|
iomnet
|
|
|
System Administrator
Total Posts: 87
Joined: 12 Feb 07
Member #1
|
Does the Institute have any information regarding standards for electronic exchange of information across the supply chain?
|
|
iomnet
|
|
|
System Administrator
Total Posts: 87
Joined: 12 Feb 07
Member #1
|
There are a series of standards across the whole of the supply chain in our experience. Whilst there is some common use of EDI message formats in certain industries, there are many different standards to choose from and each trading relationship uses their own messaging format which may be based upon such industry standards as:
TRADACOMMS (UK except automotive)
EDIFACT (European)
ODETTE (Europe)
RosettaNet (XML)
BASDA (XML)
ANSI X12 (USA)
VDA (European Automotive)
New XML bodies are gradually taking over as the new standard for electronic messaging.
|
|
iomnet
|
|
|
System Administrator
Total Posts: 87
Joined: 12 Feb 07
Member #1
|
The primary standard is that of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange). Originating in the automotive world in the early 1980s (from memory - it may have been the 1970s) there have actually been a number of standards down the years, each being led by a particular major user.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) does have a defined set of standards which covers things like what format delivery advice (DESADV) documentation should take and how quickly following despatch the advice should be received by the customer.
|
|
iomnet
|
|
|
System Administrator
Total Posts: 87
Joined: 12 Feb 07
Member #1
|
The main standard would be the use of EDI which has standard transaction type to cover standard transaction types. These will define the fields to be used etc.
Please let me know if no one comes up with the EDI standard, so that I can speak to our IT department.
There are some other "standards" being promoted by Microsoft and SAP, but I am not sure how far they have developed and how "standard" they are at present.
|
|
iomnet
|
|
|
System Administrator
Total Posts: 87
Joined: 12 Feb 07
Member #1
|
Bit of a can of worms this one!
Basically there is no one method of electronically communicating across the supply chain, but multiple methods exist (e.g. XML, EDI, file transfer etc) each with multiple standards (e.g. EDI has the EDIFACT as one but not the only one standard) and each 'standard' can have multiple message formats which have to be agreed between parties. This is why electronic collaboration is a challenging area for many companies!
|
|
iomnet
|
|
|
System Administrator
Total Posts: 87
Joined: 12 Feb 07
Member #1
|
Crumbs. There is loads of stuff on this, from EDIFACT in the 80s to XML recently, and lots of industries are doing their own things such as COVISINT.
Your correspondent should pop down to the nearest library and get on line with some databases of published papers.
|
|
iomnet
|
|
|
System Administrator
Total Posts: 87
Joined: 12 Feb 07
Member #1
|
There are definitely standards but I'm not sure if they apply universally or just in sectors who have got their act together. There is common practice in the automotive sector and, I think, construction. Don't know full details but know a man who does.
The man who knows is Darryl Morton, Logic Software 0870 1212 557 darryl@logicsoftware.co.uk. He confirms that there are general standards for data exchange and specific standards inside different sector supply chains. He has experience helping businesses sort this stuff out and is, of course, a damn good egg!
|
|
iomnet
|
|
|
System Administrator
Total Posts: 87
Joined: 12 Feb 07
Member #1
|
There are loads of standards. Attached is the XBITS
|
Standards for electronic exchange of info across the supply chain?
29 Jun 2007, 19:48