IDII News - New Website Features

• New Educational Web Portal Information:
• Warehouse Floor Layout Plans -And- How To Layout Warehouses Classes
• E-Commerce - How To Do E-Commerce Right - Books

• New White Papers
• New - Voice Directed Picking: Expected ROI - Excellent
• New Case Studies
• New - Utility Powers Up Productivity and Customer Service with a Wireless Solution
• White Papers Announced In Last Newsletter
• Integrating the Electronic Product Code (EPC) & Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)
• Warehouse Optimization and Warehouse Space Optimization - Part I - Excellent
• Warehouse Space Optimization - PART II - Excellent
• Optimal Pick Area Layout - Very Good
• Fence Line Security with Yard Management Software - Great
• An Introduction to RFID and Tagging Technologies - Excellent
• Voice Over IP: What Lies Beneath - Very Good
• How to License Customized Software - Gigalaw.com - Excellent
• The Essential Guide to the Best (and Worst) Legal Sites on the Web - Book
• Case Studies in Last Newsletter
• Utility Powers Up Productivity and Customer Service with a Wireless Solution
  

Technology & Software Product News

• Web Services Reliability Specification Published by Leading IT Vendors. Royalty-free Specification Promotes Open, Reliable Messaging Standard for Web Services. IT vendors consisting of Fujitsu, Hitachi, NEC, Oracle, Sonic, and Sun announced the Web Services Reliability (WS-Reliability) specification draft.
  
  WS-Reliability is a specification for open, reliable Web services messaging-including guaranteed delivery, duplicate message elimination and message ordering-enabling reliable communication between Web services. The reliability features are based on extensions to the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), rather than being tied to the underlying transport protocol. The specification will allow a variety of systems to interoperate reliably in a platform- and vendor-neutral manner. Following collaboration on the specification draft, the companies plan to submit WS-Reliability to a standards body on a royalty-free basis. See http://xml.fujitsu.com/en/about/ws_r.html to download.
  
  
• Lindows offers a low-cost Linux-based operating system that is compatible with popular Microsoft file formats. While Lindows and Microsoft are in a legal duel over "windows" terminology, Lindows has been busily signing distribution deals. Walmart.com is selling low-cost PCs with the LindowsOS preloaded, plus other deals.
  
  
• Made2Manage Systems (ERP, MRP, Nasdaq: MTMS) and LiveVault Corporation announce online backup that will give Made2Manage Systems’ customers affordable data protection and recovery capabilities. LiveVault automatically and continuously backs up server data via a secure Internet connection to an off-site Iron Mountain® (NYSE: IRM) vault.
  
  
• Manhattan Associates (WMS, TMS, YMS, 3PL) and SeeBeyond (EAI, Middleware) form Alliance. Manhattan Associates has selected SeeBeyond as a real-time integration solution partner. As part of the agreement, SeeBeyond will jointly develop and market the SeeBeyond® e*Way™ Intelligent Adapter for Manhattan Associates' PkMS™. SeeBeyond will work with Manhattan Associates to develop a new SeeBeyond e*Way Intelligent Adapter solution that will provide real-time connectivity between PkMS and third party enterprise applications. Manhattan's customers will be able integrate with other enterprise applications at any time during or after a PkMS deployment. Examples of enterprise applications that might need to be integrated using this solution include ERP, advanced planning and scheduling, transportation management and order management.
  
  About SeeBeyond - SeeBeyond (Nasdaq: SBYN) provides a unified, comprehensive platform for business integration, enabling a Real-Time Information Network to facilitate the seamless flow of information. SeeBeyond has approximately 1,780 customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.seebeyond.com.
  
  
• Provia Software (WMS) announced new products to make implementations, upgrades and ongoing testing an easier, and a more streamlined process. The tools, Data Manager, Gateway Simulator, Template Manager and Warehouse Simulator, are included with Provia’s ViaWare WMS product.
  
  The Data Manager simplifies user configuration of warehouses during implementation, and manages the data needed for subsequent sites. Clients are able to reduce integration efforts between ViaWare and their existing ERP or host system with Gateway Simulator. This tool creates data needed to properly test the integration and performs error checking of test data.

  Template Manager simplifies system personalization, allowing rapid configuration of ViaWare WMS for particular vertical industries, including consumer-packaged goods, third party logistics and wholesale distribution.

  Warehouse Simulator. By simulating WMS transactions used in normal warehouse operations, this tool tests the actual effect of system and facility throughput on configuration changes. “Warehouse Simulator offers a system ‘stress test’ during configuration and before go-live,” said Ken Lewis of Provia. “The ability to accurately ensure that a system is configured to properly handle the balance between order and labor volume is mission critical for clients. This tool makes sure our clients can hit the ground running with the confidence that the system can handle the anticipated volumes once they go live.”
  

• QSSI (WMS) Releases PowerHouse Update 7.1. The 7.1 Update adds integrated support for Cubiscan devices and a seamless tie in to FreightQuote.com to provide on-line freight rate shopping to the already comprehensive features provided by PowerHouse v7.0. The update also introduces enhancements such as integrated WYSIWYG label design, improved language translation capabilities and automatic holds based on receipt types to existing cycle counting, order processing, receiving and administrative maintenance modules.

  Cubiscan (www.cubiscan.com) provides equipment for measuring the dimensions of products and shipping cartons. PowerHouse v7.1 is capable of receiving this information directly from a Cubiscan device and using the data to produce accurate item configurations and shipping volumes.

  Freightquote.com (www.freightquote.com) is an Internet service that analyzes shipping costs from over 50 carriers to derive the best rate possible. PowerHouse v7.1 can provide warehouse managers with a transparent, direct link to Freightquote.com, calculating the weight, volume and classification of the shipment, sending a quote request, receiving the quote and creating truck scheduling and shipping records based on the response.

• QuestaWeb, Inc. announced the certification of its Automated Manifest Support (AMS) software module for ocean carriers and NVOCCs by U.S. Customs. AMS/QW has multi-lingual capabilities and facilitates the flow of cargo for both carriers and Customs by eliminating the paper manifest, and decreasing the number of discrepancy reports, and in-bond paper documents (CF-7512) Transportation Entry and Manifest of Goods Subject to Customs Inspection and Permit that are required. Using a unique bill of lading number, manifest data can be transmitted electronically for all cargo en-route to the United States prior to vessel loading at foreign port. This allows Customs an opportunity to review the submitted documentation and determine, in advance, whether the merchandise merits examination or whether to release it immediately upon arrival.
  
  Specific AMS/QW capabilities include: Auto Arrival: Approved carriers can electronically arrive their vessels at discharge ports Secondary Notify Party: Carriers can designate, by SCAC or FIRMS code, up to two additional AMS participants per bill of lading Non-Disclosure: Shippers and consignees can submit customer information electronically on bills of lading, thus protecting trade confidentiality of participants Paperless Master-In-Bond Reporting: MIB-approved carriers can transmit bill of lading and in-bond data and receive electronic authorization to move shipment in-bond to a paperless destination port without preparing a CF-7512, Immediate Transportation (IT), Transportation and Exportation (T&E), or Immediate Export (IE)
• SAMSys Technologies Inc. (SMY:TSX-VEN, RFID) announced it has signed a value-added reseller (VAR) agreement with Intellident, the UK's systems integrator of RFID technology. Under this agreement, SAMSys will provide its RFID reader hardware to Intellident for implementation in supply chain distribution, warehouse, asset management and tracking applications.
  
  
• Streamsoft and Quantronix provide an integrated solution for warehouse item measuring and slotting. Streamsoft’s FlowTrak Slotting Software interfaces seamlessly with Quantronix’s CubiScan and QbitWINTM Software (software designed to run CubiScan Measuring and Weighing Systems) to automatically measure and slot items at the touch of a button. Utilizing QbitWIN’s capability to export SKU dimensional data upon the measuring/weighing of an item, FlowTrak Software will import the SKU record and determine an optimal slotting assignment without additional user intervention.
  
  
• Symbol Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: SBL) acquired the software and technology of ImageWare Technologies, Inc. ImageWare is a leading provider of one-to-one Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Mass-Customization software solutions for retail marketplace.
  
  ImageWare's applications enhance the in-store customer shopping experience for specialty apparel, cosmetics and department store retailers. Users can coordinate sales activity, update client profiles, review purchase history, check sizes and measurements, track preferences and wish list items, make suggestions, track shopping frequency, plan follow-up calls, schedule appointments, and send out-bound correspondence from a Symbol handheld computer. The software also supports users with access to purchase and client information, sorted and organized for ease of use, as well as a full range of sales force automation tools to assure the highest level of productivity.

  
  

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

• Truth and love are the only things worth living for and the only things worth dying for.
  - Rebecca Ann Talcott
  
• "That best portion of a good man's life
  - His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love."
  - William Wordsworth
  

• "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement."
  - John 7:24

• www.customs.ustreas.gov - US Customs Service
• home.doc.gov - US Department of Commerce
• www.ita.doc.gov - International Trade Agency
• www.hmce.gov.uk - UK Customs
• www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca - Canadian Customs
• www.gtk.ru - Russian Customs
• www.wto.org - World Trade Organization
• www.unece.org - United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
• www.stat-usa.gov - National Trade Data Bank
• www.wco.org - World Customs Organization
  
  

Online Book Catalog - Intuitive Categories

Books on E-Commerce, Shipping, Warehousing, Distribution, Operations, WMS, ERP, MRP, CRM, Supply Chain, Customer Service, Logistics, Facility Layout & Design, Metrics & Measurements. Software Providers SAP, Peoplesoft.

IT & Project Management Books: Software Project Management - IT Management - Software Testing - RFP Development - Proposal Writing.

ERP Optimization: Using Your Existing System to Support Profitable E-Business Initiatives Order From Amazon

"Warehouse & Logistics Software Directory" Order From Amazon or IDII

IT Project Management: On Track from Start to Finish Order From Amazon

"Supply Chain Management Based on SAP Systems" Order From Amazon

"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 Conference - March 23 - 26, 2003. Miami Beach, FL at the Eden Roc, a Renaissance Resort and Spa. For more information see http://www.iwla.com

RedShift, RedPrairie's User Conference - April 2-4, 2003 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale, AZ. Learn how you can achieve improved logistics results within your company and your extended supply chain at this event. RedShift will be packed with useful industry information, RedPrairie solution updates and plenty of time for networking and fun. For more information or to register, visit www.redprairie.com

National Conference on Operations & Fulfillment (NCOF) - April 13 - 16, 2003 - Orlando, FL. The Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Exhibits: April 14 and 15 The Conference Exclusively for Direct-to-Customer Operations and Fulfillment Management.

Distribution/Computer EXPO 2003 - May 20 - 22, 2003 - Navy Pier - Chicago, IL. The largest Exposition for logistics and supply chain technology including; distribution, transportation, and warehousing. Held in conjunction is the D/C EXPO seminars focusing on the latest trends and advances in logistics and supply chain technologies. Visit our website at www.logistar.com or call our toll free number - 800-338-4112.

Material Handling & Logistics Conference - Sep 21 - 24, 2003 - Grand Summit Resort - Park City, Utah. Sponsored by HK Systems and iRista. A gathering of material handling and supply chain software industry experts and users. For more information, visit our website at www.hksystems.com.