--- title: The Future of EDI: Market Trends for 2026 and Beyond --- # The Future of EDI: Market Trends for 2026 and Beyond Last Reviewed: March 17, 2026 9 min read [13 comments](https://www.selecthub.com/electronic-data-interchange/edi-software-trends/?noamp=mobile#comments) [ ![Peter Lalush](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Peter-Headshot-96x96.png) ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/peter-lalush/) [Written by Peter Lalush](https://www.selecthub.com/author/peter-lalush/) Technical Content Writer [ ![Dianna Dragonetti](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/cropped-Dianna-Headshot-96x96.jpg) ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/dianna-dragonetti/) [Edited by Dianna Dragonetti](https://www.selecthub.com/author/dianna-dragonetti/) Content Editor [ ![Sagardeep Roy](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Sagardeep-Roy-96x96.jpg) ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/sagardeep-roy/) [Technical Research by Sagardeep Roy](https://www.selecthub.com/author/sagardeep-roy/) Senior Analyst [ ![Jeff Douglas](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Jeff-Douglas-96x96.jpg) ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/jeff-douglas/) [Contributions by Jeff Douglas](https://www.selecthub.com/author/jeff-douglas/) Expert Contributor Table of Contents * [Key Takeaways](#Key%5FTakeaways "Key Takeaways") * [The Future of EDI](#The%5FFuture%5Fof%5FEDI "The Future of EDI") * [Large Companies and In-House Processing](#Large%5FCompanies%5Fand%5FIn-House%5FProcessing "Large Companies and In-House Processing") * [Smaller Companies and Heavier Demands](#Smaller%5FCompanies%5Fand%5FHeavier%5FDemands "Smaller Companies and Heavier Demands") * [EDI vs. API](#EDI%5Fvs%5FAPI "EDI vs. API") * [Aging Markets and IT Shortages](#Aging%5FMarkets%5Fand%5FIT%5FShortages "Aging Markets and IT Shortages") * [PEPPOL and EDI Integration](#PEPPOL%5Fand%5FEDI%5FIntegration "PEPPOL and EDI Integration") * [To Sum it Up](#To%5FSum%5Fit%5FUp "To Sum it Up") Despite its widespread use in nearly every business industry, [electronic data interchange software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/edi-software/) (EDI) is often cited by working professionals as a technology that’s soon to be obsolete. However, EDI trends remain steady even in the face of new data exchange tech such as APIs — most prominently, because EDI still gets the job done. [Compare Top EDI Software Leaders](https://pmo.selecthub.com/top-edi-report-site-vers/) ![EDI Software Trends Guide]() After speaking with several experts and thought leaders in the document transfer sphere, one thing is clear: EDI is not only here to stay, but its market also continues to grow. Let’s go into detail and see how different company sizes and markets might handle EDI going forward. ## Key Takeaways * Larger companies may benefit from in-house EDI processing. * Newer technology puts heavier demands on smaller businesses. * Some experts believe APIs will replace EDI, while others find they work well together. * Workers with relevant EDI skills are harder to find as technology evolves. * The PEPPOL protocol may make it easier for businesses to integrate EDI. ## The Future of EDI Here are the top EDI trends you should watch out for: ![EDI Trends 2024]() [Compare Top EDI Software Leaders](https://pmo.selecthub.com/top-edi-report-site-vers/) ### Large Companies and In-House Processing Smaller businesses tend to opt for third-party EDI services that charge a few cents per purchase order (or PO), rather than handling data processing in-house, in order to save money. However, as companies get larger and make more orders, they may find this approach no longer works for them. We spoke to Jim Gonzalez, owner of [EDI Support LLC](https://ihateedi.com/), for his thoughts. > In the future, what I see is a lot more people bringing it back to in-house processing. When you’re paying 10-15 cents per PO, and you maybe only get 10 of those a week, that’s okay. But \[larger companies are\] doing a thousand of them — or two thousand of them — because we’re becoming more of a drop-ship type world. That’s when they start to see the value of having their process in-house.” Some vendors are already attempting to combat this shift. Many are trying to change how EDI software is traditionally priced, charging per relationship rather than per transaction, or using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. However, payment structure isn’t the only reason companies may want to move back to in-house processing. Gonzalez explains: > The big trend is less and less EDI companies out there for clients or consultants to choose from… Things are happening to reduce the playing field, which makes it harder for smaller organizations to grab the attention of new clients. Who suffers ultimately? The business looking for an EDI solution that doesn’t treat them as a number and can truly reduce their order processing costs.” Gonzalez’s advice to larger companies is to make sure they have a specialist or consultant on hand to help them navigate the EDI market as it grows. ### Smaller Companies and Heavier Demands According to Jeff Douglas, solutions manager at Babelway, smaller-sized businesses may continue to engage in the aforementioned outsourcing of EDI processing: “I think what we’re seeing now is a burst of new iPaaS \[Integration Platform as a Service\] vendors that are saying that this technology can be put back into the hands of the companies. ![Jeff Douglas]() They’re saying that it’s not complicated and you can empower your business by doing this yourself without a third party. And you kind of beat some of the extra cost and frustrations … Seeing that trend of SaaS in the EDI world gives companies more power and more control which I think is good for their business. Jeff Douglas Solutions Manager, Babelway ![EDI Trends Jeff Douglas Quote]() This is especially true for businesses looking to grow. According to Douglas, there’s tension in the relationships between large and small companies. For instance, a large company like Walmart can dictate what kind of B2B communications it wants to use, but then on “the other end of it, you have these small companies that are met with all these demands from their larger partners… They’re burdened with supporting all the standards and technologies out there in order to do their business in the world of electronic exchange. Unfortunately, the demand to support multiple things is not going to go away for them … If you want to grow your business, you’re going to have to accommodate these demands.” Considering this and the lower cost of entry of software-as-a-service vendors, smaller businesses may gravitate towards iPaaS models rather than taking on the responsibility and up-front costs of in-house processing. Larger businesses that are limited in resources may also find third-party processing beneficial for their needs. [Compare Top EDI Software Leaders](https://pmo.selecthub.com/top-edi-report-site-vers/) ### EDI vs. API Jan Arendtsz, founder and CEO of [Celigo](https://www.celigo.com/), explains: “It’s an annual ritual to predict the demise of EDI. Competing standards, web services and modern APIs — all have been forecast to end EDI at one time or another. But EDI is here to stay for now as it still works well for many users.” For companies that find EDI inaccessible (whether it’s due to a lack of expertise, technical resources, or infrastructure), though, there are still options. > …Using a cloud-based integration platform (iPaaS) accelerates the process and reduces the time to complete EDI integrations. Modern iPaaS is intuitive enough for business users yet robust enough for the needs of IT. A next-generation iPaaS platform will enable API enhancements and drive B2B process improvement — with or without the help of IT.” APIs are often touted as being cheaper, faster and more flexible than EDI. Erik Kiser, founder and CEO of [Orderful](https://www.orderful.com/), believes they could replace EDI much sooner than we think. > Our vision is to get both sides of the supply chain communicating through our API and then completely eliminating EDI altogether. I think that the evolution of that is very real, but it’ll take some time. Maybe five or 10 years to get enough momentum in the market to get API to API communication going.” Kiser estimates that most EDI software is custom-built, increasing the need for consultants and other costly resources and giving companies an incentive to try something that’s easier to maintain. But that doesn’t mean API is without its own difficulties – Kiser explains that hiring engineers and developers for a newer technology can be a major economic challenge, especially for suppliers. > The challenge to this is going to be the friction as companies shift to communicate with APIs…Developers typically want to go work for startups, or they want to go work for software companies. So the friction of getting an API connected to their ERP or system of record is really the hard part about this.” Despite the popular view that EDI is on the way out, [IBM provides a somewhat different perspective](https://www.ibm.com/watson/supply-chain/resources/future-of-edi/): that APIs work best alongside, rather than in place of, EDI systems. According to them, while “EDI is ideally suited for batch processing of mission-critical transactions like financial documents and periodic updates, APIs enable real-time data exchange for proactive decision-making to drive competitive advantage.” This is a promising approach to document transfer. Instead of completely throwing out one technology in exchange for another, integrating the best of EDI and API capabilities allows businesses to stay rooted in an industry-standard technology they know works while expanding its capabilities to keep up with a rapidly shifting technological landscape. > Companies need to support both a core set of EDI transaction types and API capabilities or risk missing out on important opportunities to drive revenue, growth and competitive differentiation,” IBM says. ### Aging Markets and IT Shortages Whether companies choose API, EDI or a mix of both, they need to pay close attention to hiring staff that can make the most of whatever technology they adopt. However, according to Jett McCandless, co-founder and CEO of [project44](https://project44.com/), staffing an EDI project will definitely be the bigger challenge. > No one that graduated with a computer science degree in the last 10 years has been trained on EDI. That isn’t because they forgot to train them. There are better technologies to accomplish today’s goals. In today’s world, companies are competing for the best software engineers. The best software engineers don’t want to use EDI… > > “Unless companies want to run like they did yesterday, continuing to invest in EDI is wasteful. The technology is old and will soon be antiquated. EDI is only capable of automating 10% of the workflow for transportation and logistics. It’s also slow, inflexible and expensive to maintain.” Wayne Marshall, VP of professional services and ISO at [EDI Staffing](https://www.edistaffing.com/), also believes companies should be concerned about the lack of EDI expertise. However, he’s not so sure EDI is going anywhere anytime soon. He said: ![Wayne Marshall]() EDI continues to grow even after 40 years. EDI is especially prevalent in the healthcare and logistics industries these days. Wayne Marshall VP of professional Services and ISO, EDI Staffing ![EDI Trends Wayne Marshall Quote]() [Compare Top EDI Software Leaders](https://pmo.selecthub.com/top-edi-report-site-vers/) These industries are a significant part of why such old technology is expected to see continued growth by many in the coming years. Fortune Business Insights expects the [global EDI market](https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-healthcare-electronic-data-interchange-edi-market) to be worth over $4.5 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 12.5%. ![Global EDI Market Graphic]() Marshall agrees that it might be difficult for companies using EDI to find the labor they need, however. ![Wayne Marshall]() While many companies have chosen to outsource their EDI to third parties, many others continue with in-house programs, and we find new companies coming on board frequently. There’s a great demand for EDI/B2B implementation services, as good EDI resources are not always easy to find. Wayne Marshall VP of professional Services and ISO, EDI Staffing ### PEPPOL and EDI Integration How will companies and partners support EDI if its market is projected to grow so quickly? One EDI trend taking off in Europe is the Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line (PEPPOL) protocol. According to Douglas: ![Jeff Douglas]() PEPPOL is a really interesting movement lead \[sic\] by Europe’s government entities … It seeks to facilitate EDI connectivity the same way a VAN would, but in a standard way. Jeff Douglas Solutions Manager, Babelway Companies sign up to become PEPPOL participants, which basically means they’re signaling to other companies they’re ready to receive data in accordance with this protocol. Douglas continues: ![Jeff Douglas]() It eliminates this lengthy setup process that’s standard with traditional EDI. If you’re a participant, your partners can send and receive information with just the flip of a switch, leading to a very low cost of entry … It’s exciting; it’s the closest thing I’ve seen that can have a widespread adoption because of the low cost of set up. Jeff Douglas Solutions Manager, Babelway EDI remains an industry standard for supply chains, with at least [59%](https://datainterchange.com/over-41-of-companies-at-risk-without-edi/) of companies making use of it. For the remaining 41%, who need to catch up, protocols like PEPPOL can help them future-proof their document transfer technology. [Compare Top EDI Software Leaders](https://pmo.selecthub.com/top-edi-report-site-vers/) ## To Sum it Up Even as businesses adopt newer data transfer options such as APIs, EDI remains the industry standard for most companies – simply because they know it works. However, concerns such as staffing, improvements on older systems, and company size weigh on the EDI market as well. Between the advent of APIs and the introduction of PEPPOL, there’s plenty to keep an eye on in this sphere of technology. If you’re looking to invest in some new document transfer software, SelectHub is exactly the place to do research. Take a look at our [EDI software buyer’s guide](https://www.selecthub.com/c/edi-software/) for some of the top products on the market, our [comparison report](https://pmo.selecthub.com/top-edi-report-site-vers/) to see how different software options stack up or our [software requirements checklist](https://pmo.selecthub.com/edi-requirements-onsite/) to see if your system is ready to implement something new. What’s your opinion when it comes to the future of EDI? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! ### Trending Topics #### [EDI](https://www.selecthub.com/category/electronic-data-interchange/) [The Top 6 EDI Requirements & Features Template](https://www.selecthub.com/electronic-data-interchange/edi-requirements/) [EDI solutions are like high-speed bridges connecting businesses, enabling efficient document exchanges, streamlining communications and… ](https://www.selecthub.com/electronic-data-interchange/edi-requirements/) [ ![Riddhiman Roy](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-Riddhiman_Roy_Headshot-96x96.jpg) Riddhiman Roy ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/riddhiman-roy/) Apr 08, 2026 #### [EDI](https://www.selecthub.com/category/electronic-data-interchange/) [The 5 Best iPaaS Software Vendors of 2026](https://www.selecthub.com/electronic-data-interchange/ipaas-features-benefits-top-vendors/) [Cloud computing technology’s accessibility and ease of use have turned it into a booming element… ](https://www.selecthub.com/electronic-data-interchange/ipaas-features-benefits-top-vendors/) [ ![Peter Lalush](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Peter-Headshot-96x96.png) Peter Lalush ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/peter-lalush/) Mar 17, 2026 #### [EDI](https://www.selecthub.com/category/electronic-data-interchange/) [EDI vs API in the Supply Chain](https://www.selecthub.com/supply-chain-management/edi-and-api-supply-chain/) [It’s hard to imagine an effective supply chain management solution that doesn’t rely on EDI… ](https://www.selecthub.com/supply-chain-management/edi-and-api-supply-chain/) [ ![Kim O'Shaughnessy](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/aa3a61ac7e38580003de0d2fb4e71e8281ec6d7b9d0266351a38b2459e313e82?s=96&d=mm&r=g) Kim O'Shaughnessy ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/kim-oshaughnessy/) Mar 21, 2025 Originally published in January 2019 and last updated in March 2026\. Contributions from Peter Lalush, Sagardeep Roy, Akshay Parekh, Dianna Dragonetti, Jeff Douglas, and Wayne Marshall. ## About the Contributors The following SelectHub team members and subject matter experts helped research, create, and review this content. [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/peter-lalush/) Written by [Peter Lalush](https://www.selecthub.com/author/peter-lalush/) Technical Content Writer With an interest in technology and a master's in Technical Communication, Peter covers accounting, distribution and EDI software for SelectHub. In his role as a Technical Content Writer, he aims to make complicated topics easy for an everyday audience to understand. Outside of work, he enjoys making music, seeing horror movies, and taking a good nap. [See Full Bio](https://www.selecthub.com/author/peter-lalush/) [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/sagardeep-roy/) Technical Research by [Sagardeep Roy](https://www.selecthub.com/author/sagardeep-roy/) Senior Analyst Sagardeep is a Senior Research Analyst at SelectHub, specializing in diverse technical categories. His expertise spans Business Intelligence, Analytics, Big Data, ETL, Cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, with additional proficiency in EHR and Medical Billing. Holding a Master of Technology in Data Science from Amity University, Noida, and a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science from West Bengal University of Technology, his experience across technology, healthcare, and market research extends back to 2016\. As a certified Data Science and Business Analytics professional, he approaches complex projects with a results-oriented mindset, prioritizing individual excellence and collaborative success. [See Full Bio](https://www.selecthub.com/author/sagardeep-roy/) [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/akshay-parekh/) Technical Research by [Akshay Parekh](https://www.selecthub.com/author/akshay-parekh/) Principal Analyst Akshay is a highly analytical and detail-oriented Software Research Analyst with a proven track record of generating industry-standard templates for RTs, RFIs, pricing guides, LTSRs, and more across software categories like Big Data Analytics, BI, ETL, EDI, EHR, Endpoint Security and Medical Billing. He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science Engineering and an MBA in Marketing and Analytics from IBS Hyderabad. He loves to spend time exploring spirituality, reading books, and watching sports, especially cricket, tennis, MMA, and boxing. [See Full Bio](https://www.selecthub.com/author/akshay-parekh/) [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/dianna-dragonetti/) Edited by [Dianna Dragonetti](https://www.selecthub.com/author/dianna-dragonetti/) Content Editor As an editor, Dianna Dragonetti leads a team of five writers in writing about a variety of software, with an emphasis on how these tools empower businesses. Categories include accounting, learning management systems, content management systems, supply chain management, and electronic data interchange. [See Full Bio](https://www.selecthub.com/author/dianna-dragonetti/) [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/jeff-douglas/) Contributions by [Jeff Douglas](https://www.selecthub.com/author/jeff-douglas/) Expert Contributor Jeff Douglas is a Solutions Manager at Babelway, where he helps IT leaders in small- to mid-sized companies across industries implement strategies and tools that move beyond daily maintenance of network infrastructure, hardware, and key systems (TMS, ERP, etc). He strongly believes the success of a company resides in the empowerment of its employees. [See Full Bio](https://www.selecthub.com/author/jeff-douglas/) [ ](https://www.selecthub.com/author/wayne-marshall/) Contributions by [Wayne Marshall](https://www.selecthub.com/author/wayne-marshall/) Expert Contributor Wayne Marshall is the Vice President of Professional Services at EDI Staffing. His responsibilities include strategy development, new business development, sales, marketing, consulting, contract management, general regulatory compliance, managing of technical resources and projects, and most recently, HIPAA compliance as the Information Security Officer. [See Full Bio](https://www.selecthub.com/author/wayne-marshall/) Kim O'ShaughnessyEDI vs API in the Supply Chain * ‹ * › ### Conversation (13) ![Avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/281d3616cf761f3582c0d76c23517846?s=32&d=mm&r=g) Write a response [Cancel reply](https://www.selecthub.com/electronic-data-interchange/edi-software-trends/#respond) Your message Your name \* Your email \* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ * ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/930bf78a9c82ffe753d1179ad38ccbea15d6f45c7b34f56be007952c61cb9977?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Donnie G** \- August 23, 2022 the most value part of EDI is nothing about the tech part, that is of course not “difficult”, the API stuff can easily do same way to exchange docs. What really make EDI important to the supply chain is the widely use data standards, if you are an EDI experts, you should know that in every data flow, the standards defined everything what you can imagine, which helps the companies can integrated with each other and drive their business. So, I m thinking, we maybe will have a lot of new tech to implement the protocols but will always have same way to do b2b . for the IT guy who working in the area, what you need to know is: First, understand very well what EDI is and knows the data formats well, and know as much as business flows ; Seconds, learn the new IT tech to face the new tech challenges. **[Reply](#comment-144120)** * ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2c9044d40d00b175ce6a0f31878062aae535d5b2d64d40b5c3da234356e91c59?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Vijayan Ganapathy** \- September 30, 2021 Most articles that predict APIs to replace EDI conveniently forget the “Standardization” aspect. When organizations define a JSON message structure for a particular transaction type (orders, invoices, load tenders, shipment status etc etc) – they are proprietary to their own organization and they do not magically become a STANDARD that every other company follows. It essentially takes us 30 years back. It was proprietary positional files and copybook files back then, and XML/JSONs today. But the very problem that EDI solved years ago – relieving organizations to build 1:1 mapping for each of their trading partners – comes back! EDI isn’t going anywhere until a point where there is a widely accepted set of API specifications. **[Reply](#comment-90643)** * ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/53b6b795947eb6dd4a4393b8bb6ffdab469a2bc99f08603da57cd79508f569a5?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Wecode Inc** \- May 4, 2020 Great stuff! Thats some analysing! Keep up the great work. **[Reply](#comment-35830)** * ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/dc3ba3b446d89da85aac8a0f012713e97be920bafc52adc95b6d4840a2385fae?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Edward Dewsnap** \- March 13, 2020 So the end of EDI, do you mean companies will stop communicating using digital transactions. The alternative would mean that if they stop electronically communicating you are suggesting that they go back to processing paper. I do not understand the meaning of “End of EDI”. What I think you really mean more specifically is… the end of using X12 or EDIFact as a way of trading transactions (processing) data in a standard format shared by all. Perhaps JSON? maybe XML? common API between B2B (not yet). When you say replaced by API, considering the proliferation of disparate ERP Solutions, how would hat work. Just looking to broaden my horizon. thanks **[Reply](#comment-32795)** ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f56f9ae57d7c90b1df436f585bd4ddea641b793a2b758d198513258e35fbb2e5?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **VARUN KUMAR** \- November 21, 2021 Good point! **[Reply](#comment-99447)** * ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5fc2fae1f77f37ac9f626bb9c6b2519b75c618732ea96b3c73ba9f8ba7376488?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Jacek Dulinski** \- November 14, 2019 There will be no move to API due to other factors not presented in the article **[Reply](#comment-24775)** [![Avatar photo](https://www.selecthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Lindsey-1-48x48.jpg)](https://www.selecthub.com/author/lindsey-jenkins/) #### **Lindsey Jenkins** \- November 18, 2019 Hi Jacek, Thanks for reading. Would you mind sharing some of the factors that you think might contribute to reluctance to move to APIs? I’d love to look into them. Cheers, Lindsey **[Reply](#comment-24877)** ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/43e3d07dd6b5598a0c1086b9ab708479307fdf58042bce368f56e887e660ba71?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Kanukula Prashanth** \- September 8, 2021 i am intrested to learn EDI,so i want to know about how was the future of EDI next 10 years will you please explain about the EDI and will it safe to learn in future. **[Reply](#comment-88394)** ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/236d8f964392af14a4e3bebbc44945c4791f1daf9998a2d877576c5cfcd64163?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Shyam Tambi** \- May 5, 2022 One of them could be custom development for each partner, instead of using standard EDI data format. **[Reply](#comment-130082)** * ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/330cd62cffa6fd1ae765ec958e09e65f6968f0bf116c59c667195a07de528dba?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **jan westerkamp** \- August 29, 2019 Whatever form, system or tool will be used in the future to exchange data there will still be a strong need to standardize the content! **[Reply](#comment-22863)** [![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/aa3a61ac7e38580003de0d2fb4e71e8281ec6d7b9d0266351a38b2459e313e82?s=48&d=mm&r=g)](https://www.selecthub.com/author/kim-oshaughnessy/) #### **Kim O’Shaughnessy** \- August 29, 2019 Hi Jan. That’s a great point. It’ll be interesting to see how the EDI market changes further in 2020, whether these iPaaS providers will grow to accommodate all the different tech or if businesses will start to lean on a single system of information exchange. Thanks for reading! **[Reply](#comment-22864)** * ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/db329ac7698b21a279fa3c69299bdb912e291e4d3543ef748ac1a232d9bb3afc?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Bill Ross** \- March 4, 2019 When a company creates an API it is proprietary is it not? How does that replace EDI which is a standard? Or are we talking about a standard API? Thanks. **[Reply](#comment-16516)** ![Avatar photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/236d8f964392af14a4e3bebbc44945c4791f1daf9998a2d877576c5cfcd64163?s=96&d=mm&r=g) #### **Shyam Tambi** \- May 5, 2022 Right. API may not be able to replace EDI completely, due to lack of standard. It can however speedup the setup…. **[Reply](#comment-130083)** [ Go to mobile version ](https://www.selecthub.com/electronic-data-interchange/edi-software-trends/?amp=1) **Tier 1:** Fully/moderately supported out-of-the-box allowing for quick and easy deployment. Fully or moderately supported out-of-the-box with industry-leading capabilities and is immediately available after installation without needing any add-ons, integrations, or custom development. **Tier 2:** Supported with workarounds or add-ons that may require additional costs. Not directly available in the software, but can be accomplished using other built-in features, workarounds, or add-ons/products from the vendor with or without any additional cost. **Tier 3:** Requires partner integrations or custom development that is often at an additional cost. Requires additional integrations, plugins, marketplace applications from a third-party vendor, or custom development using the APIs, libraries, extensions, and development framework supported by the software, with or without any additional cost. 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