Ken is right on. The TP (especially if you speak with whoever handles their EDI directly) can be invaluable. The only time I have had real issues was when the TP used a third party to handle their EDI. That can derail a lot of immediate feedback because the problems that arise may be between them and the TP and not you at all.
Sincerely, Jason McMahon 8079 Village Drive Cincinnati, OH 45242-4315 <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] http://gutausse.weebly.com/articles.html <http://gutausse.blogspot.com> http://gutausse.blogspot.com <http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-mcmahon/11/743/51b> http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-mcmahon/11/743/51b _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ken Etter Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 9:19 AM To: Rich Silva; [email protected] Subject: Re: [EDI-L] New VAN? New 3PL? Rich, I never got your direct response to me otherwise I would have (probably) responded back to you. My 2nd email was only to clarify some glaring typos and syntax from my first email. >From the sound of things with your follow up email, you are on a good track and have a decent grasp. Don't be afraid to explore with your system and practice with your existing system, hell that's probably how most of us got to where we are. On the TP setup side, it's usually pretty cut and dry - either it works or it doesn't. Maps are where you (can) have a good deal of grey area, but even then either you meet spec or you don't. But be assured, your TP will (usually) advise very quickly if you don't meet spec on your outbound documents. And if your inbound EDI doesn't meet what you have mapped, your system should tell you pretty quickly as well LOL.... When you set up a new TP with maps, always monitor and follow up with the TP on the first several transmissions just to confirm the EDI made it there and there are no issues. You can quickly make any changes and you give the (correct) impression to the TP that you are on top of things... Unfortunately I can't offer much more than that since I don't have any exposure or experience with either Syspro or Cadacus. And yes, EDI has been my most enjoyable area of IT I have experienced in my illustrious career as well. Thanks and good luck. ken ________________________________ From: Rich Silva <[email protected] <mailto:richsilv%40pacbell.net> > To: [email protected] <mailto:EDI-L%40yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sun, March 27, 2011 2:13:50 PM Subject: RE: [EDI-L] New VAN? New 3PL? Hey Ken. Hmmm, I had replied (although only directly to you) last Thursday, including what software I had been using and some more info. (But then I also had a power failure in the house which unfortunately also proved that the batteries in my UPS were a bit old. Dang!) So you may or may not have seen that email. Anyway. The software I have been using is Syspro (the ERP; for those of you really pedantic. Syspro 6.0 (up to) SP2, SQL environment) and its EDI Module is (written by) Cadacus. The Service we have been using is SPS Commerce. And I also support Syspro for this client (who used to be an employer of mine), so I know my way around more of Syspro than just experience with its EDI module would have provided. I've set up roughly 30 TPs within Syspro, communication with SPS (albeit as I mentioned, I did not need to set up the relationship, just the communications via FTP to support document transfer), direct communication (via FTP) with a third party warehouse (including some scripting to support converting the documents from the warehouse into something that Syspro EDI would recognize). I've also scripted up some jobs so importing Orders, exporting Delivery Notes, importing Ship Notes and then Exporting Invoices is all automated. I've also written some scripts to parse some reports from SPS (SPS cannot provide, directly, 997 Acks "from our Trading Partners" in response to Invoices we've exported to them) and update Syspro with specific Invoice Acknowledgement status. [Note, the rest of this starts to sound defensive and I did not intend it so. Keep that in mind as you read further. It certainly is rambling.] With all due respect to Don; setting up TPs, "mapping" imported and exported EDI Docs, setting up communications, email and reports is both wonderful and terrible.. Its really very easy. (How did my mentor within Syspro put it? "You configure the few options for the document, start running tests using sample documents and make all the errors in the Report go away. Then you're done!") The GUI provides a set of "tabs" (within the appropriate context) and largely you make a handful of choices on these tabs via Radio buttons. Poof, done (well, except for the testing). (I could provide examples of how simple this can be, but what relevance?) That simplicity is the wonderful part. But there are limitations; if what you want to do is not amongst those "radio buttons", you might be out of luck. Or you may have to do something "odd" to save data from one document (say an incoming 850) in a location that will still allow you to access that data when you are exporting another document (say the 940 to the warehouse for that order.). So, after 4 years of supporting EDI from within the context of Syspro I sometimes ask myself "How much do I know?". Clearly I have learned the relationships between a number of related documents. (directly) 816, 850/860, 855, 940, and 945. (indirectly) 856. But how big a piece of the EDI Pie is that? Both from a "what other documents *should* I really know something about" to trying to find ways to learn more about other software that supports EDI. So, as clearly, there is a LOT more to EDI than I have seen. I know that. So, I ask questions. Often, big broad ones because my current experience is limited and I don't know what a "complete question" about the topic might be and because I want to learn more about this EDI Stuff. Because, frankly, EDI fascinates me. (I know that is a little worrisome, isn't it ;-)) Now, having asked a question, I don't sit around and wait for an answer, I continue to research (and my friends within Syspro Tech Support and a few outside of Syspro can attest to that) and if I find solutions before I "see" solutions (or advice) I'll post them too. And also because (In my opinion) that is the value of this "List", (as a group) you all have hundreds of years of (combined) EDI experience with thousands of TPs; so you all know the answers to all my questions, don't you? Hopefully I will be able to begin to return the favor as well, providing information I have that someone else wants to know (Hey, if anyone has questions about Syspro/EDI, feel free to ask!) I hate to "reinvent the wheel"!. I feel that most anything I am attempting within this "domain" (right now) is not likely unique and certainly not new. Its very likely to be something someone else has already done (or figured out not to do). Sometimes that has been true, other times I have found out that few, if anyone have met that specific challenge. So, I ask questions. I am also not afraid of (in fact, I welcome) the unknown. I am just as willing to "learn about the unknown" (efficiently) through being taught (questions asked and answered). Or (often less efficiently) through my own research (whether that be Internet searches or running tests) I do have a couple of "mantras" that I embody though. "No Surprises" is one of them. Another is that I try to never (just) say "I don't know" without adding "But I will find out!". With both of those you have to know I keep my clients aware of both my experience and my "limitations". So I am not afraid to tackle new docs, different aspects of the "Trading Partner" relationship than I have already; but I also make my "sponsor" (whether that be an employer, an existing client, or a new client) aware when I am stepping outside of my "experience"). They will also find out directly (and soon) if the research I do into something new turns out not to be fruitful. (I also offer a price break for that sort of thing, but let me not digress into my business plan?) So, this "new client" I am "attracting" is very aware of my experience (or lack of). and aware of some aspects of the proposed project where I (currently) have no direct experience (for example, they would like to export their own 856s, they know that I have no direct experience with that.) I have also proven to them that I can and will figure out what I don't know. Whether they are OK with that or not is up to them. In the future, I'll be more specific with these "wide open questions" and make sure to relate what I already know (or think I know) and what I don't. Ken, thanx for your comments and advise, I appreciate it. Padawan Learner, Rich From: Ken Etter [mailto:[email protected] <mailto:edispec%40yahoo.com> ] Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2011 4:35 AM To: Ken Etter; Rich Silva; [email protected] <mailto:EDI-L%40yahoogroups.com> Subject: Re: [EDI-L] New VAN? New 3PL? *Corrected several typing, syntax and content errors* Rich, If the VAN connectivity is already done, you really don't have to do anything new with the connectivity side. But once you set up your new Trading Partner setup, you will need to make sure you configure (point) to yoru communications setup for Sterling. Since you didn't advise what EDI software you are using, you will need to either review existing setups in yoru system or contact your software technical support - that is part of why you/customer pays the 20% yearly maintenance fee (unless the customer has opted not to pay that and then you're on your own). Yes, if it's a new VAN, FTP or AS2 connection, you will need to both get the paperwork completed with VAN or Service provider AND the end customer. In most cases, the end customer or actual Trading Partner paperwork is handled by your sales team. Once that is completed, then yes, you exchange Specs, do any connectivity testing if new connectivity setup, do your mapping and test with the TP or Service. Gotcha's can be few or many, depending on your level of experience with the software, connectivity type, previous experience with actual testing and trading partner setup. Without knowing more about the specifics, it's very hard to identify the 'gotchas'. The end trading partner, regardless of who they are or what industry, will to establish their own business account with their VAN or Service provider. No you don't need to do anything in that aspect. Now if you are doing a direct connect with the TP, using either AS2 or FTP, there is nothing the TP needs to complete with any outside organization or company. As to how long it takes, there are way too many factors involved with that to identify here. I have completed TP implementation, complete with AS2 testing, within a few days (for a basic 850, 810 & 856 set), yet had another one with a major Pharmacy/retailer take me a year and a half for the same three EDI messages. This was because it took the trading partner weeks to return my emails or calls and when I got to testing, they would identify one error, I would correct, then identify another, repeat, all the while taking weeks again to response between tests. typically or normally it takes about 2-3 weeks depending on how quickly your TP or EDI service you're testing with responds. Also keep in mind, you are probably not going to be working just on one TP setup during this time, so your time will be spread out on other projects, system issues and your day to day activities. Probably best to get out the documentation, review existing TP setups and if necessary call your support for your software. In most cases they are pretty easy to work with, provided you have done your homework and don't need to be helped with every step. If you have not done this before, I would strongly advise you consider getting some training on whatever EDI software you are using. Whatever the cost for the training, it is WELL worth it in terms of time and ease of setup. If you are acting as a consultant to the business, you need to tread very carefully here. The business is paying for your expertise and will usually have the expectation that you know what you are doing when you stepped in the door. Taking too long on any one part of this can bring up significant questions about your own capabilities to get the job done and you may not keep the customer for long. And has been identified by others here, it will cost the company a lot more to have an experience EDI pro come in to 'fix' things after they have been set up wrong. And because companies or staff usually talk to other staff or companies, biting off more than you can chew, so to speak will hurt you in the long run. Thanks, Ken Etter [email protected] <mailto:edispec%40yahoo.com> <mailto:edispec%40yahoo.com> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ ... Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Job postings are welcome, but for job postings or requests for work: <JOBS> IS REQUIRED in the subject line as a prefix.Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! 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