IBM Sterling B2B Integrator

Similar to the elimination of upgrades and support for the Gentran family of products, the IBM Sterling B2B Integrator will also sunset some versions of this flagship product line.  Specifically, the IBM Sterling B2B Integrator version 6.1 will no longer see updates, enhancements and a committed support team.  Many companies are faced with a decision to either hang on to the product and risk the prospect of requiring software fixes, or look at options for upgrading to the newer versions.

To that end,  our Sterling Integrator Consulting Group has made the bold decision to offer both IBM Gentran EDI support in addition to providing a path to migrate all production EDI data to the new platform, Sterling Integrator, when you are ready.  The DIS Consulting resources  can buy some time for your company and allow the health of your EDI production data to flow.  You can reach out at DIS EDI Help

Sometimes the biggest factor is that companies do not have this in their budget and it becomes a financial decision, not just a technology determination.  This provides the customer with some time so that they can remain on the IBM B2B Sterling Integrator solution while reviewing options for the future.  As well, it then affords them the opportunity to accurately budget for the migration and implementation of the new platform.

 

Answers to likely questions

  1. Will IBM Sterling File Gateway 6.1 also be sunsetted?   YES.  Both products will no longer be supported come April 30, 2026.
  2. Will DIS support any IBM “unsupported” product?  YES.  Our Sterling Integrator Consulting Group can support any production data scenario to get you back and up and running so that your trading partner community is smiling.  Keep in mind DIS does not fix or maintain the actual software application so we would not be able to go into source code to change anything.
  3. Is there a cost to upgrade?  There is no cost to migrate as long as you are on a Support and Maintenance plan from IBM.  If you want to look at other options, besides the IBM Sterling B2B Integrator, you can get in touch with us at  Data Integration Specialists
  4. Do maps need to be changed?  NO but it will be wise to test (yourself or DIS will be glad to) before going live in production.
  5. We have a resource that knows EDI.  Can this person handle upgrades like this?  YES.  However, many of our customers have relied on DIS as our IBM EDI Consulting Group is filled with resources that have no less than 15+ years of experience with upgrades like this.  Many have worked at IBM and, because they do this on a regular basis, their best practices allow them to get the job done more timely and with less cost.  Learn more at Sterling Integrator Consulting Group
  6. This is not in my budget and the IBM Sterling B2B Integrator works fine.  Why should I upgrade?  You can wait and enlist our services to maintain your existing Gentran or B2B Integrator.  But, at some point, it will be wise as the latest versions provide security that you are on a supported solution as it likely is one of the most important software solutions in your company.  In addition, you will experience new enhancements, updates and shortcuts that will make your job easier.                                                                                                                           
    About Data Integration Specialists, LLC
    DIS incorporates 25+ years of integration expertise with all EDI and ERP applications.  If you’ve lost a resource and are looking to fill the gap either remote or onsite, DIS provides consultants that reduce costs, increase efficiency and offer an ROI that is unmatched in any industry.  Call 612-840-6753 or EMAIL

Blue Cherry Consulting

Blue Cherry Consulting

Blue Cherry Consulting rates too high?  You want one Blue Cherry resource allocated to your business?  The Data Integration Specialists Group will assign one, committed resource and the rates will be 20%-30% less than your $225/hr rate.  This Blue Cherry Consulting Group also recognizes that providing a consistent Blue Cherry ERP veteran to your system is advantageous as opposed to being at the mercy of entry level CGS employees who are not familiar with your business processes.  Because of the high rate and the fact that you are being told that there is only one option for Blue Cherry consultants, you are at the mercy of CGS. The DIS Blue Cherry Consulting Group offers a fair cost structure and will allocate one consistent expert with no less than 15+ years of experience with Blue Cherry implementations into apparel business environments.

Apparel Industry background

DIS offers leaders in the apparel industry that have backgrounds in business process improvement, business operations, EDI/WMS, Order to Cash management workflow, project management, warehouse operations, change management, inventory management, Blue Cherry production support, and more.  Our resources also have years of experience in apparel companies directly writing technical specs, report writing, creating test scripts, technical analysis, API development, designing, testing implementations of BlueCherry developments, ensuring compliance to existing and development of required data/reporting standards. As well, our textile experienced PMs spearhead projects to keep them on time and on budget and our BAs ensure that data points are consistent with internal and external business requirements.

Blue Cherry Core Module expertise

Data Integration Specialists has many techno functional Blue Cherry consultants who are experienced in all core modules for all CGS products. Often we are asked to determine which central logistics functions should be used together with core modules and then to define those processes. Data Integration Specialists Functional consultants assist in the setup and configuration of any CGS module. Often, there are requirements for simple configuration changes to data points or structures within Blue Cherry that are needed to complete an internal or external project.

Process Flow Documentation Process flow diagrams are created for all critical Blue Cherry ERP business processes. The process flow diagrams have step-by-step instructions that indicate the Blue Cherry program user and field-level steps.  This is helpful supplemental material to allow users to self-train and create SOP documents. Data Imports
SQL queries are written to extract data from existing business systems (or Excel) and they are converted to the Blue Cherry import formats.  The SQL queries can be executed as needed to extract the latest information from the existing systems. This allows for quicker refreshing of the TEST database for CRP’s and will shorten the  time to load data at go live.

Regarding getting across the finish line to Production Go Live!  Sometimes EDI testing is slowing it down!
Data Integration Specialists, LLC has 24 + years of extensive knowledge of EDI  and can assist in testing to ensure EDI transactions flowing through the Blue Cherry TEST system align with the EDI transactions flowing through the current production system. Data Integration Specialists, LLC also has experience creating/modifying ERP EDI maps.

Blue Cherry EDI Consulting responsibilities

  • Full Blue Cherry EDI integration map sets finalized and available
  • EDI Consulting Blue Cherry Integration Mapping/re-mapping and integration on ERP implementations / upgrades, i.e., and mapping conversion projects  -Map/Unit and end to end Testing
  • Production Support and EDI Admin
  • Total EDI Upgrade Project Management
  • EDI analysis / EDI mapping services / testing / implementation
  • Community management and rapid on-boarding
  • Gap analysis, API development and optimization
  • EDI upgrade planning / installation / configuration
  • VAN scripting, connectivity, communications
  • AS2 / EDIINT implementation
  • Remote EDI Managed Services
  • Pre / post process development
  • System health checks
  • Project audits

Remote Blue Cherry EDI Administration

Data Integration Specialists can assist you with  your EDI Support  and can help you with trading partner setups, EDI mapping services, connectivity to VANs, automated scheduling, error handling, and acknowledgement reconciliation.

Our Remote EDI Administration allows for complete Blue Cherry EDI Support and a service that provides for  outsourcing of all your EDI management, mapping and testing activities.  From monitoring the entire system, debugging maps, fixing errors, EDI mapping services,  business process building to being the direct contact with all your eBusiness trading partners, our 20+ years of EDI experience will help you maintain the health and growth of your trading partner relationships.

Industries/Domains

Automotive, Computers/Electronics, Defense, Government, Healthcare, Insurance, Manufacturing, Petroleum/Chemicals, Transportation/Logistics, and Supply-Chain (financial, consignment, replenishment, distribution, etc.)

Standards

ANSI X12, VICS, UCS, EDIFACT, TRADACOMS, and ROSETTANET.

How Do I Start?

Let’s allow for YOU to dictate when you migrate, not someone else.  There are many powerful, functional and scalable Ecommerce EDI solutions that allow for quick onset of EDI trading partner communities, ease of use with mapping processes and an unattended, automated solution that keeps your errors to a minimum and your overhead costs lows.

To take advantage of the Data Integration Specialists Blue Cherry Consulting resources:

Call 612-840-6753  email EDIhelp@dis-llc.com  ERPhelp@dis-llc.com

4 Benefits to EDI Managed Services

You have ideas, concepts, plans and goals to support and run your business. But, what about managing your vast-spread business? Do you still use papers to collect, keep and distribute data and documents? Then, you need to update your business and its mode of operations. There are two major factors that are reliable to run a business effectively, first is execution and another is management. You have everything such as latest technology, skillful management professional and more productive executive employees. But, one thing that has emerged as a boon for businesses is EDI managed Services which is, simply, EDI Consultants for your EDI Software. We at, Data Integration Specialists provide you efficient and effective EDI Managed Services with a Senior Level EDI resource managing your EDI processes either remotely or onsite. (more…)

Use EDI Services To Boost Your Business Operations

Businesses from every industry always keep an eye out for ways to improve resource utilization and enhance efficiency. Given the rate of technological advancement in today’s era, there are multiple solutions present to enhance overall business productivity. From various automation process and integration services to Electronic Data Interchange, businesses are incorporating technology in the mainstream of business operations.

 

Electronic Data Interchange – An Introduction

The reliability of technology has increased to a great extent in the past few decades. Businesses often take Electronic Data Interchange as a new invention whereas it has been there since 1968. In 1968, EDI was used for the first time to exchange electronic messages named as the Transportation Data Coordinating Committee (TDCC). Since then, EDI has evolved through various contributions and in many forms. EDI, as we know today, is an electronic exchange (computer-to-computer) of data (usually business documents) between two coordinating departments or, at times, businesses. For instance, exchange of purchase orders and invoices from between an e-commerce company and retailer is an excellent example.

 

Benefits of Using Electronic Data Interchange For Your Business

 

  • Efficiency

 

EDI improves the efficiency of a business by multiple folds -from improving the time and cost efficiency to negligible error processing or re-doings and better utilization of resources.

 

  • Improved Quality

EDI enhances the quality of your business operations and this effect clearly shadows itself in the end customer/client satisfaction. Electronic Data Interchange, as simple as it sounds, affects your business’ customer experience. For instance, how impressive it would be for your customers to receive a bill as soon as he/she gets the product.

 

 

  • Automation

Electronic Data Interchange(EDI) is a form of automation and this brings along an array of benefits with it. With EDI, business operations become easier to monitor and manage. This results in better management decisions. EDI not only cuts paper costs to zero, but also improves accuracy in the whole business operation.

 

The Need For EDI Managed Services

As beneficial as it might sound, without the help of consultants for your EDI Software, your business might miss on the full potential of EDI Software. Businesses make the mistake of relying on their IT Department for the management of their EDI Software and related consultations.  

An EDI Software needs consultants with years of experience in the field and this is why it becomes important to hire quality EDI Managed Services from a reputed service provider. EDI Managed Services ensure that the functionality of your software keeps up with time. If you are using EDI Software like TIE Kinetix eVision Enterprise, TIE Kinetix EDI Services become very important to maintain the smooth functioning between your business partners which should be your top priority.

Choosing the right provider for EDI Managed Services of your business can be a tricky job. If you choose the wrong provider, errors and other lags because of mismanaged EDI Software can harm your important business relations. Always choose the service provider who has good referrals and constant positive client reviews.

Data Integration Specialists has years of experience in providing quality EDI Managed Services for all kinds of EDI Software like TIE Kinetix EDI Services. Our expertise includes deploying either an onsite or remote EDI coordinator to manage your EDI Software and maintain the health of your EDI trading partner relationships. Call us at 612-840-6753 or fill in this form to contact us right now!

Importance Of A Successful EDI Implementation

Supply chain management is an integral process of operating a business. An increasing number of organizations are moving towards an EDI implementation to streamline their business processing, enhance efficiency, reliability, accuracy, ease the transaction process and improve overall productivity. Suppliers would be able to implement EDI solutions easily form Data Integration Specialists. DIS experts will offer a comprehensive services solution to all your ID requirements from integration, implementation to support service, ensuring healthy EDI trading partner relationship at justified consulting rates.

EDI with its utilization of standardized electronic format, helps to make transactions between trading partners, easy, but several other challenges can be solved by adequately implementing EDI in the system:

  • Visibility:

With the massive shift in the industry, being able to track the supply chain at every step has become extremely difficult. EDI provides the transparency in the inventory so that every process from availability to shipment, to billing to package status is visible to the trading partners.

  • Real-Time Transaction:

With the increasing customer expectation and the cutthroat competition to become the number one service provider, it has become vital that the transactions made are processed in real time. EDI helps in managing real-time transaction so that every process be it “under process” or stalled is immediately notified.

  • Scalability:

Although every company and trading partner have their version of EDI solution, which develops uniquely as the business expands. The requirement and rule issue can be solved by scaling the EDI program by integration EDI transaction in ERP systems and confirming that the EDI program accommodates multiple sets of rules and requirements.

Only EDI experts from Data Integration Specialities will be able to resolve these challenges with practical solutions and help streamline the processes.

 

HELPFUL TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL  EDI IMPLEMENTATION:

  • Concentrate On Necessities:

It is crucial to chalk out what is the need of the hour and which time and cost-extensive work process need to be immediately solved. It is equally important to know where your organization lies in the supply chain so that you are aware of your responsibilities.

  • Consider Expenditure In Long Run:

Before deciding upon EDI implementation, it is necessary that you know how the short term and long term cost will affect your business. An in-house EDI requires a vast investment in the start, followed by fluctuation in price with time, outsourcing EDI requires the understanding that losing control can be a concern, as well.

  • Outline A Viable Implementation Plan:

It is crucial that a practical implementation plan of EDI is adequately rolled out to reduce the probability of error. A detailed project plan will help to allocate work and resources accordingly.

If you are an e-commerce business owner and want an additional EDI service provider to scale your performance or a dedicated team to handle all your transactional requirement remotely, DIS team will help  with their efficient mapping or dispensing remote services at an affordable rate. DIS employs services experts with knowledge of OpenText, TIE Kintetix, BizTalk, IBM Gentran Sterling Integrator, etc.,  to ensure that your business’s increased demand can be fulfilled without compromising on quality and facilitating scalability.

Get in touch with one of our expert EDI consultants today!