In the business and transport areas, it has become increasingly common to use EDI
(Electronic Data Interchange) to automate the flow of information between business
partners. Since EDI is based on an International standard, the information systems of the
companies involved can use their integral translation programs to interpret the sender's
message regardless of which computer system or software is in use.
Increasingly broad concept
The EDI concept has been in use for about a decade, initially in the UK
business sector and the German automotive industry. Most of the pioneers were large
companies, but the technology is increasingly being used by small and medium sized
companies. Almost half of the 70 000 companies now using EDI are located in the US and
slightly more than 10 000 of them in the UK. However, the most rapid increase is
occurring elsewhere in Western Europe and in the Far East.
Administrative information systems that transfer information automatically as soon as a
transaction occurs do more than merely speed up the flow of information; they are a
prerequisite for shortening lead times and reducing or eliminating inventories. One
example is the automotive industry's transition from inventory-based production based on
customer orders. EDI has been a key factor in this transition.
As use of the new technology has expanded and its advantages have become increasingly
apparent, companies have sought to broaden the range of applications where EDI technology
can be used. Wherever structured information is transferred, EDI can be used to create
open interfaces to optimize the efficiency of information transfer. The same principle
also applies to communication via local networks between systems located in the same
building, such as an order system that forwards incoming information directly to a
production system.
Mobitex and EDI open up new possibilities
Mobitex works hand-in-glove with EDI. While the EDI concept is not restricted to any
one particular communication method, the use of Mobitex opens up new EDI applications. More
value is added when mobile units can also be integrated into the system.
Mobitex users can explore the benefits of EDI by sending new types of information to
and from the mobile units, permitting better planning, follow-up and customer service. The
broader range of applications and the resulting scope for increased profitability make
Mobitex an even more attractive concept to potential users
AMTrix is the tool
Included in the EU's DRIVE program is a project known as IFMS, Integrated Fleet and
Vehicle Management Systems. This in turn is subdivided into a number of pilot projects to
discover and test more efficient methods for planning and controlling vehicle fleets and
their loads. The Mobitex/EDI combination forms the basis of one of these pilot projects,
for which a number of Bilspedition's trucks have been equipped with a 486 PC from Hogia, a
Mobitex radio modem and Frontec's AMTrix EDI software.
Most of the EDI packages on the market are designed solely to convert data from the
format used by a given information system into EDIFACT, the international EDI standard
format, and send the message via X.25.
The AMTrix EDI system, on the other hand, can be regarded as a tool for transferring
information without regard to its format or the method of communication. The product is
based on a programming language that incorporates semantics from EDI standards, as well as
file management and data communication systems. It permits the user to define the relevant
data in every instance.
Bilspedition and Scania take the initiative
The application used by Bilspedition and Scania starts with a transport booking sent
via EDI from Scania's subcontractor HV AB to Bilspedition's central planning system. The
booking is updated with additional information, then forwarded via Mobitex to the vehicle
that will handle the delivery. The booking is displayed on-screen to the vehicle's driver
in the shape of a query. If he is able to handle the assignment, he confirms this by
sending an acknowledgement to the central system via Mobitex, with an additional
acknowledgement to the customer - in this case Scania.
During loading, a barcode scanner registers all the package numbers, which are sent as
an EDI message via the Mobitex network, together with other transport information, to both
Bilspedition and Scania. When the load is delivered, the package numbers are again
registered and reported to the central systems in both Bilspedition and Scania so that any
discrepancies can be discovered.
The fact that every single package is registered both at the time of booking and during
loading permits follow-up at any point in the logistical chain. This is virtually
indispensable for "just-in-time" deliveries. It also enables the purchaser of
transport services both to follow up individual deliveries and to evaluate the quality of
the carrier, while giving the transport company a method of continuously monitoring its
efficiency.
Frontec AMT
Frontec AMT is a Frontec Group subsidiary operating in the IT sector. It has slightly
more than 600 employees. The business concept is to supply technical platforms for more
efficient business processes. Frontec AMT markets its products through its own sales
companies in the US and the UK and through associated companies in other countries.
