Automating High-Volume Retail Operations with EDI

thansen is one of Denmark’s largest retail chains, operating more than 150 stores supplied by a wide network of vendors. With daily deliveries to each location and a high transaction volume across purchasing, logistics, and finance, thansen operates in an environment where manual document handling quickly becomes a bottleneck. For retail and wholesale businesses of this scale, managing invoices, orders, and delivery data across many suppliers and formats is not just an administrative task, but a core operational challenge.

To address this complexity, thansen partnered with iEDI to automate and standardise their document exchange processes and reduce the operational strain caused by manual handling.

Why EDI Matters in Retail and Wholesale

Retail and wholesale supply chains involve far more than invoices alone. Orders, delivery confirmations, invoice matching, and logistics data must flow reliably between multiple systems, suppliers, and warehouses. Each supplier may use different formats, protocols, or routing methods, and without a structured approach, this often results in manual work, errors, and delays.

By implementing EDI as an external document exchange layer, thansen was able to create a stable and predictable flow of business documents, regardless of supplier differences. This ensured that high document volumes could be handled consistently without adding complexity to internal systems.

Eliminating Manual Work and Reducing Errors

Before implementing EDI, invoice processing at thansen required significant manual effort. Employees spent large portions of their day entering invoice data line by line, often dealing with invoices containing more than 100 line items. Even small data entry mistakes were time-consuming to identify and correct.

“We’ve seen tremendous time savings. Previously, we had employees spending their entire day manually entering invoices. Today, it all happens automatically, and we only need to review invoices that don’t match. This has freed up resources for more meaningful tasks,” says Ole Haahr Andersen, EDI Manager at thansen.

With iEDI’s solution in place, supplier invoices are now automatically validated against existing agreements, orders, and deliveries. Invoices that match are booked automatically, while only exceptions require manual review. This has significantly reduced errors and improved data quality across finance operations.

Streamlined Warehouse and Order Handling

Automation has also simplified operational workflows beyond invoicing. thansen now only interacts with orders at the warehouse picking stage, while the upstream document handling runs automatically in the background.

“Invoices can have over 100 lines, and even small data entry errors used to take a long time to identify. With iEDI, those errors are eliminated because everything happens automatically.”

By decoupling document exchange from manual handling, thansen has achieved greater operational clarity and predictability, even with high daily volumes across many locations.

Visibility and Control Through a Central Platform

iEDI’s web platform provides thansen with a clear overview of document flows across suppliers and stores. Employees log in daily to review exceptions and ensure smooth processing, without having to manage the underlying technical complexity.

“We log in daily to check if any invoices contain errors. The platform is simple and intuitive, enabling us to act quickly if adjustments are needed.”
- Ole Haahr Andersen.

The transition to iEDI was completed smoothly through close collaboration between all parties. Setup, supplier alignment, and ongoing support were handled centrally, allowing thansen to focus on operations rather than integration projects.

More Time for Customers and Core Operations

One of the most tangible benefits of EDI automation has been the release of internal resources. By eliminating repetitive data entry and manual checks, employees can focus on higher-value tasks that directly impact customer experience and operational performance.

"EDI has eliminated data entry errors, freeing up resources so employees can focus on what truly matters. It’s a clear win for both us and our customers."

A Long-Term Partnership

After more than seven years of collaboration, thansen continues to rely on iEDI as a core part of its operational infrastructure. The combination of automation, reliability, and responsive support has strengthened thansen’s workflows across finance, logistics, and supplier collaboration.

"It’s not just us who benefit. Our suppliers and key customers also gain from the automated, error-free processes. We’ve always experienced great customer service from iEDI, and they respond quickly whenever we need assistance."

Looking Ahead

As retail and wholesale supply chains become increasingly complex, thansen’s experience demonstrates the value of treating document exchange as infrastructure rather than an add-on. With iEDI managing structured document flows across suppliers and systems, thansen has built a scalable foundation that supports growth without increasing operational complexity.

“Thanks to iEDI, our systems run like a well-oiled machine,” Ole Haahr Andersen concludes.