WHAT IS THE BEST ASN SOFTWARE? 1

[Jive]

Can anybody recommend a good ASN solution software?
We currently are using Harbinger 4.34 for windows and
a monarch 9830 printer. We need a program that can bring
the data from the printed barcode to an 856 and also
turn it into an 810 invoice. We hope to find the most
cost efficient method without too much technical programming. Any helpful hints?

 

[edianalyst]

eSupplyLink?

 

[RonPro]

The ASN is by far not the simplest transaction set to implement. As you can see, there is often information needed from different areas of your 'backend' system.

Is your company running some 'standard' backend (ERP/SCM) software system?

Do you run a shipping system that you could tie into?

ASNs as a standalone project will have you doing a lot of legwork and expose you to errors that your customer(s) probably won't endure much of.

What type of trading partner are you dealing with? (Automotive/retail, etc.)?

 

[rembrandt2]

Our company recently purchased Esupplylink's product Complylink. They are tightly integrated with TrustedLink and recently partnered with Emanio's Trading Partner Desktop. Can't say if it will integrate with Harbinger. Esupplylink isn't exactly a speedy solution or inexpensive. Although kits are available at a cost of a little over $900 per Trading Partner, I don't think it is necessarily a one size fits all solution for the 856 document. Complylink does have the ability to create an 810 invoice within their solution, I've been told that the 810 feature within the program isn't "very good". I currently create 810's by exporting a flat file out of our accounting system into our translator and then mapping it to our trading partner needs. It's a relatively simple process that has worked well for us.

 

[edianalyst]

Has anyone done mapping between a labels software such as BarTender and TrustedLink?

 

[Databaseguy]

I am currently using ASN Desktop Plus from GEIS. Since it only works on '98 machines, I'm retiring it. It works in conjunction with Desktop EDI (Also by GEIS)for the send receive.

I am also migrating to EDISoft, which seems to be a pretty nice package. It's labels are written in Label Matrix and uses FoxPro as it's back end database. Using OBDC, I can manipulate the data in the background to automate quite a few processes. It's send receive is built in, and can use FTP instead of dialup.

Tyrone Lumley
augerinn@gte.net

http://server105.hypermart.net/databaseguy

 

[edianalyst]

rembrandt2,

So they charge $900 per trading partner you add? What is given in the 'kit' per trading partner? You said the 810 invoice module isn't very good, could you elaborate a little on its shortcomings?

 

[rembrandt2]

edianalyst,

The "kit" consists of a label format, a couple of maps, 2-3 flat files that your maps cross-reference to, a database file containing your trading partner information, and one-touch installation for starters. Even with this there's still a fare amount of setup involved to actually complete the kit installation for generating an 856.

As far as your question regarding the shortcomings of the 810 invoice it can generate, I can't tell you too much there. It was the opinion of their support people that how we accomplish creating our 810's is more reliable and user friendly. Based on that, I haven't experimented with that part of their program.

rembrandt2 (e-mail: dnsfinney@starmax.com)

 

[edianalyst]

rembrandt2,

What info. is in the 2-3 flat files? You said there's a fair amount of setup to do, is it because the software itself is hard to configure or is it because of other reasons? Do you know if the invoice is an extra part of the software that we need to purchase or is it something that's included and we just enable?

Also, would you know of any comparable/similar products? I was hoping to find a product that would also include BOLs and all the shipping papers tailored to the trading partner as it seems each one has its own formatted BOLs, how do you guys tacke that problem?

edianalyst

 

[rembrandt2]

edianalyst,

The 2-3 flat files contain info used between Complylink and our translator to export from and import the data back to the TP and the correct document location within our translation software for outbound processing. The software itself isn't too difficult to configure just more detailed than what's involved to add a new TP to our translation software. I believe the 810 option is included with the software but be forwarned, like the ASN, even 810's aren't 100% standardized amongst your TP's.

Our EDI isn't itegrated on the front end (too expensive for the small co. I work for), only on the back end so I was limited to the ASN products that were itegrated with our translation software. Our whole approach was to find something to limit the amount of data entry involved in creating these ASN's. Unless you've got lots and lots of money to spend, I only found something to reduce the amount of data entry needed to create an acceptable ASN.

Our shipping operation is pretty simple so we use the report writing capabilities from our accounting package (Great Plains Dynamics w/Crystal Reports) to create our packing lists and BOL's. We use the UCC Standardized BOL and it is pretty standardized for all our EDI and non-EDI customers. If you'd like more specific information please e-mail me direct at dnsfinney@starmax.com.

Rembrandt2