Re: Pseudo-EDI in V4.0.5

[Michael Ozanne <mozanne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In message <35449558.529629C9@ix.netcom.com>, Bill Robins
<brobins@ix.netcom.com> writes
>We are starting to get some pressure to begin EDI'ing with customers.
>What have others done in the V4 series?  I would prefer to not go to an
>EDI package.

Up until V5.0 the approved solution was the SSA edisol suite consisted
of a comms pack a message translator and a file mapper. In v6 the
standard solution is the ECM/SMG combination. Acclaims RCS package had
some independent EDI functions, this product along with RSS is the basis
for the release management system in v6. I can't remember if RCS was
still an seperate product at v4.

>
>My current theory is this:  Format all of the incoming data and load it
>into the Quote member.  From here a human would turn the "quote" into a
>live order and thus do all of the processing necessary when creating an
>order.  Is this sound?  Any other ways to accomplish it?

Sound enough. BUT, EDI data tends to be quite heavily packaged, and it
can take a lot of work to unbutton it. An EDI package might make the job
easier. In fact if your customer is using a standard message type
(ODETTE,VDF,EDIFACT etc) it might already have a working translation.

Quick and Dirty suggestion
Use a PC based EDI processor(Lots of not too expensive ones about)
Unpack the messages to a file
Move the file to the AS/400
use some RPG to populate customer quotes.


In addition you will get some capability to send and receive further
messages if your customers decide to extend the scope of EDI in your
relationship.
-- 
Michael Ozanne (Also ozannem@pacific.co.uk)
"From a two dimensional universe"
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