Modern platforms of the future are expected to create provisions for seamless and experiential integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

As the supply chain ecosystems are experiencing significant impact – new patterns of needs are emerging around the greater agility in reconfiguring value chains, ability to anticipate disruptions in logistics and demand fluctuations in time, and the need for heightened visibility to support the day operational decision making. Such capabilities can equip companies to promptly respond to changing market conditions, proactively manage supply chain disruptions risks and discover and avail the new emerging opportunities in time.

“Businesses must consider breaking free from the limitations of outdated technologies and boldly step into a future defined by innovation.”

In the wake of pandemic, uncertainties and disruptions have become the new normal. Businesses are grappling with the need to continually adapt to shifting priorities which are influenced by ongoing geopolitical and economic volatility. There is stark realization that businesses cannot solve the challenges of today and tomorrow by continuing to limit themselves with technologies of the past. This situation has underscored the importance of re-imagining transformative digital information technology delivered through innovative platforms like never before.

As a result, the role of the new generation of enterprise platforms is steadily increasing. With remote work now widely adopted as the standard across the global workforce, Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms serve as a centralized and accessible hub for supply chain management. Teams can collaborate seamlessly, access critical information remotely, and maintain operational efficiency regardless of physical location. This flexibility is crucial for businesses looking to build resilience in their supply chains and navigate the complexities of the post-COVID landscape.

The dynamic nature of innovative SaaS platforms ensures that businesses can quickly adapt to evolving customer demands, market trends, and regulatory changes. Whether it’s optimizing inventory levels, predicting demand fluctuations, or enhancing digital communication with buyers, suppliers and distributors, these platforms enable a holistic approach to agile supply chain management. The ability for such platforms to provide dynamic and agile access to information, coupled with advanced analytics and collaborative features, positions them as crucial enablers of success.

Supply chains that leverage these platforms can look forward to gaining a competitive edge by fostering resilience, adaptability, and enabling timely access to insights into their supply chain operations, ultimately improving their overall business outcomes in a rapidly changing business landscape.

Instead of behaving as the isolated capability tower within the enterprise technology landscape, modern platforms of future are expected to the create provision for seamless and experiential integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in SaaS platforms adding another layer of sophistication.

“We firmly believe that technology should serve as both an enabler and a game-changer, empowering businesses to operate, monitor, and act with unprecedented autonomy and agility.”

These technologies enable predictive analytics, proactive issue resolution, and the automation of routine tasks, further streamlining supply chain processes and enhancing overall efficiency.

However, in the realm of mergers and acquisitions within enterprise technologies, it’s common to witness platforms acquiring point solutions. While this expansion on paper promises enhanced features and functionalities and higher valuation multiples, these solutions often fall short when disparate technologies are patched together, leaving no assurance of seamless performance or positive customer experience.

At PartnerLinQ, we stand apart from this trend. Rooted in a tradition of solution engineering and professional consultancy in supply chain best practices, our foundation is built on decades of expertise and hands-on experience. Originally conceived by Visionet Systems, PartnerLinQ emerged as a cloud SaaS solution aimed at addressing the challenges of EDI and API supply chain connectivity. Over time, the platform has evolved to prioritize visibility enhancement and decision intelligence capabilities, catering to the evolving needs of the industry.

The resounding success of our platform has led to the establishment of PartnerLinQ as an independent entity in October 2023, extending its solutions beyond the clientele and consultancy practices of Visionet Systems. This unique blend of heritage and independence defines our approach, ensuring that PartnerLinQ continues to deliver cutting-edge solutions that drive transformative change in the supply chain landscape.

The acknowledgement of PartnerLinQ as a “Major Player” in the IDC MarketScape – Worldwide Multi-Enterprise Supply Chain Commerce Network 2023 Vendor Assessment by the International Data Corporation (IDC) represents a major milestone for our company. Playing a pivotal role in helping businesses assess and analyze the capabilities of supply chain management in this complex space, IDC’s recognition serves as a testament to our technological expertise, innovative approach, and forward-thinking vision, solidifying our position as a leading player in the industry.

At PartnerLinQ, we’ve conceived, engineered, and launched a groundbreaking platform built from the ground up. With a keen focus on the principles of organic growth and innovation, we firmly believe that technology should serve as both an enabler and a game-changer, empowering businesses to operate, monitor, and act with unprecedented autonomy and agility through seamless digitalization. As we strive to achieve continued success and sustainable value generation for our customers and prospects within the industry, the impact of analyst recognition becomes multifaceted, touching various aspects of our business trajectory. Moving forward, the PartnerLinQ team remains committed to actively engaging with IDC’s esteemed analyst team and wider analyst community, by integrating their innovative and forward-thinking ideas alongside the innovation we provide through the voice of our customers.
 

Jawad Khan, CEO & Founder, PartnerLinQ Inc.

Jawad Khan is the founder and CEO of PartnerLinQ. As the innovative force behind PartnerLinQ, Jawad guides the company in reshaping digital connectivity and collaborative intelligence within the extensive supply chain sector. His leadership philosophy is deeply rooted in ensuring that supply chains are not merely reactive but strategically positioned to respond to perpetual shifts in business demands swiftly and efficiently.

In recent years, organizations have faced a series of disruptions, impacting their operational continuity, resulting in lost sales, reduced revenues, and damage to brand reputation. This has heightened the importance for supply chain leaders to adeptly manage inherent risks by leveraging capabilities for accurate decision-making and utilizing data for improved planning.

The looming threats of shifting trade alliances, geopolitical conflicts, climate change effects on global logistics networks, and ongoing labor unrest weigh heavily on executive leaders’ minds. To tackle future uncertainties, logistics leaders are prioritizing resilient operations and flexible transportation solutions, aligning with diverse procurement strategies and meeting the demands of increasingly discerning customers.

According to IDC’s Global Supply Chain Survey 2023, business leaders, especially in transportation and logistics, prioritize improved visibility, agility, and increased collaboration. The impact of disruptions has prompted a notable focus on deploying advanced analytics to navigate changing conditions effectively.

Logistics service providers must also respond effectively to frequent and significant changes, while also balancing the push for resilient operations with the need to reduce and control costs. Economic conditions are driving concerns about higher and out-of-control costs, leading logistics teams to seek a competitive edge through efficiency gains.

Technological priorities for advancing supply chain digital maturity include artificial intelligence/machine learning, cloud platforms, and visibility platforms. Clean, timely visibility data is foundational for cultivating intelligence, enabling logistics providers to make informed, timely decisions and engage in scenario planning to drive optimal actions.

Continuous refinement of models to incorporate new data sources is also crucial for better business outcomes. Top priorities for logistics service providers include optimizing the supply chain to reduce costs and improving visibility across the end-to-end supply chain. Challenges such as generating efficiencies, facilitating better collaboration, and advancing sustainability drive the need for data-driven insights.

As organizations address inherent risks in global supply chains in 2024, the need for flexible transportation services with advanced intelligence becomes evermore crucial. Timely, informed, and consistent decision-making across complex logistics networks requires end-to-end visibility and collaboration. Logistics service providers play a critical role in achieving supply chain resilience, and platforms like PartnerLinQ enable them to deliver value, streamline operations, and contribute to long-term partnerships with customers. In a world where collaboration is essential, interconnected systems that provide insights from a single source of truth become highly valuable, paving the way for deeply integrated and resilient transportation operations aligned with customer supply chain strategies.

Learn more about PartnerLinQ and the ways of solving the supply chain challenges for both Transportation and Logistics Providers in our new IDC Spotlight Whitepaper.

Why do Most EDI Practices Struggle to Onboard New Trading Partners 

Clearly one of the biggest challenges businesses have with successfully executing an EDI integration strategy is the onboarding of new trading partners. This challenge appears regardless of network or affiliation and whether the solution is an everything-to-everyone VAN or a simple service.  

The fact is that most Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) solutions including those recommended by a partner, an ERP provider, or a marketplace are still onboarding trading partners the same way as they’ve been doing for years; and if nothing changes in the practice, then nothing changes in the process and the same issues persist. 

Why is that? 

Many initiate the painful and often disappointing cycle of partner onboarding with their legacy product driven by internal needs. EDI service providers, in many instances, possess multiple legacy products and a pressing need to market an updated product or service subscription. The initial internal conflict within the service organization makes these providers slow to respond to requests for new trading partner requests  

Additionally, they are often less inclined to deviate from established procedures, hindering much-needed changes to their practices. It is worth noting that at this stage, the practice is inundated with new and inexperienced resources. This poses challenges in adapting to evolving demands and adopting innovative approaches within the dynamic landscape of EDI.  

Moreover, change is one of those necessary ingredients for survival in an ever-changing world, which includes newer ways of doing things even with legacy products. Much like fashion, change never goes out of style, and without integrating change into legacy or even antiquated platforms or practices, businesses simply cannot respond to modern EDI integration requirements that are needed in the market today. 

Much of this change starts with the ongoing challenge of partner onboarding. The complexity of onboarding new trading partners begins with the EDI solution and how that solution has enabled change from the point where the solution team first encounters that next trading partner. Then there is the issue that companies leveraging EDI with their business partners cause based on a reluctance to provide precise directions by way of EDI specification documentation or samples in a sort of public forum.  

Maybe companies do not know what their trading partner profile looks like or how to demonstrate it or just maybe they have never gotten around to producing or updating their specification document. In any case, keeping important EDI information behind a firewall and away from public view until the point where the opportunity to connect has arrived is certainly counterintuitive to making business work. Whatever happened to giving a partner a heads up? 

Don’t Make Enabling Your Partner Hard: Two Recent War Stories

Here are two recent customer examples that demonstrate how businesses are making it harder than it should be; the first example is an internationally recognized mid-market meal-kit foodservice provider and the second, two well-known fashion and apparel dynasties.  

Pay Attention to Details  

Let us begin with the first with one, an internationally known publicly traded mid-sized foodservice provider. In this example the food service provider’s business partner contacted PartnerLinQ asking how they could connect with them via EDI. As experts in the space, we naturally understood both the transactions and the steps needed to enable the EDI connection, so we set out on the path outlined by our customer’s business partner, which according to their web site, was to contact their EDI solution provider via a posted email address. So, we did just that.  

Four weeks and dozens of emails later PartnerLinQ escalated the latency to our request to the business partner’s sales team, requesting a personal contact to get the ball rolling. During this process we also had to wait for the specification and sample documents to be forwarded to us to confirm, since there were no postings or even publicly displayed documents of any sort, not even an email address. Due to this oversight both our customer, the foodservice provider, and their business partner would not gain any benefit from using EDI for yet another month, further delaying any ROI that could be derived. 

Making it Easier to do Business 

The second example is a well-known German shoe manufacturer, who produces and sells a particular brand of sandals and custom casual shoes known the world over. The problem arose when their business partner, a global footwear company that is home to a diverse portfolio of loved and admired brands and ferocious about fit, encountered an unexpected EDI connection issue more than a year after they switched their EDI systems to a new provider. 

The business partner’s new EDI solution provider in this case was reluctant to fix the problem, even to the point of near refusal in remediating the connection issue. The reason provided was that the remedy fell outside of the classic remediation process. This same EDI solution provider doubled down on their refusal to fix the problem even after when one of the parties introduced options into conversation in an attempt to resolve the issue.  

This impacts my business…how do we fix it? 

While these examples do not necessarily represent how everyone approaches EDI onboarding, best practice stipulates that your team is always responsive to email even when text is not received as intended.  

After all, a global understanding of a ‘global standard’ is rather uncommon knowledge and EDI specifications no matter how precise they come are not proprietary. Many of the largest retailers and suppliers understand both, and make it their business to get connected, and in terms of specifications, make this information public. 

The second part of these stories and the reason for writing this blog post is to help you get over, under and around such obstacles. Keeping your eye on the goal is critical and recognizing obstacles so they can be avoided in the future comes in a close second.  

Things to Consider in selecting a business partner or EDI solution provider  

As you look into your EDI strategy for 2024, below is a list of those obstacles and what you can do to avoid them.  

1. When looking to engage with a new business partner, look at their EDI profile and where they keep their EDI specifications. If these instructions are not clear or you cannot even find them, ask the business partner for their EDI profile or EDI specifications before you start down the engagement path. For a great example of what a good EDI profile looks at Burlington or Macy’s profiles. Bottomline, if a prospective partner is giving you a hard time or is making it difficult to even get this information, you might want to consider putting another partner ahead of them. 
2. When dealing with a business partner whose point of contact is a solution provider causing delays rather than expediting integration, it is advisable to document the incident and the provider involved. This proactive measure is essential not only to address the immediate setback but also to safeguard against selecting them as your EDI solution. By doing so, you can effectively sidestep a significant obstacle on your journey toward achieving your goal. 
3. When you are talking to a new EDI solution provider, the first question they may ask you will be a good indication of what they do. So, if they ask about your volume and not your transactions or where you find issues, it is a good sign that they need to sell a subscription and are not as interested in solving your connectivity issues, or helping you grow your EDI practice as you might think. 
4. When engaging with an EDI solution provider, inquire about their methods for comprehending the unique operations of each trading partner. If their predominant responses revolve around ‘network’ or ‘history,’ it often signifies a dependence on legacy systems rather than fostering a dynamic culture of continuous improvement. For your EDI practice, which demands meticulous attention to detail at this stage of maturity, such a commitment to embracing change becomes crucial. 

Committed to Making it Easy  

These war stories represent just a glimpse into the myriad experiences we have encountered in our journey, each contributing to our ability to diagnose problems effectively and apply best practices. At PartnerLinQ, we are dedicated to simplifying complexities.  

We have been studying our EDI customers and competitors and recognize that digital agility between business partners is what most Multi Enterprise Collaboration Network customers want. Removing friction caused by multiple formats and connections is where we began. Beyond EDI, we’ve added an AS2 solution, an API Layer for Commerce Channel connections and included the ability to connect with a broad ecosystem of Commerce Platforms, Marketplaces, B2B Portals, Social Channels, Credit Cards, and Shipping Solutions  
We are committed to making it easy and if you would like to explore your options with a PartnerLinQ Expert, we are happy to help and there is no obligation. Contact us today! 

Why is EDI integration important to your business?

Electronic data interchange (EDI) enables the smooth, rapid, and structured exchange of important data between businesses. However, businesses have come to realize that manually entering data to be sent via a third-party EDI solution is still fairly time and labor-intensive. To further enhance business growth, companies that use EDI solutions can automatically synchronize all inbound and outbound partner data with their ERP system.

This blog post will shed light on some of the core advantages that EDI integration brings to your business.

Accuracy

Inaccurate information and failure to comply with EDI standards or individual trading partners’ internal policies can result in chargebacks or expensive errors. You might accidentally instruct a supplier to ship products to the wrong warehouse or even lose business by incorrectly processing a major customer’s order.

Sending business information directly from your ERP via integrated EDI technology greatly reduces the chance of making these mistakes. ERP platforms use various methods to validate information against a set of business rules to ensure compliance. Minimizing manual actions during inter-organization data exchange also prevents most errors, which helps your business avoid unexpected costs, reduce customer attrition, and preserve healthy margins.

Increased Efficiency

Compared to stand-alone EDI systems, ERP-integrated EDI solutions don’t require you to dedicate hours or days to manual input. Inbound and outbound partner communication can also be automated by initiating an EDI transaction on a fixed schedule (like sending an end-of-week report) or when a specific set of conditions arises in your ERP system (like requesting replenishment when you’re out of stock). This results in faster order processing and delivery, increased operational agility in response to changes in your supply chain, and improved relationships with suppliers, vendors, distributors, and other trading partners.

Reduced Costs

Automatic, paperless partner communication drastically saves costs by at least 35%. Savings can be as high as 90% with the use of electronic invoices. Rapid EDI communication also helps you control costs by allowing you to reduce inventory levels and shorten order processing and delivery times. However, manually keying business information into a separate EDI system introduces errors, delays communication, and increases labor costs.

Integrating your EDI and ERP systems allows you to send verified, standards-compliant information to suppliers and trading partners without needing to pay a worker to manually key in that information. You can avoid costs associated with SLA violations, performance gaps, and delays by using ERP integration to virtually eliminate manual error and ensure that your documentation process conforms to EDI standards.

Data Security

If an unauthorized person gains access to your business secrets, that’s bad enough, but someone manages to transmit that data, that’s far, far worse. EDI system integration helps keep your valuable business information safe by only granting EDI access to authorized ERP users. Each ERP user can be granted or denied access to EDI capabilities based on their specific role. Since most ERP platforms offer sophisticated auditing capabilities, you can also keep track of who sent or requested a specific document, and when.

Conclusion

Seamless EDI-to-ERP integration makes partner communication paperless, which results in reduced operational latency and errors, reduced costs, and better relationships with business partners. It also enables authorized users to exchange business information safely and securely. To learn more about how EDI integration maximizes the effectiveness of B2B communication, please contact PartnerLinQ.

Generative AI: The New Panacea

The Generative AI panacea is gaining momentum largely in part due to predecessor cure-alls such as GDSN, RFID and most recently blockchain.  Each over the course of their own hype-cycles insisting on magic bullet status, each contending that the days of linear, one-directional supply chains are behind us, each a new panacea denouncing the previous that somehow fell short. The more recent blockchain arguments have been so pervasive that swaths of humanity have been conditioned to believe supply chain traceability and supply chain traceability solutions based on blockchain will forever change humanity, end pollution, stop global warming, and eliminate mean tweets with believers and devotees evangelizing the blockchain argument far and wide. 

Arguments, quickly laid to rest by simply looking for the blockchain panacea that never arrived or by looking for that consumer who systematically checks the labels of his or her shirts to see exactly where the fibers that make up that shirt come from.  Perhaps we should look for that blockchain sales rep who, at this point, must be driving into the sunset of a spectacular career, perhaps if we look hard enough on the beaches of south Florida, we can find him, and he can help us to see the decades of successful blockchain enablement that we all somehow missed.  Maybe, we slept through the last decade and that blockchain sales rep is not to be found because we’re looking on a beach and not in the desert or a retirement home or maybe the blockchain panacea simply did not happen and maybe we are all looking at the beginning of just another panacea, the generative AI panacea. 

Supply chain traceability nonetheless remains elusive and soon enough the (Artificial Intelligence) arguments will replace all of the blockchain panacea arguments and all will know that the new panacea has arrived. Much like its blockchain predecessor, the Artificial Intelligence Panacea will solve or at least claim to solve all of our issues by providing a remedy for every difficulty including supply chain traceability.  It is entirely possible to imagine that many more activists than even the blockchain could muster will claim the Artificial Intelligence Panacea has arrived while touting the benefits of something they have not experienced in their lives, in their business, or on their phones. 

Even as this article is being compiled, publishing companies that promote crypto awareness – the big money promoters for blockchain investors have been putting forth articles all but debunking their own investigative journalism of days no longer present on blockchain technologies and have begun the inevitable shift to the Generative AI panacea.  One such article insists that AI models will grow massively in 2023 while simultaneously emphasizing the value of smaller, more precise models, which seems to take both sides of an argument.  It appears, even for the uninitiated the shift from blockchain to generative AI is occurring in real time. 

Retrieval-based traceability

If we are to make a business case that businesses must now adopt resilient, transparent, and perhaps circular value chains to stay competitive because of shifts in the landscape then we must also make the case that these organizations must lean on technology to do so which also means, by extension, bringing into view retrieval-based traceability.  Retrieval-based traceability infers a reliance on traceable resources and not on panacea.  Retrieval-based traceability infers incorporation of a localized knowledgebase and incorporation of all of the predecessor cure-all projects including efforts in GDSN, RFID, even Blockchain and AI; an approach that brings operational benefits and resolves the universal search for increased visibility. 

Organizations planning to adopt retrieval-based traceability must thereby rely on supply chain traceability solutions to manage the complexities of supply chain traceability, retrieval-based traceability makes these truths apparent: 

1. Traceability systems are powered by traceability data 
2. Traceability data is generated through execution of a variety of business processes carried out by each organization 
3. When we extend the view of traceability data generated through execution of a variety of business processes carried out by each organization to the full supply chain view, it becomes clear that each organization manages its own set of retrieval-based traceability data with supply chain traceability solutions 

If we concede Point 1 that supply chain traceability systems are powered by retrieval-based traceability data and do not rely solely on the latest tech fad, panacea including blockchains, GDSN, EPCIS, and RFID.  We must then concede that advanced supply chain traceability solutions , solutions that enable businesses to monitor their supply chains in real-time and ensure transparency to make data-driven decisions rely on Point 2; retrieval-based traceability data generated through execution of business processes and we can conclude the generative AI ONLY works when retrieval-based traceability data is present. In short, insights form in the presence of data. 

If we concede Points 1 and 2, then we must also concede that the scope of the retrieval-based traceability process in any industry model begins with the initial interaction between the trading parties which means neither generative AI nor blockchain technologies can help us.  The former being dependent on a collection of data and the latter being dependent on event processing according to experts, it’s no wonder that everyone over the past two decades flocked to the newest tech panacea available. 

Traceability systems are powered by traceability data

If Traceability systems are powered by traceability data, then supply chain traceability systems are powered by retrieval-based traceability data not generative AI and certainly not blockchains.  While both might prove valuable and block chains might prove invaluable for shared data storage, the scope of supply chain traceability models most certainly begin with the initial interaction between trading parties at the very beginning of the trade cycle.  

Companies seeking supply chain traceability for their customer base who have expressed interests in sustainability for example will not be easily satisfied by the promise of a panacea having previously invested in several.  Many will immediately recognize the hype cycle and having been through several will wait for things to pan out. The reality of supply chain traceability is that manufacturing entities generate retrieval-based traceability data through purposeful execution of integrated business processes.  When this view is extended throughout the supply chain it becomes apparent that each entity engaged in supply chain traceability manages its own set of retrieval-based traceability data. 

Initial Contact between the Parties

Manufacturing companies and their suppliers must engage in ‘initial contact’ steps in order to set up an initial business understanding before supply chain traceability can proceed. While initial contact processes may vary, the most efficient path to success is for manufacturing companies to contact all of their active suppliers at once.  Such plans must be carefully executed and extended by a team of experts in data collection and storage as one might find attached to supply chain traceability solutions.  The initial contact process must include precise transactional guidance to ensure that retrieval-based traceability elements are engaged throughout the process so they can be provided and referenced throughout the process that ensues.   

Building a Common Reference

Data alignment between manufacturing companies and their suppliers must include the exchange and storage of succinct item data (catalog) and organizational data through a business process that must include the regular exchange and storage of this data such that it is available for use in latter business processes including manufacturing, procurement, storage, and delivery. Engaging retrieval-based traceability elements such as GLNs and GTINs at the enterprise level and implementing GLNs and GTINs in Order-to-Cash transactions for example is a good way to start thinking about referenceable retrieval-based traceability elements that will be used later in the supply chain traceability solution.  While GLNs and GTINs may be considered by many to be the most efficient data keys; style, color, size and DUNS numbers work just as well in some industries; the point being the path to a systemic understanding of one’s supply chain is dependent on retrieval-based traceability data, which includes the unique identification of items and locations. 

Evaluating and Approving Goods for Procurement

Manufacturing Companies will then have to undertake an internal process for evaluating and approving goods for procurement based on retrieval-based traceability elements at the unique item level, which will extend to a lot and batch level and perhaps serialization in some manufacturing actives in order for supply chain traceability to proceed.  Evaluating and approving goods for procurement in order to be practical will take place in supply chain traceability solutions.  Evaluating and approving goods for procurement must include some measure of business process automation, succinct messaging, and precise transactional guidance to ensure that retrieval-based traceability elements are present and exchanged between manufacturing companies and their suppliers on an ongoing basis. Business process automation that allows for an approval process while linking batch and lots with internal catalog items for use in the manufacturing process such that they can be authorized for requisition and available to procure within the manufacturing entity. 

Price/Sales Catalog Business Messages

Manufacturing Companies must include Price/Sales Catalog messaging where trading partners begin the process of trade by exchanging basic business information related to the goods traded.  Price/Sales Catalog business message sent by the supplier to the buyer of the expected product line, includes trade item details such as unique item identification, product description, introduction, and discontinuation dates.  The key data and retrieval-based traceability elements in this exchange include unique item identification structured as data carriers such as a GTIN, UPC, or in the case for many Textiles & Apparel Manufacturing Companies; a combination of retrieval-based traceability elements, style, color, and size.   

Price/Sales Catalog messages are typically sent from a supplier’s system capable of supply chain traceability to a buyer’s system also capable of storing retrieval-based traceability elements consistent with supply chain traceability in order to provide the buyers with information regarding products and product lines and traceability elements.  Price/Sales Catalog messages are not considered as ‘one-time’ responses to a buyer’s request, rather Price/Sales Catalog messages should be considered as updates to the buyer’s internal catalog of supplier product information, ongoing and regular.  In terms of supply chain traceability Price/Sales Catalog messages may therefore be sent from the supplier to the buyer whenever the supplier’s product line changes.  The Buyer, by maintaining an internal catalog of a supplier’s products containing retrieval-based traceability therefore becomes more adept, knowledgeable, and better at identifying trade ready goods for the manufacturing process. 

Report of Test Results Business Message

The Report of Test Results business message supports supply chain traceability by supporting sellers, distributors, and testing services; the results may be required in support of consumer product safety or as part of a continuous improvement program or a product development process. The Report of Test Results business message relies on retrieval-based traceability elements and is used to transmit the results of independent tests performed to satisfy a business, product, or process requirement and in support of supply chain traceability.  Retrieval-based traceability data contained by Report of Test Results business message include the unique item identification as a data key, a product description, testing information, inspection data, certification data, and in some cases process control and other measurements, which might be required by industry.  Steel manufacturing, underground pipelines, utilities, are among those industries interested in supply chain traceability.  Textiles & apparel manufacturing companies are particularly interested in supply chain traceability for organic cotton and fiber traceability which must include retrieval-based traceability elements to be successful, RFID or EPCIS cannot manage it independently. 

The buyer’s internal catalog, requisition and approval processing

While supply chain traceability processes vary by organization, the exchange of Price/Sales Catalog business messages and the Report of Test Results business message are critical to the procurement process and particularly so in requisition and approval processes.  The procurement process may therefore begin with one or more approval workflows, workflows that rely on retrieval-based traceability elements stored in supply chain traceability solutions.  The approval process might include a requisition process and a Report of Test Results approval process.  Manufacturing companies may choose to purchase products and test them internally by leveraging internal labs or then send them out for independent testing to external labs in order to gather retrieval-based traceability elements.  Manufacturing companies may also require samples be sent by the supplier to independent laboratories at their own expense in order to gather retrieval-based traceability elements for supply chain traceability.  In either scenario, manufacturing companies will have to (1) be prepared to define an internal approval process for the purchase of trade goods and (2) be prepared to define to organize a procurement process to account for and track purchases, shipments and costs related to subsequent transactions in the calculation of total costs in their supply chain traceability solution. 

Ordering, Delivering, and Paying for the Goods

Manufacturing Companies today are likely to embark on a hype cycle endeavor, an endeavor which might include Generative AI, GDSN, RFID, block chain, or something which influencers have been conditioned to believe and promote and that manufacturing companies are likely to engage. 

Manufacturing Companies engaging in trade will most certainly leverage an ‘Order to Cash’ or ‘Procure to Pay’ process in the production of goods for sale.  These manufacturing companies, regardless of industry, should consider the extent to which retrieval-based traceability elements are present, stored, and available.   

Manufacturing companies regardless of industry must consider the extent to which their ‘Order to Cash’ or ‘Procure to Pay’ process includes supply chain traceability.   

If we believe the influencers, if we believe the hype, if we believe the days of a linear, one-direction supply chains are behind us and if we are to do our part as prescribed by these experts, then our supply chain traceability solutions must accommodate ‘Order to Cash’ or ‘Procure to Pay’ processes that include retrieval-based traceability elements. 

Built for industry experts, PartnerLinQ stands out as the premier supply chain platform that redefines supply chain traceability, digital connectivity, end-to-end visibility, and decision intelligence. PartnerLinQ’s innovation empowers real-time decision-making, fosters collaboration with business partners, and enhances predictability within complex multi-enterprise supply chain networks.  PartnerLinQ is where retrieval-based traceability elements are present, stored, and available out of the box, not as an afterthought but as a matter of practice. Harnessing the power of cloud technology, PartnerLinQ ushers in a new era of supply chain efficiency, optimization, and performance that improves your bottom-line, nurtures sustainable growth and includes supply chain traceability.

EDI is the most widely used structured electronic data exchange between organizations. However, not all EDI solutions are created equal. Instead of operating as stand-alone applications that require manual entry and their own maintenance regime, leading EDI platforms integrate seamlessly with ERP software and other business applications to eliminate manual rekeying and duplication of business information.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a powerful cloud-based ERP solution. A fully integrated EDI solution can extend this power by directly connecting your implementation of Dynamics 365 to your trading partners’ ERP systems. Decision makers need to choose an EDI solution that integrates rapidly with Dynamics 365 and takes full advantage of Dynamics 365’s analytics, workflows, and other productivity-enhancing capabilities.

In this blog post, we’ll consider several factors that are important for effectively integrating your EDI solution with Dynamics 365:

The advantage of native integration

Some EDI solutions are designed to natively integrate with Dynamics 365. If you choose the correct one of these solutions, you don’t have to worry about compatibility or security issues – everything just works. This is the best way to avoid compromises or complications during or after solution implementation.

Choose a reliable integration partner and platform

If you decide to implement an EDI solution that isn’t specifically designed to integrate with Dynamics 365, choose an integration partner that possesses in-depth experience with integrating EDI solutions with Microsoft platforms. Since Dynamics 365 runs on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, your partner of choice should be familiar with Azure-compatible enterprise application integration (EAI) tools and methodologies. To minimize business risk and avoid future upgrade costs, the integration platform should be highly secure and scalable.

Onboarding new EDI trading partners

In addition to the many security and regulatory concerns associated with transmitting sensitive data between organizations, each business that you partner with usually has its own set of information policies and standards. While integrating your EDI solution with Dynamics 365, make sure that the integration provides enough flexibility to accommodate these partner requirements.

Eliminate manual processes

The ROI of automating EDI processes varies depending on the frequency and importance of your data exchanges with other organizations. If you send or receive just a few documents each month, a fully automatic solution might not deliver enough value to justify the cost of implementation.

While integrating your EDI platform with Dynamics 365 will automate many manual processes, some ancillary processes might continue to be performed manually. Before you go the extra mile and attempt to eliminate these additional steps, define your specific EDI integration goals and determine the value you expect from automating each manual process. This will give you a clear picture of what you stand to gain from end-to-end automation of supply chain communication.

Data accessibility and privacy

If there are regulations or internal policies that prevent you from storing some types of business information in the public cloud, you will have to take this into consideration while planning to integrate your EDI solution with Dynamics 365. Instead of simply using Dynamics 365 or Azure cloud storage, you might have to implement a hybrid solution. These requirements add cost and complexity, so you should be aware of them before you begin integration.

Conclusion

Organizations that prepare a complete roadmap of the EDI integration process are rewarded with faster time to value, lower implementation costs, fewer delays, and higher ROI. For more information on best practices for integrating EDI with Dynamics 365, contact PartnerLinQ for a complimentary consultation.

“Plastics” was the single word of business advice from a guest from an older generation to the young Dustin Hoffman in the movie, ‘The Graduate.’ One word that all at once seemed to describe every bit of the business knowledge the young graduate would need. Clean, tidy, packaged, and delivered with such precision that 55 years later, a faint social memory finds meaning in the attachment to that word.     

Today’s C-Suite executives have much more on their minds, often far-flung from memories of a film, far removed from a dated vision of a sterile, mindless office, a different view of business life that has emerged in the past 50 years. The 1960s view, brought about mainly by the values of a previous generation looking forward to a modern age and boring almost by definition, has emerged in today’s business environment. A far-reaching, multi-geographic, multi-cultural colossus of a business universe. Typically headquartered in a major city or strategically located, these businesses serve thousands of customers or handle millions of product combinations, shipping from multiple fulfillment centers and growing e-commerce brands. An entirely new definition of a business that could never be reduced to a single word of business advice delivered in a one-off conversation at a party delivered in a single word.  

The story of ‘The Graduate,’ instead of a message about business by way of a single word, is about change, systemic change where creating a stable and sustainable business environment in a complex business world is a real daily challenge. The stability we once thought of as an everyday casual occurrence has changed forever. If we have learned anything from the COVID-19 experience, it is this: nothing we held as fact is the fact any longer, no service that we perform, and no product that we buy, sell, ship, or deliver is protected, and nothing should be overlooked as we seek opportunities to gain a foothold or a business advantage in the “New Normal.”  

This brings us back to our current reality in the new world. A world where giants continue to emerge from increased consolidation even in far-flung markets deep in the interior of this and many other countries. Companies that began as simply as a man and his truck are now run by corporate boards and C-Suite executives who find themselves in Multi-Enterprise Supply Chain Business Networks (MESBN) with multiple companies to run and precious resources competing for funds. Where does one begin? Is it better to reduce costs or increase revenue? Which job gets tackled first, which takes precedent, or is there an opportunity for both? Is enterprise consolidation the first order of business, a process that could take years and resources, or is multi-enterprise collaboration the way to go? What about flexibility? Is there a way to tread on more than one path?  

When a business grows through extension, acquisition, and consolidation, outcomes vary, and results are mixed. Rarely does an extension, acquisition, or consolidation mean a ‘plug and play’ migration meaning that a migration path needs to be defined, and that becomes the responsibility of the C-Suite. Navigating the consolidation path, from ‘old’ to ‘new’ or several to one system, means critical thinking, tough decisions, and balance.  

What becomes necessary is a multi-enterprise collaboration networks and integration platform that supports multi-enterprise collaboration and migration at every stage of execution, whether your business has grown through extension, acquisition, or consolidation. The market at large prefers a solution that is popular with the world’s most recognized brands and leading vertically integrated producers, marketers, and distributors; and one that puts them in complete control of their B2B API & EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) supply chains and delivers end-to-end visibility, limitless flexibility, connectivity & control whether single or multiple enterprise environments exist.   

The market will inevitably reach for a platform that can help bridge the gaps during systemic migration and/or consolidation, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) to MRP, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to CMS (Content Management System) makes a little difference. The solution must be compatible with most migration and/or consolidation efforts. The solution must increase supply chain resilience, flexibility, visibility, and control by increasing velocity and improving the ability to respond to gaps or disruption with confidential alerting and insight. The market will seek out a complete solution, sometimes by trial and error, working their way through several solutions over the years, and will seek a solution with extensive B2B API & EDI capabilities that put them in control of their multi-enterprise supply chain business networks. The key to selection is ensuring that the business can continue supporting the existing business while integrating new relationships with multi-enterprise business process enablement and intelligent planning & forecasting.  

The platform selected will use intelligent workflows that provide a robust and cohesive experience and help mitigate supply chain challenges by helping simulate the impact of internal and external drivers, then identify the next best action and help clients adjust the business plan accordingly. The selected platform will support enterprise users by coordinating business processes across multiple enterprises, environments, and solutions already in place.    

The most highly desired platform solutions to bring supply chain resilience will be highly scalable cloud-native multi-tenant multi-geography B2B API & EDI hyper-scalable high-performance SaaS (Software as a Service) platforms that integrate natively with client and partner ecosystems and e-commerce channels for meeting B2B API & EDI challenges. The most highly desired solutions will allow its clients to transform and extend their organization’s supply chain, customer, and partner ecosystem while unifying channels, boosting loyalty, accelerating and advancing collaboration, and turning acquisitions into assets.  

In short, multi-enterprise supply chain business network is essential to create supply chain resilience and connected supply chain ecosystem that can adapt to conditions in flux while continuing to meet customer demand by breaking down traditional silos. PartnerLinQ is committed to ensuring enterprise clients have the tools necessary to embrace collaboration and build supply chain resilience. Contact PartnerLinQ’s supply chain experts and explore how to transform your supply chain ecosystem to be more collaborative and agile.   

As a supply chain leader, you understand the challenges of navigating through disruptions while managing risk and maximizing rewards. Today, it’s more important than ever to stay ahead of the curve and explore the latest trends in the industry. This is where the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™ conference comes in.

This event is a must-attend for Chief Supply Chain Officers (CSCOs) and other supply chain leaders who are looking to predict disruptions, and even use them to their benefit. The world has changed economically, socially, and politically, elevating the importance of supply chains. With the power to leverage their credibility, confidence, and commitment, supply chain leaders can profitably deliver in times of unprecedented stress and volatility.

Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect from this event:

Strategic Supply Chain Direction:

At the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™ conference, you’ll gain insights, strategies, and frameworks that will help you think big and drive real impact within your organization. PartnerLinQ, one of the key sponsors of the symposium, will be available at booth number 139 to have one-on-one interactions with supply chain and technology leaders and business users. They’ll cover the whole nine yards of supply chain transformation themes, including but not limited to:

• Discussing strategic directions of supply chain to bring agility, optimize costs, and improve customer and partner experiences.
• Supply chain planning and visibility initiatives to build a more competitive enterprise in the dynamic economy.
• Developing and managing strategic sourcing planning.
• Strategies for bringing effectiveness and efficiencies in manufacturing, logistics, and distribution functions.

Invest in your Network:

The event isn’t just about gaining knowledge – it’s also about building relationships. Networking is an important part of any industry event, and the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™ conference is no exception. By engaging with PartnerLinQ’s technology, EDI, and supply chain experts, you’ll find opportunities to share your ideas and experiences. We’ll build new relationships, broaden perspectives, and uncover ways to solve problems alongside other supply chain leaders.

PartnerLinQ will also be moderating a roundtable session, moderated by Deepak Das, SVP Digital Transformation at PartnerLinQ, on May 9 at 3pm EST in room Europe 6. Additionally, you’ll hear from PartnerLinQ’s SVP, Head of SaaS Products and Platforms, Ahmed Raza, on the topic “Collaborative Planning for Supply chain Resilience” on May 8 at 6:05 PM EST on Stage 1. In this session, you’ll discover how collaborative planning can benefit businesses in today’s competitive environment.

Meet PartnerLinQ Experts:

Another exciting opportunity at the event is the chance to schedule a one-on-one meeting with PartnerLinQ’s experts. This is your chance to discuss your supply chain priorities and challenges, prioritize what to accelerate, unlock resources for digital investments, make meaningful cultural changes, and so much more. No matter where you are on your digital business acceleration journey, PartnerLinQ is here to help you get to your destination faster – with confidence.

The Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo™ conference is a must-attend event for any supply chain leader looking to stay ahead of the curve and drive real impact within their organization. By attending, you’ll gain actionable insights that will help you mitigate risks, respond to disruption, pursue digital initiatives, and prioritize technology investments to achieve your business goals. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity – register today!

The retail industry has been rapidly evolving, driven by changes in consumer preferences, technological advancements, and intense competition. Customers now strongly influence product trends through their reviews and social media presence and often perform extensive online research before making a purchase. In 2023, total US retail sales will hit $4.7 trillion, of which online sales will top $1.1 trillion. 

As businesses adapt to the new realities of the digital age, supply chain management in retail (SCM) has emerged as a potential competitive edge. SCM refers to the end-to-end management of goods and services, from raw materials to final product delivery. Retailers can differentiate themselves from the competition by providing a reliable supply chain and supporting sustainability goals. To achieve this, they must invest in tailored processes and application portfolios that improve the customer experience. 

Making Supply Chain Management a Competitive Advantage

Supply chain disruptions are not new, but the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vulnerabilities of global supply chains. Such disruptions can have significant financial implications for businesses. However, proactive companies can navigate these disruptions. For example, Nike used technology to track products moving through outsourced manufacturing operations during the early stages of the pandemic. By utilizing predictive-demand analytics, the company minimized the impact of disruptions. The result? Nike’s supply chain management strategy allowed the company to track “1 billion units at 99.9% readability” Nike was able to limit sales declines in the region to just 5 percent, while competitors experienced much more significant drops in sales.  

Agility & Resilience

Agility and resilience are crucial in today’s fast-moving and consumer-centric world. Traditional supply chains are no longer adequate. Supply chain management in retail needs to be much more dynamic, predictive, and responsive to changes in demand and the product and channel mix. Investing in SCM transformation can provide several benefits for retail, distribution and wholesale, and CPG businesses. It can boost revenue and customer service by synchronizing inventory availability with local cross-channel demand, increasing revenue and margin across channels. SCM transformation can also lead to shorter lead times, accelerate inventory turnover, generate one-time working capital savings that can fund the whole program, and reduce inventory carrying costs. 

Improved Carbon Footprint:

As customers become more environmentally conscious, retailers who demonstrate their commitment to sustainability can gain a competitive edge. By investing in the transformation of supply chain management in retail, companies can efficiently place their inventory in the network ahead of anticipated demand and closer to customers, reducing their carbon footprint. This approach not only contributes to environmental sustainability but also enhances customer satisfaction. The Science Based Targets Initiative reported that in 2020, 94 percent of the 239 companies that joined the initiative made commitments to reducing emissions from their customers and suppliers.

The Next Steps:

Supply chain management in retail has always been complex, but recent global events have highlighted the need for increased resilience, agility, and sustainability. However, simply adding these priorities to existing systems won’t cut it anymore. A complete shift in mindset is required to integrate them into supply chain design, organization, and operation. This shift in mindset starts with top-level changes and the incorporation of risk, agility, and sustainability performance indicators. By prioritizing these indicators, retailers can begin to understand the key drivers of their supply chain risk and take proactive steps to mitigate them.

It’s time to take action and make these priorities a reality. To stay ahead of the curve and learn more about these changing trends, take advantage of this on demand webcast. This is an opportunity to gain the latest insights and learn how to integrate resilience, agility, and sustainability into all aspects of supply chain design, organization, and operation.