An EDI mailbox is a file storage area within a computer that can be uniquely identified from connected mailboxes and VANs in other locations. It is where EDI messages are consolidated and stored for retrieval by a vendor or supplier. 

The vast majority of EDI still occurs via EDI VAN, also known as Value Added Network. Despite the emergence of some basic, low-cost approaches, such as Web EDI or EDI over AS2, the EDI VAN model remains the preferred option due to the value-added service that EDI VAN providers can provide. Often, companies try to implement a hybrid strategy where different types of EDI are deployed depending on the needs of the business. Still, the EDI VAN remains at the heart of these deployments. 

The vendor or supplier can then access this information via an EDI translator, which can be installed locally or in the cloud and accessed via a portal login.

Companies just starting off with their first EDI connections, may choose to set up direct EDI or point-to-point connections to other EDI enabled businesses, which makes a lot of individual connections and can become not only expensive but also very complex. To simplify the complexity of managing multiple EDI direct connections, a company can use a single connection to an EDI VAN, which provides connections to all his partners. The EDI VAN is simply a secure network where EDI documents can be exchanged between a network of several business partners. An organization will be provided with an EDI mailbox by the EDI VAN provider. Documents are sent and received from there and the organization checks the mailbox periodically to retrieve its documents. Most EDI VAN providers offer an alerting service that informs the sender when messages have been sent successfully and informs the recipient that a new message is waiting. 

Your company can realize from a lot of EDI benefits by moving away from exchanging documents paper-based, such as: 

• Security: Electronic data transfers can be made securely using encryption 
• Service: Messages are automatically routed to the correct mailbox. Business partners connect to the EDI VAN to retrieve their messages. 
• Validation: The EDI VAN will verify the identity of the business partner and validity of the message, errors can be corrected automatically, without you being involved. 
• Fast Onboarding of new trading partners 
• Flexibility: VAN sends and receives data with a variety of protocols, it creates a communication channel allowing each partner to use the data format most suited for their organization and makes the exchange with different partners easier and quicker to be set up 
• Tracking: All EDI messages are tracked and recorded, so nothing will be lost. 

• Message notification for each new messages arriving in the mailbox.