# How to Set Up an EDI Trading Partner in Plex Systems > Source: https://netray.co/erp-help/plex-systems-how-to-set-up-edi-trading-partner > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: ERP Help ## Short answer Setting up an EDI trading partner in Plex's EDI Data Manager means defining the partner and their connection details, mapping the specific document types they will exchange (purchase orders, forecasts, shipping schedules, ASNs, invoices) to Plex's Customer and Part records, and running the partner through test mode before flipping them to production. ## Kind how-to ## System small-erp ## Erp Plex Systems (Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform) ## Module EDI Data Manager ## Query how to set up an EDI trading partner in Plex ## Alternate Queries - Plex EDI Data Manager configuration steps - Plex Systems EDI 850 830 862 setup - Plex ERP customer EDI mapping how to - Plex EDM trading partner test mode ## Applies To Plex Systems (Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform), for manufacturers exchanging automotive-style or standard ANSI X12 EDI documents with customers and suppliers. ## Steps ### Configure a new EDI trading partner in Plex **Items:** In EDI Data Manager (EDM), create the new trading partner record with the partner's EDI identifiers (ISA/GS qualifier and ID) and communication method (AS2, VAN, or SFTP depending on how the partner exchanges files). Link the trading partner record to the corresponding Customer (or Supplier) record in Plex so inbound and outbound documents post against the correct account. Identify which document types the partner will send or receive - commonly an 850 purchase order or 830 planning schedule and 862 shipping schedule inbound, and an 856 advance ship notice and 810 invoice outbound. Map each inbound document's part number, unit of measure, and ship-to location fields to the matching Plex Part and Customer Part Number records, since a mismatched part cross-reference is the most common cause of a failed inbound transaction. Configure outbound document triggers - for example, generating an 856 ASN automatically when a shipment is confirmed in Plex, so the trading partner receives it without a manual export step. Set the new partner to test mode and exchange sample documents in both directions, reviewing EDM's transaction log for mapping errors or rejected segments. Once test transactions post cleanly and the partner confirms receipt, switch the partner from test to production status. Monitor the first several days of live transactions closely, since a partner's real-world data (unusual part numbers, split shipments, partial releases) often surfaces mapping edge cases test data did not cover. ## Sections ### Why part cross-referencing is the hardest part of setup **Body:** Trading partners almost never use your internal part numbers. An automotive customer's 862 shipping schedule will reference their own part number and revision level, which has to cross-reference cleanly to the Plex Part record before the schedule can drive anything useful, like a release quantity feeding the plant's production plan. Getting this cross-reference wrong does not usually produce an obvious error - it produces a transaction that imports but attaches to the wrong part or silently fails to update a schedule, which is much harder to catch than an outright rejection. ### Inbound documents: forecasts, schedules, and purchase orders **Body:** An 830 planning schedule and an 862 shipping schedule both drive forward-looking demand into Plex, but they behave differently - the 830 is typically a longer-horizon forecast used for planning, while the 862 is a near-term, often just-in-time, release that should tie more directly to actual shipments. Mapping them to the wrong demand type in Plex can distort the production schedule even when the raw EDI data imported successfully. ### Outbound documents and shipment triggers **Body:** An 856 ASN should fire from the same shipment confirmation event that updates Plex's own inventory and shipping records, not as a separate manual step, or the ASN and the physical shipment can drift out of sync. Tie the ASN trigger to shipment confirmation in Plex rather than to a scheduled batch job when the trading partner expects near-real-time notification. ## Pitfalls - Mapping a trading partner's part number to the wrong Plex Part record, which causes schedules or shipments to post against the wrong item. - Treating an 830 forecast the same as an 862 shipping schedule, which mixes long-range planning data with near-term release commitments. - Skipping test mode and going straight to production with a new partner, discovering mapping issues only after real orders are affected. - Not tying the 856 ASN trigger to the actual shipment confirmation event, causing the ASN to go out before or after the real shipment. - Assuming the partner's communication method (AS2 versus SFTP versus VAN) matches a previous partner's setup without confirming it during onboarding. ## Ai Angle ERPray grounded on Plex EDM transaction logs and part cross-reference tables can help a customer service or planning analyst quickly answer why a specific inbound 862 did not update the schedule for a part, tracing it back to a mapping gap or a part cross-reference that was never set up, rather than someone manually digging through the EDM transaction log line by line. ## Faq ### What is the difference between an 830 and an 862 in Plex EDM? **Answer:** An 830 is typically a longer-horizon planning forecast, while an 862 is a near-term, often just-in-time, shipping schedule intended to drive near-real-time releases. Mapping them to the correct demand type in Plex matters for accurate production scheduling. ### Why did an inbound EDI document import but not update the schedule? **Answer:** This is usually a part cross-reference problem - the document imported without a hard error, but the partner's part number did not map cleanly to the correct Plex Part record, so the demand attached to the wrong item or nowhere at all. ### Should I trigger the 856 ASN manually or automatically? **Answer:** Tie it to the shipment confirmation event in Plex whenever the trading partner expects near-real-time notification. A manual or batch-triggered ASN risks going out before or after the actual shipment, which can cause receiving discrepancies at the customer. ### How long should a new trading partner stay in test mode? **Answer:** Long enough to exchange a representative sample of each document type, including any unusual cases like split shipments or partial releases, since real production data often surfaces mapping edge cases that clean test data does not. ## Search terms Plex EDI Data Manager setup, Plex Systems trading partner configuration, Plex EDI 850 830 862 mapping, Plex 856 ASN setup, Plex EDM part cross-reference, Plex Smart Manufacturing EDI how to, set up EDI trading partner ERP, Plex ERP automotive EDI setup --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json