SPS COMMERCE
EDI TESTING & CERTIFICATION
USER GUIDE
TESTING & CERTIFICATION
EDI Testing & Certification is the service through which SPS Commerce prepares suppliers, vendors, carriers, and
other parties to meet the EDI compliance requirements of their Trading Partners.
Use this comprehensive guide to navigate the specific document requirements for your individual trading partner
relationships.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome 2
Navigating Your Account 3
Testing Process 3
Testing Begins 4
Determine Your Testing Process 4
Return Documents 5-6
Customizing Your Test Data 6
Item Testing Spreadsheet 6
Inputting Item Data 7-8
Initiating Test Documents 8
Common Testing Errors 9
Documents Not Posting to Portal 9-10
997s Not Posting to Portal 10
Documents Not Posting to Correct Scenario 11
Shipping Labels & Packing Slips 11
Testing Complete 11
Testing & Certification
MESSENGER editesting@[Link]
If you have questions, please chat us from the Testing
and Certification portal by clicking the Messenger icon Production Support
in the lower right-hand corner of your screen.
1-888-739-3232
support@[Link]
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WELCOME
Welcome to EDI Testing and Certification with SPS Commerce! Testing and Certification is the premiere onboarding
solution designed to certify your existing EDI solution according to your Trading Partner’s requirements.
The success of your business depends on the timely and accurate sending of information. We are here to help you navigate
the testing process and take the worry out of certification and onboarding.
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NAVIGATING YOUR ACCOUNT
Click here to review the Navigating Your Account module within the EDI Testing and Certification Training Course.
If you are having issues viewing this module and/or the EDI Testing and Certification Course, click here to be
automatically enrolled.
Once you have accessed the course, expand the Welcome section and click Navigating Your Account.
THE TESTING PROCESS
You must complete testing before your deadline to avoid additional fees.
All testing must be complete by your Retailer’s Production Ready Date, or
by your SPS Commerce Contract Date.
The Production Ready Date is set by your Trading Partner.
The Contract Date is dictated by your SPS Commerce
testing contract.
The Production Ready Date can be located within your contact.
If you do not have a Production Ready Date within your contract,
you will receive an email containing the date.
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TESTING BEGINS
The testing process begins when either you or SPS Commerce initiates testing. This will depend on your established
contract and the provisioned access within the Testing and Certification portal.
The testing progress may begin with SPS Commerce transmitting test documents to you. You will respond with your
return documents via the same route you received the original test documents.
Alternatively, you may initiate the testing process if you have access to the Company Details and Item Data tabs within
the platform.
DETERMINE YOUR TESTING PROCESS
1. Login to Commerce Platform, click the Testing and Certification tile
2. Click the Trading Partners tab
3. If you have access to the Company Details and Item Data tabs, you will initiate testing.
SPS Commerce Initiates Testing You Initiate Testing
RETURN DOCUMENTS
The Testing Portal in your Testing and Certification account will indicate which return documents are expected for your
specific testing scenarios.
Return test documents must be sent via the same route you received the original test file, either via VAN, FTP, or AS2.
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TESTING BEGINS
RETURN DOCUMENTS – CONTINUED
Before creating any return documents, reference your intended Trading Partner’s Specifications.
To locate your Trading Partner’s Specifications, follow the steps below:
1. Login to Commerce Platform, click the Testing and Certification tile
2. Click into the Trading Partners tab
3. Click on the name of the Trading Partner
4. Click Testing Scenarios
5. On the right-hand side of the screen you will find the SPECIFICATIONS section
6. To view the Specifications, click on the link(s)
Reviewing Specifications is a best practice that will reduce the number of document submissions
required to become compliant with your Trading Partner.
The Testing Scenarios tab in your Testing and Certification account will indicate which return documents are
expected for your specific testing scenarios.
All documents mandated by your Retailer are required. SPS Commerce is not able to approve
document exemptions, only your Retail Trading Partner can approve document exemptions.
If you are unable to support a document, SPS Commerce offers a Fulfillment service to allow
you to comply. Please contact your SPS Commerce Testing Consultant for more information.
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CUSTOMIZING YOUR TEST DATA
SPS Commerce is often able to customize your test data, making it more realistic and similar to what you will be
seeing once in Production.
Depending on your provisioned access, steps for customizing your data will vary.
1. Login to Commerce Platform, click the Testing and Certification tile
2. Click into the Trading Partners tab
3. Select the Trading Partner’s profile for which you wish to setup item data
4. If your portal matches the below screenshot, follow the steps below.
If your portal does not match this image,
continue to Page 7
TESTING ITEM SPREADSHEET
To populate your item data into Test Purchase Orders, provide item information by completing the Testing Item
Spreadsheet.
The Testing Item Spreadsheet can be found in your email communications from your Testing Consultant.
Enter your item data into the yellow
highlighted rows. Complete all
mandatory columns and rows. Cells
will me marked as Mandatory,
Optional, or Conditional.
When entering item data, refer to your
Trading Partner’s Specifications. This
will note minimum and maximum
characters, accepted Units of Measure
(UOM), and other general
requirements.
Item data must be completed in
UPPERCASE letters.
If SPS Commerce does not receive your Testing Item Spreadsheet, generic item information will be
sent on your Test Purchase Orders. Generic item data will satisfy all testing requirements, but we have
found most suppliers prefer to test using their own item information.
CONTINUE TO COMMON TESTING ERRORS ON PAGE 9
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CUSTOMIZING YOUR TEST DATA
SPS Commerce is often able to customize your test data, making it more realistic and similar to what you will be
seeing in Production.
Depending on your provisions access, steps for customizing your data will vary.
1. Login to Commerce Platform, click the Testing and Certification tile
2. Click into the Trading Partners tab
3. Click the Trading Partner’s profile for which you wish to setup item data for
4. If your portal matches the below screenshot, follow the steps below
If your portal does not match this image,
return to page 7, or continue to page 9
INPUTTING ITEM DATA
You must complete the tabs from left to right in order to successfully setup your Item Data.
1. Click Edit on the Setup Details tab and complete all mandatory fields
2. Click into the Company Details tab and click the pencil icon
o Enter your Vendor Number, ISA, and Supplier GLN
o Click Save
3. Click into the Item Data tab
4. Select Custom Data SPS Commerce recommends using your item
data, however the Testing Portal will default to SPS Generated Data.
5. Click the pencil icon
6. Input your customized Item Data
7. Click Save
8. Repeat for all Test Items
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CUSTOMIZING YOUR TEST DATA
INPUTTING ITEM DATA – CONTINUED
If any of the Item Statuses show as Incomplete, click the pencil icon and complete the remaining required fields.
INITIATING TEST DOCUMENTS
The following information only applies to those provisioned with access to the Company Details and Item Data tabs –
if you do not have access, continue to page 9.
You must complete the Item Data tab before initiating your Test Documents.
1. Click into the Testing Scenarios tab
2. Click Send All Test Documents
You may also initiate test documents individually
3. As the documents are generating, click Refresh Test Results to view completed Test Documents
Ensure your EDI connection is ready to
received data from the Test ID sent in
your EDI Testing Information email.
You may change your item details or resend test documents at any time.
If testing scenarios contain an Option A or Option B,
complete only one of these testing scenarios.
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COMMON TESTING ERRORS
Documents should appear in the Activity tab within one hour of being sent.
Documents will appear along the timeline with a time stamp, status icon, and additional information about the
document.
Inbound (left-arrow) and Unable to determine Successful Errored documents.
Outbound (right-arrow) correct testing Document Reach out to Testing
documents scenario Consultant
Not seeing your document(s)? Continue to the next section for the most common reasons documents
may not post to the Activity tab.
DOCUMENTS NOT POSTING TO PORTAL
If documents have not posted to the Activity Tab within one hour of being sent:
o Make sure you have the correct sender and receiver ISA or GS IDs and that you are sending to your
Trading Partner’s TESTING ID
o Check for incorrect EDI Version
o Example: 5010 vs 4010
o Look for errors within Pack Structure and HL loops
o Confirm the Trading Partnership is set up to send document to SPS Commerce via VAN (Commercevan)
connection, AS2 mailbox, or FTP folder.
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COMMON TESTING ERRORS
DOCUMENTS NOT POSTING TO PORTAL – CONTINUED
o Look for incorrect Purchase Order numbers and follow test case matrices closely.
o Matrices and the required documents were provided in an email communication from your Testing
Consultant.
o Check for bad delimiters. For testing purposes, use standard common delimiters, like the asterisk, for
element separators.
o Watch for batched documents. For testing purposes, send documents individually to allow for correct
testing scenario processing.
o Verify your mapping to the Specification in the Testing Portal. Missing documents typically indicate incorrect
data formatting in the documents sent.
997s NOT POSTING TO PORTAL
In order for 997s to post to your Testing Portal, you must send the 997 within 14 days of receiving an Order. If you have
not received 997s within the Testing Portal:
o Confirm you have the correct sender and receiver ISA or GS IDs and are sending to your Trading
Partner’s TESTING ID
o Check the EDI Version
o Example: 5010 vs 4010
o Watch for batched documents. For testing purposes, send documents individually to allow for correct
testing scenario processing.
o Look for a missing AK2 segment. The below items should be translated over from the original document:
If you need further assistance with missing documents
after confirming the above, use the Messenger icon in the
lower right-hand corner of the Testing Portal, or contact
your Testing Consultant.
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COMMON TESTING ERRORS
DOCUMENTS NOT POSTING TO THE CORRECT SCENARIO
If documents have not posted to the correct Testing Scenario, it may be due to:
o Incorrect Purchase Order Number
o Failing to meet requirements, such as specific values for elements
Review your Trading Partner’s Specifications in the Testing Portal and verify the maps created meet your
Retailer’s requirements.
SHIPPING LABELS & PACKING SLIPS
For testing purposes, SPS Commerce requires an electronic copy and a hard-copy of the
4x6” Shipping Label and an electronic copy of the Packing Slip.
The Shipping Labels and Packing Slips must match their requirements exactly.
Review the Specifications if needed.
1. Submit an electronic copy of the Shipping Label via Email or via Messenger.
2. Once your Shipping Label format has been approved electronically, send one physical copy,
printed on a 4x6” label stock to:
SPS Commerce, Inc.
Attn: Bar Code Label Testing
C/O “Supplier Company Name – Retailer Company Name’ – Testing
333 South Seventh Street
Suite 1000
Minneapolis, MN 55402
TESTING COMPLETE
Once Testing is complete, SPS Commerce will send you a certification notice. Your
Trading Partner will also receive a copy.
Your Trading Partner will contact you directly regarding your go-live date. Some
Retailers will reach out within days, other retailers can take up to a few weeks to
contact you.
If after completing testing you do not receive your orders or don’t receive EDI orders,
please contact your buyer.
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