--- title: "OFTP2" type: "page" post_id: "8435" slug: "oftp2" canonical: "https://besitec.com/glossar/oftp2/" markdown_url: "https://besitec.com/glossar/oftp2.md" json_url: "https://besitec.com/glossar/oftp2.json" txt_url: "https://besitec.com/glossar/oftp2.txt" published: "2026-11-09T16:16:10+00:00" modified: "2026-11-09T16:18:26+00:00" author: "Vincent Rosenkranz" categories: tags: site_name: "BESITEC Hamburg | EDI, E-Rechnung & IT-Services seit 2003" publisher: "" language: "de" generator: "easyPress Markdown" generator_version: "1.0.6" --- Switching EDI provider, how the migration runs without interruption =================================================================== Table of content ------------------ Many companies want to switch EDI provider but worry about the transition in live operations. Orders, despatch advices and invoices have to keep running while everything moves in the background. With a proper inventory and a parallel run, that is exactly what you can plan for, and your trading partners never notice. This article shows when a switch makes sense, how the migration works step by step and which points to settle before you give notice. **In short.** You can switch EDI provider without interrupting operations. The new provider builds your connections in parallel, tests them with your trading partners and moves them over one partner at a time. The best moment is an ERP project you are running anyway, or the preparation for the German e-invoicing rules from 1 January 2028, because interfaces and mappings are being reworked at that point in any case. What does switching EDI provider involve? ----------------------------------------- Switching EDI provider means moving all your electronic business messages from one EDI service provider to another. What moves is the connections to your trading partners, the mappings and the interface to your ERP system. Your partners, your message formats and your processes stay the same. When is switching EDI provider worth it? ---------------------------------------- In practice there are three typical triggers, and the switch rarely comes on its own. It usually rides along with another project. Best timing### An ERP project is coming up --- In a migration to SAP S/4HANA, for example, the interface to the EDI system is rebuilt anyway. At that moment the provider switch adds the least extra effort. 2028 deadline### E-invoicing is getting closer --- From 1 January 2028 an EDI invoice only counts as an e-invoice in Germany if all mandatory details can be extracted in full into a format compliant with EN 16931. If you are reviewing your INVOIC mapping for that, it makes sense to review the provider as well. Ongoing issue### Day-to-day operation takes too much time --- New partner connections take a long time, errors only surface at the customer, and requests pass through several hands. Dissatisfaction alone rarely triggers a switch. The deadlines that apply to EDI invoices are covered in our article on [EDIFACT and e-invoicing, what really applies in 2027 and 2028](https://besitec.com/edifact-e-invoicing-germany-2027-2028/). Switching EDI provider, what moves and what stays ------------------------------------------------- ### Stays unchanged - Trading partners and message types - Partner formats and specifications - Your identifier, for example the GLN - Your internal processes - The content of the messages ### Is rebuilt - Mappings from ERP to partner format - Transmission channels and certificates - Interface to the ERP, IDocs for instance - Monitoring and error handling - Contract and contact person For your trading partners, only the technical connection details change. Switching EDI provider in five steps ------------------------------------ Project start Go-live 1 Inventory ofyour setup 2 Build at thenew provider 3 Tests with thetrading partners 4 Parallel run andcutover 5 Shut down theold contract From step 3 the old system keeps running while the new connections are approved. 1. **Inventory of your setup**A list of all partners, message types, transmission channels and volumes, plus the contract term and notice period of your current provider. That list is the basis for a reliable quote. 2. **Build at the new provider**The new provider sets up the ERP interface and rebuilds the mappings, using your partner specifications and real sample messages from live operation. 3. **Tests with the trading partners**Every connection is tested, first technically, then on content with real documents. Large trading partners run their own approval processes with lead time and belong early in the schedule. 4. **Parallel run and cutover**The old system keeps running until the new connection is approved. If a test fails, that partner stays on the old route until it passes. 5. **Shut down the**Erst wenn alle Partner produktiv über den neuen Anbieter laufen, wird der alte Vertrag beendet. Your ERP unchanged Current provider runs until approval New provider build, test, approval Partner not moved test pending Partner moved live and approved During the parallel run both routes are active until every partner is approved. --- **Give notice only once the cutover plan is in place.** Terminating too early is the biggest avoidable risk in a provider switch. Testing against a fixed end date means negotiating with every partner under time pressure. --- Checklist before switching EDI provider --------------------------------------- - What notice period and remaining term does the current contract have? - Will your current provider hand over the mapping documentation and partner specifications? - Which partners run their own test and approval processes? - Who is your named contact at the new provider, during the project and afterwards in operation? - Does the new provider also cover e-invoicing and Peppol, so 2028 does not turn into a second project? - How is delivery monitored, and who gets in touch when something fails? - What does a new partner connection cost after the switch? Switching your EDI provider to BESITEC -------------------------------------- --- The work is clearly divided. You supply the documents from your current setup, we take care of the rest, including the coordination with your trading partners. ### What we need from you --- - A list of partners and message types - Partner specifications and sample messages - Access to the ERP interface - Contract details of your current provider ### What we take care of --- - Mappings and transmission channels - Coordination and testing with your partners - Cutover during the parallel run - Monitoring and e-invoice conversion Your partners rebuild nothing. We handle the move. BESITEC has been running EDI for mid-sized companies from Hamburg since 2003. Your connections run on our [EDI platform](https://besitec.com/edi-en/), with EDI, e-invoicing and Peppol from a single source. Your EDIFACT invoices stay as they are and we handle the conversion into an EN 16931 compliant format in the background. If a customer expects an XRechnung or delivery via Peppol instead, that comes out of the same data stream. Hosting exclusively in Germany, certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Why companies move to EDI in the first place is covered in [seven key reasons for a successful EDI implementation](https://besitec.com/7-gruende-fuer-eine-erfolgreiche-edi-implementierung/). The basics are explained in our [glossary](https://besitec.com/glossary/). Frequently asked questions about switching provider --------------------------------------------------- Can you switch EDI provider without interrupting operations?Yes. The new connections are built and tested in parallel. The old system stays active until every partner is approved on the new route. How long does switching EDI provider take?That depends on the number of trading partners and their test processes. The pace is usually set by the partners, not by the technology. An inventory of your setup gives you a reliable schedule. Do my trading partners have to change anything?Only the connection details, meaning the address and certificates of the new provider. Formats and message content stay the same. When is the best time to switch?Alongside an ERP project, or while preparing for the German e-invoicing rules from 1 January 2028. In both cases interfaces and mappings are being reworked anyway. What happens to my existing mappings?They are rebuilt at the new provider, based on your partner specifications and sample messages from live operation. Conclusion ---------- Switching EDI provider rarely fails on the technology, it fails on the order of events. Terminating first and planning afterwards means working against the clock. Starting with the inventory, involving the partners early and cutting over during a parallel run means the move stays invisible in day-to-day business. If an ERP project is coming up anyway, or the INVOIC mapping has to be checked for 2028, the moment is there. Thinking about switching your EDI provider? ------------------------------------------- --- We go through the inventory with you and give you a realistic schedule. With one named contact from the first conversation to go-live. [Book a call](https://calendly.com/jstamm/edi-analyse?back=1) Jannik Stamm Head of EDI [+49 40 359641 259](tel:+494035964125) Certified Peppol Access Point, certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022, hosting in Germany As of November 2026. All information without liability, not legal or tax advice. [ ZURÜCK ZU DEN NEWS ](https://besitec.com/aktuelles/)