An EDI mailbox is a file storage area within a computer which can be uniquely identified from connected mailboxes and VANs in other locations, and 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 continues to be 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, but 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, with access via a portal login.