Current Theory 

Current theory for EDI solution is based on the following principles:

• Must set up industry standard;

• Must set up an agreement between two companies;

• Must communicate data through the third party 

• Must update existing MIS system or introduce SCM or ERP;

• Must be promoted from certain industry leading firms;

• Must be compatible with XML;

• Must wait XML standard development.

Any one of the above takes time. Can we wait? Any time and cost consuming EDI is definitely a dead end. It is impossible to expect and demand all or most of your business partners to go along with you. If you invest lots of time and money to update the existing MIS to comply with certain standard, and then find you are the first and the only one who has done this. Whom are you going to exchange data to?