Omnexus: New integration tool for plastics buyers
Following a year of successful development and testing with customers and suppliers, global plastics eMarketplace Omnexus has released its UltraLite light integration tool. The simple, no-cost solution electronically sends purchase orders from a buyer’s ordering system to their suppliers’ ERP systems in a single, consolidated process. Easy to implement, UltraLite works seamlessly within a buyer’s existing order system to eliminate the burden of double order entry.
Omnexus created UltraLite in response to a growing request among customers wanting to automate their order processing and reporting systems without incurring the cost of full integration. UltraLite’s light integration technology allows buyers to quickly and securely submit purchase orders electronically to multiple suppliers in a standard format. The technology removes a major challenge to e-commerce adoption by eliminating the need for buyers and suppliers to re-enter purchase orders transmitted through traditional methods like phone or fax.
“When we set out to move our order system online, we envisioned a single connection with all our suppliers no matter where they were in the world—be it Europe or the U.S.
We wanted the simplest system possible so that our purchasers didn’t have to add steps to the order process by picking up a phone or sending a fax,” said Don Benedict, North American purchasing manager, Quadrant Engineering Plastics Products.
“UltraLite was the best product available and had us connected and ordering through the Omnexus eMarketplace quickly.”
UltraLite can be installed in only a few hours, with little time required from a company’s IT staff. Using a company’s existing order files, Omnexus guides companies through a straightforward three-step process that allows them to move their order systems online securely and efficiently with minimal effort and few noticeable process changes. No extra hardware is needed, and UltraLite is designed to integrate with all available systems, including Legacy, AS400, Baan, SAP, JD Edwards and Oracle. In addition, UltraLite uses a 128-bit HTTPS connection to maximize security.
“From an IT perspective, the installation and configuration is very easy. Normal projects like this can take months, and we did it in weeks,” said Andrew McWaters, senior manufacturing systems engineer, Lancer Corporation. “UltraLite will play a key role in how we order and maintain inventory levels here at Lancer. UltraLite is eliminating one whole step in the business process.”
In addition to UltraLite, Omnexus also offers buyers access to the convenient order features of its Global Transaction Platform. Buyers can use the system to view the status of their orders, enable e-mail notification to track the progress of an order or view consolidated purchasing reports for all their suppliers, all in one place.
“Companies have put substantial time and investment into e-commerce initiatives. To date, however, the success of e-commerce adoption within the plastics industry has been hindered by the prohibitive cost of deep ERP integration or the duplicate work of entering orders twice,” said Michael J. Walsh, COO, Omnexus. “UltraLite provides an ideal, no-cost solution that lets companies electronically process purchase orders with their suppliers through a single, standard format, and avoids the need for double order entry.”
More information on UltraLite, including an animated overview in Flash format, is available at http://www.omnexus.com/UltraLite.