Best Way To Enter Sales Orders Received Through FTP

[johnCronin]

I need a solution for automating sales order entry for orders that are recieved via FTP.

Any solutions would greatly be appreciated.

 

[dgillz]

Several programs of this type have been written, however to do this correctly, it takes one heck of a program. For example, when you enter a new order, depending upon exactly what you are doing in Macola, it is very possible to have to write to 25 or more tables, and read others.

EDI is the ideal way to do this, because all you have to do is bring in the order header, order details and comments, and the Macola EDI module will take care of the rest.





Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Exact Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.trianglepartners.com

 

[johnCronin]

Thanks for replying so quickly. I have heard of the EDI solution but it seems to be very expensive and most likely an overkill for my needs. However, I would understand if that is the only solution Macola makes available for what I consider to be a very common requirement.

I agree with you that attempting to code the process would have to be a last resort or not even feasible. Currently I am printing out the FTPs to look like invoices so they can be manually keyed into order entry.

 

[dgillz]

How many line items weekly are you doing this with?

In terms of EDI versus some other custom programmed solution, they both cost about the same. You can expect hundreds of hours of programming from someone that does not know macola, or a lot less hours of programming from someone who does, but at a higher rate.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Exact Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.trianglepartners.com

 

[stravis]

What dgillz says is absolutely correct. The most flexibile solution is the EDI solution. In the end you pay about the same, but you end up with a product that can change with your business, so that as requirements change so can your solution.

If you wish to delve in to the world of writing this custom, it may be much less daunting than dgillz states. The 25 table figure comes from adding up tables touched for inventory allocations, serialization, features and options, complicated price structures, auditing, history, etc... The less complex your situation, the less complex your solution will have to be. In a situation where you will be importing orders for non-stocked/non-controlled items, you will only have to build the OEORDHDR_SQL, OEORDLIN_SQL, and the OELINCMT_SQL tables.

Scott Travis
infoSpring, LLC.

 

[johnCronin]

A simple order to custno 100 for 1 keyboard produces the following activity. Interesting to see that Macola never updates rows...always deletes and inserts.

Delete Row OECTLFIL
Insert Row OECTLFIL

Insert Row OEORDHDR

Insert Row OEINQORD

Insert Row IMINVTRX

Delete Row IMINVLOC
Insert Row IMINVLOC

Delete Row IMINVLOC
Insert Row IMINVLOC

Insert Row OEHDRAUD

Insert Row OELINAUD

Insert Row OEORDLIN

Delete Row OEORDHDR
Insert Row OEORDHDR

Delete Row OEORDHDR
Insert Row OEORDHDR

Delete Row OEORDHDR
Insert Row OEORDHDR

Insert Row OEHDRAUD

Insert Row OEHDRAUD

 

[stravis]

If all of your inventory fits follows the same rules, this would probably be a fairly simple project. Depending on other project parameters I would expect this kind of thing to take 25-40 hours. It really depends on how much information you already know, how many checks and balances need to be in place (eg. does the customer exist, does the item exist, does the pricing in the FTP'd file match the actual price, etc...), and how complicated your inventory setup is. The more defaults that can be assigned to an order the faster the project can be completed.

Based on that rough estimate, I would suggest looking at what the cost of EDI would be and figure 10-20 hours for an application that can take completed FTP'd files, convert them to EDI format, and testing.

Scott Travis
infoSpring, LLC.

 

[johnCronin]

Travis,

I think you are right on the mark with your estimates. Most of the validation would still have to been done even if I used the EDI module.

By the way I do have a tool that will show all activity the occurred against SQL Server database by analyzing the log file. It will recreate the SQL statements that took place or even generate the SQL statements to reverse the transition.

 

[MacolaHelp]

One of my clients uses EDI integration to upload orders from an ftp site & a webstore. We created an EDI flat file from the data provided by these third parties. When you use EDI to integrate, all those other files are properly updated, just as if you entered straight into order entry. Your programming cost would then only be to map the data from ftp into the flat file. It works well.

 

[dgillz]

Peggy,

Can you email me or call me on this? I have a client that may want to purchase this rather than re-invent the wheel. The mapping would most likely have to be redone, however this is something I am interested in.

Thanks,
Dgilsdorf@trianglepartners.com

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Exact Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.trianglepartners.com

 

[MacolaHelp]

Just to clarify my prior post: EDI does do all the necessary validation. A custom program not using EDI would have to be coded to update all the necessary files. If you use kits, features, pp/pull, serial lot, multibin, sf/pull, price codes, you have LOTS of files to update. My client doesn't use features, pulled items or serial lot, but we do have all the others working just fine using the EDI import methodology.

 

[TXejh]

I would caution you to look at the EDI module functionality extremely carefully!!! We used it and abandoned it as it wasn't flexible enough in handling advanced EDI templates such as an 856. We had to move to a combo SQL/Access program written in house to handle it correctly. Mind you this was an early 7.5.x version so maybe they have enhanced it...but it flat out couldn't handle the 856 transaction correctly...at least the implementation used in the medical field!

 

[vbajock]

johnCronin, my company does jobs like this all the time. We might have something off the shelf that will work for you.
Drop me a line at kwvining@hotmail.com

 

[MacolaHelp]

856 EDI documents were added by Macola much later than the 850/810 docs. The 850/810 is basically fine, especially using the flat file import we do that I think would work fine for this user.
EDI is 2400, annual maint is $1200, support is recommended at $995 or $1495 (you can purchase this plan only, do not need to purchase the rest of the system). Apparently you buy the translator from Sterling now, somewhere in the $2500-$3000 range.
Since the import to EDI flat file is already written, this user could probably get a fairly economical solution.

 

[zedsded]

Macola Help,
I'm very interested with your EDI flat file for ftp orders. I'm starting a project that uses ftp to receive orders. My goal is to import these orders as if manually keyed in Order Entry (which would be the process if I don't come up with something). We have complete EDI modules and Gentran. Please send me an email regarding this solution, then we'll go from there.
Thanks!

meduardo@salamandergraphix.com

 

[MAKNIGHT71]

I have an item that was set up by engineering initially as not being stocked (ie, the stocked option was not checked in Item Master). However, now this is causing a problem with invoicing. Engineering tried to change the stocked option after the fact, but, of course, it is grayed out and cannot be changed. Is there a way to go in afterwards (ie, now) and change an item to stocked? Thank you.

maknight

 

[MAKNIGHT71]

Oops! Ignore the last comment... Wrong topic...

maknight

 

[MacolaHelp]

zedsded: sent you email w/nfo, but haven't heard back. Do you still want to pursue?

 

[ThunderForest]

I just have 19 EDI trading partners, of whom 1 is FTP and another AS2. The others are a dial-out to our VAN. Regardless, when considering the variety of versions they use (i.e., 4010, 4030, 4060, etc.) and their many 856 and 810 unique requirements, I would be writing conversion programs for the rest of my life. Definitely not the way to go, unless you're planning on having customers who don't do EDI and require they use your online O/E template. In that case I could see where you wouldn't need something like GenTran. However, and with all due respect to the Macola software programmers, keep in mind the only additional programs you'll need to write are those that catch, patch or fix the inbound/outbound errors that Macola doesn't.

Getting answers before I'm asked
is why I go to Tek-Tips.

http://www.thunderforest.bizland.com

 

[abaldwin]

johnCronin

You recently posted
"By the way I do have a tool that will show all activity the occurred against SQL Server database by analyzing the log file. It will recreate the SQL statements that took place or even generate the SQL statements to reverse the transition. "

What tool is that. I am interested in the use of this tool as I have been writing viewers/parsers like this on occassion.

Andy
abaldwin@des-champs.com


Andy Baldwin