B2BGateway announces latest release v1.52 of B2BGateway EDI Connect App

The latest edition of the B2BGateway EDI Connect App version 1.52 is now available for download on the Apple iTunes store.

This powerful EDI App by B2BGateway is ideal for EDI users on the go. Version 1.52 now gives the B2BGateway EDI user increased functionality with great new features such as being able to view and respond directly to open tasks on maintenance requests, view analytics on all trading partner activity, view and analyze Purchase Order activity and the ability to view the number of EDI documents processed on a daily basis.

To download or upgrade your current B2BGateway EDI Connect App, please visit the Apple iTunes Store

Webinar July 09 at 1pm EST: Integrate your eCommerce Platform with your Accounting Software or ERP

Do you use an eCommerce Platform such as Magento, 3dcart, Shopify, Volusion, etc. to run your Online Shopping Cart?

Would you like to learn how to integrate your eCommerce platform to your Accounting Software / ERP system? (QuickBooks, NetSuite, SAP, Microsost Dynamics, etc.)

Regiester today to learn how to:

• Use B2BGateway's fully-integrated EDI solutions to pull orders from your online shopping cart and populate them as sales orders in your accounting package or ERP system without rekeying any data!
• Keep your online site up to date with inventory updates.
• Connect and communicate seamlessly with 3PLs and outsourced warehouses or shipping companies.

We'll have a 'questions and answers' segment at the end for any specific question that might not have been covered in the Webinar. Please click the link below to register we hope to see you on July 9th!

Register here http://bit.ly/1yU0idk

What is an ASN?

An ASN (Advance Ship Notice) is an electronic document that provides a detailed notification of a pending delivery. It is a commonly used EDI transaction set known as the EDI 856 under the ANSI X12 standards or the DESADV (Despatch Advice) under EDIFACT standards. The purpose of an ASN is to notify the customer when shipping occurs and provide physical characteristics about the shipment so the customer can be prepared to accept delivery to their warehouse or store.  

The ASN which ties back to the original Purchase Order (PO) sent can be used to list the contents of a shipment of goods as well as additional information such as when an order will be shipped, which items are being shipped, how many of each item is being shipped and physical characteristics about the shipment such as the shipment’s weight, the number of boxes and a description of how the shipment units are packaged. An ASN also tells the customer which mode of transportation is being used for shipping and provides carrier information.

Retailers have found that having an ASN requirement as part of their overall EDI compliance structure leads to greater accuracy, greater flexibility and an overall reduction in costs.

If you would like to know more about the ASN and how B2BGateway can help you implement this EDI transaction set please call (401) 491 9595 or email Sales@B2BGateway.Net

B2BGateway EDI Order Portals – Receive your orders faster and error free!

 

Question: Are many of your customers still calling in, faxing or emailing their orders to you? Does this put a strain on your staff resources, create errors and confusion, and generally make your supply chain processes less efficient? If the answer is yes to any of the above, it is time that you considered introducing a B2BGateway Order Portal to allow efficient communications between your organization and your customers. Having a B2BGateway Order Portal will allow your organization to:

·         Display all your products on a drop down menu allowing your customers to choose which products and quantity that they would like to order electronically.

·         Eliminate paper, phone calls and email orders. Have one simple solution for your organizations order taking.

·         Import orders (EDI 850) from your customers direct to your back end Accounting/ERP software system. Full seamless, cloud based integration with no need to re-key data.

·         The B2BGateway Order Portal will be fully customized with your organizations, branding, colors and logos.

·         Reduce costs, errors and labor associated with manual data entry.

·         Add or delete customers as the need arises.

·         Communicate special offers, end of product lines, events or trade information.

·         Be compliant with all global EDI standards including ANSI X12, UN/EDIFACT, EANCOM, Tradacoms, Odette, XML etc.

What are the benefits for your customers?

·         As the solution is web based your customers will not need to invest in additional hardware or software systems – all they will require is a computer and an internet connection.

·         Your customers will be able to create, send, save and edit all orders that they send to your organization.

·         Past orders can be copied to create a new order in order to facilitate easy ordering.

·         There is an on screen record of all transactions and your customers will have the ability to edit their own company information and login passwords.

·         It helps speed up the ‘Order to Payment’ cash cycle and streamline the overall supply chain process.

For further information on B2BGateway’s Order Portal and how it can help you achive great overall supply chain efficiencies between your organization and your customers please click here or email Sales@B2BGateway.Net

 

 

What is AS2?

Question: Hi Louisa, I have just landed a contract to supply Walmart (woohoo!) but they want me to do EDI by using something called AS2. Do you know what AS2 is?

 
Answer: Hi Jim, thanks for the question. Yes, AS2 (Applicability Statement 2) is a specification intended to ensure the proper level of security and reliability for data transmitted over the Internet. Security is achieved by using digital certificates and encryption. In short AS2 is a secure way to exchange data over the internet, in this case the exchange of PO’s, Invoices and ASNs (Advance Ship Notices) between your organization and Walmart.

Document exchange requires more than just moving data over a wire. Because business documents are the basis not only of business planning and operations, but also the legal obligations between companies, the documents must be transferred securely, processed quickly and delivered reliably. AS2 is one of a small number of emerging standards that addresses these requirements and is becoming a very popular communication protocol used in EDI today. Walmart has been one of the great advocates of the adoption of AS2 in the EDI marketplace and many more have followed since.

If you would like to learn more about AS2 or indeed any other EDI communication protocol such as VAN, FTP, FTPs, HTTP, etc please email Sales@B2BGateway.Net or call (401) 491 9595 for further details.

Louisa Gooding is Director of Sales & Marketing at B2BGateway.Net

 

Advantages of adding ASN/GS1-128 labels to your EDI supply chain process.

 

üThe ASN (Advance Ship Notice) and GS1-128 label (formerly known as UCC-128 label) will provide a link to the original PO sent by the trading partner(s).

üImplementing ASN and GS1-128 labels between trading partners and suppliers is not just seen as best business practice, but it will also speed up all party shipping and receiving procedures.

üThe automation of the supply chain with the introduction of ASN/GS1-128 labels will help decrease manual labor costs and reduce errors.

üAll ASN/GS1-128 label standards are global – this alleviates confusion from global suppliers.

üThe ASN/GS1-128 label standards apply throughout the entire supply chain, from raw materials supplier to manufacturer to distributor/wholesaler to end user/retailer.

üThe ASN/GS1-128labels can be used for both inter and intra-company transactions.