EDI / E-Invoicing

“When digitalisation is executed correctly, a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. When executed incorrectly, you end up with a faster caterpillar at best.”
– George Westerman

PHOENIX Pharmahandel GmbH & Co KG has launched an internal digitalisation project, which primarily focuses on expanding electronic data exchange with our SUPPLIERS. With the support of our service provider, COMARCH AG, we set ourselves the goal of optimising internal processes and working alongside our business partners to conserve resources. In addition to the economic advantages this will bring, we also aim to reduce our ecological footprint by optimising our processes.

Depending on your infrastructure and document volume, you as the SUPPLIER can choose between the following solution modules:

Classic EDI
Electronic data connection via a transmission channel to be defined (e.g. AS2 or OFTP).


 

Project scope:

  • Purchase orders (PHBEST)
  • Delivery notes (DESADV)
  • Invoices (INVOIC)
  • Optional: referrals (UEWAUF)

 

Recommended use:

  • Interface for SUPPLIERS with medium to high document volumes.

Web EDI
Intuitive, web-based solution that enables suppliers to exchange data electronically without any additional effort to connect to the system.


 

Project scope:

  • Purchase orders (web PHBEST)
  • Shipping notifications (web DESADV)
  • Invoices (web INVOIC)

 

Recommended use:

  • Web portal for SUPPLIERS with medium document volumes. It can also be used as a short-term interim solution until Classic EDI is implemented.

OCR (PDF)
Emailing of invoices and credit notes in PDF format. Please send your documents to the following email address:
hawa.phoenix(at)einvoicing.comarch.com


 

Project scope:

  • Invoices (PDF INVOIC)

 

Recommended use:

  • Suitable for SUPPLIERS with low to medium document volumes. It can also be used as a short-term interim solution until Classic EDI is implemented.

 

The following requirements must be met when sending PDF files*:

  • Only invoices and credit notes are to be sent as PDFs (preferably machine-readable)
  • Maximum of one invoice or credit note per document; multiple documents per email are permitted
  • Maximum file size per email: 25 MB
  • PDF resolution: 96–600 dpi
  • No zipped or password-protected files

* Please note: If one or more requirements are not met, you will receive an email with an error code. If this occurs, please check the error code and send the document again.

What happens next?

As a first step, please contact PHOENIX at digitalisierung(at)phoenixgroup.eu. We would be happy to arrange an initial meeting with you, during which we will explain the advantages of the various solution modules and then agree on the scope and time frame of the project.

Once the EDI model agreement has been signed, PHOENIX will contact COMARCH, the service provider. With the support of COMARCH, the technical connection is first set up and then checked to see whether any adjustments need to be made to the setup, for example, mapping in accordance with the MIGs (message implementation guides). Once the technical review by COMARCH has been successfully completed, the relevant PHOENIX department will carry out their functional review. If no errors occur during the subsequent test phase, the EDI connection for the relevant EDI message types can be set to active.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

  • 1. What do the terms EDI and e-invoicing mean?

    EDI, short for electronic data interchange, refers to the cross-company exchange of business documents in a standard format. The simple definition of EDI is: a standardised electronic format that replaces paper-based documents. By automating paper-based transactions, companies can save time and resources and also avoid costly errors caused by manual processing.

    E-invoicing, which forms part of electronic data exchange, refers to the issuing and processing of electronic invoices. In addition to Classic EDI, invoices and credit notes (INVOIC) can also be issued via the WebEDI (Web INVOIC) and OCR (PDF INVOIC) solution modules. In the OCR (optical character recognition) module, incoming PDF invoices and credit notes are read and processed by the downstream PHOENIX subsystems. Since this type of data reading involves a great deal of effort, we prefer to offer this solution as a short-term interim solution. In the medium term, however, the overarching goal is still to exchange electronic invoices in the Classic EDI format.

  • 2. What are the advantages of an EDI interface?

    By automating processes that were previously carried out manually using paper documents, EDI technology saves time and money.

    EDI solutions improve efficiency and productivity by allowing a greater number of business documents to be exchanged and processed in less time and with greater accuracy.

    EDI data transfer reduces errors thanks to strict standardisation. It ensures that information and data are formatted correctly before they are incorporated into business processes and applications.

    EDI integration improves traceability and reporting, as electronic documents are fed directly into the ERP or corresponding subsystems of the message recipient, significantly improving data collection, transparency,[A1]  and analysis in downstream systems.

    EDI automation contributes to a positive customer experience by enabling efficient execution of transactions and timely and reliable transmission of data.

  • 3. What role does COMARCH play in the digitalisation project?

    COMARCH, as a PHOENIX service provider, is responsible for the technical connection and subsequent testing of the following message types in Classic EDI:

    • Electronic purchase orders (PHBEST)
    • Electronic delivery notes (DESADV)
    • Electronic invoices (INVOIC)
    • Optional: electronic referrals (UEWAUF)

    In addition, in collaboration with COMARCH, solution modules such as WebEDI and OCR have also been developed. Should you have any questions about the advantages or individual modules, both COMARCH and PHOENIX will be happy to help you with your decision-making and subsequent implementation.

  • 4. Will COMARCH be involved in the implementation of all the measures for the digitalisation project?

    As the main service provider, COMARCH handles the technical connection and subsequent test phase for PHOENIX. COMARCH is therefore an integral part of the onboarding process. If you have any questions about the process and the general procedure, please feel free to contact your personal PHOENIX contact person.

  • 5. Can existing EDI connections with an existing provider continue to be used?

    In addition to a direct connection to COMARCH, we also offer the option of setting up an interface to an existing EDI provider (e.g. CANCOM or OPENTEXT) or other third-party service providers. If you are not sure whether an interconnection between your service provider and COMARCH already exists, please get in touch with your PHOENIX contact person.

  • 6. Which module solutions does PHOENIX offer in cooperation with COMARCH?

    COMARCH offers the Classic EDI and WebEDI modules for processing the standard EDI message types. For a short period of time, electronic invoicing can also be done by sending PDF invoices by email (OCR). In the medium term, however, the aim is still to exchange data via the EDI interface. Your personal PHOENIX contact person will be happy to explain the options available to you and the associated benefits.

  • 7. Is it still possible to send documents such as invoices and credit notes by post?

    As a leading pharmaceutical wholesaler, PHOENIX attaches great importance to reducing its ecological footprint and jointly optimising the entire supply chain. Since we will stop processing documents delivered by post in the medium term, we look forward to taking the next steps towards digitalisation alongside you.

  • 8. What are the costs of the connection via COMARCH?

    When PHOENIX designed the various solution modules, we wanted to convince as many of our SUPPLIERS as possible of the advantages of electronic data transmission. As an additional incentive (besides the benefits already mentioned), PHOENIX has therefore decided to cover both the one-off costs and the ongoing costs (e.g. monthly usage fees and variable costs per message) for SUPPLIERS when they integrate via our service provider COMARCH.

    This means that you will not incur any additional costs once you start using COMARCH’s standardised solution modules. When using Classic EDI, for example, one of the usual transmission channels (e.g. AS2, OFTP, SFTP) must be used and the structure of the corresponding EDI message types must be based on the standardised message formats (MIGs).

    If mapping or conversion adjustments are necessary because you have a different data structure, or if you would like an alternative data connection (e.g. VPN), COMARCH will check the technical possibilities and send you an offer for the additional services afterwards.

  • 9. Which EDI message types does Classic EDI support?
    • Electronic purchase orders (PHBEST)
    • Electronic delivery notes (DESADV)
    • Electronic invoices (INVOIC)
    • Optional: electronic referrals (UEWAUF)
  • 10. Which default communication channels does Classic EDI have?

    The following connections are offered:

    • AS2
    • OFTP
    • SFTP
  • 11. Is it mandatory to sign the EDI agreement?

    The EDI agreement is a standard contract that must be signed between PHOENIX and the SUPPLIER in accordance with the EU Directive. PHOENIX will provide you with the agreement at the start of the digitalisation project, and the address of your company and details of any other EDI providers or third-party service providers must be provided. You can then send us the signed contract as a scanned PDF document to the following email address: digitalisierung(at)phoenixgroup.eu

    After PHOENIX has countersigned, the onboarding process can begin.

  • 12. What is the BFA number and who assigns it?

    The BFA (the former Bundesversicherungsanstalt für Angestellte, or Federal Insurance Institution for Salaried Employees) number is an 8-digit insurance number that is issued on a one-time basis for each legally independent company. It is a unique identification number used for EDI data transfer with pharmaceutical wholesalers and can be obtained from your HR or tax department.

  • 13. Can I opt for a different module even if the EDI agreement has already been signed?

    To ensure that we can adapt to the needs and IT resources of our SUPPLIERS, a module change is possible at any time, even after the EDI agreement has been signed.

Anton FaberProject manager
COMARCH AG
+49 351 3201 3244phoenix_onboarding(at)comarch.com
Christian RennerProject Manager, Strategic Purchasing
PHOENIX Pharmahandel GmbH & Co KG
+49 621 8505 8155digitalisierung(at)phoenixgroup.eu