Our Work

Sterling Integrator™ – Transportation Services

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Upgrade GIS v4.11 to SI v5.0 / Process Automation and Improvement / Business Process Development / Data Mapping / Operations / Support

CLIENT PROFILE

Client is a privately held company providing integrated transportation services to and from the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Tortola.

• Industry: Transportation Services
• Location: Florida
• Technical Environment: Hardware(and OS): Linux (RedHat) / Windows, Software(and version): Gentran Integration Suite v4.11 – Sterling Integrator v5.0, ERP: Great Plains / Proprietary in house systems
• Relevant to the project: Other: Oracle 9i / 10g

SITUATION

The existing GIS Administrator had moved to a new company and the company had several outstanding issues that needed to be addressed.

SOLUTION / DELIVERABLES

• GIS / SI  upgrade and migration
• System assessment / recommendations
• Development of new B2B and EAI processes
• Process and system improvements
• Operations support
• EDI maps / XML maps / JDBC maps / positional maps

OUTCOME

• Stabilization of existing GIS environment
• Upgrade GIS v4.11 to SI v5.0
• Improvements in the migration processes from beta to production
• Successful implementation of several new trading partners and transactions
• Resolution of several operational and design issues

Sterling Integrator™ – Food Service Distribution

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

EDI mapping and customer on-boarding team staffing

CLIENT PROFILE

Client is a national food service supplier providing food and related products and services to 250,000+ customers, including restaurants, hospitals, hotels, schools and governmental operations. The client employs more than 25,000+ associates and operates more than 90 distribution centers.

• Industry: Food Service Distribution
• Location: Midwestern United States serving North America
• Products:
  Food and food related products
• Technical Environment: Hardware(and OS): Unix, Software(and version): GIS 4.3, Communications software (and version): GIS (AS2), VAN, ERP: Proprietary
• Relevant to the project: Number of Trading Partners: 70+, Number of Maps: Varied based on customers meeting client specifications or customers requiring their specifications be met, Other:
  TIBCO, PRIME, Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), Product Information Management (PIM)

BUSINESS CASE

• Project goal was to increase the number of customer business documents processed by EDI to result in reduced processing costs, reduced data errors, and increased efficiency
• With increased electronic integration, faster inbound PO’s (etc.) were to speed the order to cash cycle
• There was difficulty in making progress on implementations as new customer integration opportunities were being presented to the company faster than current staff implementation levels would allow

SITUATION

• Client was understaffed in terms of GIS mappers / business process developers
• Client was understaffed in terms of EDI data integration and implementation coordinators
• Client wanted implementation coordinators capable of working effectively with customers that had a mature EDI knowledge base and infrastructure, as well as those with the demonstrated ability to assist customers with integrations where customer knowledge of EDI, required infrastructure, and implementation techniques was not strong
• There was an extremely high degree of implementation complexity in the client environment due to different systems, a variety of divisions (acquired through acquisition), and a variety of customer / specification types

SOLUTION / DELIVERABLES

• Created two EDI integration teams to increase integration capacity and reduce backlogs
• Each EDI integration team consisted of one person to perform EDI mapping, testing, and GIS BP development
• Each EDI integration team consisted of three people who worked directly with client customers to perform specification review, data integration and gap analysis, and coordination of testing/problem resolution/go-live
• Based on large scale EDI implementation and integration efforts for other clients, use best practice and lessons learned from other projects to consult with client and arrive at the most effective strategy for aggressive on-boarding given the complexities of the client environment

OUTCOME

• 70 integrations were completed in 2.5 months with the new team and structure (with more integrations to come), as opposed to 92 integrations for all of 2008
• Much needed documentation has been completed and circulated throughout client departments to aid in awareness of various eCommerce processes
• Projects are being handled more timely and efficiently as a result of these implementation teams

Gentran™:Server Conversion Using X-link – Supply Chain Services

PROJECT NAME

Gentran Server Unix v6.1 Visual Map conversion to Sterling Integrator™ (GENTRAN Integration Suite) Unix v4.2 Maps – Using X-Link Conversion Engine

CLIENT PROFILE

Client is a supply chain services company providing supply chain solutions to food service and grocery chains of all types throughout the world.

• Industry: Supply Chain Services
• Location: Southwestern United States
• Products:
  Food and foodservice related procurement, distribution, and sales support
• Technical Environment: Hardware(and OS): Unix, Software(and version): Gentran Server for Unix 6.1, Sterling Integrator (GIS) v4.2
• Relevant to the project: Number of Maps: 127 total maps, 10 vendor and 117 customer maps

BUSINESS CASE

• To get maps converted to fully utilize Sterling Integrator
• To retire the instance of GENTRAN Unix
• To eliminate the cost of operating the two integration environments

SITUATION

• Client needed to rewrite a block of 127 maps in Sterling Integrator’s mapper
• The source of the maps was GENTRAN Server UNIX Visual maps
• Sterling Integrator maps tend to take 16 to 24 hours a piece, on average and in most instances, for analysis, mapping, unit testing, and end to end testing
• Client required rapid development of maps, testing, and implementation due to internal objectives

SOLUTION / DELIVERABLES

• REMEDI utilized the X-Link Conversion Engine to perform a proof of concept conversion on 4 maps of varying complexity for client
• Client elected to perform the finalization of the converted maps internally completing map logic for functions in the Visual Mapper not supported in the Sterling Integrator mapper, updating Sterling Integrator code lists, and testing to ensure maps produced similar results as Visual Maps
• Upon successful completion of the proof of concept, client authorized REMEDI to utilize the X-Link Conversion Engine to convert the remaining 123 maps
• Client performed the finalization on the remaining maps

OUTCOME

• Proof of concept completed successfully with client technical resources
• Balance of maps were converted successfully
• Using the automated conversion tool the client delivery, conversion, and return of maps to client took less than one business day
• Maps were finalized by client personnel on their calendar timeline, but with total average finalization time running 2-4 hours per map in most instances

Gentran™:Server for UNIX – Building Materials Manufacturer

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

eCommerce / EDI Managed Services and CoSourcing

CLIENT PROFILE

A global producer of residential and commercial building materials and a Fortune 500 company for each of the 15+ years REMEDI has served the client.

• Industry: Building Materials
• Location: Midwestern United States
• Products: Building materials such as insulation, roofing, noise control, masonry, and asphalt products
• Technical Environment: Hardware(and OS): UNIX Sun Solaris, Software(and version): Gentran Server for UNIX 6.1, ERP: SAP, Communications: CLEO, webMethods, AS2
• Relevant to the project: Number of trading partners: 400+, Number of maps: 200+ new maps developed, map updates and maintenance of 200+ additional, Number of scripts: 25+

BUSINESS CASE

• Client desired to use a blended model of coSourcing and managed services in their eCommerce department for integrations with their business network…suppliers, customers, carriers, banks, and third party administrators (TPAs)
• The approach allowed internal eCommerce personnel to focus on business process competencies and related business analysis for internal business area (user) departments
• The approach also freed client personnel to act as liaison between business network partners and internal business areas, and resulted in the feeding of very specific integration specifications to the eCommerce team which included REMEDI resources
• Client also charged REMEDI with the training and cross-training of resources and with the obligation of ramping team size up or down based on integration demand
• In addition to similar client eCommerce personnel duties, REMEDI was charged with staffing resources that could competently represent the client (communication, support hours, business integration experience) and work with customers (and other business partners) and be aware of client business area processes and requirements

SITUATION

• Client product evolution went from Gentran Mainframe and proprietary business systems, to Gentran Mentor, to Gentran Server UNIX implementation in conjunction with a SAP implementation
• Gentran Server Unix has been upgraded several times since the original installation
• Client has ported EDI and eCommerce infrastructure to several different platforms and data centers
• Client had technical requirements to comply with not only data integration requirements of its customers, but with varying standards and communications requirements
• Client has required outside assistance in a managed services capacity but also assistance with shorter term ecommerce “special projects”

SOLUTION / DELIVERABLES

• Provided from 1-4 FTE consultants as required to perform managed services in the spectrum of environments listed in the Situation section
• Managed services resources performed the following duties; partner contact/coordination, analysis, mapping, testing (unit/end to end), implementation, communications development, production support, problem resolution, progress reporting, and more
• Trading partner types included implementations with customers, suppliers, carriers, banks, insurance administrators (TPAs), and others
• Managed services responsibilities, as related to client infrastructure, included; infrastructure support, Gentran Server UNIX upgrades, UNIX server upgrades/conversions, and disaster recovery tests
• Provided from 1-2 FTE consultants as required to staff “special projects” that would arise with client from time to time…”special projects” included…
  • Vendor community management, an intensive time-bound effort to survey and recruit EDI capable vendors, distribute client specifications, perform testing, certify production readiness, place in production, and provide post-production support
  • Vendor community management, an intensive time-bound effort to implement non-EDI capable vendors on a web-based eCommerce solution where REMEDI distributed system specifications, performed vendor training/testing, certified production readiness, placed in production, and provided post-production support
  • Developed and hosted (on REMEDI servers) a XML translation solution that allowed client to trade documents with partners in XML formats
  • Perform benefits enrollment mapping and implementation with TPAs when client switched service providers

OUTCOME

• A 15+ year relationship with client playing roles from managed services, to “special projects”, to outsourcing service provider
• Developed, documented, and implemented 200+ maps, and maintained over 200 more
• Developed 25+ Gentran server UNIX scripts, and maintained many more
• Participated in 2 Gentran Server upgrades (Gentran Server 5.1 to 5.3, Gentran Server 5.3 to 6.1), by testing all maps and scripts to ensure everything worked in the new environment as in the old environment
• Participated in the conversion from HP UNIX servers to Sun UNIX servers ensuring execution functionality on new servers was the same as on the old servers for scripts and EDI transactions
• Participated in annual disaster recovery testing
• From a client customer perspective we greatly reduced the manual effort required to process inbound purchase orders to the posting of cash
• From a client vendor perspective we greatly reduced the manual effort required in the purchase to pay cycle
• The timely pickup and delivery of products was accomplished with the EDI connectivity established with client motor carriers
• Client was able to accommodate additional customers and associated revenue through the REMEDI developed and hosted XML translation solution
• Client/REMEDI was able to increase the electronic transactions and decrease paper transactions with vendors through the eCommerce deployment initiative which was EDI and web portal based

EXTOL Business Integrator® – Beverage Distribution

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ERP Conversion, EDI Conversion TrustedLink to EXTOL Business Integrator®

CLIENT PROFILE

Client is a wine and spirits company in Canada, and a subsidiary of a global wine and spirits holding company. The client produces and distributes branded and private label beverage products through wholesalers and retailers in a collaborative manner.

• Industry: Beverage Manufacturing and Distribution
• Location: Canada
• Products: Branded and private label beverages
• Technical Environment: Hardware(and OS): MS Server 2003, Software(and version): EXTOL Business Integrator (EBI) version 2.2.1, ERP: JD Edwards Enterprise One (JDE E1), Communications: EXTOL Secure version 5.3
• Relevant to the project: Number of trading partners: 3, Number of maps: 3, Number of business processes: 3

BUSINESS CASE

• To meet requirement to be up and running on new EBI version 2.2.1 by July, 2009
• To move critical processes from JDE on AS400 to JDE Enterprise One on MS Server 2003 / Oracle using EXTOL Business Integrator
• To aid the client in avoiding compliance chargebacks
• Save company in EDI transaction costs and EDI infrastructure costs of maintaining 2 translation environments

SITUATION

• Client was converting from JDE on AS400 to JDE Enterprise One on MS Server 2003 / Oracle
• Client was converting from TrustedLink to EXTOL Business Integrator
• Client needed to have test transactions from the new mappings and EBI available by April 2009 in order begin testing with the new JDE software

SOLUTION / DELIVERABLES

• Provided one (1) EXTOL consultant to analyze existing maps, convert maps from Trusted Link to new EBI maps / software, install and test all processes
• Developed and tested the business processes (BPs) that accompanied these maps
• Setup, configured, and enabled the Perimeter Server to perform the communication and routing with Trading Partners to which test maps were related
• Performed custom remote EXTOL EBI training

OUTCOME

• Maps were completed and ready for testing with the new ERP system
• Associated Business Processes were developed, documented and logged for reusability
• Custom scripts were provided to the client and further training will help to reinforce the scripts provided
• Client was pleased with the work accomplished and further testing will reveal cost savings with daily transactions exchanged with the VAN, and savings due to the integrity of the software and communications

TrustedLink® Enterprise – Book Distribution

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

TrustedLink® Enterprise Upgrade

CLIENT PROFILE

Leading provider of distribution services to independent publishers and a top ten vendor in the industry.

• Industry: Book Distribution
• Location: Tennessee
• Products: Books
• Technical Environment: Hardware(and OS): Windows, Software(and version): TrustedLink Enterprise v6.1

BUSINESS CASE

The company found it necessary to upgrade to the current version of the TLE software. Inovis sunsets the older versions and they are no longer supported.

The client uses Pubnet as a VAN channel for a large majority of its trading partners. They were utilizing old proprietary software and processes to manipulate the data before and after their EDI translations. Their desire was to bring this into the TLE processing and discontinue the old processes.

SITUATION

• Company was upgrading to new version of TLE software to stay current on releases.
• Pubnet – New maps, scripts, and processes were developed within TLE to accommodate sending and receiving data and remove all of the previous pre and post processing done by external software.

SOLUTION / DELIVERABLES

• Upgraded the TLE software release. Provided all of the testing and regression testing of all maps and processes with the new version.
• Wrote new maps and enhanced old maps at request of the client. These are in all areas of their business and reflect projects that had been on hold due to lack of personnel or expertise in providing the solution.
• Pubnet – The TLE outbound maps were rewritten to be able to envelope data for individual partners since all of the data is received as one large interchange from Pubnet. Inbound maps were rewritten to be able to manipulate envelope information to split documents by partner in order to pass to the backend systems within Pubnet.

OUTCOME

• System and maps were completed and tested without production go-live issues, in the calendar time frame, and billable hours estimated.
• All additional projects and maps were completed on time. Some of these require special TLE code and processing that the client was unaware of.
• Pubnet – New mappings worked as designed and allowed the old software and processes to be removed and are no longer used.