limit the number of devices that can be connected to the network. Another problem with the XML web text language used by the IDE is that it does not have strict standardization and allows multiple programmers to contribute coding. Too many document formats can cause cross-compatibility issues that also affect performance. For some businesses, the cost of EDI can be a entry barrier. For others, EDI may limit the types of partnerships they can cultivate.