Supplier Onboarding Operations Guide

Overview

This guide provides step-by-step procedures for operations teams to onboard new suppliers to the Pinchos EDIFACT processing system. This is the operational workflow - not the technical implementation.

Quick Reference

📞 Contact Information

Operations Support: edi-operations@pinchos.se

Technical Support: edi-support@pinchos.se

Business Development: suppliers@pinchos.se

⏱️ Standard Timelines

Initial Response: Within 4 hours

Technical Setup: 1-2 business days

Testing Phase: 2-3 business days

Go-Live: 1 business day after successful testing

Total Onboarding: 5-7 business days

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Pre-Onboarding Checklist

✅ Before Starting Each Onboarding

[ ] System Health Check

[ ] All processing services operational

[ ] No outstanding system alerts

[ ] Monitoring dashboards showing green status

[ ] Recent processing volumes within normal ranges

[ ] Documentation Current

[ ] Supplier integration guide up to date

[ ] Technical specifications current

[ ] Sample files and templates available

[ ] Contact information verified

[ ] Support Team Ready

[ ] Technical support available for testing phase

[ ] Escalation procedures confirmed

[ ] Monitoring alerts configured for new supplier

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Onboarding Process

📝 Step 1: Initial Contact and Requirements Gathering

#### Information to Collect:

Company Details:

[ ] Legal company name

[ ] Display name (if different)

[ ] Business registration number

[ ] GLN (Global Location Number) if available

[ ] Primary market: SE, NO, DK, FI, DE

Contact Information:

[ ] Primary contact (name, email, phone)

[ ] Processing notifications email (automated reports)

[ ] Technical contact (name, email, phone for urgent issues)

[ ] Preferred communication language

Business Requirements:

[ ] Product categories and estimated volume

[ ] Update frequency (daily, weekly, monthly)

[ ] Special requirements or constraints

[ ] Target go-live date

Integration Method Selection:

[ ] AS2 Protocol (recommended for enterprises)

[ ] Existing AS2 infrastructure? (Yes/No)

[ ] Preferred AS2 Station ID

[ ] X.509 certificate available? (Yes/No)

[ ] SFTP Upload (file-based integration)

[ ] SSH public key available? (Yes/No)

[ ] Preferred file formats: EDIFACT, UBL, Excel, CSV

[ ] Peppol Network (UBL catalogues)

[ ] Existing Peppol registration? (Yes/No)

[ ] GLN identifier confirmed

[ ] Excel/CSV Upload (simplified for small suppliers)

[ ] Technical capability for spreadsheet management

#### Documentation to Send:

[ ] Supplier Integration Guide (appropriate for chosen method)

[ ] Technical specifications and requirements

[ ] Sample files and templates

[ ] Testing timeline and expectations

[ ] Support contact information

🔧 Step 2: Technical Configuration

#### Use the Operations Dashboard:

Access the Supplier Management Interface

Navigate to: https://ops.edifact.pinchos.se/suppliers

Click "Add New Supplier"

Enter Supplier Information

Fill in all collected company and contact details

Select integration method(s)

Set market and currency preferences

Configure Integration Method

For AS2 Integration:

[ ] Upload supplier's X.509 certificate

[ ] Set AS2 Station ID (must be unique)

[ ] Configure message frequency preferences

[ ] Test certificate validity

For SFTP Integration:

[ ] Upload supplier's SSH public key OR

[ ] Generate new SSH key pair (system will email private key)

[ ] Set username (auto-generated: [supplier-id]-sftp)

[ ] Configure directory access permissions

For Peppol Integration:

[ ] Verify GLN registration

[ ] Configure Qvalia account mapping

[ ] Set catalogue fetch schedule

For Excel/CSV Integration:

[ ] Generate SFTP credentials (same as SFTP method)

[ ] Provide Excel template download link

[ ] Configure validation rules

Generate Access Credentials

[ ] System automatically generates secure credentials

[ ] Credentials stored in encrypted storage

[ ] Email sent to supplier's technical contact

[ ] Backup credentials stored in operations vault

Deploy Configuration

[ ] Click "Deploy Configuration"

[ ] Wait for deployment confirmation (usually 2-3 minutes)

[ ] Verify supplier appears in active suppliers list

#### Verify Configuration:

[ ] AS2 Profile: Check AS2 station appears in Transfer Family console

[ ] SFTP User: Verify user created with correct permissions

[ ] Credentials: Confirm secure storage and email delivery

[ ] Monitoring: Supplier added to monitoring dashboards

🧪 Step 3: Testing Phase

#### Coordinate Testing with Supplier:

Send Test Environment Details

[ ] Test server endpoints and credentials

[ ] Sample test files appropriate for their integration method

[ ] Testing checklist and success criteria

[ ] Direct contact for testing support

Monitor Test Execution

[ ] Real-time Monitoring: Watch processing dashboard during tests

[ ] Log Review: Check for any errors or warnings

[ ] Performance Check: Verify processing times within acceptable limits

[ ] Email Notifications: Confirm automated reports sent correctly

Test Validation Checklist

For AS2 Testing:

[ ] Message received and parsed successfully

[ ] MDN acknowledgment sent back to supplier

[ ] Products imported into database correctly

[ ] No certificate or encryption issues

For SFTP Testing:

[ ] Supplier can connect with provided credentials

[ ] File upload to correct directory successful

[ ] Processing pipeline handles file correctly

[ ] No permission or access issues

For Excel/CSV Testing:

[ ] Template downloaded and completed correctly

[ ] Data validation passes without errors

[ ] Products imported with correct formatting

[ ] Error handling tested with invalid data

Test Results Review

[ ] Processing Report: Generate and review automated processing report

[ ] Error Analysis: Address any issues found during testing

[ ] Performance Review: Confirm processing times acceptable

[ ] Supplier Confirmation: Get written confirmation tests passed

#### Common Testing Issues and Solutions:

Connection Problems:

Check network connectivity and firewall rules

Verify credentials were received and entered correctly

Test with alternative connection methods if available

File Format Issues:

Review file against provided samples and specifications

Check character encoding (UTF-8 for CSV files)

Validate EDIFACT syntax and mandatory segments

Processing Errors:

Review error logs for specific issues

Check product data quality and required fields

Verify GTIN codes and pricing information

🚀 Step 4: Production Go-Live

#### Pre-Go-Live Checklist:

[ ] All tests completed successfully

[ ] Supplier confirmed ready for production

[ ] Production credentials generated (separate from test)

[ ] Go-live date and time confirmed

[ ] Support team notified and available

[ ] Monitoring alerts configured for new supplier

#### Go-Live Process:

Generate Production Credentials

[ ] Use operations dashboard to generate production access

[ ] Send production credentials to supplier

[ ] Deactivate test credentials

[ ] Update supplier status to "Production"

Monitor Initial Production Usage

[ ] First 24 Hours: Monitor closely for any issues

[ ] Processing Metrics: Track success rates and performance

[ ] Error Monitoring: Watch for any new error patterns

[ ] Supplier Communication: Check in after first successful processing

Go-Live Confirmation

[ ] First file processed successfully

[ ] Automated reports sent correctly

[ ] No critical errors or performance issues

[ ] Supplier confirms satisfaction with go-live

#### Post-Go-Live Tasks:

[ ] Update supplier record: Mark onboarding complete

[ ] Add to regular monitoring: Include in daily operational reviews

[ ] Schedule follow-up: 1-week and 1-month check-ins

[ ] Document any special considerations: Add notes to supplier profile

📊 Step 5: Ongoing Operations

#### Regular Monitoring:

[ ] Daily: Check processing success rates and volumes

[ ] Weekly: Review error patterns and performance trends

[ ] Monthly: Generate processing reports for supplier

[ ] Quarterly: Review integration efficiency and optimization opportunities

#### Maintenance Activities:

[ ] Credential Rotation: Automated for SFTP (365 days), manual for AS2

[ ] Certificate Renewal: Monitor AS2 certificate expiry dates

[ ] Capacity Planning: Track volume growth and system capacity

[ ] Documentation Updates: Keep guides current with any changes

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Quality Assurance

🔒 Security Checklist

[ ] Credentials secured: All access keys encrypted and stored properly

[ ] Access minimal: Suppliers can only access their designated areas

[ ] Certificates valid: AS2 certificates current and properly configured

[ ] Audit trail: All configuration changes logged and traceable

⚡ Performance Standards

[ ] Processing time: < 30 seconds for typical catalogue files

[ ] Success rate: > 99% of files processed without errors

[ ] Response time: < 4 hours for support requests during business hours

[ ] Uptime: > 99.9% system availability

📧 Communication Standards

[ ] Response times: Initial response within 4 hours

[ ] Status updates: Regular communication during onboarding

[ ] Documentation: All procedures documented and accessible

[ ] Escalation: Clear escalation path for complex issues

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Troubleshooting

🚨 Common Issues During Onboarding

#### Credential Issues:


Problem: Supplier cannot connect with provided credentials
Solution:
Verify credentials were received correctly

Check email spam/junk folders

Regenerate credentials if necessary

Test connection from operations environment

Check firewall and network connectivity

#### File Processing Issues:


Problem: Files uploaded but not processing
Solution:
Check file naming convention compliance

Verify file format and structure

Review processing logs for specific errors

Test with known-good sample file

Check supplier directory permissions

#### Integration Method Issues:


Problem: Chosen integration method not working as expected
Solution:
Review technical requirements with supplier

Consider alternative integration method

Provide additional technical support

Escalate to development team if needed

Document lessons learned for future onboardings

📞 Escalation Procedures

#### Level 1 - Operations Team (0-4 hours)

Standard onboarding issues

Configuration problems

Credential management

Contact: edi-operations@pinchos.se

#### Level 2 - Technical Support (4-24 hours)

Complex technical issues

Integration problems

System errors

Contact: edi-support@pinchos.se

#### Level 3 - Development Team (24-48 hours)

System bugs or limitations

New feature requirements

Architecture changes

Contact: Internal escalation only

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Success Metrics

📈 Onboarding KPIs

Average Onboarding Time: Target < 5 business days

First-Time Test Success: Target > 90%

Go-Live Success Rate: Target 100%

Supplier Satisfaction: Target > 95% positive feedback

📊 Operational Metrics

Processing Success Rate: Target > 99%

Average Processing Time: Target < 30 seconds

Support Response Time: Target < 4 hours

System Uptime: Target > 99.9%

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Document Version: 1.0
Last Updated: August 26, 2025
Next Review: November 26, 2025
Owner: Operations Team