How to achieve order automation – even when customers don’t use EDI

by | Aug 6, 2025 | Data Management, Order Management, Suppliers

Are you frustrated with the time wasted by manually entering PDF orders into your system?

With an EDI (electronic data interchange) solution like SPS Commerce Fulfillment, you can electronically transmit documents such as orders, inventory updates, shipping notices and invoices. This not only eliminates time-consuming manual tasks and automates your order processes but also sets you up to connect with more trading partners and scale your growth.

But what about your customers that aren’t set up to use EDI?

If you’re like most suppliers, you work with some customers who still order from you the old-fashioned way, with a paper trail of PDFs and emails.

Managing orders from non-EDI customers can be a step backwards into the inefficiencies of manual workflows. You have higher operational costs, increased errors and an extra layer of difficulty when it comes to scaling and growing your business.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

SPS Commerce PDF Order Automation solution is the key to seamless processing of your non-EDI orders, reducing manual effort and enabling faster, more accurate fulfillment.

Navigating non-EDI order hassles

After you’ve enjoyed the benefits of streamlined EDI order processing, the challenges of handling non-EDI orders can seem even more painful:

  • High operational costs: Manually entering orders into your system costs you both time and resources, driving up expenses and reducing efficiency.
  • Errors and delays: To err is human –— but the fallout of mis-keyed data for your business can be incorrect orders, missed deadlines and unhappy customers.
  • Limited scalability: The more your business grows, the more unsustainable manually processing PDFs and email-based orders becomes.

If you want to achieve true supply chain efficiency, outdated workflows just don’t work.

Transforming non-EDI orders with automation

When you manage your EDI processes with SPS Commerce Fulfillment, you already have access to 200+ pre-built system integrations for ERP, OMS, WMS solutions and more.

Our PDF Order Automation Solution works with the pre-built connections into your ERP system to map and translate your non-EDI orders into your EDI ordering system. AI-powered mapping and translation seamlessly integrates your orders into Fulfillment.

With PDF order automation, you can:

  • Process all orders with one automated workflow
  • Reduce errors and speed up fulfillment
  • Prepare for increased order volumes
  • Free your team to focus on strategic activities

As the largest retail network with 4,000+ buying organizations, SPS is uniquely positioned to automate even the most complex order channels.

Tackling the accuracy issue: OCR versus AI

You may be wondering how this works or be skeptical about success if you’ve experienced the shortcomings of solutions that claim to automate non-EDI orders with optical character recognition (OCR).

OCR is a solution that works like a scanner. It looks at a document like a PDF and tries to recognize the letters and numbers on the page. But here’s the catch: OCR doesn’t understand what it’s reading. It just sees characters. When an “O” can be mistaken for a “0”, or an “I” can look like a “1”, that’s a big issue.

SPS PDF Order Automation is not OCR. Our solution uses AI, so instead of just reading characters, our system actually understands the structure and meaning of the documents.

Thanks to AI-assisted mapping, our solution also learns how to match the fields in each unique PDF to the fields in your order system.

This proprietary technology extracts data with 100% accuracy. This ensures your PDF orders are processed just like EDI orders, with the same reliability and precision.

SPS PDF Order Automation delivers the highest level of accuracy and efficiency, eliminating the concerns associated with legacy OCR systems.

Weighing the need: PDF order volume

While PDF Order Automation may seem like an obvious solution for high-volume businesses, it’s also valuable for low order volumes.

Manual processes for smaller orders still create inefficiencies, errors and unnecessary costs. SPS PDF Order Automation reduces these burdens, providing a scalable foundation that saves time and money now while preparing your business for growth.

Leveling up: now is the time

Automating non-EDI orders isn’t just about saving time—it’s a strategic move that prepares you to move ahead in a competitive market. Leading the way with innovative automation helps you better meet customer demands, handle growing order volumes and eliminate costly errors.

Whether you’re an existing Fulfillment customer or just starting your supply chain optimization journey, SPS PDF Order Automation is a reliable, scalable solution that eliminates errors and inefficiencies and prepares your business for the future.

Non-EDI orders don’t have to slow your business down. Automating these workflows enables you to process orders faster, reduce your costs and focus on your business goals.

Ready to eliminate manual PDF orders? Talk to a rep to see how PDF Order Automation fits into your processes.

Lindsey Merchant

SPS Commerce
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