Logistics: Can your clients systems speak to your systems?

We have extensive experience working on a variety of different data projects in the logistics industry. We have provided technological and business assistance to motor carriers, trans-shipment and consolidation companies, as well as commercial airlines. Our goal is to heighten your organization’s competitive edge in today’s increasingly aggressive manufacturing marketplace.

Logistics Data Transfer Standards Expertise

Leading challenges faced by the logistics industry is the need for transferring massive amounts of data between numerous geographically diverse entities and extremely short timelines. We understand that those who work in logistics are always working against the clock, and we will work as hard and as fast as you do.

Our expertise lies in complex, high-volume EDI implementations across diverse partner bases. Some of the more common standards that we are familiar with are:

• X12
• Edifact
• EDI 104, 204, 210-121, 217, 223-225, 304, 317, 350, 358, and 858-859

Integrating Numerous Logistics Management Packages

Logistics companies face challenges that many other industries don’t. They often provide information to customers regarding the location of a package at any given time during shipment as well as being held to an expected delivery date and time. To compound these challenges, logistics companies often do not share the same shipping and tracking systems with their counterparts in different locations.

We offer systems that can allow a congruent data view to all parties involved in the logistical process. Some of the typical logistics packages that we can integrate include:

• RedPrarie -TMS
• Manhattan Associates – Procure, fleet, scheduling
• JDA Software
• TMW – Enterprise Transportation Software
• Roadnet Technologies – Roadnet Transportation Suite
• Sphere – Sphere WMS
• Wolin Decision Group – Carton Logic, Supply Chain Business Suite
• Camelot Software – 3PLink
• Epicor – Supply Chain Management
• HighJump – Warehouse Advantage
• Royal 4 Systems – WISE
• Freightmaster – TMS
• SAGE – ERP MAS 500
• Aravo – Solution Center
• ProLogue – Pipeline

We can integrate most systems by connecting directly to the application layer of those systems via an API (as shown above). We can alternatively integrate directly to the underlying database structures if desired. We commonly integrate the following databases:

• Oracle
• Sybase
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft FoxPro
• MySQL
• IBM DB2
• Lotus Notes
• FileMaker ProInformix

Connecting Logistics Systems Using Microsoft BizTalk Server

Microsoft BizTalk Server can serve as the key integration approach between disparate internal and external systems. BizTalk Server can:

• Provide logistical organizations superior interoperability by using Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) architecture for application integration and technical interoperability by using the ESB toolkit, included with Microsoft BizTalk Server.
• Provide complete transaction transparency and trackability.
• Enable logistical organizations to passively document workflow events, providing complete audit trails without requiring additional steps or man-hours.
• Accelerate and enhance the flow of information between disparate systems, using pre-packaged accelerators, such as the PeopleSoft or SAP accelerator suites.
• Lower costs and accelerate time frames associated with integrating other logistical points by allowing new and legacy systems to operate in a plug-and-play service architecture.
• Efficiently manage complex and dynamic information exchanges between multiple systems to attain application integration and technical interoperability.

Back to Industries