A Marketing Fulfillment Service Company Installs GIS on Linux

A DCS customer provides marketing fulfillment services for the auto industry. They are required to use EDI extensively with both their customers and the Shippers, who are primarily FedEx and Roadway. Complicating the task of integrating their EDI, they use Linux. They purchased the Gentran Integration Suite to provide maximum functionality and to handle the large traffic. They called DCS to set it all up. It would become the first GIS on Linux installation ever performed.

Solution

DCS installed and configured the GIS system and then set out to integrate the various transactions and trading partners involved. Data transmission occurred through secure Internet, following the AS2 standard, which eliminated costly VAN charges. The most complicated transaction was the inbound freight bills (210) from Roadway and FedEx. The company needed to receive the freight bills and process them quickly, which frequently triggered unexpected changes in the customer invoicing. The Linux operating system and company firewall complicated the communication set up, but offers very good security compared to other operating systems.

Result

The EDI system is now running smoothly and the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of the data flow are greatly increased. The faster response to EDI transactions provides quicker payment, less data entry errors, and more flexibility in meeting customer demand. All resulting in a competitive advantage and a huge return on their investment. DCS expertise kept the cost down, and now provides same day support to keep efficiency at its highest.