DCS Assists Customer with EDI Conversion Challenge
EDI Challenge
DCS’ customer moved from custom COBOL business applications to Oracle E-Business™ ERP system several years ago and moved their EDI to IBM’s Gentran:Server™ for Unix. As over 75% of customer orders arrive by EDI, the EDI system needed to be implemented with no disruption to the ongoing business data flow.
Then the recession hit and halted development for years. Once the market began to recover, the customer refocused the scope and the Aftermarket project was enlarged as Inbound PO’s (850) required SDQ segments for “cross docking.” Changes were also made for dot.com merchants and the Outbound ASNs (856) required pick and pack hierarchy to satisfy customers’ RFID requirements.
Key challenges included:
- Both I.T. and customer service staff required retraining at multiple divisions.
- Various operating divisions have common customers.
- Minor but knotty problems with Canadian postal codes, SLN looping issues, and Shipment and Billing Notices (857) were solved.
The DCS Solution
The customer chose to process both OEM and Aftermarket with Gentran due to its compatibility with Oracle E-BS to:
- OEM order processes – Release (830, DELFOR), Shipment Schedule (862, DELJIT), Shipment Notice (856, ASN, DESADV), Receiving Advice (861, RECADV), and Remittance Advice (820, REMADV). The EDIFACT set of documents is for General Motors and Cummins.
- Aftermarket order processes (PO 850 with SDQ segments, PO Acknowledgement (855), PO Change (860), Shipment Notice (ASN, 856) with multiple packing hierarchies for RFID, Invoices (810), and Remittance Advices (820).
The Result
DCS mapped, tested and implemented the new documents to achieve their objective of no visible disruption to their customers. Their Gentran EDI and Oracle E-BS systems are working smoothly together to save countless hours of data entry time. Further support from DCS is rarely needed but available quickly and remotely.
DCS can help you with your EDI conversions. Find out how with our FREE assessment.