Automating Purchasing process via e-mail (or EDI/XML/FAX)

Rick,
The product ECS/integrated email has been designed for these purposes.
ECS/ie is already integrated with BPCS V6, but can be used for ANY AS/400
application running on your system. ECS/ie is already in use with several
BPCS users, mainly in Europe and Asia.
ECS/ie is a full E.C. messaging system that allows AS/400 spoolfiles and
AS/400 application data to be send out in different formats, depending on
the E.C. configuration and E.C. level of your trading partner
(supplier/customer/other).
As you mention, most of your suppliers would like to receive their P.O. by
e-mail, but there might be suppliers out their who would like to receive
their P.O. by Fax, XML, WebPages or EDI.
ECS/integrated email allows you to define the output format per trading
partner/business document, depending on his requirements.
For your company there is nothing you need to modify in BPCS. You just send
the P.O. out, and ECS/ie will be configured to whom and how and in which
format (XML, EDIFACT, FAX, Email with choice of TXT-PDF-HTML).
ECS/integrated email has been enhanced to include two new Alerts for BPCS
V6:
* BPCS Orders on Credit Hold Alert
Sends email alerts to users when BPCS Customer Orders are in a status of
Credit Hold.
* BPCS Inventory Level Alert
Allows user to configure minimum Inventory levels for Items in a specific or
all warehouses for which they will receive an Alert when the Onhand Balance
drops to the "Alert Quantity".
This new BPCS/ECM functionality compliments the integrated functionality
already available for BPCS:
> ECM Proactive Error notification (includes pro-active TLE/400 and TLA/400
error notification as well!)
> Outbound Order Acknowledgements
> Outbound Purchase Orders
> ECM Rejected Order Report

For more details see:

http://www.ecs-europe.com/bpcs-integrated-email-solutions-order-invoice-ackn
owledgements.htm
For full information on all the additional functions of ECS/ie, including
the XML processor, see the site www.ecsie.com , or go to the main site, and
explore the additional BPCS add-on products as well. All the ECS software
can be downloaded for a trail period.
This year ECS/ie will be expanded with an EDI-EIFACT processor as well.
Planned delivery January 2003.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me off-line.

Ben Rinkel
ben.rinkel@ecs-europe.com

ECS International B.V.
Ph. +31 229 574331
Mob. +31 6 5317 4449
www.ecs-europe.com