Re: Implementation of E-Commerce over BPCS 405CD -- BPCS-L

Several vendors do have products that do almost exactly what you are working on, if not much more. I have been to IBM sponsored seminars that show us the pros and cons of the alternatives out there, none recent so I not up-to-date on everything. I hope you get to the same kind of education, and not jump at the first solution that presents itself.

I was especially impressed with security that recognizes we want our customers to have full access to many aspects of our business what we are doing for them, but unlike internal users who view all items, we want our customers to see what we are doing on THEIR items, but not what is going on for OTHER customers. Likewise with vendor access.

And of course what is HOT varies with the customer representative. Some are very interested in a history of recent shipments, and upcoming ones, so they can see what is in the pipeline. Some are more focused on what revision level we are working on, and the status of quality assurance on new models and engineering changes. Some want to use automated systems to communicate order changes, and want systems of verifying correct input of order and item maintenance, without a human being having to check every field of every file. Some want access to tools similar to needs of in-house personnel - assurance that due dates will be met. And there is the eternal question of progress we are making to dramatically cut costs, lead times, and become more lean in our manufacturing.

Another element is the notion that as the web marches forwards JAVA XML whatever standards, that the software can be recompiled IN the web languages of the future, without requiring a lot of retraining, just as AS/SET can recompile BPCS into the languages of the operating system of the future, be it LINUX or whatever, and if we modify software for our traditional non-web internal users, the same modifications easily transplanted to the web version.

It was great news to see that the pricing is like BPCS applications. If you not need this or that application for your business, it is not included in the total price. If you not need this or that application on the web, you only pay for what you need.

I have been working with BPCS for over a decade, now on AS/400 and before that on S/36. It was never down, except when we had a hard disk crash without RAID, and IBM had us fully functional again in less than 24 hours. And there was also the big storm that removed our public utility power for almost a week. With platforms other than IBM, being down is a factual risk of daily life. Our BPCS was never corrupted, even during the conversion where we were at 120% of AS/400 disk space (what was corrupted was some conversion objects that we regenerated).

However, from end user perspective, we have to take them off the system when running most of End-Month, Backups, and some Reorg, because of the combination of the structure of BPCS and our limited budget for 24x7 access alternatives. So it is really great that web connections to BPCS, and data collection from bar coding, can and do display current BPCS info, and accept updates to BPCS during those time periods when we have to kick users off because we are using a low cost backup system, a high volume transaction INV900, or other cyclical or fiscal steps.

Your phraseology almost sounds like you are trying to create something that not already exists. I hope you do your research so that if you come up with a new package, that it is no worse than what is already on the market, perhaps even much better. - Al Macintyre http://www.ryze.com/go/Al9Mac Find BPCS Documentation Suppliers http://radio.weblogs.com/0107846/stories/2002/11/08/bpcsDocSources.html BPCS/400 Computer Janitor at http://www.globalwiretechnologies.com/

Dear Colleagues and Friends

We are embarking on a project to bring web connectivity to BPCS 405CD
for a major pharmaceutical client.

The intention is to support:

? Web order entry
? Order history and status inquiry
? Package tracking
? Significant configurability VS need for customization
? Ability to function while BPCS is temporarily ?down?
? Personalization of web features by customer
? Strong Security

Our goal is to purchase existing solutions and minimize custom coding.
Because this is an FDA regulated business, validation and vendor?s
quality practices are signification issues.

I am looking for any guidance, recommendations, cautions or experiences
you may be willing to share. Phone calls are welcome, but please be
aware that this is not an opening for consultants to create the web
programming.

Best regards and thanks in advance.

Ardi

Ardi Batmanghelidj
Principal - Business Development
Innovatum, Inc.
ardibatman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Direct Line: 978 443 1304
Main Office: 877 277 3016