The pressure for process automation rises, merchants’ EDI systems extended.

Overview

A Rhode Island DCS customer that makes in-store displays has recently become fully EDI compliant with CVS Health.  Prior to working with DCS, the customer was manually processing daily orders into their Infor VISUAL business application.  This caused fulfillment delays and was error prone.  Now an order is loaded into VISUAL within 5 minutes of being sent by CVS.  Customer service can quickly approve/change the order for immediate fulfillment.

Companies providing in-store equipment or supplies to large merchants are now in the cross-hairs. Since their sophisticated and effective inventory management systems have proven effectiveness, their next tier of non-resale vendors will be linked.

Some vendors will fail to realize that manual and error prone uploads are too costly. Growing vendors know the time is now to accommodate a direct and automated ERP to EDI link. Fortunately your existing system and hard earned EDI knowledge can be used.

Challenge

The challenge for our DCS Specialist was to coordinate all of the existing EDI and business systems: interfacing with the VISUAL Data Interchange gateway, data mapping with Altova Mapforce Enterprise, and establishing a direct AS2 connection to the SAP Ariba network used by CVS. Our Specialist:

  • Conducted gap analyses between the VISUAL order format and CVS’ X12 requirements
  • Created the trading partnership within Altova
  • Created maps for Invoice (810) Purchase Order (850), P.O. Acknowledgement (855), and Ship Notice (856)
  • Configured and tested n/Software, direct, secure AS2 connection

Special attention was needed for analysis of the vendor’s ASN to ensure the transmitted documents meet CVS’ requirements.

Results

The total amount of time needed was under 50 hours, and final testing and implementation took place within a month of the project’s start. This customer is now fully implemented and already benefiting from the increased efficiencies. Inbound EDI orders are automatically translated and processed, while the required Outbound PO Acknowledgements, Advance Ship Notices and Invoices are properly formatted in X12 and communicated to the Trading Partner without error.

Due to DCS’ many years of experience with all of the software systems, the client has now fully automated their business with CVS.  There are plans to add 3 additional merchants yet this year. The time needed to add more customers is about 16 hours each.

E-Commerce has brought evolutionary changes to the way business is conducted.  Every traditional business process has been improved.  The mental hurdle is that the Purchase Order provides the price and quantities to be paid.  The accepted quotation must be compared to the P.O. for prompt payment.  The business areas impacted are:

  • Receiving Customer Sales Orders
  • Sending PO Acknowledgments
  • Sending Invoices
  • Receiving E-payments
  • Secure Internet data transmission
  • More

Most major U.S. and Canadian retailers are requiring that their vendors utilize these technologies.

Conclusion

Your existing ERP and EDI systems must be adapted soon to meet these evolving requirements. The process is straight-forward but not trivial. It should be broken into small, manageable tasks; from which valuable experience is learned. It is also wise to have expertise to avoid costly detours.

Our DCS remote suppost service and development service are standardized services to ensure thorough, quick, and economical solutions. DCS will speed up the process with our extensive experience with your EDI and business application. The first step is to email DCS to set your no-cost assessment.