The problem: fragmented data, endless manual work
In modern logistics, a single system is rarely enough. Orders come in via:
- Webshops (such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento)
- ERP systems (SAP, Exact, AFAS)
- Excel or CSV via email
- Fixed EDI streams such as EDIFACT
And on the other side, you want to automatically forward data to:
- Carriers (e.g. with shipping labels)
- Printers in the warehouse
- Customers via email
- External platforms or portals
- Document archives or accounting packages
📉 Without smart integrations, a tangle of manual tasks arises:
- Someone has to manually start exports
- Labels are printed manually
- Data is copy-pasted between systems
- Errors occur due to human interpretation
- No logging or insight into who did what and when
The solution: one central Exchange module for everything
To solve this, Babeldat developed a powerful component: Exchange.
👉 With it, you can configure imports and exports with smart pre- and post-processing actions — all without coding knowledge, and via a single intuitive interface.
How does it work?
For each import or export, you can define:
- 📥 What is imported/exported (orders, stock, shipments, customers, etc.)
- 🧹 Which pre-processing steps should occur (e.g., translate data fields, rename columns, filter records)
- 🔄 Which post-processing actions to perform (e.g., API call, send email, print label, FTP upload)
This component supports:
- EDIFACT import/export (e.g., DESADV, INVOIC, ORDERS, IFTMIN)
- REST & SOAP APIs (such as Shopify, Lightspeed, Magento, Exact Online, Transsmart, Sendcloud)
- File transfer via SFTP/FTP
- Email sending with attachments
- Direct printing to label or A4 printers in your warehouse
- Logging and retry mechanisms for error handling
🎯 Example 1: Shopify order import
Problem:
Webshop orders arrive via email or CSV, with delays and errors.
Solution via Exchange:
- REST API Shopify is linked to Exchange
- Orders are fetched automatically every 5 minutes
- Pre-processing: SKU translation, assign customer group
- Orders appear directly in the WMS, ready for picking
- Post-processing: customer receives confirmation and tracking link via email
📦 Example 2: EDIFACT DESADV export to retailer
Problem:
A major retail client (e.g., Lidl or Ahold) requires a correct DESADV shipping notice via EDI, or you risk fines or delays.
Solution via Exchange:
- Shipping triggers automatically initiate DESADV export after pick & pack
- Pre-processing: translate customer reference, add THT and batch per item
- Export is sent as EDIFACT via SFTP
- Post-processing: confirmation to your own system and email to client contact
📠 Example 3: Automatically print labels after import
Problem:
A CSV file with shipping labels must be uploaded and printed manually.
Solution via Exchange:
- File is automatically read from mailbox or FTP
- Pre-processing: standardize address fields, generate barcode
- Post-processing: label is printed directly on Zebra printer in shipping area
- Full logging: per shipment, printer, user
Why this is so powerful
- 🔧 Fully self-configurable: you decide what happens
- 🔄 Combine multiple actions in one flow: import → API call → email → print
- 🧱 No developer needed, everything configurable via UI
- 💡 Works with standards and custom solutions
- 🧾 Always fully logged: error messages, retries, and history per connection
Conclusion
Whether you work with EDI, API, FTP, printers, or email – the reality is: data must flow automatically, accurately, and in real time through your processes.
With the Exchange module from Babeldat, you stay in control — without relying on manual steps or third parties.
Data in, data out – exactly the way you want it.
