CLIENT BACKGROUND

This is an established food manufacturing company in a Twin Cities suburb.  They manufacture and distribute candy and baked products to regional grocery stores and warehouses.  No "in-house" IT staff.  Limited budget for EDI implementation.

THEIR NEEDS - PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:

	Needed to meet customer demands to do EDI and wanted to respond to requests on a timely basis.
	Receive EDI purchase orders and send EDI invoices on a timely basis with numerous customers - some of them very large, including Walmart, Super Valu, and Fleming.
	Older proprietary "mainframe" accounting system had no EDI capabilities.  Accounting system and EDI translator were on an AS/400 platform.  Needed to exchange data between the proprietary accounting system and the EDI translator.
	Needed a user-friendly system.  Didn't want the users to have to get involved with the "details" of EDI.
	Needed a dependable solution for EDI because of the seasonal nature of the business - company personnel would not have time for problems during the busy season.
	Accounting system lacked cross-reference tables required for various EDI requirements like ship-to location codes, customer item numbers, and shipping methods.
	Limited budget for EDI implementation.
	Needed ongoing "EDI Coordinator" assistance.

OUR SOLUTIONS:

	Analyzed proprietary accounting system and determined interface points to exchange inbound and outbound EDI data with accounting system inbound purchase orders and outbound invoices.
	Developed interface programs to extract data for EDI.  Installed, configured, and developed transaction maps in the EDI translator.
	Developed user-friendly, clean, easy-to-understand EDI reporting system.
	Developed processes to integrate the EDI system and the mainframe accounting system in a virtually unattended basis.  System required very little user attention on an ongoing basis.
	Developed procedures to set up new partners to allow the client to easily grow their EDI partner base.
	Offered ongoing "as needed" EDI coordinator support to enable additional trading partners, provide problem resolution, upgrade to new versions of EDI standards.

THE RESULTS:

	Ability to receive and send EDI transactions with a virtually unattended operation.
	Ability to extract data and generate transactions and otherwise support EDI functions not provided by the accounting system.
	Ability to maintain close relationships with important customers and respond to new requests from existing and potential new EDI partners.
	Dependable unattended EDI system with responsive technical support.
	Customer confidence was so high, they requested additional support for translator version upgrades, and EDI standards version migrations.  Furthermore, they later requested assistance with migration to a new accounting system and EDI translator. Return to top