Infor Announces EDI Cloud Solution to Simplify Automotive Manufacturing

Infor, a leading provider of business application software serving more than 73,000 customers, today announced Infor Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Managed Service to offer manufacturers a powerful yet economic solution to maintain operations. Infor EDI Managed Service is specifically developed to help solve growing customer demands, helping organizations meet challenges with greater speed and efficiency. The cloud-based EDI offering is designed to help manufacturers achieve faster, and more accurate communication of orders, shipping information and payment status. The solution will also aid in reducing the costs, time and effort needed to keep pace with the ever-changing manufacturing industry.

Effective trading partner management is the cornerstone of Infor EDI Managed Service. The integrated solution features a seamless flow between the business software and trading partners. This is achieved through streamlining EDI communications and infrastructure. Infor EDI Managed Service combines Infor ION® , a purpose-built middleware solution, and Rocket Software's EDI solution, providing a fast, secure and easy way to manage data and satisfy global automotive EDI requirements.

By managing EDI communications in a secure cloud environment, users experience a process that is more transparent and removes complexities associated with traditional EDI management.

Key Features:

• Reduced Costs with Cloud - By seamlessly integrating your on-premise system with a cloud based EDI managed service the solution helps to reduce costs and upfront investment. This no longer requires companies to install and maintain complex EDI software, build and support multiple trading partner maps or integrate with disparate EDI systems. With Infor EDI Managed Service, companies can maintain a simple, cost effective solution and a unified business practice without the complexities associated with traditional EDI solutions.
• Simple Connections - Infor EDI Managed Service utilizes Infor ION to simplify the transfer of information between trading partners and enterprise resource planning (ERP), financial management, and supply chain systems. The simplified solution no longer requires users to generate new EDI interfaces to handle each process.
• Pre-Built Trading Partner Maps - Many global automotive OEM's and suppliers have highly detailed EDI specifications which require custom maps that can slow down a company's ability to take on new business or automate a process. With Infor EDI Managed Service, complex North American and European automotive requirements can be easily met. Users are able to subscribe to the maps they need without having to build or maintain their own EDI maps. This is achieved through the pre-built trading partner maps and standard XML business object documents (BODs) that help automate the trading partner setup process and accelerate time to value while reducing demands on in-house IT staff.
• Flexible Maps Management - The EDI specifications for global automotive companies are prone to frequent change. The need to keep systems up to date with such changes can create disruptions or backlogs that hamper operations. Infor EDI Managed Service handles EDI specification changes to help manage change with speed and accuracy.
• Easy Scaling - Infor EDI Managed Service allows users to easily add new business without worrying about adjustments to EDI infrastructure. The solution is able to quickly scale to changes in volume without requiring manual adjustments.

The offering expands Infor's relationship with Rocket Software (formerly Trubiquity) to build-out EDI services with Infor ION. The partnership was formed to integrate EDI cloud service with Infor ION, providing Infor customers with a vast global catalog of trading partners that are mapped to and from standard BODs.

Rocket Software Quote
"Our extensive EDI expertise within the Automotive sector and Infor's ION provides a comprehensive managed cloud solution allowing Infor's manufacturing clients to have a competitive advantage. Together, we enable customers to focus on manufacturing and bringing their products to market," said Maureen Huber, Vice President, Rocket Trubiquity Business Unit, Rocket Software.

Infor Quote
"Manufacturers are constantly faced with the challenge of processing, maintaining and utilizing incoming data from customers and suppliers. Investing in a solution that streamlines this process to reduce the cost, time and effort needed to manage EDI transactions is the best way to stay ahead of competitors and ensure business continuity," said Jeff Rheingans, senior product manager, Infor Automotive. "Infor EDI Managed Service is the logical step for manufacturers that seek a faster and more accurate way to process and communicate orders, shipping information and key business data."