Most failures come not from technology itself, but from underestimating the complexity and importance of data. In surveys of organizations, 85% say they fail because of poor data quality. Among data-integration projects specifically, there are claims that as many as 88% fail or significantly overrun budgets because of poor data quality or data issues.

How does data contribute to the biggest technology pitfalls?

1. Data not understood – If the project doesn’t know: what data exists, where it is stored, who owns it, then requirements become vague or unrealistic.
2. Data is often messier than expected – Legacy data formats, multiple versions of the same data, hidden dependencies drastically increase the time, effort and increases the chance of errors and project failure.
3. Integration problems – When systems need to talk to each other, fields don’t match, real-time data is not available or is incomplete causing delays, wrong assumptions, and cost overrun or poor outcomes.

Data plays a central role in many technology project failures. Definitions vary of a project failure. It can mean the project was cancelled, missed its ROI, missed its timeline/budget or didn’t meet the business requirements.

How can you mitigate the pitfalls of technology? A starting point is to ensure you have the most accurate, real-time data from your supply chain partners. What’s the solution? EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) prevents invalid or incomplete data from being transmitted. If an error occurs, it can be traced back to the source quickly, allowing fast correction and reducing downstream impacts. In short: EDI prevents, detects, and corrects errors before they affect operations, making it a cornerstone of accurate, reliable supply chain and business data.

Need help with implementing more EDI documents with your supply chain partners to avoid technology pitfalls?

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