EDI Trading Partner Onboarding and Testing: Mapping Specs, Partner Certification and Go-Live Sign-Off

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Partner onboarding checklist

• Kickoff: questionnaire (standard, IDs, transport, security, 997 timing, volumes, test windows, all ship-to codes).
• Spec: rule ID, exact source, exact target, one-sentence rule, worked example, error behavior; versioned and signed.
• Gaps: sales area (VOE2), partner conversion (VOE4), customer-material records, each with an owner.
• Test bottom-up: connectivity, syntax and envelopes, business rules, end to end; criteria agreed first.
• Test files carry ISA15 = T on both sides; check Send Test Interchange to Target System in TPM.
• Every rule: one positive test, one negative test per error behavior; expected results from spec examples.
• Certification = partner's written confirmation of its business results, not a clean 997.
• Pilot: limits, guardrails, daily reconciliation of counts, 997s, errors and review findings.
• Cutover criteria agreed before the pilot; keep them under pressure.
• Go-live: evidence pack, production connectivity and master data checks, runbook, hypercare, formal handover.