B2B Works Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is EDI?
2. I have been told EDI is complicated and expensive. Is that correct?
3. Is B2BWorks really as easy as you make it seem?
4. Who is CovalentWorks and what do you do for your clients?

System Requirements

1. Do I have to buy or install software?
2. What kind of software and hardware do I need to have in order to use your service?

Becoming a client of CovalentWorks

1. How do I start service?
2. How do I stop service?
3. How long is the agreement? Do I have to sign a long-term contract?
4. How does your billing to me work?
5. Why is B2BWorks so inexpensive compared to traditional EDI?
6. How much does B2BWorks cost?

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Implementation

1. How long does it take to implement EDI with my customers?
   Implementation with your EDI customer typically takes 2 to 4 weeks. First Customer Care will set up your company in B2BWorks and establish EDI communication with your customer. Our team will then build all required EDI maps that translate EDI into your format. Building the maps takes 5 business days. Maps for multiple transaction types can be built at the same time. This will not require any of your time. Next testing will be conducted with your trading partner and with you to make sure all transactions are accurate and requirements are met. Testing usually takes 1 to 3 weeks depending on availability of you and your customer. Your customer will know that you are EDI capable when we contact their EDI department at the beginning of the implementation process. top of page
2. What do I need to do during implementation?
   At first you will not need to do anything. Our Customer Care team will take care of set up and mapping with your customer’s EDI department. Your participation will be needed during testing to verify that transactions go into your system properly and that all the required information is sent to your customer in outgoing transactions. Feedback from our team and from your customer will provided during testing.top of page

3. Does someone from CovalentWorks need to come to my office?
   No, we do not need to visit your office. We support all of clients around the world from Houston, Texas. Support for your questions is provided by phone and email. top of page

4. How do I get my questions answered?
   You can call or email us anytime with your questions. top of page

5. How is training done?
   Training is done over the phone and via email. You are provided with written instructions. Training time varies based on your prior experience with ordering, shipping and billing. Typically training takes from 15 minutes to an hour. The amount of training is up to you. All the help you need is included in B2BWorks at no extra charge. top of page

6. How do I send EDI to my broker?
   We provide EDI transactions to your broker if they are EDI capable. Or we can provide EDI transactions to your broker using our MyB2B web portal. top of page

7. Can I have EDI transactions “carbon copied”?
   Yes, EDI transactions can be sent to other parties such as your broker if you wish. top of page

8. Can I send EDI transactions to my warehouse or 3PL?
   We can set up your warehouse/3PL to log into our MyB2B web portal and view orders, or the EDI transactions can be sent to your warehouse/3PL if they are EDI capable. If needed, 850 purchase orders can be translated into 940 warehouse shipping orders and we can receive 945 warehouse shipping advices as well as 856 ship notices from your warehouse/3PL. top of page

1. What EDI transaction types do you support?
   Any transaction type and any version that your customers require is supported. top of page

2. How often are EDI transactions sent to me? Does B2BWorks service work 24 x 7?
   EDI transactions are sent to you as often as your customers send them. B2BWorks operates for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except for a weekly maintenance window from 1 am to 2 a.m. Sunday mornings. You can send transactions to your customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except during the Sunday morning maintenance window. top of page

3. Can you support the EDI requirements of my customers?
   Yes, any customer anywhere in the world is supported. You can read more about the customers we have implemented for our clients.   top of page

4. Do I need a VAN? Do I need AS/2?
   EDI VAN and AS/2 communication is included in B2BWorks at no extra charge. EDI VAN stands for Value Added Network and is the way that many EDI transactions are communicated reliably and securely with your EDI customers. Some EDI customers use AS/2 communication instead of VAN communication. AS/2 is a method for sending and receiving EDI files over the internet with encryption and verification of receipt. B2BWorks includes AS/2 if it is required by your EDI customers. top of page

5. Do you work with my customer’s EDI department?
   Yes, we work with your customer’s EDI department with your permission and on your behalf. We will work with them during set up and testing and later if they upgrade their EDI system. We will assist you with understanding how to interpret their feedback during testing. Our Customer Care team will assist with any EDI forms that need to be filled out for your customer. top of page

6. Does my customer have to use CovalentWorks in order for me use B2BWorks?
   No, your customer doe not have also use CovalentWorks. Your customer will have an EDI department and they will have an EDI VAN service they use. We can interconnect with their VAN or implement AS/2 communication with them. CovalentWorks is a fully certified VAN and we can interconnect with any other VAN. We can implement EDI with any customer you may have. top of page

7. Does my customer send transactions to me or CovalentWorks?
   Your transactions flow from your customers to CovalentWorks and then to you. Here is how it works: Transactions are sent by your customer’s purchasing system to their EDI system and from there to your customer’s EDI VAN service. Our service interconnects with your EDI customer’s VAN to receive the transactions and then B2BWorks updates. Your transactions are immediately translated into your format and are then accessable to you 24 X 7 via FTP on one of our secure FTP servers. You will have the option of immediately receiving an email notification that you have a new transaction sent by your customer to you. top of page

8. What if my customer upgrades their EDI system?
   Upgrades of B2BWorks for new versions that your customers implement are included at no extra charge. Our Customer Care team will test and implement the new versions for you. top of page

9. How do I get help with my vendor applications and the EDI forms from my customers?
   Our Customer Care team will provide you with answers to all of the EDI questions on your vendor application forms and any EDI forms required by your customer. top of page

10. What is my EDI ID? Qualifier? ISA number?
    Your EDI qualifier and ID will be set up for your company when you become a client. Here is how is works: Your qualifier and EDI ID are two numbers that together uniquely identify your company. Typically we will either use a qualifier of 01 and your DUNS number for your EDI ID, or if you do not have a DUNS number, then usually your qualifier is 12 and your EDI ID is your phone number. Your EDI ID in either case will not have any dashes, parenthesis or spaces. Your EDI ID is also sometimes referred to as your ISA number. Your customer may want to know your GS ID. B2BWorks uses the same number for the GS ID as the EDI ID. top of page

1. What is EDI?
   Please see this page What is EDI?   top of page

2. I have been told EDI is complicated and expensive. Is that correct?
   EDI can be complicated and expensive if you buy your own software, implement EDI translation maps, do testing with your partners, arrange for a VAN service, trouble shoot problems and then do the whole process over again when your partners upgrades to new versions. If you want someone else to handle the complexities of EDI for you, then B2BWorks should be considered for your business. top of page

3. Is B2BWorks really as easy as you make it seem?
   Yes, B2BWorks really does makes EDI easy. B2BWorks is a complete EDI solution that we manage for you. There is no software to buy or install, all EDI transaction types are included, any customer anywhere in the world can be implemented, upgrades to new versions by your customers are included at no extra charge, and VAN service is included. top of page

4. Who is CovalentWorks and what do you do for your clients?
   CovalentWorks has been providing electronic data interchange solutions to clients since 1999. Thousands of EDI projects have been completed. Our focus is providing EDI solutions to small business clients. Read more about CovalentWorks   top of page

1. Do I have to buy or install software?
   No, you do not have to buy or install or upgrade or test software. All you need is internet access, FTP, and email. top of page

2. What kind of software and hardware do I need to have in order to use your service?
   You do not need any special hardware or software. All you need is internet access, FTP, and email. You can use either a PC or a Mac. top of page

1. How do I start service?
   You can start service in just a few minutes. Sign up online or call us at 800.496.3380. We will quickly email you a proposal to review and approve. top of page

2. How do I stop service?
   You may stop service at any time and for any reason by calling us or sending an email to our Customer Care team. top of page

3. How long is the agreement? Do I have to sign a long-term contract?
   All of our agreements with all of our clients are month-to-month. There is no long-term contract. We believe that great service is the key to keeping our clients. top of page

4. How does your billing to me work?
   Visa, American Express and Master Card are accepted for payment. You immediately receive an invoice via email showing payment each time we charge your card. Monthly fees are charged within the first 6 business days of the month. One half of the set up fee for your first EDI customer is charged when you sign up for service. The second half of the set up fee is not charged until your customer moves your company to production status. Monthly fees do not begin until your company has been moved to production status. top of page

5. Why is B2BWorks so inexpensive compared to traditional EDI?
   B2BWorks is less expensive because we host EDI solutions for thousands of clients and their customers in our EDI solution center. We do not deploy and maintain software on thousands of computers around the world. Instead, we use our economies of scale in technology and EDI experience to provide our clients with affordable EDI solutions. top of page

6. How much does B2BWorks cost?
   B2BWorks is affordable because you do not have to buy expensive software and you not have to spend weeks doing mapping yourself. You can get a free quote instantly, or request a no-obligation proposal online, or call us at 800.496.3380. top of page