• New IDII Warehouse & Logistics Software Directory to be printed and distributed on February 15th, 2002. If you are a software vendor with a WMS or warehouse related software product (slotting optimization, load optimization, YMS, parcel manifesting, TMS...), then contact us for a application form.
• Book Catalog on Shipping, Warehousing, Distribution, Operations, WMS, ERP, CRM, Supply Chain, Customer Service, Metrics, System Integration, Logistics We have done the research and built the web pages - in order to help you! Check it out - you will be glad you did ! Books are shipped from Amazon.com or publisher.
  
  

• New White Paper - Business Intelligence & Logistics for 3PL
• New White Paper - Getting More Out of ERP
• New White Paper - Designing Software for Ongoing Changes & Maximum Flexibility
• NEW White Paper on Optimizing the Supply Chain from Back Office to eBusiness
• NEW White Paper on Johnstone Supply - An eCommunity Case Study
  

Software Company News

• Cadre Technologies, Inc. (3PL, WMS, OMS, ABS) moves into 3PL opportunities. Cadre announced that a 3PL, Expedited Services, Inc. (ESI), has selected its Cadence Warehouse Management and Activity Billing Systems to automate its logistics operations. ESI is a leader in warehousing and distribution, providing full service dry, frozen and refrigerated service to a wide range of customers.
  
  
• Logility (Nasdaq: LGTY) and Precision Software (ITL, 1984) announced an alliance that offers management of importing, exporting and transporting regardless of location, language, currency or regulations worldwide.
  
  Coupled together, Precision Software's TRA/X solution and Logility Voyager Solutions(TM) will give companies the global solution needed to optimize and streamline both domestic transportation and global trade logistics operations. The combined solution will address the vital need of companies to have strategic business processes such as trade compliance and content, planning, forecasting, promotion planning, sourcing, warehousing, transportation and international shipping that can be executed on a global scale.
  
  TRA/X not only minimizes the risk in global shipping by automating trade compliance of government and local regulations, but also automates the entire process by providing functionality such as international documentation, freight costing and the tracking and tracing of shipments for global transport. TRA/X will also provide Logility customers increased visibility of total landed costs for all global shipments and movements throughout the supply chain through a world-class, end-to-end global supply chain planning and execution solution.
  
  

• Manhattan Associates (WMS, SCE, YMS) and JDA Software (ERP) Announce Worldwide Strategic Alliance To Integrate Advanced Demand Chain Solutions. Manhattan Associates and JDA will work with mutual clients to develop, maintain and support a standard tool set to ensure ease of integration between the two companies' solutions. In addition to seamless integration, the tool set will provide joint clients with ongoing upgradeability and the support necessary to integrate PkMS with JDA's merchandise management system, ODBMS. Since the tool set will be maintained with each release, customers can sustain a lower cost of ownership over time. As part of the contract, Manhattan Associates and JDA will also engage in joint sales and marketing activities.
  

• Manhattan Associates (Nasdaq: MANH, WMS, YMS, Slot Optimization) announced the introduction of enhanced, comprehensive yard management functionality to augment PkMS (WMS). This enhanced yard management functionality extends beyond the four walls of the Distribution Center (DC) and provides the user with the ability to manage inventory and orders even before the formal receiving process begins at the dock door. This functionality was designed in close cooperation with leading-edge customers who need it to successfully manage their large distribution networks. The yard management system features include:
  
  * Real-time Trailer, Tractor and Carrier Tracking. The enhanced functionality tracks -- in real time -- every single trailer, driver and carrier that is on the user's property. Subsequently, it also lets the user know when the trailer arrived, how long the driver was on the property, when the vehicle left the property and the contents of the trailer. Not only do users now have the ability to track inventory (and improve the accuracy of that inventory) beyond the four walls of the DC, they can also use the data generated to monitor and evaluate carrier performance on a variety of metrics.
  * Yard Check In/Check Out. The enhanced functionality allows the user to develop configurable security for detailed check-in/check-out procedures at the DC gates, which helps to ensure that the facility and the inventory are always secure. The level of granular data generated during these processes ensures that only the right people are on the property for the right reasons. For example, if an individual with whom the user had a dispute begins driving for a new carrier, the system will still be able to detect when this person attempts to reenter the facility.
  * Directed Putaway. Once a trailer is "received" into the yard, PkMS will then determine the best location for the trailer based on the requirements of the DC and open locations in the yard. * Dynamic Trailer Allocation for Receiving. When a receiving door opens, PkMS reviews all the trailers currently in the yard and determines which trailer should next have its contents received into the DC. Once this determination is made, PkMS creates a task that directs a qualified user to bring the appropriate trailer to the open dock door.
  * Management of Empty Trailers In the Yard. Pkms also provides the user with the ability to manage the number of empty trailers maintained in the yard. This number will be determined by the volume of business they do with the specific carrier. If the number of empty trailers in the yard exceeds the user's predetermined amount, the system automatically sends an email to the carrier instructing them to pick up the empty trailer(s). This functionality eliminates the user from having to telephone the carrier on a daily basis.
  * Dynamic Trailer Allocation for Shipping. When an empty trailer is needed at the shipping dock to load outbound orders, PkMS reviews the inventory of empty trailers in the yard and selects the most appropriate trailer -- the trailer that has the specified dimensions and is closest to the shipping dock. Once this trailer is selected, the system also automatically sets up an appropriate date and time for the carrier to pick up the soon-to-be-full trailer. An email with the scheduled appointment information is then automatically sent to the carrier.
  
  Also included are full yard tasking functionality, the ability to cycle count the yard and extensive trailer and tractor history tracking.
  
  

• Manhattan Associates Inc. (Nasdaq: MANH) announced its Extended Supply Chain Execution (x-SCE) strategy. x-SCE includes:
  
  *MA Fulfill. This solutions suite offers core and advanced warehouse management functionality. With robust functionality, MA Fulfill effectively manages all aspects of DC operations, including inventory allocation and routing orders in multi-channel environments as well as the fulfillment of large volumes of small, piece pick orders that are associated with direct-to-consumer or just-in-time replenishment orders and often require a great deal of trading partner personalization.
  
  *MA Deliver. A suite of solutions offering advanced transportation management functionality, MA Deliver manages one of the largest controllable costs in the extended supply chain: transportation. MA Deliver's broad, deep functionality in transportation execution and short-horizon planning, coupled with its tighter integration with MA Fulfill, provides users with benefits such as reduced freight charges, elimination of back end processes, reduced labor costs and additional overhead reduction.
  
  *MA Optimize. Comprised of business intelligence, labor optimization and facility optimization tools, this solution suite helps users overcome DC challenges resulting in decreased labor costs, space requirements and order fill times and increased order fill rates.
  
  *MA Collaborate. This solutions suite provides real-time visibility and connectivity into today's extended supply chain. The suite's functionality enables a company to achieve process and information synchronization with both their suppliers and their customers, which results in reduced labor and facility costs and improved customer service. MA Collaborate also provides global inventory visibility and supply chain event management functionality.
  

   

• PeopleSoft set to acquire Annuncio Software. PeopleSoft has entered into an agreement to acquire the intellectual property and certain assets of marketing automation solution provider Annuncio Software Inc.
  Once the deal has been completed, PeopleSoft will integrate Annuncio's marketing automation solution with its own CRM (customer relationship management) solution to enable companies to automate and personalise online customer business interactions.
  

   

• Retek Inc. (NASDAQ: RETK, ERP, WMS) announced a partnership with Brickstream, a provider of analytical customer relationship management (CRM) software for the brick-and-mortar business, to deliver a full view of customer in-store behavior.
  
  The partnership will enable retailers to enhance the overall customer experience by uniting Retek's retail CRM solutions, which have been proven successful in creating and managing customer interactions, with
  Brickstream's technology that tracks and measures actual in-store customer movement and purchase behavior. The application will be sold by Retek under the name Retek Brickstream(tm)and is immediately available for sale.
  
  

• Retek Inc. (NASDAQ: RETK, ERP, WMS) unveiled its new integrated, modular retail solution, Retek 10. Components include Retail Customer Relationship Management, Supply Chain Management, Advanced Retail Planning and Optimization and Merchandising Operations Management. The advanced retail integration allows for the deployment of these modules individually or simultaneously based on application requirements. Retek 10 supports end-to-end visibility across retail, from store to warehouse, sustainable over time as the business grows and additional channels are added. Retek 10 also provides customers with the granular level of detail necessary to support planning, forecasting and optimization decisions.
  
  

• TECSYS Inc. (TSE: TCS) announced EliteSeries 6.5 suite of enterprise-class applications which are Web-based and fully deployable within a browser. EliteSeries 6.5 comprises of the following modules:
  

  • Distribution Management System (DMS) supports multi-company, multi-division, multi-warehouse, multi-lingual, and multi-currency business requirements to manage complex distribution operations.
  • Warehouse Management System (WMS) is a powerful execution system, which manages all of the activities within the four walls of the distribution center including inventory control, labor and equipment management, and warehouse storage capacity optimization.
  • Transportation Management System (TMS) optimizes small package and LTL freight rating, routing, shipping, and tracking.
  • Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a powerful and strategic set of applications that provides business visibility with real-time personalized access to enterprise data for the purpose of analyzing and benchmarking customers, suppliers, and the overall business’ performance.
  • E-Commerce (Elite.eCom) is a sophisticated B2B e-commerce solution designed exclusively for the distributors that allows for fully integrated order capture and tracking.

   

• TradePoint Systems LLC (TMS) will soon release an integrated TMS product for Windows NT/2000 using SQL or Oracle. This product suite includes Customs House Brokerage, Freight Forwarding, Breakbulk, and Accounting.
  
  The Windows NT-based solutions will be supported by TradePoint's extensive customer service organization & services, and will include the integration of our sophisticated WEB Tracking and Imaging products. The NT product offering will complement TradePoint's established ALLIANCE family of Brokerage and Forwarding products, which run on both Compaq and AS/400 servers.
  

  
  
• St. Onge Co. (Consulting). - New Software Improves Ability To Optimize Order Flow & Workload Balancing. The new software, Order Analysis and Planning System (OAPS), is a workflow analysis application that plans for an optimized workload within the operational environment. It accomplishes this task while adhering to constraints imposed upon it by resources, operational priorities or preferences which management or customer service demand.
  OAPS software has a number of abilities.
  
  
  • Looks at optimizing the order planning process for a combination of all resources impacted by workflow.
  • Creates a plan that guarantees there will be no violation of resource constraints. Performs a "what if" analysis by considering variable resource options
  • Allows for the application of different process rates based on situational attributes. Organizes the order release process to enhance the order throughput and/or resource utilization over typical order planning techniques

Quotes to Ponder - List of Quotes to Ponder from prior issues.

• "When you know you are doing your very best within the circumstances of your existence, applaud yourself!" -- Rusty Berkus
  

• "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'" 1 Cor 15:33

"What To Look For In Warehouse Management System Software" Order From Amazon or IDII
Obal, Philip	See reviews and more information on this book at Amazon.com

"ADVANCED WMS RFI Search Bundle" Available from IDII only
Obal, Philip	Advanced Version is available only from IDII

Valuable Future Events - List Your Event or Convention

IWLA Annual Convention & Expo - March 10 to March 13, 2002 - San Francisco, CA, USA - 847-292-1891 or visit http://www.iwla.org

2002 Material Handling Show & Conference - NA2002 - April 8 to April 11, 2002 - Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI, USA - 800-232-1537 or visit http://www.na2002.com

Supply Chain Expo - April 16 to 18, 2002 - Rosemont, IL, USA - 800-964-9665 or visit http://www.supplychainexpo.com

National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment - NCOF - April 29 to May 1, 2002 - Nashville, TN, USA, 212-790-1500 or visit http://www.ncof.com

Logistics & e-Supply Chain Forum, May 9 to 12, 2002 - New York, NY, USA - 212-651-8700 or visit http://www.logisticsforum.com

Distribution/Computer Expo - DC Expo 2002- May 21 to May 23, 2002 - Navy Pier, Chicago, IL, USA - 800-338-4112 or visit http://www.logistar2.com

19th Annual Catalog Conference, - June 10 to 13, 2002 - McCormick Center - Chicago, IL, USA - 212-790-1500 or visit http://www.catalogconference.com


About This Newsletter - ISSN 1533-435X

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. Feel free to forward this newsletter to others that you know. One may quickly subscribe, view past issues, view FAQ, & our rate card by accessing www.idii.com/esn/index.htm.

© 2001 Industrial Data & Information Inc. All Rights Reserved.. Trademarks belong to respective trademark holders. Information accuracy is not guaranteed due to variety of sources.