Implementing EDI for AT&T – First Steps to Be Taken
Implementing EDI for AT&T starts with preparation and assessment phase. It allows an understanding of EDI cooperation with AT&T, identifies the benefits, secures stakeholder commitment, and develops an implementation plan. This step of implementing EDI for AT&T may vary from a few weeks to several months. The term depends on the company’s EDI experience and its management’s commitment to implementing EDI systems. Implementations are complex and require the cooperation of many company departments. During implementing EDI for AT&T, retailer requests that you complete and submit the Trading Partner Survey form. This form provides AT&T with EDI contact information. It helps to determine your company’s EDI experience and the level of assistance that you may require during implementing EDI for AT&T.
EDI Billing Requirements and Design
After implementing EDI for AT&T first step comes Billing Requirements and Design phase. It identifies the requirements and designs the system that will achieve EDI’s benefits and provide the controls needed for a paperless environment. There are two major EDI system components:
• EDI transmission
• EDI-based applications.
The EDI transmission component transmits data from one company to another. The EDI-based application component uses the electronically formatted data. AT&T is focused on the first component, EDI transmission. The retailer works with the OBF (Ordering and Billing Forum) EDI Telecommunications Billing (ETB). It serves to develop an industry guideline for a telecommunications invoice that is compliant with X12 standards. It also furnish at no cost for EDI transmission of bills and payments.
The customer develops the second component, EDI-based applications. This is the most critical component because it is where the true benefits of EDI are achieved. The EDI transmission component provides data faster and in electronic format. The billing application saves the real bill processing time and money. During this phase the customer determines whether they need a full EDI Detail Bill or the less complex EDI Summary Bill, and if their bills should be paid electronically. The application component may be as simple as linking EDI formatted billing data to an existing application. Or it can be as complex as a business process redesign for the bill processing application. The EDI transmission component is more involved if the translator and communication links are used by more than one application. AT&T requests that you complete and submit the Implementation Timeline form.
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