IDII News - New Website Features

• New WMS Software Directory - April 2002
• Two new CRM books added to our CRM Book List.
• WMS & SCE Discussion - Ask a question! - Share your knowledge! - Discuss trends & frustrations!
  
  

• Free Book! The Auto ID Book (Bar Coding)
  
  
• New White Papers!
• New - Slotting Optimization - The Cuber™ - Great Article
• New - Multi-Tasking (Interleaving) Paper - Excellent
• New - eService - Strategies for Success in the Customer Age - Excellent
  
  
• In the last newsletter, IDII announced these white papers:
  
• Last Issue - Bluetooth in Logistics - Will it still slip between the cup and the lip? - Excellent
• Last Issue - Voice Technology in the Distribution Center - Excellent
• Last Issue - Optimizing Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)
• Last Issue - Optimizing Safety Stock
• Last Issue - Practical Guide to WMS - Good History & Insights of WMS Vertical

Software Company News

• Baan (ERP, MRP, CRM) announces alliance with software supplier TietoEnator. The alliance is to cover the interface of the Baan Dimensions software, the Enterprise solution for Metals & Paper Industries, with the specific optimization modules of TietoEnator: ‘COIL TRIM’ for the Metals Industry and ‘TIPS TRIM’ for the Paper Industry. As presently planned, the interface is to link the specific slitting module of the Baan Dimensions software to the optimization software of TietoEnator. Sales order information including slit width, quantities, sizes and inventory details about master coils or jumbo rolls is available in the Baan software. The information would then be transferred to the optimization module of TietoEnator.

  In the optimization module, the system will to make several proposed slit plans based on parameters like scrap percentage, delivery dates and stock quantities. The optimum slit plan is then transferred back to the Baan software, where the slitting order will be executed and reported complete. The integration to iBaan for Finance guarantees the correct financial bookings including scrap and trim losses.

• Commerce One Teams Up with Bowne Global Solutions. Bowne Global Solutions (BGS, NYSE: BNE), today announced that it will be the primary localization provider for Commerce One, currently operating around the world in over 18 languages. Under the terms of the agreement, BGS will continue localizing Commerce One collaborative e-procurement and sourcing solutions and helping Commerce One adapt its latest solutions to the global market. Over the past few years, BGS has contributed globalization expertise to help Commerce One deliver quality products to an international market.
  
  

• i2 Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ITWO, TMS) and EXE Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:EXEE, WMS, 3PL) announced that the companies have extended their relationship in warehousing solutions. Offered as a part of i2's market-leading Transportation and Distribution Management solution, the agreement allows i2 to market EXE's leading EXceed(TM) solution under the name i2 Warehouse Manager. i2's warehousing solution will include Warehouse Manager as well as Fulfillment Planner. Joint projects between i2 and EXE have established integration of standard workflows between both companies' products. Under the new agreement, the parties intend to extend those products over the next two releases and build them out to a fully integrated suite with a uniform look and feel.
  

• Gillani, Inc. Announces the Completion of the iristaDistribute Acquisition from Irista, Inc., a Division of HK Systems. Gillani, Inc. has completed the acquisition of the iristaDistribute business including the intellectual property rights to the software as well as the support contracts and Master Software License Agreements irista had with all existing customers/users of the software.
  
  
• HighJump Software (WMS, YMS) announced the release of Yard Advantage™. As a browser-based solution, Yard Advantage readily facilitates the exchange of real-time information across the enterprise and on mobile computing devices, which enables managers to prioritize even the busiest yard operations with accurate data. Key Features of Yard Advantage:
  • Dock Appointment Management provides a central point of visibility for appointment details such as date, time, dock location, carrier name, appointment type and appointment status.
    
  • Cross-Dock Opportunities are highlighted for the manager to maximize the throughput of the warehouse and minimize costly exceptions.
    
  • Gate Check-in and Check-out provides security and control over all trucks entering and leaving the yard.
    
  • Yard Jockey Moves are driven with radio frequency (RF) terminals, keeping the yard jockeys active and productive in the movement of trailers within the yard.
    
  • Metrics and Performance Tracking provide vendor compliance and yard performance metrics.
  
  
  
• Irista, Inc.(WMS, TMS) announces iristaWarehouse Express. iristaWarehouse Express combines a scalable license fee structure and delivery methodology providing the necessary functionality and implementation support needed to manage basic warehouse operations. Additional functionality such as value-added processing, shipment labeling and manifesting sophisticated picking methods, 3rd party billing, and yard and dock management can be added as needed. This new approach allows the small to midsize companies to realize the benefits of deploying a Tier 1 solution while paying for only the functionality and delivery services required to run their business. Systems can now be deployed in as little as 45 days from the time contracts are signed to the actual commissioning of the system.
  
  
• LogicTools (TMS Optimization) announces the release of new versions of LogicNet® and LogicNet Plus™. The new releases include significant enhancements such as a redesigned interface for even easier use and greater interaction with Excel, 15% to 50% faster solver speeds, and more flexible transportation options. LogicNet Plus includes some additional powerful new capabilities such as profit maximization.

• Logistics.com Inc.(TMS) announced the launch of OptiBid 3, the company’s next-generation transportation e-procurement solution. OptiBid 3 allows shippers to secure transportation contracts across all modes of transportation. We appreciate that OptiBid considers not just price, but also takes into account our excellent service and capacity availability. Beyond simply following a fixed routing guide, OptiManage 7 dynamically monitors critical metrics and events, making real-time adjustments to the routing guide that raise compliance to a new level and protect the service and savings generated through OptiBid.

  Additional enhancements to OptiBid 3 enable shippers and carriers to import and export data using XML interfaces, interface with the system via MS Excel adapters and load bid data directly into the system. In addition, through OptiBid 3, shippers will now be able to analyze bid results using sophisticated "what if" analysis directly from their Web browsers—and will have the option to give carriers visibility into their rank in the bidding results.

• Manhattan (WMS, TMS, SCEM, Nasda: MANH) announced latest release of its customizable business intelligence tool, SmartInfo 2002R1. SmartInfo 2002R1 analyzes information from supply chain execution systems, including Manhattan Associates' PkMS®, to provide visibility into, and management of, the current supply chain activities. By adding monitoring, measuring and alerting to the product's powerful data analysis and decision support functionality, SmartInfo 2002R1 provides a sophisticated event management solution for optimizing supply chain operations.
  
  SCEM - Based on conditions that a user has defined, alerts can be set up with multiple severities. For example, if the space utilization of the distribution center (DC) exceeds 85%, send a warning; if it exceeds 95%, send a critical alert. Users can also schedule where to send alerts based on the time of day. Alerts can be sent to any device that can receive text-based e-mail, such as a pager, PDA, mobile phone, home or work e-mail. The SmartInfo Alert Viewer allows users to monitor the current status of each alert, which is color coded based on status and severity.
  
  Expanded analysis and measurement of activities that occur both within and beyond the four walls of the DC. For example, users can drill-down into real-time data to analyze the workload across and within critical functional areas like replenishment and picking/packing. Through the analysis of this data, SmartInfo provides supervisors with information crucial to areas such as workload balancing, helping them to efficiently manage resources to complete remaining work in a timely manner.
  
  Enhanced user interface that includes an integrated, customizable Web page called MyViews. With MyViews, users can display views of multiple KPIs based on historic data, such as units shipped in a given day, month or quarter, and real-time data, such as number of cases needed for replenishment, on a single dashboard. Users can also email or post their MyViews Web pages to the Internet, providing external users with quick and easy access to this information.

• McHugh Software International is now "Red Prairie". McHugh is coming off of its strongest quarter in company history, with substantial growth in software sales and overall revenue, as well as record profits and cash flow. We're changing for the better. McHugh is becoming RedPrairie to galvanize a shift in paradigms among our customers, our employees and the industry.
  
  
• MicroAnalytics (TMS-Routing, 1984) announces TruckStops® Routing and Scheduling Software version 2.7 contains new resource utilization Gantt Charts, the standard format for displaying a schedule graphically, using horizontal bars to represent the sequences, timing, and time span for each routing activity. The Gantt Charts graphically illustrate when each vehicle is traveling or idle, when a stop is being serviced, and when orders are being loaded or unloaded. Gantt features also include editing capabilities, such as re-scheduling stops and modifying route plans.

  “TruckStops® Gantt Charts give users a visual schedule of how each vehicle is being utilized during their routes, and provides an easy way to look at how routes compare to one another,” said Mike Hooban, president of MicroAnalytics. Other key features added to TruckStops® version 2.7 streamline the process of importing data into the system. Users can now use one-step processes to import data from either Excel spreadsheets or ASCII delimited files.

• Microsoft Great Plains (Microsoft, ERP) Makes Offer to Aquire Navision (ERP, SCM, Netherlands). Navision advises stock holders to do it.

• Optum (WMS, YMS, LMS) Delivers New Warehouse Management Solution MOVE 7i.
  MOVE 7i provides New Visibility, Labor and Yard Management Tools To Take Control of Their Warehouse Operations. MOVE 7i delivers major enhancements including:
  
  -- With MOVE 7i WMS, Optum delivers a browser-based user interface, fundamentally improving how users interact with the system and how companies deploy it. This "zero footprint client" slashes administration costs and enables user access from any web-enabled PC and RF device. The system provides n-extensible language, supporting global implementations.
  
  -- MOVE 7i Yard Manager: Move 7i Yard Manager's full integration with Move 7i WMS enables company's to schedule and prioritize the arrival of inbound shipments to ensure personnel, space and equipment are optimally utilized.
  
  -- MOVE 7i Labor: Using real-time data from MOVE 7i WMS, MOVE Labor plans inbound and outbound workloads based upon available resources in the distribution center and reports productivity, order fill rate, and product velocity. It also provides historical visibility into supply chain operations, particularly important to companies impacted by seasonal spikes.
  
  -- Move 7i Alerts: monitors events across MOVE 7i, providing notification to the right people via e-mail, pager or fax. Examples of typical alerts include notifying: a) customers their shipments have left the warehouse, b) vendors their shipments have been received, c) a warehouse supervisor that an order slated for pickup in an hour has fallen behind, and d) a driver to delay entry into the yard based on order and resource availability.

  Additional enhancements include MOVE 7i Wave Manager, Manifest, Workflow Manager, and Integrator. More information can be found at http://www.optum.com/move/index.cfm?site=pr

• Provia Software (WMS, 3PL, SCEM) released the latest version of ViaView 2.0 which includes significant enhancements to event/alert management, and a more robust engine for monitoring the escalation of events and non-events (events or activities that did not happen, but were supposed to). The enhanced event management in ViaView 2.0 automatically searches for a pattern of repetitive events throughout the day/week/month. When trends or patterns are discovered, ViaView creates alert messages notifying the appropriate parties.

  In addition to event management, ViaView 2.0 also includes event escalation. With event escalation, in addition to monitoring events, ViaView also monitors operator responses to those events. For example, if an error condition continues for a certain amount of time after ViaView creates an initial alert, ViaView will send another alert to the same person, and/or escalate the alert up the chain of command to ensure visibility and resolution of a potentially critical condition. “It’s all about solving problems faster,” added Provia’s Ken Lewis. “Companies that can solve problems faster are companies that will keep their clients more satisfied.”

• i2 Technologies, Inc. (TMS, APS, Optimiaztion, Nasdaq: ITWO) and E2open ( Global Collaboration Network for the electronics industry) announced an expanded agreement to offer web services-based deployment and integration of i2 solutions on E2open's network. The companies plan to devote development resources to ensure that i2 applications operate within the E2open network, which is built on widely accepted web services standards such as Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP); Web Services Definition Language (WSDL); and Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI). In addition, i2 will begin to market and sell E2open's network offerings to companies in the electronics industry where improved collaboration among OEMs, manufacturers and suppliers enables them to increase customer service and reduce costs across the value chain.

  E2open's network provides a secure platform for transaction routing and multi-company process support and the industry's first private UDDI directory. This directory-based architecture enables loosely-coupled integration and efficient change management.

• i2 Technologies, Inc., (TMS, OPtimization, Nasdaq:ITWO) announced the i2 Mobile Solution - allowing sales professionals in the field to more closely collaborate with co-workers, suppliers and their own customers. The first customer to benefit from the i2 Mobile Solution is TaylorMade-adidas Golf. With the new i2 Mobile Solution, TaylorMade-adidas Golf now has the ability to capture field inventory information on handheld devices, collaborate with customers on orders in real-time, provide order tracking and trace visibility and firmly commit to scheduled product deliveries.
  "Using the i2 Mobile solutions, our sales representatives have an unprecedented amount of information available to them, enabling world-class category management capabilities while reducing time spent on non value-added activities," said Mark Leposky, vice president of Global Operations, TaylorMade-adidas Golf.

  The i2 Mobile Solution includes:
  -- i2 mobile value chain management applications and platform
  -- Pre-configured Symbol mobile hand-held devices
  -- Integrated security and network management tools and capabilities
  -- Data transport and solution integration

• Radcliffe (1991, WMS) launches Communiqué (Integration Middleware software) that facilitates the exchange of data between dissimilar systems. "Communiqué introduces a standard interface and integration methodology that streamlines the flow of data throughout the entire network," explains Rob Coleman of Radcliffe.
  
  

  The ability to easily translate file formats such as flat file, EDI and XML makes implementation of a
  system much faster because data from an existing system can be readily imported. This eliminates
  excessive manual data entry during data loads. When a system is upgraded only one adapter has
  to be changed rather than each interface. Therefore the more interconnected a system is, the more
  sense it makes to have one central point of administration. Data recovery and reprocessing failed transactions is also easier. Communiqué logs all transactions that it sends and receives, therefore if a system failure occurs Communiqué can recover and retransmit transactions eliminating the need to back track to the original system.

• Radcliffe Systems Inc. (WMS) announces the release of ROC Version 8.22. The latest version of Radcliffe's warehouse management system offers new functionality including:

  New reporting and tracking capabilities improve the speed and accuracy of customer service representatives. Recently added functions include search features for customer and order lookups and customizable user defined fields that allow each user to choose the data type and prompt definitions they find the most useful. A mechanism has also been added that will track any changes made to a customer order.

  Inventory control has been improved with a feature that automatically generates purchase orders. Orders are generated when inventory levels fall below the necessary amount to fill all orders in the system. This helps eliminate late or shorted orders due to backordered or out of stock product. Storage of product is also more flexible since Refill maintained for both each and case locations of the same product.

  Pick planning and load planning functions have been fine tuned for maximum performance and
  a fulfillment planning process has also been added.

  Third party logistics providers will find the enhanced functionality for invoicing a real asset. New functionality includes the ability to easily set up rules for taxes and discounts and apply them to customer order invoices, create minimum storage charges for per unit and per invoice billing, handle multiple payments and different payment methods. To eliminate billing discrepancies catalogue prices are now automatically associated with a customer's order.
  

• RT Systems, Inc (WMS) Announces New Product - RT SHIP. The new RT SHIP module extends our affordable and customizable warehouse management system, RT LOCATOR, to include shipping and manifesting functionality. RT LOCATOR controls inventory from receipt through put away, replenishment, picking and staging. The RT SHIP module provides for weighing picked cartons, pack verification, selection of least rate carrier, printing of shipping labels, printing of packing list, printing a bill of lading, and maintaining tracking data. Shipper type options include UPS, Fed Ex, USPS, Airborne, DHL, BAX, LTL and more. Features include compliant shipping labels, drop ship, COD, blind / alternate ship, end of day multi-weight consolidation and generic carrier capabilities.
  
  RT LOCATOR and RT SHIP are integrated seamlessly with:
  • Order pick data passed to RT LOCATOR item for verification
  • Order pack data passed to RT SHIP for pack verification
  • Shipping data passed from to RT LOCATOR w/tracking number
  • Shipping data exported to host computer for inventory adjustment and invoicing.
  
  
  
• TECSYS Inc. (ERP, WMS, TMS, 3PL, TSE: TCS) announced latest release of its enterprise-class suite of applications for distribution-centric organizations — EliteSeries 7.0. With Release 7.0, TECSYS is bringing to market an advanced Web-browser user interface, supported by a fundamental shift towards meta-data driven applications architecture. EliteSeries 7.0 will also bring to its users a highly personalized application portal for simple and intuitive navigation, all within the common Web-browser. Businesses will be able to publish their own Web services, providing for real-time exchange of information that is powerful and flexible. TECSYS’ solutions support industry Web services standards of SOAP and WSDL
  
  
• TransportGistics (TMS) announces BLGen - New Electronic Bill of Lading Enables Routing, Tracking, Tracing, Receipt, and Payment. “With BLGen, shippers can build their transportation plans from the creation of raw orders to the full visibility of all of their shipments through final delivery, final settlement, and payment,” remarked Alan Miller President of TransportGistics. Simplicity and visibility are the primary benefits. Once data on a shipment is entered into the system, users can instantly create packing slips, convert them to Bills of Lading, print carton labels, and have all of the information available to generate reports or create Advanced Shipment Notifications (ASN); the entire transaction takes place on-line.

  In addition to BLGen, other TransportGistics products include RoutingGuides, InsourceAudit, FreightTracing and LBP Services.

• Transwide (Dublin, TMS, ITL) announced the launch of its new twDoc e-solution for electronic transport document. twDoc creates an electronic version of the CMR, the standard European document in the road transport industry, sharing instantly all data and events recorded on the CMR between supply chain partners.

  Using electronic signature technology twDoc enables validation of all information such as real time electronic proofs of pick-up and delivery. It allows complete tracking of the data source and indicates the time of all updates. Dispute resolution becomes easier and more straightforward as irrefutable data is provided. All events trigger optional notifications, giving management by exception its full meaning. twDoc allows increased collaboration, both between shippers, logistics partners and end customers, and within the companies themselves.

• Unibar, Inc.announced BARZ_OUT™ Pro for Linux and UNIX Version 4.0, it’s high performance bar code printing software. The features in version 4.0 provide much enhanced text-writing capabilities, as well as new bar code types. Version 4.0 offers the ability to print BOLD, Italics, Underline, Point Size Selection and Reverse Video. In addition, UPC and EAN bar codes will now print with descender bars and human readable text, at all orientations, on laser printers. Several new bar code types are defined.
  
  BARZ_OUT Pro Version 4.0 software prints bar codes on printers throughout the enterprise from a single server location without installing any additional software or printer hardware updates at remote locations. The Server-based BARZ_OUT Pro software is accessible from any point on the network. It supports laser, dot matrix and other popular printers, creating instant bar codes on invoices, picking slips, tickets, purchase orders and other documents without program modification or printer bar code capabilities. Barcodes may also be printed at 90, 180, or 270 degrees on Lasers and height can be set in hundreds of an inch. BARZ_OUT provides bar coding capability and supports many versions of UNIX and Linux. Symbology supported:
  
  Code 3 of 9
  Extended 3 of 9
  Codabar
  Code 128
  USS Code 128
  UCC-EAN 128
  Interleaved 2 of 5
  EAN 8
  EAN 13
  UCC-EAN with Application Identifiers: (NEW)
  Shipping Container Code (SCC-14)
  Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC-18)
  
  • Expiration Date
  • Package Date
  • Production Date
  • Sell By Date
  • Ship To Postal Code with 3-digit ISO CountryCode
    
  • Ship To Location Code
    
  • Ship To Postal Code in Single Postal Authority
  • Batch Numbers
  • Electronic Serial number for cellular phone
    
  PDF417 (2D)
  Plessey
  Postnet
  UCC EAN 128
  UPC 2
  UPC 5
  UPC A
  UPC E
  UPC Version D
  
  

• Vertex Interactive (WMS, TMS, Nasdaq:VETX) Announces Termination of Plus Transaction. Vertex announced that as a result of recent events, including the financial restructuring of Plus Integration Supply Chain Solutions, BV ("Plus"), it has been agreed to terminate the previously announced definitive stock purchase agreement and pursue the possibility of an alternative transaction, which could include all or parts of the existing Plus entities.

• Yantra Corporation (ERP, WMS, 1995) announced Version 4.5 of its Distributed Commerce Management Suite. Highlights of the new release include:

  • Enhanced role-based visibility - enables individual users to see only the information they need. This results in faster decisions involving order and inventory status, alerts and exceptions, regardless of where the order is in its lifecycle, or where an event might be occurring across the extended supply chain.
  • Integrated views and control of supply and demand - provides users with a real-time view of the impact of sales orders and purchase orders on inventory levels and the ability to take immediate action from a single location within the application when problems occur.
  • Flexible user interface framework - offers users maximum flexibility for modifying the user interface to meet their specific needs.
    

  
  

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

• "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
  - Albert Einstein
• "Set your expectations high;
  find men and women whose integrity and values you respect;
  get their agreement on a course of action;
  and give them your ultimate trust."
  -- John Akers
  

• "But you, keep your head in all situations."
  - 2 Timothy 4:5
  

• Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS) web site located at http://www.agvsystems.com/.
  This site is intended to be a reference site for AGVS. It is full of unbiased information relating to the history of AGVS, types of systems, how to concept and prepare bid specs, how to evaluate AGV suppliers, etc. In addition, there are tools for estimating the AGV fleet size for a give application along with a significant library of pictures and video clips.



• IDII & Grassfire wants you to Join the 73,529 who are taking a stand against the proliferation of Internet pornography. Click here to sign this petition to protect your families and your children.

Online Book Catalog - Intuitive Categories

Books on Shipping, Warehousing, Distribution, Operations, WMS, ERP, CRM, Supply Chain, Customer Service, Logistics, Facility Layout & Design, Metrics & Measurements,

"Warehouse & Logistics Software Directory" 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

"Warehouse Management Handbook" See Reviews & Order From Amazon
"Warehouse & Distribution Automation Handbook" See Reviews & Order From Amazon
"Warehousing Tips" by Ken Ackerman See Reviews & Order From Amazon

Valuable Future Events - List Your Event or Convention

ASRS/AGVS Users' Association 2002 Annual Conference - "Integrating ASRS/AGV's/Carousels Into Facility Operations" - June 9-12, 2002 - Hyatt Newporter, Newport Beach, CA

The ASRS/AGVS Users' Association will host its annual conference in Newport Beach, California in June. Twelve presentations, plant tours, numerous breakout sessions and special interest sessions will offer many opportunities to meet with fellow ASRS – AGVS – Carousel users and system suppliers to hear the latest information regarding technology advances and warehouse management systems, and to see solutions to operational and management problems for your organization. Special features of the 2002 conference are the keynote breakfast, plant tours and lunch that follows, and the annual conference vendors' night. Past attendees have said that the ASRS/AGVS Users' Conference is like no other in that it gives all attendees, both users and vendors, many opportunities to discuss common problems, company system needs, etc., and to hear what other users have done to implement their systems of ASRS – AGV's – Carousels into their operations. More information at www.ASRS.org
www.ASRS.org