Global eXchange Services (GXS) has launched Trading Grid, a real-time platform developed exclusively to enable and streamline cross-enterprise business processes. As one of the world's largest electronic business communities - serving over 30,000 businesses worldwide - Trading Grid provides capabilities designed to ensure synchronized product and price information, optimize inventory levels and demand forecasts, and speed the overall execution of supply chains.
Trading Grid includes the following key components aimed at accelerating business process networking capability:
- Global messaging services that provide real-time information flow between partners anywhere in the world;
- Improved access methods that simplify business enablement, from multi-lingual web-based access options to direct ERP integration via web services adapters;
- Central data stores to virtually and securely aggregate high-volumes of trading community data;
- Hosted Trading Grid intelligence services to provide unique business insight into processes, performance and exceptions; and
- Hosted Trading Grid application services to manage and orchestrate specific cross-enterprise business processes, such as managing orders and reconciling invoices.
Retailers can use Trading Grid to track international shipments as inbound goods flow through networks of marine, air, rail and ground transportation. As a result of this increased visibility, retailers can optimize sales through better product mix and promotion planning. "Our e-commerce needs are rapidly evolving and we expect that Trading Grid will help us move beyond simply connecting with trading partners to truly engaging with them to collaboratively manage business processes," says Kevin McGee, business-to-business IT technical lead at Borders Group, Inc.
High-technology manufacturers can use Trading Grid to manage inventory at a customer's location. "The process for receiving and posting invoices and determining invoice accuracy presents a constant challenge for Rohm and Haas," says Bruce Morris, manager of trading partner integration for Rohm and Haas. "GXS' Trading Grid allows us to fully automate the process and improve the overall quality of supplier invoices. This allows both Rohm and Haas and its suppliers to focus on improving the delivery of chemical goods and services, rather than administrative tasks.
