Common Problems that Prevent Teams from Optimizing Partner Data Exchange

Smoother data exchange helps companies in closing opportunities ad reaching the revenue faster. The path to data interchange is not always straightforward and simple. Keeping the partner networks streamlined is an uphill and intense battle. The major barrier to swift data exchange is burgeoning IT complexity. Organizations should have proper controls in place to support local IT infra to work safely with partner based IT systems.  Forward thinking companies armed with dedicated B2B integration solutions are thriving ahead and stealing business opportunities from their competitors.

To succeed in the digital world businesses should evolve ways to onboard new partners, build integration workflows, analyse supply chain issues and close orders faster.

What is Partner Data Exchange?

Partner Data Exchange is internal or external data interchange between two or more businesses. It is a business collaboration model that integrates data centric processes. The collaboration enables real time transfer of data sets, documents, files, etc.

It extensively involves interchange taking place between operational processes and their applications in an enterprise or between enterprises. It involve inter-unit as multi-organizational collaboration for transfer of data sets in different file formats. In a nutshell, it is not just the data but business flowing through different channels.

Use Cases for B2B Partner Data Exchange

A B2B integration solution enables a different ecosystem for different industries use cases. In a manufacturing sector, the IT set up is complex where several manufacturers, consultants, distributors and suppliers share information. The B2B model needs to take care of diverse business relations which drive the business relations. The B2B model will be different for a Retail ecosystem that needs to support communication network with wholesalers and distributors.

Problems with B2B Data Exchange

1. Conventional B2B Data Exchange: Many B2B data exchange models are still low tech. Many of them use home grown File Transfer Protocols (FTP) and Jurassic approaches. Without data mapping and data governance abilities teams face disruptions that deeply impact business outcomes.  Conventional B2B data exchange solutions don’t scale to support file transformations and information exchange.

2. Silo’d B2B Data Exchange: Homegrown integration methodologies are suitable for stove-piped applications. As legacy systems operate in silos with no integration or little integration with other apps. Teams face debilitating errors while bringing the data to cloud based applications.

3.  Maintenance: Many maintenance issues surface to the ground when teams use manual methodologies for integrating systems. Errors and disruptions occur whenever there is any update.

A modern day ESB framework automates integration and smoothens the path for B2B partner data exchange. This helps teams in driving collaboration and allowing business and IT to work in tandem.