Will ECGridOS Solve all of my EDI problems? Well…..yes and no.
We are working on making this an unqualified yes for the small and medium enterprise creating customized software for partner X12 communications, for developers providing bespoke integration services, and for ISV’s creating connectors and widgets. For Internet commerce shops that cater to vertical specialties on the buy side, or for accounting, ECGridOS is fantastic. EDI might be the preferred format of record for global trade, purchasing, and partner communications, but ubiquitous routing makes it all possible.
What problems are ameliorated when an API is implemented for EDI document carriage? First of all, let’s look beyond the buzz and perceive the subtle essentials:
- API’s are a lightweight approach to configuring trading partners. Any programmer can use ECGridOS to read in partner qualifier records and populate an array.
- Run-time containers can be instantly (pretty much) configured for sessions that login, send a parcel, get a manifest, and logout. This is a simple approach for getting the job done. ECGridOS will probably, almost certainly very soon, have a number of composite .Net objects for these type of common EDI functions that collapse many common calls into one bite-sized function.
- Platform folks, hub vendors, and ERP development environment programmers can sprinkle in the ECGridOS API functions and also use their larger BPM servers – there is no need for an “either / or decision”, what is suited to the task is best. Since all return parameters from ECGrid are (or can be made) persistent, this data can be shared and integrated with large scale orchestration systems.
- Mash-ups – if you have to ask, are ways of combining public data and API’s in order to create composite applications. Example, EDI trading partner discovery and peering via Twitter (for example)? This can happen because ECGridOS allows EDI document transit via an API.
- Any project that could benefit from a solid route to customized EDI communications. I am a vertical markets and SCM analyst, and I love big, complex systems, however, all of these systems can use a dose of simplicity. Myriads of smaller systems will benefit from the ECGridOS method of Global transit, with its single attachment and all routes reachable communications.
I mean really, what else are you going to accomplish this afternoon? Start creating your next lightweight custom EDI communications component !
Tags: API, B2B, EDI, Electronic Data Interchange, Enterprise resource planning, Supply chain management, VAN
