EDI OVERVIEW Revision 1-5/6/ EDI Overview

Transcription

1 EDI OVERVIEW 1

2 Supply Chain Project Overview Introduction In a continuing effort to reduce costs and take advantage of today s technologies, key suppliers will be required to implement EDI communications with Flex-N-Gate. EDI will provide a more timely, accurate, and expanded exchange of order and shipment data between FNG and it s suppliers, and will provide this information at lower costs than the current manual process. As part of the automotive industry, FNG will follow the guidelines laid out by AIAG. This document will provide some general information to help your sales and IT departments plan this migration from paper to electronic releasing. Revisions 1. 5/6/2004 Updated Ship To location information. Flex-N-Gate systems/communications Flex-N-Gate is running business software on an AS/400 located in Urbana, Illinois. This software is provided by Canadian Manufacturing Systems (CMS), and includes inventory control, purchasing and MRP. Our EDI software is Inovis Trusted Link for Windows, running on multiple PCs, also located in Urbana, IL. These two systems are fully integrated, requiring no manual processing for either inbound or outbound EDI documents. Flex-N-Gate will send and receive all supplier-related EDI documents through the Sterling Commerce VAN, using interconnects as needed. VAN expenses will be the traditional 50/50 split. EDI documents To help keep costs down and to speed implementation, Flex-N-Gate will use generic AIAG overlays for all transactions. Our hope is that many companies in the automotive supply chain will have these documents readily available or already in use in their EDI systems. Each week, Flex-N-Gate will send an AIAG v , which will include discrete daily shipping releases. The 830 will have days of firm demand, followed by three 28-day buckets of forecast requirements. Suppliers must have the capability of generating and sending a 997 within one hour of the receipt of our 830. Suppliers must also implement an AIAG v An 856 must be sent for each shipment to Flex-N-Gate within one hour after trailer departure. FNG will respond with a 997 within one hour after receipt of the 856. Detailed specifications and examples of the 830, 856, 862, and 997 are provided in a separate document. NOTE: For suppliers utilizing Inovis TrustedLink for Windows EDI Software to manually process data, Flex-N-Gate will provide, upon request, a modified AIAG V data entry overlay that can be merged into TLW that will simplify and speed up data entry for FNG requirements. An 830 to 856 Turnaround map and related Work Instructions are also available upon request. 2

3 Identification Flex-N-Gate will use DUNs numbers in the ISA and GS segments to uniquely identify which of our manufacturing plants is sending an EDI document. So, if your company is supplying several FNG facilities, multiple trading partner relationships will have to be set up and tested. We would prefer that suppliers also use a DUNs number for EDI identification purposes. The Contacts sheet provides a listing of Flex-N-Gate plants, DUNs numbers, and staff. A response to the attached Survey will provide FNG with similar information about your company. 3

4 Supply Chain Project Overview Testing Flex-N-Gate will send one or more test 830s, and suppliers will need to send one or more test 856s showing a shipment of the items ordered in the 830. The testing must include 997s in both directions. Testing will continue until both parties are satisfied that data can be sent, received, and processed accurately by both FNG and the supplier. EDI testing can be done using either live or test data. FNG is prepared for either testing method. The vendor will need to indicate the method that they prefer for testing that will avoid problems within their system: Live Data- This is FNG s preferred method. If FNG is already live with a Vendor and currently faxing releases, FNG would prefer to send live EDI 830 s marked with the test T flag in the ISA15 segment of the 830. This method hopes to eliminate costly setup time on both sides and to expedite the testing process. We will continue to fax releases to the vendor while testing EDI with live data. The EDI releases will generally mirror the faxed releases, but because of possible modifications to forecast requirements during testing, are not to override production releases faxed during the testing process. Vendors will need to ensure that there is no confusion between the two within their plant and understand that during testing, the faxed releases are the only valid releases for live production shipments. Once testing is completed, FNG will discontinue the faxed releases, mark the ISA15 as P for production, and send EDI 830 releases only. Test Data- FNG will send an EDI 830 using the test T flag in the ISA15 of the 830 and dummy test part numbers, PO s, and forecast to avoid confusion with live data. The Vendor will need to set these up so that their system returns a valid 997 and 856 to complete the testing. Once testing is completed and the Vendor is certified by FNG, FNG will begin to send out live production 830 releases. Flex-N-Gate may utilize the testing T flag in the ISA15 element during the testing phase on outgoing documents. It is very important that the Vendor return the T flag in the ISA15 element on your return testing documents. Once testing is completed and the supplier is certified, the P flag will be used to transmit live production data. Releasing change Currently, Flex-N-Gate issues a discrete release (or RAN) for each shipment required from a supplier. Per the AIAG standards, EDI releasing must be done using cums. To help vendors get comfortable with this new method of releasing, existing purchase orders will be converted to this style several weeks prior to implementation of EDI, but will still be sent on paper. 4

5 Timeline Ideally, Flex-N-Gate expects to go live with EDI three weeks after contacting a supplier. As the IT/EDI departments are testing, the FNG buyer will provide the sales contact at the supplier with a paper version of the new method of releasing. (The schedule below assumes that FNG issues PO releases on Thursday for shipments the following week.) Week 1 FNG sends EDI package Supplier responds to survey FNG buyer converts some or all parts & purchase orders to cum releasing FNG IT/EDI staff sets up vendor in business system, EDI system, and at Sterling VAN Supplier IT/EDI staff sets up FNG in business/edi system and at their VAN FNG buyer sends hard copy of cum-based releases for Week 2 to supplier (on Thursday) Week 2 Supplier ships to FNG from new style of release FNG sends test 830 Supplier sends 997 in response Supplier sends test 856 FNG sends 997 FNG buyer sends hard copy of cum-based releases for Week 3 to supplier (on Thursday) Week 3 Supplier ships to FNG from new style of release IT/EDI departments finish testing 830,856, 862, 997 FNG transmits live 830 to supplier (Thursday) It is clear that this schedule can only be met if the supplier has the required overlays immediately available in their EDI package. If that is not the case, Flex-N-Gate expects implementation to be delayed no more than 45 days. 5

6 Supply Chain Contact Information Flex-N-Gate s implementation of EDI to suppliers is a joint effort between our Purchasing and Information Systems departments. Your current purchasing contact at FNG is very involved with this transition to electronic releasing, and will be able to answer almost any question about items, release dates, and quantities. The following people will be involved in the more technical aspects of the project. EDI Contact EDI Contact Brad annis Ron Boggia bannis@flexngate-mi.com rboggia@flexngate-mi.com ph: ex 115 ph: ex 144 fax: fax: Flex-N-Gate Ship-to Destinations Battle Creek Royal Oak Forming Technologies Michigan Tech Center F Drive 4336 Coolidge Highway Groesbeck Hwy 5663 East 9 Mile Road Battle Creek, MI Royal Oak, MI Warren, MI Warren, MI DUNS DUNS DUNS ZZ/ Notes: Flex-N-Gate will always identify it s own plants with a 01 qualifier and a DUNS number when setting up Trading Partner relationships. We would prefer that suppliers use the same 01/DUNS convention. 6