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Pacific Commerce – FAQs
General Questions
What is Pacific Commerce?
Pacific Commerce is an Australian-owned provider of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) solutions, AP automation and digitalisation services with over 30 years of experience. We help businesses across healthcare, retail, wholesale, manufacturing and logistics industries streamline their procurement processes and reduce operational costs and enhance efficiency.
What services does Pacific Commerce offer?
Pacific Commerce provides a comprehensive suite of services including EDI solutions for connecting trading partners, PEPPOL e-invoicing for government transactions, accounts payable (AP) automation through our Clearway platform, digital mailroom services, master data management with Boulevard and Distributor and data digitalisation through our Document Capture & Scanning service.
What industries does Pacific Commerce serve?
We serve multiple industries including healthcare, retail, timber and hardware, wholesale, manufacturing, third-party logistics, transport logistics and government agencies. We have dedicated industry exchanges for health (PHE), retail (PCX), timber and hardware (T&HE) and NARTA retailers.
Is Pacific Commerce an Australian company?
Yes, Pacific Commerce is 100% Australian-owned and operated. All client data is stored and processed onshore in Australia, ensuring compliance with local data sovereignty requirements and providing dedicated local support that understands the unique challenges of Australian businesses.
What certifications does Pacific Commerce hold?
Pacific Commerce is ISO27001 certified, demonstrating our commitment to strict information security, privacy and data management controls. We are also a GS1 Business Alliance Partner and National Product Catalogue Strategic Alliance Partner, keeping us at the forefront of industry standards. Additionally, we are an accredited PEPPOL Access Point for Australian Government transactions.
What ERP and accounting systems does Pacific Commerce integrate with?
Our solutions are system agnostic and integrate with all major ERP/CRM/accounting platforms including Odoo, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, Zoho Books, FreshBooks, NetSuite, Oracle JD Edwards and e-commerce platforms like Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Amazon and eBay.
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) Questions
What is EDI and how does it work?
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the automated, computer-to-computer exchange of business documents between trading partners in a standardised electronic format. It facilitates the exchange of documents such as purchase orders, invoices and advanced shipping notices, eliminating manual data entry, reducing errors and speeding up transactions.
Why should my business use EDI?
EDI reduces manual data entry and errors, automates workflows, increases supply chain visibility, decreases processing costs, improves bottom line profits and enables faster transactions with trading partners. Benefits include increased efficiency and productivity with faster order-to-cash and procure-to-pay cycles, reduced manual labour, cost reduction through elimination of paper documents (printing, postage, storage), increased compliance and accuracy and better supply chain visibility with real-time information about orders, shipments and inventory levels.
What is an EDI VAN and why use one?
An EDI VAN (Value-Added Network) is a secure network that facilitates the exchange of EDI documents between trading partners. Pacific Commerce operates certified GS1 EDI VANs, including the major EDI VAN for health (PHE) and timber & hardware (T&HE) industries in Australia. Outsourcing to a VAN provides expertise in EDI standards and protocols, scalability to handle varying transaction volumes, advanced security protocols, reliable network infrastructure and additional services like data mapping, translation and document management.
Can Pacific Commerce connect to major Australian retailers?
Yes, Pacific Commerce can connect to all major Australian retailers and businesses through our dedicated exchanges. We connect businesses to retailers including Woolworths, Coles, Big W, Target, Kmart, Bunnings, Mitre 10, Home Hardware, Aldi, Amazon, 7-Eleven and many more through our Pacific Commerce Exchange (PCX).
What is Pacific Health Exchange (PHE)?
The Pacific Health Exchange is our dedicated EDI service designed specifically for the Australian healthcare industry. It is the only dedicated EDI exchange for healthcare, facilitating the sending and receiving of procurement documents between medical suppliers, pharmacies, hospitals and healthcare wholesalers. PHE seamlessly integrates with the National Product Catalogue (NPC) and connects businesses with partners like Priceline Pharmacy, Chemist Warehouse, Sigma Healthcare, API, Ramsay Healthcare and St Vincent's Hospital.
What is the Timber & Hardware Exchange (T&HE)?
The Timber & Hardware Exchange is a dedicated B2B EDI service for timber and hardware suppliers, wholesalers and manufacturers to trade easily with Mitre 10 and Home Hardware stores (part of the Independent Hardware Group/Metcash). It handles document translation through any-to-any translation capability, formatting files in EDI, XML, flat files, or proprietary formats and supports cataloguing for effective product information management.
What is the NARTA Trading Exchange?
The NARTA Trading Exchange allows businesses to trade directly with all retailers affiliated with the National Associated Retail Traders of Australia (NARTA), providing seamless EDI connectivity for this specific retail network.
What EDI documents does Pacific Commerce support?
We support all standard EDI documents including purchase orders (PO), purchase order responses (POR), invoices, advanced shipping notices (ASN), inventory reports, order acknowledgments and catalogues, customised to your industry requirements.
How does Pacific Commerce ensure EDI data security?
Pacific Commerce is ISO27001 (Information Security Management System – ISMS) certified. We strictly conform to ISO27001 standards, ensuring best-practice systems manage risks related to data security. We employ advanced security protocols including encryption, secure authentication, digital audit trails and all data is stored and processed onshore in Australia with continuous monitoring.
How long does it take to set up EDI?
EDI setup times vary depending on complexity, but our experienced team works efficiently to onboard new trading partners. We provide dedicated local support throughout the implementation process including mapping, testing, integration with your ERP or accounting system and ensuring smooth data flow before going live.
Is EDI suitable for small businesses?
Yes, EDI is suitable for organisations of all sizes that engage in frequent electronic data exchange with trading partners. Pacific Commerce's flexible solutions can be tailored to businesses of any size and our system-agnostic approach means you can maintain your current systems while connecting with all your trading partners.
PEPPOL E-Invoicing Questions
What is PEPPOL e-invoicing?
PEPPOL (Pan European Public Procurement Online) is a global e-procurement framework that standardises the way electronic business documents (e.g. e-invoices, purchase orders) are exchanged between business partners. It has been adopted by some Australian government agencies to streamline procurement processes, improve payment times and has been implemented in over 32 countries worldwide.
How does PEPPOL differ from sending a PDF invoice?
A PDF invoice is typically created manually in a non-structured format and requires manual data extraction and entry, which is time-consuming and error-prone. PEPPOL uses structured and standardised data formats for secure EDI exchange between trading partners. Once sent through the PEPPOL network, invoices are directly integrated into the recipient's financial system for automated processing, resulting in standardisation, automation, cost savings, accuracy, compliance and faster payment cycles.
How quickly will I get paid using PEPPOL?
The Australian Government has committed to processing supplier payments within five business days for invoices received via the PEPPOL system, compared to the previous minimum of 30 days. This represents a 90% improvement in payment cycles, helping inject funds directly back into your business.
Is Pacific Commerce an accredited PEPPOL Access Point?
Yes, Pacific Commerce is one of Australia's accredited PEPPOL Access Points, certified to provide PEPPOL e-invoicing services to all levels of Australian Government and all suppliers.
Do I need to change my ERP or accounting system to use PEPPOL?
No, our PEPPOL solution is system agnostic, meaning there is no need to purchase any new software. You can send invoices in any format from your existing system and our certified PEPPOL Access Point will handle the conversion and transmission to any Australian Government agency.
What types of documents can be processed through PEPPOL?
PEPPOL supports the processing of various business documents including purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices and catalogues. The specific document types that can be processed may vary depending on implementation and requirements. Reach out to us for more details.
How secure is Pacific Commerce's PEPPOL Access Point?
PEPPOL incorporates security measures including TLS encryption, digital signatures, secure authentication, trusted participants, compliance with standards and regulations, secure data centres and ongoing monitoring and auditing. These measures protect against unauthorised access, tampering and data breaches. Additionally, Pacific Commerce is ISO27001 certified with robust security processes in place.
What support does Pacific Commerce provide for PEPPOL implementation?
Our friendly team guides and supports you through the entire PEPPOL connection process, including project implementation plans, user guides and training sessions to inform you and your team on how to use the system effectively.
AP Automation Questions
What is AP automation?
AP (Accounts Payable) automation is the technology-driven process of capturing, converting and approving invoices electronically, eliminating manual data entry and paper-based workflows. It provides complete visibility into AP processes while reducing processing times and costs.
How much does AP automation cost?
Pacific Commerce offers flexible, customised pricing based on your specific needs with no upfront setup or installation fees. We operate on a user-pays model per invoice processed, making it cost-effective for businesses of all sizes.
What are the benefits of AP automation?
Benefits include reduced invoice processing times, lower labour costs, better negotiation of payment terms, immediate invoice visibility, reduced errors, paperless operations and the ability to search and retrieve old invoices easily.
How many invoices do I need to justify AP automation?
To maximise the cost benefits and achieve economies of scale through our platform, we typically work with businesses processing at least 1,000 invoices per month with at least 4 AP staff members. However, we can tailor solutions for various business sizes and volumes.
Does Pacific Commerce process invoices offshore?
No, Pacific Commerce processes all data onshore in Australia. We are committed to local data processing and storage, with staff who perform police checks, ensuring security and compliance.
Can AP automation integrate with my existing systems?
Yes, we can tailor AP automation solutions to integrate with your existing accounting and ERP systems, creating a seamless workflow that fits your business processes.
What product does Pacific Commerce use for its AP automation service?
Pacific Commerce uses Clearway, our proprietary intelligent invoice management platform, to deliver AP automation services. Clearway is specifically designed to transform invoice processing from manual, multi-day workflows into automated, same-day processing. The platform combines advanced data capture technology with intelligent approval workflows, providing a complete end-to-end AP automation solution that integrates seamlessly with your existing systems.
What is Clearway?
Clearway is Pacific Commerce's intelligent invoice management platform that automates the entire accounts payable process. It transforms invoice processing from taking multiple days down to same-day processing by automating data capture, validation and approval workflows in a single secure application. Using advanced data capture technology, Clearway intelligently processes invoices regardless of format (handwritten, printed, PDF, or EDI).
How does Clearway differ from traditional AP automation?
Unlike traditional AP systems, Clearway combines intelligent data capture with automated approval workflows in one platform. It eliminates manual data entry, improves data accuracy by up to 70% and provides real-time spend visibility through a centralised dashboard, allowing your AP team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than paperwork. The platform also includes customisable workflows to match your specific business processes.
What types of invoices can Clearway process?
Clearway processes invoices in multiple formats including paper invoices (via scanning), PDF invoices, electronic invoices and EDI. The system intelligently extracts essential information regardless of format, making it versatile for businesses receiving invoices from various suppliers with different systems.
How does Clearway's approval workflow work?
Clearway's automated approval workflow begins by capturing and uploading invoices to a centralised dashboard. Invoices are then intelligently routed for approval based on predefined business rules and automatically assigned to relevant managers. The system supports robust two-way or three-way matching with purchase orders and/or goods receipts to ensure accuracy. For larger invoices, Clearway supports multiple levels of approval to maintain financial control, with all invoices tracked for easy status monitoring and follow-up.
How quickly can Clearway process invoices?
Clearway dramatically reduces processing times, transforming workflows that typically take multiple days into same-day processing. The platform helps eliminate delays, improve payment timelines and speed up your approval process, leading to happier suppliers and better business relationships.
Does Clearway integrate with our existing accounting system?
Yes, Clearway is designed to integrate seamlessly with ERP and accounting systems including SAP, Odoo, Microsoft Dynamics and all major platforms. Our team works with you to ensure smooth integration with your existing technology infrastructure without disrupting current operations.
What visibility does Clearway provide into AP processes?
Clearway provides real-time visibility into purchase orders, invoices and goods received through a centralised dashboard. All invoices are instantly searchable and categorised, at your fingertips, empowering you to streamline financial operations and make informed decisions. The platform also provides an audit trail showing areas where efficiencies could be further gained, helping your AP team identify bottlenecks in their workflow.
Can Clearway handle approval workflows?
Yes, Clearway automates approval workflows based on your business rules. The system routes invoices to appropriate approvers, can be customised to suit your specific workflow, sends automated reminders and tracks the entire approval chain, ensuring accountability and faster processing with a complete audit trail.
How does Clearway improve supplier relationships?
By enabling same-day processing and faster payment cycles, Clearway helps you pay suppliers on time or even early. This improves supplier relationships and can lead to better payment terms, early payment discounts and stronger trading partner connections. Happy suppliers mean happy business!
Is Clearway suitable for businesses drowning in paper invoices?
Absolutely. Clearway is specifically designed for businesses overwhelmed by paper or PDF invoices. It eliminates the manual data entry burden, reduces storage requirements and creates a paperless, searchable invoice archive.
What ROI can I expect from Clearway?
Clients typically see measurable ROI within 6 months through reduced labour costs, elimination of late payment penalties, capture of early payment discounts, improved cash flow management and increased AP team productivity that allows focus on higher-value activities.
How secure is invoice data in Clearway?
Clearway operates under Pacific Commerce's ISO27001 certification, ensuring the highest standards for information security and data management. All data is processed and stored onshore in Australia with strict access controls and audit trails.
Can Clearway help with invoice matching and reconciliation?
Yes, Clearway automates the matching of invoices to purchase orders and receipts, flagging discrepancies for review. This three-way matching capability reduces errors and ensures you only pay for what you have actually ordered and received.
Data Digitalisation & Document Capture Questions
What is data digitalisation?
Data digitalisation is the process of converting physical or analogue information (paper documents, handwritten notes or analogue recordings) into digital format, enabling easy storage, retrieval and analysis of data. It differs from traditional data processing methods which involve manual handling of physical documents and data entry, leading to slower processing and higher chances of errors.
What is Document Capture (DCX)?
Document Capture is our service that scans and converts business documents into ready-to-use digital formats that are editable, searchable and shareable for seamless workflow. Using best-in-class optical character recognition (OCR) technology that is powered by AI, we ensure your documents are captured accurately and rapidly into data ready for use across your business.
How does OCR technology work in data digitalisation?
OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology plays a vital role by converting scanned images or printed text into machine-readable and editable text. It interprets the characters present in documents and converts them into digital data, facilitating automated data extraction and analysis with high accuracy.
Do I need to install special software for Document Capture?
No, there is no need to purchase new software or install special applications. Our Document Capture service connects with most ERP and accounting systems. Simply forward your documents to us and our platform will manage the entire scanning, converting and file upload process automatically.
Can Document Capture handle workflow automation?
Yes, you can set pre-defined workflows and approval processes to speed up the automatic handling, validating and routing of business documents across your organisation. This eliminates manual tasks and errors associated with data entry and you only need to step in when there are exceptions.
What challenges does Pacific Commerce help overcome in digitalisation?
Pacific Commerce expertly handles the entire digitalisation process, managing potential challenges such as data security concerns, data quality issues, compliance requirements, integration with existing systems and staff training. Our ISO27001 certification ensures strict security controls are in place.
Master Data Management Questions
What is master data management (MDM)?
Master data management is a method of linking an organisation's essential business files to a single master file to create a single source of truth. It encompasses the processes, governance, policies, standards and tools that consistently define and manage critical data to provide a single point of reference. MDM is commonly implemented to streamline data sharing when multiple stakeholders require access.
What is Boulevard?
Boulevard is Pacific Commerce's smart product catalogue management platform designed to help you organise all your product information onto a centralised and secure digital platform. It acts as a centralised and organised repository for product-related information, enabling easy storage and access to content information, product codes, prices, descriptions, images, technical and packaging specifications, 2D/3D images, and more.
Who uses Boulevard?
Boulevard is used by various stakeholders including product managers and marketing staff (to manage product data, files, categories and catalogue information), supply chain and industry partners (to export product data to industry catalogues and trading exchanges), management and sales teams (for insights into sales and turnover) and end users (who access product information via business websites where data is replicated from Boulevard).
What are the benefits of Boulevard?
Boulevard ensures all stakeholders have access to accurate and up-to-date product information that is categorised appropriately and easily searchable. It delivers accurate real-time information to customers, maintains version control for up-to-date information usage, provides data in consistent format and offers the option to export catalogues in multiple formats.
What is Distributor?
Distributor is Pacific Commerce's rule validation middleware software designed to help you verify product and pricing data for uploading to the National Product Catalogue (NPC). With more than 1,000 data rules to fulfill before products can publish on the NPC, Distributor validates and cleanses your product information automatically, ensuring they adhere to all requirements before publishing.
How does Distributor work with my existing systems?
Distributor can be integrated into your current ERP or CRM system, meaning there are no new processes to learn or programs to install. Simply action any changes to your product data as you would normally do and let the software handle the rest. Distributor seamlessly integrates with different back-office systems, automating the process of uploading changes to the NPC.
What is the National Product Catalogue (NPC)?
The National Product Catalogue is an online industry catalogue for the Health Sector based on Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN) standards. It allows you to centrally store clean and accurate product data that can be accessed by your trading partners when ordering, ensuring data consistency across the healthcare supply chain.
How does master data management improve trading partner relationships?
The integrity and consistency of data is vital when collaborating with trading partners. MDM provides confidence in data integrity, enables better decision-making, delivers operational efficiencies, elevates the customer experience and supports compliance with industry standards and regulations like GS1 standards (GTIN, GLN, GDSN).
Can Boulevard and Distributor be customised for my business?
Yes, Boulevard and Distributor offer flexibility to customise and tailor solutions to match individual business requirements and can be adapted to comply with specific data models, guidelines and standards for product information.
Digital Mailroom Services
What are digital mailroom services?
Digital mailroom services revolutionise your mail management practices to suit today's digital business environment. This service helps businesses transition from paper-based mail handling to digital processing, improving efficiency, reducing storage requirements and enabling faster document routing and processing.
What is Digitalisation as a Service (DaaS)?
DaaS is a data capture service that scans PDF sales orders and invoices and converts them to EDI files. It is ideal for retailers who want to capture and process documents on behalf of suppliers who may have limited technology capabilities.
Who benefits most from DaaS?
Retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers with multiple trading partners who have little or no technology experience benefit most. It is particularly valuable for businesses with high volumes of invoices and purchase orders requiring manual data entry and reconciliation.
How does DaaS reduce costs?
DaaS reduces payment cycles, eliminates the need for technology investment, reduces data entry errors, lowers staff overhead costs, decreases processing timelines and eliminates paper storage requirements, creating measurable cost savings.
Can DaaS be used for both accounts payable and receivable?
Yes, our DaaS solution can be used by both Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable teams, providing flexibility for various business scenarios and document types.
Support and Security Questions
What kind of support does Pacific Commerce provide?
We provide dedicated local Australian support with teams that understand the unique challenges of Australian businesses. We are easy to deal with and provide hands-on assistance throughout implementation and ongoing operations.
How does Pacific Commerce ensure data security?
As an ISO27001 certified organisation, we maintain strict controls and processes for information security, privacy and data management. All data is stored in Australia and our staff undergo police checks.
Can Pacific Commerce handle multiple trading partner connections?
Yes, we specialide in helping businesses manage multiple trading partners using different systems. Our solutions consolidate service providers and EDI VAN connections, simplifying your technology landscape.
Getting Started
How do I know if my business needs Pacific Commerce solutions?
If you are experiencing manual data entry errors, long processing times, pressure to reduce costs, difficulty managing multiple trading partners, or have been asked by partners to implement EDI, Pacific Commerce can help.
What information do I need to get started?
We will need to understand your current document volumes (invoices, purchase orders), number of trading partners, existing systems and software you use, current pain points (manual processes, errors, delays) and your business objectives. Contact our team for a consultation to assess your specific needs and recommend the best solutions.
Who in my organisation should be involved in evaluating Pacific Commerce?
Typically CFOs, Operations Managers, Customer Service Managers, IT Managers, procurement teams and AP/AR staff are involved in evaluating and implementing our solutions, depending on your organisational structure and the specific services being considered.
How much do Pacific Commerce solutions cost?
We offer flexible, customised pricing based on your specific needs and volumes. Most of our solutions operate on a user-pays model per transaction or document processed. This makes our solutions cost-effective and scalable for businesses of all sizes. Contact us for a detailed quote tailored to your requirements.
Can Pacific Commerce help with implementation and training?
Absolutely! We provide end-to-end service from mapping to testing and support. Our team works closely with you to ensure smooth connectivity across your systems, helping you gain efficiencies and lower costs. We provide project implementation plans, user guides, training sessions for your staff and ongoing local support to ensure you get the best value from our products.
What makes Pacific Commerce different from competitors?
- We are 100% Australian-owned and operated with over 30 years of experience.
- All data is stored and processed onshore in Australia ensuring data sovereignty.
- We are ISO27001 certified with rigorous security standards.
- We provide dedicated local support from teams who understand Australian business challenges.
- We are an accredited PEPPOL Access Point and GS1 Business Alliance Partner.
- We operate the only dedicated healthcare EDI exchange in Australia (PHE).
- Our solutions are system-agnostic and integrate with all major ERP/CRM platforms
- Most of our solutions operate on a user-pays model per transaction or document processed and we offer flexible, customised pricing with no locked-in contracts.
How can I contact Pacific Commerce?
You can reach out to us through our website at www.pacificcommerce.com.au to learn more about our solutions, request a consultation, or get a customised quote. Our friendly team is ready to discuss your specific business needs and recommend the best approach for your digital transformation journey. You can also email us at info@pacificcommerce.com.au.