How do you currently communicate with your suppliers about your purchase orders?

In this webinar, we take a closer look at the different ways you can place and manage purchase orders with your suppliers. From standard email processes to fully automated EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) connections, learn how to streamline your order communication, reduce manual data entry errors, and build a more efficient purchasing workflow.

Because this webinar was originally recorded in Dutch, you can easily use YouTube's auto-translate feature to watch the session with English subtitles (or any other language you prefer!).

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If you are short on time, here is a quick recap of the core strategies discussed in the webinar to help you optimise how your purchase orders actually reach your suppliers:

Email is the standard, universal way to send a purchase order. However, it can still be optimised! We discuss how to generate clean, professional, and easy-to-read PDF purchase orders directly out of your system so that your suppliers know exactly what you need, reducing back-and-forth clarification emails.

EDI is the next step in automation. Instead of a human reading a PDF attached to an email, EDI allows Optiply to speak directly to your supplier's computer system. The purchase order is transmitted instantly as pure data, completely eliminating manual entry errors and saving hours of administrative work.

Not every supplier needs an EDI connection. We break down how to evaluate your vendor list. High-volume, tech-savvy suppliers are perfect candidates for EDI, while smaller, boutique suppliers might still require standard email communication.

Regardless of whether a supplier uses Email or EDI, the internal approval process must be smooth. We cover how to set up your workflows so that the moment you click "Approve" on a purchase order, it is dispatched to the supplier via their preferred method without any extra manual clicks.

EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange. It is a standardised digital format that allows different business systems to communicate with each other directly. In purchasing, it means your purchase order goes straight from Optiply into your supplier's sales system automatically.

Absolutely. Optiply allows you to configure communication methods on a per-supplier basis. You can have an automated EDI connection with your largest distributor, while still sending standard PDF emails to your smaller local vendors.

No. Setting up an EDI connection requires technical capabilities on the supplier's end. Generally, only medium-to-large wholesalers and distributors have the infrastructure to support EDI. Always ask your supplier if they support EDI ordering before attempting to set it up!