The Softshare Network

Transcription

1 The Softshare Network The ease of Internet communications has made many traditional VANs (value-added networks) obsolete. But not Softshare. Long ago, we realized the benefits of Internet-based communications. Today, our network clients enjoy the efficiency and cost savings of Internet data transfer, without the hassle of managing it themselves. Softshare has two network operation centers: our North American network based in Santa Barbara and our European network based in Amsterdam. Both centers are redundant backup sites for the other, helping to ensure that a disruption in one center s operations won t affect your operations. Wherever I may go, I use Softshare Technical Support as the example of what the best practice should be regarding customer service and technical support. select a tab to continue

2 Communications Protocols & The Softshare Mailbox As a network client, you re provided with a secure network mailbox that requires a login ID and password. Softshare will consolidate all your arriving data into this mailbox so that you only need to manage one easy connection to Softshare s network; not a connection to every trading partner. Softshare Mailbox Internet Communications Protocols You can access your Softshare mailbox via the following Internet communications protocols: POP3 SMTP (supports AS1 security) HTTP & HTTPS (supports AS2 security) FTP & FTP/S Daily, thousands of businesses access Softshare s network. Our network can connect directly to your trading partners or we can interconnect with other networks on your behalf *. Softshare interconnects with all major third-party networks, including: AAFES IBM Global Networks ANX (Automotive Exchange Network) ICC.Net BCE Emergis Inovis/Harbinger Commport InterTrade Covisint Kleinschmidt DAASC Loren Data Descartes/Transettlements nubridges EAN of Austria (via AS2) NetVAN Easylink Sterling Commerce EBMX T-Systems Int l EC/EDI TietoEnator E-Com Systems Union Pacific Technologies Edict Systems US Federal Government (ECPN) EDS Veterans Affairs Hospitals GXS Your Company Softshare Network Interconnect Interconnect Your Trading Partner s VAN Your Trading Partner * Note: While the vast majority of interconnects are replicated by both of our network operation centers (which reside in Santa Barbara and Amsterdam), it s important to note that some custom interconnects may only be supported by one operation center or the other. An example of a custom interconnect is an interconnect that deviates from the communications protocol standard, or an interconnect that requires a dedicated circuit between our facilities and the destination network.

3 From Softshare eservice, Softshare s online customer service Web site, you can review, restage, and report on your Softshare network mailbox traffic. Reviewing & Restaging Mailbox Data From the mailbox management feature at eservice, you can review and restage documents that have passed into or out of your Softshare mailbox within the past 30 days. Reporting on Mailbox Data From the management reports area of eservice, you can generate several mailbox activity reports for the documents that have passed through your Softshare mailbox within the last 90 days.

4 If you re looking to outsource your e-commerce operations, let Softshare be your host. Called hosted services, our network can manage the translation and delivery of e-commerce documents on your behalf. Menu No two hosted services solution menus are alike. Every aspect of your solution is customized to your company s operations. The trading partners that Softshare s network connects to, the data conversions that take place, and the status reports that are generated will be different from those of any other hosted services client. For each trading partner that you exchange data with over our network, Softshare creates a network interconnect. Network interconnects specify how data is exchanged between you and your trading partners, and how often. Data Translation Maps For each data conversion your solution requires, Softshare writes a data translation map in Softshare Delta, its data translator. For example, your trading partners may be sending you EDI purchase orders that need to be converted to file formats understood by your accounting system. We ll use Delta to make this conversion, ensuring that you receive the files exactly as you need them. Exception Handling & Reporting Softshare runs event rules against your data that alert us to errors. For inbound data, the types of errors we look for are determined by the data requirements of your internal applications. For outbound data, the types of errors we look for are determined by your trading partners requirements. When an error is encountered, we can fix it, send you an exception report, or both. Status Reports Every time Softshare receives a batch of data on your behalf, we send a status report to you acknowledging our receipt of the data. In addition to these standard status reports, Softshare can create as many custom status reports as you need, and run them as often as you want. Plans Softshare has three hosted services plans for you to choose from. All plans offer the same degree of customization and service, but provide varying server configuration options to best match the scope of your solution. Every hosted services solution is unique. But the one thing they all have in common is quality customer service. Shared Hosting. Softshare hosts your services on a shared server that is running processes in addition to yours. Softshare also provides all software licenses. Dedicated Hosting. Softshare hosts your services on a dedicated server. Softshare provides this dedicated server as well as all software licenses, hardware, and maintenance. Co-Location Hosting. Softshare hosts your services on a dedicated server that you provide. You ll provide all other hardware, software licenses, and maintenance as well.

5 Many companies, as part of their EDI rollout or trading partner community expansion efforts, require their trading partners to complete data certification. Data certification ensures that trading partners are compliant before moving into a production mode of EDI document exchange. If your company would like its trading partners to undergo certification, Softshare can manage the process for you. We ll set up a custom Web site that walks your trading partners through every step of compliance testing, from enrollment to successful completion. A custom Web site walks your trading partners through every step of compliance testing. Each trading partner can move through the certification program at their own pace. But Softshare s support isn t limited to Web pages and automated s. If a data compliance issue arises, we immediately call your trading partner to quickly and efficiently resolve the problem. When your trading partners complete a Softshare-hosted data certification program, they will enter into production with a thorough understanding of your EDI program!