EDI VALUE ADDED NETWORK
Your trading partners.
One managed connection.
Keep your EDI documents moving between your business and your trading partners. Roundhouse provides VAN service with the mapping and translation support of our EDI Gateway—so your team has help with more than sending a file.
Talk about your VAN service
What is an EDI Value Added Network?
An EDI VAN is an intermediary service that carries electronic business documents between trading partners. It uses the agreed sender and receiver identifiers to route documents through the established exchange.
Your business may use a VAN to exchange purchase orders, shipping notices, invoices and required responses. An EDI mailbox is the logical sending or receiving endpoint in that network—not an ordinary email inbox.
Roundhouse provides VAN service as part of our EDI Gateway offering. Your team keeps its internal business workflow while we handle the agreed EDI connectivity, mapping and translation.
THE DOCUMENT JOURNEY
Receive. Route. Respond.
Establish the right trading relationship.
Before exchanging production documents, we review the supplier account, sender and receiver identifiers, required documents and testing instructions. A working route needs the correct trading-partner configuration at each end.
Receive and deliver the documents.
Incoming documents reach the configured EDI endpoint. Under the agreed Gateway workflow, Roundhouse translates them into the files your team needs. Outbound data is translated and sent to the intended partner through the established connection.
Keep the response connected to the document.
We handle the configured technical acknowledgments and review the agreed transaction responses. The document reference and its status help identify which exchange needs attention when something is missing or rejected.
Your team continues to provide accurate source data and confirm that files are imported or processed in its own system. The transfer method, timing and exception-handling responsibilities are established during setup.
Sent is not the same as accepted.
A document passes through several stages. Understanding the difference helps your team avoid treating a transmission record as proof that every part of the business process is complete.
| Stage | What it tells you | What still needs checking |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission | The sending process has attempted or completed the configured transfer. | Whether the destination received and processed the intended document. |
| Technical acknowledgment | A required response such as a 997 reports transaction-set processing status. | Any rejection detail and separate business-level requirements. |
| Business response | A response such as an 855 communicates order decisions where required. | The actual line statuses, quantities and dates. |
| System import | The receiving business system has processed the delivered file. | That the resulting records are accurate and not duplicated. |
For example, an ASN can receive a technical acknowledgment while its carton contents still differ from what the warehouse packed. Network delivery alone cannot verify the physical shipment. See our guide to EDI-related chargebacks.
A connection plus the help behind it.
A VAN moves documents. A mapping describes how information in one format corresponds to another. Translation applies that mapping. These are distinct functions, even when provided together.
With Roundhouse Gateway, the agreed service combines document exchange with managed mappings and translation. We can provide files in the format agreed for your ERP workflow and translate your outbound data into your trading partner’s EDI format.
That does not automatically configure an ERP import or supply missing business information. We review those details with your team and define the handoff. Explore EDI integration for mapping, system compatibility and testing.
Moving your VAN connection takes coordination.
Start with your current provider arrangement, trading-partner list and open transactions. We review the required routing changes and test scenarios before agreeing the cutover.
- Confirm the identifiers and account relationships that must be preserved or updated.
- Identify orders, ASNs and invoices already sent or awaiting responses.
- Agree which provider handles each outstanding exchange.
- Test the new route and any associated file translation.
- Reconcile the first production documents and resolve exceptions.
Your current provider, retailer or ERP team may need to participate. We do not assume that changing a mailbox alone completes the transition. Learn about trading partner setup.
If you want Roundhouse to take on daily document preparation as well, our fully managed EDI outsourcing offers another level of support.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
EDI VAN questions, answered.
What is an EDI VAN?
An EDI Value Added Network is an intermediary service that carries electronic business documents between trading partners using agreed identifiers and routing. Roundhouse provides VAN service as part of its EDI Gateway offering.
Is a VAN the same as EDI translation?
No. A VAN handles document exchange and routing. Translation converts document formats, using mappings that define how fields correspond. Roundhouse’s Gateway service combines the agreed connectivity, mapping and translation work.
What is an EDI mailbox?
An EDI mailbox is a logical endpoint for receiving and sending documents through a network. It is associated with the identifiers and routing configured for your trading relationship; it is not a regular email inbox.
Does a 997 acknowledgment prove that an order was accepted?
No. A 997 Functional Acknowledgment concerns syntactical processing of a transaction set. It does not itself confirm commercial acceptance, shipment accuracy, ERP import success or payment approval.
Do we need a VAN if we already have an ERP?
An ERP and an EDI transport connection serve different purposes. Your ERP may have its own EDI options or require a separate connection. We review your existing arrangement and trading-partner requirements before recommending a handoff.
Can we move from another VAN?
We can discuss a transition after reviewing your current identifiers, trading partners and open transactions. Routing changes, testing and a clear cutover point need coordination so documents are not missed or sent twice.
Does Roundhouse offer mapping with its VAN service?
Yes. Our EDI Gateway service includes the agreed mapping and translation work alongside VAN connectivity. We confirm the document types, file formats and responsibilities for your account during setup.
How much does Roundhouse VAN service cost?
Contact our sales team with your trading partners, document types and current workflow. They can explain the appropriate service scope and pricing for your business.
LET’S TALK EDI
Let’s connect your business.
Tell us about your current VAN, your system and the trading partners you work with.
Discuss your EDI connection