Intuit ISP Summit 2010

B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net will be attending the Intuit Solution Provider Summit 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles, California from the 4th to the 7th of October. As an Intuit Gold Developer, B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net has been providing quality integrated EDI solutions for all QuickBooks products (including: QuickBooks Enterprise, Online Edition, Point of Sale, Premier, Pro, etc…) since 2000. B2BGateway.Net have also been awarded the highest customer satisfaction rating, regardless of product, of all QuickBooks Solution Providers. If you are attending the Summit make sure to stop by our booth and say hello.

Big Lots ASN Upgrade

We have just started work on an ASN upgrade for Big Lots. The upgrade is due to come into force in January 2011. We will of course keep all our clients trading with Big Lots up to date. If you would like any further information please contact your B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net Support Engineer.

Happy Birthday Sheila

We would like to wish B2BGateway.Net's www.b2bgateway.net Sheila Donaghey a very Happy Birthday!!

Fancy a Coffee on us?

B2BGateway Ltd. (a subsidiary of B2BGateway.Net)is holding an EDI Seminar next Wednesday 22nd September at Bewley's Dublin Airport Hotel, Ireland. The seminar is dedicated to IT Consultants, Accountants, Software Resellers and 3PL Professionals. Why not come along and have a coffee on us while we explain the advantages of implementing EDI solutions for your firm. For further details and to register your interest in attending, please contact Nicola Cahill at Tel. +353 91 788661 www.b2bgateway.net

Congratulations!!

Congratulations to Kevin, Justin, Jim and all the B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net cycle team who completed the 100 mile Narrangansett Bay Wheelman Bicycle Century yesterday.

Staying Fit at a Desk Job.

It can be really hard to try to find time to stay active during the work week. At the Rhode Island office we are lucky to have a YMCA less than 2 minutes down the street. There is a bunch of B2BGateway www.b2bgateway.net employees that make their way to the gym before or after work. The best time for me is my lunch break. Getting into the office at 8 AM and not leaving until 5 PM (or later), at the end of my day, I want to be sitting on the couch watching mindless TV and the last thing I want to go is hit the gym. The hour lunch break is just enough time for me to do some cardio on the elliptical, treadmill or bike, shower, then get back to work. We are very lucky to have the YMCA down the street from the office -not everyone has a gym so close to their work!

Good Hair Day

Whenever we get a new contract, the first thing I do is Google the Company Name. I think it is really important to understand what product the client is selling. One of our clients, T3 Micro, sells salon quality hair dryers and tools. So next time I was at the Salon, I asked my stylist what kind of hair dryer she had and she actually did have a T3 Micro dryer AND a T3 Micro hair straightener. She told me how the other stylists in the salon used T3 Micro tools as well. From this, I was actually able to relate something she uses every day to B2BGateway www.b2bgateway.net.

How to Keep the Workplace Fun!

I can’t really say there is ever a slow day at B2BGateway www.b2bgateway.net. But sometimes you just need to take a quick break from your work. In the B2BGateway office, we have come up with some creative break options. In the break room we do have a TV, with cable, so that is an easy go to. You can catch up on some news or weather or even a few minutes of your favorite day time soap! In the break room, we also have a Nintendo Wii. We only have a few games: Sports Resort, Mario Cart and Samba de Amigo – my personal favorite. It is really fun to play a quick game against a Programmer or Support Engineer, even more fun when you win!

B2BGateway.Net Book Exchange

In the B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net Rhode Island office, we have started a book exchange. We have a book shelf setup in our break room and everyone is welcome to leave or take books. Ryan Anderson, B2B Support Engineer, came up with the idea a little over 6 months ago. Now we have a nice little collection of books. I do not always have the time to run out to the library or Barnes & Noble, so it nice that I can peruse our selection for my next read – very convenient! It is nice to take a break from the usual work talk and chat to other employees about their recent reads and see if they recommend anything. Maybe a B2BGateway.Net book club will be next!

B2B Outings

I love planning, any kind of planning. Parties, events, activities, travel, ordering lunch for the office – you name it, I love it! I even like researching hotels and restaurants for coworker’s travels. But if someone told me they thought planning a work event was easy, I would have to refrain from slapping them in the face. B2Bgateway www.b2bgateway.net has a very diverse group of employees and trying to plan something that will accommodate everyone can be a rough task. When planning a work outing, I always have to stop and think “Will the Sales Team like this?” or “Would the Setup Programmers be interested in this?” I feel like I have exhausted the Google search “Corporate Events”. But this hasn’t jaded my love of planning. Over the past 3 years we have had some really memorable work events. The first B2BGateway event I went t to (this one I didn’t plan, but kudos to the person that did) was F1 Boston (www.F1Boston.com). The indoor kart racing track, jumpsuits and helmets included. Over the next few years, I helped planned a trip to Dave & Buster (www.DaveandBusters.com), bowling and the biggest event to date, our 10 Year Anniversary. 2009 marked our 10 Year Anniversary and we took a day trip to Block Island, RI. I am in the works for planning our next work event and as always, I am open to ideas!
Riona

Century Bike Ride

On Sunday September 13th, Jim Partridge, Kevin Hoyle and Justin Hoyle of B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net will be participating for the third year in a row in the Narragansett Bay Wheelman Bicycle Club’s Century (www. nbwclub.org). The annual, one day 100 mile tour is through the scenic coastal shoreline, forests and marshlands of southeastern Rhode Island and Massachusetts. There will be over 2,000 cyclists participating this year. Although, the tour is recreational ride and not a race, we wonder what B2BGateway member will finish first! Jim, Justin and Kevin – good luck!

Rhode Island Office

I have been with B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net for a little over 3 ½ years now. I started working in our European Office in Dublin, Ireland. Our EU office has since moved to Galway, Ireland and I have since moved back to Rhode Island. Our Rhode Island office is located in Wyoming, which is a small town in Southern Rhode Island. The town does have other places of business; a grocery store, three pharmacies, a few gas stations, hair salon and two gyms. But I think it is pretty safe to say we are the only Business to Business company in the area. Whenever I am out at lunch and someone happens to ask where I work, I let them know about our office “right down the street”. Most people are extremely interested to hear about what we do. When I first say we are software as a service company specializing in EDI, I lose them. But then I explain to them a real life scenario of B2BGateway.Net being part of the process of getting certain items into the local Stop & Shop or CVS, they are back and interested again. At B2BGateway.Net, we are helping making every day easier for someone somewhere. Like making sure CVS gets the ASN on time for a shipment arriving the next day at CVS Wyoming. I take great pride in knowing we helped make the process a little smoother and I also think the people of Wyoming, RI can take some pride in knowing this is all happening in their little town.
Riona

Fonality

In early 2009, we switched our phone system over to Fonality (www.Fonality.com). Fonality has used B2BGateway.Net’s www.b2bgateway.net EDI services since 2008. When we learned about the flexibility of the Fonality’s phone system, we thought it would be a perfect match for B2BGateway.Net. We currently have three offices, two in the United States and one in Ireland. We really needed a phone system that would seamlessly link the three offices together. With Fonality, we can easily transfer a call from the Rhode Island office to Ireland. Another great feature is the availability to take the phone with you anywhere. If you are traveling or working in another office, as long as you have an internet connection, you will be able to use your phone. It is nice to not have to worry about forwarding your calls or making sure wherever you are they have a phone for you to use. Fonality has definitely helped B2BGateway.Net in a big way!

AAFES 5010

Over the next few weeks, B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net and AAFES (www.AAFES.com) will be working together on AAFES 5010 upgrade. B2BGateway.Net has been working with AAFES for almost 10 years and are on AAFES recommended EDI Provider List. The 5010 upgrade will take place behind the scene and will not disrupt the daily transmission of EDI documents. The upgrade to 5010 will include the 850 Purchase Order, 860 Purchase Order Change, 856 Advanced Shipped Notice and 810 Invoice. AAFES and B2BGateway.Net hope to have the upgrade completed by the end of September. If AAFES contacts you about the upgrade, please let your Support Engineer know and they will be able to assist.

Interbike Show

Brian Alty and Justin Hoyle from B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net will be attending 2010 Interbike International Trade Expo in Las Vegas (www.interbike.com). The expo is taking place over September 22 – 24. The show brings 1000s of cycling related brands from around the world. It features Industry leaders and innovative products in the bicycle industry. Interbike started in 1982 by Steve Ready and Herb Wettenkamp. Interbike is the largest bicycle industry trade show in North America and is held annually. Justin and Brian are looking forward to seeing a few of B2BGateway.Net’s partners and clients that will be exhibiting this year: Le Saint Logistics (www.lesaint.com), Nuun (www.nuun.com), Luna Sports (www.LunaSportsGear.com), Niner Bikes (www.NinerBikes.com), Look Cycle (www.LookCycle.com) and Sidi America (www.sidiamerica.com) to name a few.

Target DVS

In early 2010, Target.com announced a transition from Its Channel Intelligence TargetVantage Platform to an in-house solution for DVS vendors. At B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net,we took early initiative by contacting Target and letting them know we were prepared for the migration. As Target moved closer to starting the migration, they kept B2BGateway in the loop by providing updates and copies of the new EDI mapping specifications. One of the changes that came with the migration, was new requirements to their packing slip. B2BGateway was able to create the packing slips according to Target’s specifications and we are able to offer this service to our clients. As we head into September, we will be reaching the tail end of the migration and should have all vendors moved over to the new platform. If you are a current Target DVS vendor and need an EDI solution, please visit www.b2bgateway.net or call us at 401-491-9595 for details about our services.

B2B & Twitter

When I first heard B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net was on Twitter (twitter.com/B2BGateway). I thought “Reeeeeally? Seeeeriously?” I had always thought Twitter was reserved for those self-obsessed celebrities that feel like everyone is so interested in their random thoughts. You know, the John Meyers, Miley Cyrus’, Paris Hiltons of the celebrity world. I just did not see where B2BGateway.Net was going to fit in. Then I was asked to setup an account of my own and check it out. Bad idea. Now I am totally obsessed! It is not just celebrities tweeting about nonsense; it is a great, simple way for businesses to keep customers up to date on just about everything. Through Twitter, B2BGateway.Net can follow QuickBooks, Netsuite and Interprise and stop on top of new ERP trends and changes. We are also able to following 3PLs like Kuehne & Nagel. It truly is a nice way of staying connected to everyone in your industry. Although I hate to admit it but there are some celebrities I follow on Twitter, ie Lindsay Lohan – she is a train wreck, how could you not be interested?

Riona

Site to Store

I recently went online to Walmart.com to make some purchases. Rather than having the goods shipped to the store for pick up, I had them shipped directly to my house. While placing the order online, it brought me back to the testing we have done for all of our clients using B2BGateway www.b2bgateway.net as their EDI provider. The stacks of packing lists on my desk, the piles of labels scanned for approval, and the regular use of terms such as S2H (Site to Home) and S2S (Site to Store). When the shipment arrived, I had no choice but to review the quiet zones on the labels and the format of the packing list. Call me a dork but you know you would have done the same…

Developing the Gateway

In yet another of our behind the scenes look at the inner workings of B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net, today we will focus in on the Development Programmer. Those brave enough to work in development are known for staring at their computer screen for hours on end focusing in one a single goal. That goal may be a simple as adding a new report to the Client Portal, or as complicated as creating an integration with a brand new accounting package. If a Client needs to use a product, be it the website or a desktop application, it’s safe to assume that a Development programmer had a hand in it.

Of course, their job doesn’t just stop there. Each time a new feature is rolled out for the Clients to try, those sly programmers are thinking of ways it can improve. The life of the Development programmer, while sometimes reclusive, is never short on excitement. Each day brings a new challenge to the Development programmer, but that’s what they’re there for

Tom

Label in Large Retailer

I was at in Target recently and they were stocking the shelves with a product that is supplied by one of our clients. I took a closer look at the box the products were coming out of and right there was a UCC 128 Label created by B2BGateway.Net’s Warehouse Support Site. It happened to be a setup I worked on and it was really rewarding seeing the label in use. I wanted to share my joy with the person stocking the shelves but stopped myself – they probably would not find my UCC 128 Label story all that interesting. If you need an EDI or UCC 128 Label solution, please visit www.b2bgateway.net

Riona

Order-Entry Vs. EDI

Have you ever worked in a order-entry department? I did for a short time and it wasn’t much fun. I wonder if anyone really still does that anymore. I guess there must still be old fashioned phone order catalogs. At B2BGateway, we can eliminate the need for order-entry and make your business flow. Typically our customers are small companies who sell to retailers and they have no choice about EDI. In order to sell toilet paper to Walmart, you have to be EDI compatible, so they go into it unwillingly. I think many of them may find advantages to the automation after they realize how it works, particularly when they don’t have to hand key in anything! Of course, we are the gurus where Retail EDI is concerned, but we can also help the Dot com guys. There are many webstores out there selling through the dot com companies, and they need help! Imagine if you sold TVs. Imagine, Joe Schmoe logs in to Buy.com and orders 10 flatscreens for his new 10 room Villa. That order is automatically sent to through B2BGateway system, imported into your system, you click a button, it triggers the order to your warehouse, the warehouse presses another button triggering the ship notice to B2BGateway, and immediately on to Buy.com and Joe. Joe gets his TVs, Buy.com sends an electronic payment to your bank, life is sweet!

Tracy

Kardashians: Serena & Lily Fans

As a long time employee of B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net, I always think it’s nice to see our clients in the news or to physically see the products in stores. This case is a little different but I guess the saying applies, no press is bad press. I, I mean...someone I know, was recently watching the informative and educational television show, Kourtney & Khloe take Miami. At one point, one of the Kardashian sisters discovered their stand up baby daddy, who had punched a mirror, had gotten blood on her bedding. Along with some swearing and screaming, she yelled "someone got blood all over my Serena and Lily sheets!". I hear about Serena & Lily (www.serenaandlily.com) all the time, but normally only when they are talked about in reference to EDI so it was funny to hear them referenced in such an unusual scenario.

Riona

Scott Pilgrim Vs. EDI

Scott Pilgrim vs EDI
I talked earlier about the biggest movie of the summer, Inception, and about its multiple layers. It’s polar opposite was released a few weeks ago in Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs The World. Scott Pilgrim is about as single layered as a movie can get. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The story is still interesting and it’s filled with characters that you can actually care about. But sadly, it’s also a movie that is being overlooked for the bigger films like the Expendables. Bigger does not always equal better. Take B2BGateway.Net for instance.

Sure, we’re not the biggest EDI company on the market, but we have the highest customer satisfaction. We don’t have thousands of support people on the phone, but we have dedicated Support Engineers who knows your business and can help at any time. Our programming staff couldn’t fill a warehouse, but they consistently go above and beyond to make sure the client has the easiest transition into the Electronic Data world.

So yes, smaller can mean better. It’s not quantity, but quality. And we here at B2BGateway.Net thrive on quality. And lucky for our clients, so do they.

Physical2Digital Gateway

The idea of Digital Distribution has been around for some time now, but it’s only been in recent years that the idea of digital goods has become a reality. Netflix allows users to stream full movies and TV series digitally. There are online stores that sell complete movies, songs, and even games without the need to step foot into an actual store. Just the other day I purchased the Scott Pilgrim game on my Playstation without so much as getting up from my couch. While this distribution method is a new idea for many people, B2BGateway.Net www.b2bgateway.net has been moving massive amounts of data online for even longer.

Really, what is comes down to is that all of these online sales are a different implementation of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). Just like I can buy a game without needing a physical disk, our clients can get orders, send ASNs and Invoices without needing a single sheet of paper. Not only does this help keep things in order, it is also an incredibly convenient way of doing business. So yes, we help people do business through EDI, but we also help businesses run better by taking away the aches and pains involved with physical media.

So Playstation? You’re welcome.
Tom