EDI Testing and Certification: Clearing the Path to Retail Compliance

Why EDI testing and certification matter for retail success

Major retailers expect vendors to send clean, compliant EDI documents before the first shipment ever arrives. EDI testing and certification exist to prove that a vendor can exchange accurate data consistently. When brands skip steps or rely on incomplete EDI tools, retailers catch the errors immediately, delaying approvals and increasing operational risk. EDI testing and certification create a stable foundation for long-term vendor relationships.

Most EDI failures happen because of mismatched data, incorrect formats, weak integration, or gaps in warehouse accuracy. Testing identifies these issues early so they do not become real-world chargebacks.

Retailers certify vendors to protect their own networks

Walmart, Target, and Wayfair depend on reliable data to keep their automated receiving systems running. If ASNs are inaccurate or documents fail to match shipments, the retailer absorbs extra labor and passes the cost back to the vendor. Certification ensures those errors are prevented upfront.

Joel Malmquist explained the pressure clearly: "Walmart's pretty intense with their labeling rules. Dick's Sporting Goods is the same; if you don't do it right, you get those massive chargeback." He added, "And Target's got big routing compliance issues." Strong EDI testing shields brands from these downstream penalties.

Visibility makes EDI certification predictable

During certification, retailers want proof that vendors can send correct data consistently. Real-time visibility into orders, inventory, picking, and labeling ensures that EDI documents reflect the truth of the warehouse.

Maureen Milligan described what this visibility provides: "What these real-time portals provide our customers is 100 percent visibility." That clarity turns certification from a guessing game into a controlled process.

Scanning ensures EDI data matches the shipment

EDIs fail when warehouse data is inaccurate. Scanning ties every movement to a real action in the warehouse, keeping EDI documents aligned with actual shipments. Testing verifies that this structure is working.

Connor Perkins said it plainly: "You want everything to be scanned in the warehouse, nothing done on paper." He added, "Our clients get best-in-class visibility and transparency. They can see their daily orders, they can see KPIs, and they can see historical transactions." Scanning discipline ensures EDI files pass certification checks.

B2B-ready systems make EDI testing smoother

EDI certification requires strong integration between the warehouse management system and EDI tools. Systems designed only for D2C do not provide the data structure retailers expect. They lack carton detail, pick accuracy logs, and ASN hierarchy.

Bryan Wright explained why this depth matters: "A bad WMS system will not track inventory 100 percent as it should." He added an example: "It shows the product landed on the dock at 8 o'clock. At 8:10, John picked it up and took it to location XYZ, and at 10 o'clock, we picked two items off of that pallet in the location 1, 2, 3, 4, order ABC, and at 11 o'clock, we packed it, we put it in this box and put this label number on it." EDI files must reflect this precision to pass certification.

Support ensures certification stays on track

Retailers often require multiple rounds of testing before approval. When issues arise, brands need responsive support to make corrections quickly. Delays in communication slow the certification timeline and impact launch dates.

Joel described the model that works: "Every single account at G10 has a direct point of contact... and the result of that is attention to detail on their account, and a commitment to helping them grow." This support accelerates certification success.

Why brands switch 3PLs when EDI certification fails

Incomplete or inaccurate EDI setups prevent brands from launching with key retailers. Many come to G10 because previous providers lacked the tools, visibility, or scanning discipline needed to pass certification testing.

Maureen summarized these struggles: "Most of the customers who come to us from another 3PL, their challenges have always been access to their data, order accuracy and efficiency, and basically just meeting the committed requirements." Certification becomes impossible without these fundamentals.

EDI testing and certification become competitive advantage

When brands pass certification smoothly, they start retail relationships on the right foot. Retailers gain confidence in their data accuracy. Shipments move without interruption. ASNs match shipments consistently. Compliance becomes a strength instead of a barrier.

With G10's structured workflows, scanning accuracy, real-time visibility, and dedicated support, EDI testing and certification become predictable, manageable steps toward scalable retail growth.