IDII Software Newsletter - Vol 1 No 5- April 19th 2000  To assist the professional dealing with software in Warehousing Distribution, Logistics, and the Supply Chain. Techniques, Vision, & Educational Thoughts New Technology versus Proven Business Functionality Software technology has changed rapidly over the last 5 years. This point should be considered, since many companies are buying 'replacement' software for existing applications and some companies are purchasing new software for the first time, such as dot.com companies. With many software solutions on the market, one must "weigh" new technology versus "proven functionality". Some examples of new technology are Java, Linux, object-orientated programming, components (objects), RF/ID tags, Windows CE, as well as Intelligent Alerts. It takes tremendous resources to re-tool an older ERP or WMS to today's technology. As a buyer of solutions, one must ask "Is this vendor using the latest technology in their software offerings?" Or is this vendor behind - no relational database - no standard & published API 's (application programming interfaces)? What about vision? Is the vendor moving forward in multiple language offerings, offering the solution in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian? Can I reconfigure my RF screens without programming? Those "visionaries" in the software companies have to have "worker bees" that can manufacture and deliver the software. Are the "worker bees" focussed and dedicated only to the new product? Having the newest software with the latest technology has its risks. A new product (for the first six months of the first production release) is going to have many "bugs" identified and corrected. Normally, the first release of the new software application has less functionality than older, proven applications. One may have to wait (and wait) while the new software application goes into version 2, 3, or .... The best thing to do is find out exactly what functionality is in the new product and asks, "Will this new product meet my needs TODAY?" (Philip Obal, President of IDII) IDII News New - Stock Quotes, Charts, News on WMS and ERP Companies Like to invest in the stock market in technology stocks? We have added a WMS/LES (Warehouse Management System/Logistics Execution System) webpage that shows current stock prices, charts, and news. We have also added an ERP/SCM (Enterprise Resource Planning / Supply Chain Management) webpage. For latest news, quotes, analyst ratings, and charts on these publicaly traded companies, click on our page, to get a complete list of ERP software companies in the North America stock markets. Software Company News Catalyst (WMS, TMS, YMS, Simulation) - Announces NEW Warehouse Simulation Product. Provides Catalyst WMS users a tool for the graphic, real-time display of warehouse and DC operations via their desktop computers. Able to simulate both current and future envisioned environments, it interfaces with WMS to create a baseline for prospective changes in warehouse operations. Users can simulate changes of warehouse layout, equipment, orders, items, staffing, methods and procedures. Users may immediately view the results. Editor's notes: Catalyst is now one of the very, very few WMS companies to offer a WMS simulator product. This is a common deficiency in the WMS market place and IDII congratulates Catalyst for 'meeting the need' of the supply chain professionals within the warehouse! Delfour (WMS/OMS/TMS/YMS) - SmartDock (supports cross dock) and SmartYard (yard management activity) are launched. These products are done in Java with a thin client server architecture. Editor's notes: Delfour is one of the original 3 WMS players that started in the 3PL vertical. They have accomplished delivering a NEW, up-to-date technology WMS product (using Java as the technology for all of their modules). We now see the completion of work that begun two years ago. DigitalShipper.com (TMS, B2B) - Offer Enterprise Transportation (B2B) content over the Internet with standard integration to SAP's R/3 and SAP's MySAP.com. DigitalShipper.com is a division of Infinity Logistics, a provider of e-commerce and supply chain solutions. DigitalShipper.com integrates UPS, RFP, Fed Ex, U.S. Postal Service, and most major other carriers (parcel and LTL) into one customized web site. This provides an enterprise of supply chain trading communities and shippers. Editor's notes: Technology is moving on fast! Also, check out the ECOutlook.com for business to business document transfers! HK Systems (TMS, WMS, SMS, Financials) - Delivers OAGI standards based eCommerce solution. HK has spent significant time and money in implementing OAGIS standard transaction sets into their software. Editor's notes: by utilizing the Open Applications Group's (OAGI) Business Object Documents (BODs) into it's products, HK has helped it's customers and the supply chain by staying with well defined standards in business transactions. The TRANSFER of data and making it PORTABLE is now a key to productivity. HK Systems (TMS, WMS, SMS, Financials) - New release 7.3 of Auto/ExpressShip, part of the SCM/Enterprise Transportation Management suite. Auto/ExpressShip can perform carrier selection, combine orders on definable criteria, shipment consolidations, including pooling and zone-skipping capabilities. Transportation costs are calculated using actual negotiated carrier rates. Auto/ExpressShip is an NT-based JAVA solution for stand-alone use, with legacy applications, or integrated with HK's WMS or OMS solutions. Intrepa (WMS, TMS) - Announces Logistics Pro in a Windows NT environment., targeted toward the small to mid-tier companies. Logistics Pro is supply chain management solution (WMS, TMS). Logistics Pro is available on NT and AS/400 operating systems. Functionality in this new release includes: Process Flows for outbound order, order waves, automatic order waves (groups), carrier assignment based on rules, outbound work creation, create user defined work types, RF, container nesting, serial number, lot number, and item catch weight. Packing processes can be configured to dictate the packing process flows. Features also include Shipping Load Assignment, Work Browser, Warehouse Control Center, support for Fedex, UPS, USPS, and supports multi-company. A 3rd party distribution billing module is now in development in continued support of the 3PL market place. Kewill E-Commerce of Kewill Systems (SCM, WMS, SMS) and Syntra (e-commerce) partner to provide business-to-business (B2B) electronic commerce solutions. Both companies have executed a cross-licensing agreement. Syntra's landed cost and regulatory compliance engine, plus Kewill's new electronic commerce products are a strong offering. Kewill has a background in WMS, logistics, and TMS. Logility (WMS, SCE, SCP, B2B, CFPR)- Announces latest release of Logility Voyager Solutions suite. Two new Internet-based, Voluntary Inter-industry Commerce Standards (VICS), Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR) compliant applications. The Logility i-Community allows organizations to collaborate on sales forecasts and replenishment plans as well as transportation and DC management with trading partners via the Internet. Voyager XES (eXtensible Execution Solutions) is an Internet -based application providing a global view into supply chain execution processes including order status, purchase order payment status, load tendering and freight payment. McHugh (WMS, TMS, SCEM)- Announces "The Logistics Suite" - configurable industry solution sets and metrics to close the loop in e-Business. Complete solution for closed loop innovation, including rapid design and implementation, dynamic execution, and real-time metrics for continuous process improvement. SCEM stands for Supply Chain Event Management. Provia Software (WMS, TMS, OMS, YMS) - Announce new E-Business strategy. Through products such as Viaware ViaView, Everywhere, and Gateway - these new products will complete an e-commerce suite for e-business, as well as the brick and mortar businesses desiring to get into e-commerce. ViaView is a Web-based visibility product to see, monitor, and subscribe to critical events and receive notifications when actions are required. Everywhere is a centrally-based site for VIAWARE customers, requiring live 7x24 support. Gateway is a set of tools for e-commerce users to support real-time communication. Sonica Software Corporation (WMS, eFs) - Swisslog AG (Orange, CA), a global player in material and information flow solutions, is acquiring Sonica. This will provide customers with a more complete Internet fulfillment solution. Transcape (SMS, TMS, a division of Pitney Bowes)- Announces new product "Conquest" - multiple modules available. Transcape has a long history in shipping manifest systems (manifesting, freight rating for LTL, TL, and parcel). Besides that, Conquest also has more new modules. One module assists outbound shipments with EXPORT documentation. Intellishop assists in routing and rate-shopping. Carrier Performance Analysis assists in getting claims for late deliveries, etc. Other modules are Pack Verify, Compliance Labeling, and Automated Routing Guides. Transcape has partnerships with various software houses including InterBiz, Lawson, Oracle, SAP, and many others. Websites To Check Out www.superfactory.com – Good information on manufacturing excellence and how to achieve it. Quote to Ponder "Imagination is more important than knowledge." --- Albert Einstein Scripture to Ponder "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.." Proverbs 13:12 About This Newsletter We educate and share news on software for warehousing, transportation, shipping, packing, slotting, loading, optimization, and enterprise wide software solutions. This free newsletter is published twice a month and is targeted toward supply chain professionals involved in software. Currently, it is only available electronically. Feel free to forward this newsletter to others that you know. One may quickly subscribe by accessing our website at www.idii.com. To submit information to be considered for inclusion in our newsletter, send any news, events, press releases, research, and newsletters to editor@idii.com. The current and back issues of our E-Software Newsletters can be accessed at www.idii.com/esn © 2000 Industrial Data & Information Inc. All Rights Reserved.. Trademarks belong to respective trademark holders. Information accuracy is not guaranteed due to variety of sources.

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