Business-to-business e-commerce network provider GE Global eXchange Services has upgraded its enterprise platform.
With the Enterprise System 7.5 e-Commerce Visibility Manager, announced this week, GXS is bringing business process capabilities to a new level, according to officials in Gaithersburg, Md.
The latest iteration of GXSs data integration broker incorporates BPI (business process integration), which allows companies to map supply chain processes to specific business objectives, view metrics and act on exception events. The platform manages thousands of suppliers connecting to GXS or connecting directly to buyers in a private network.
With 7.5, GXS has introduced new functionality, including BPI workflow templates for exception handling and functional acknowledgement tracking and reconciliation – two key components preventing stock outs for suppliers. Also new is support for secure Internet connectivity using the S-FTP and AS2 protocols. AS2 is the protocol to send either Electronic Data Interchange or XML in an authenticated manner over the Internet.
More templates are planned for release on an ongoing basis. GXS will focus on templates for its Sigma Six manufacturing standard, as well as the design process within manufacturing, according to sources familiar with the companys plans.
In addition to templates, GXS has added a Visibility Manager dashboard and exception handling in Version 7.5 so that a customer can see a potential problem in the supply chain and act on it.
GXS, a unit of General Electric Co., also included several new integration adapters to 7.5, including adapters for Siebel Systems Inc.s eBusiness 2000, MatrixOne Inc. eMatrix, Oracle Corp.s Financials application and SAP AGs R/3. Likewise, GXS Adapter Development Kit has been upgraded to version 1.5.
Pricing for the base model of 7.5 ranges from $125,000 to $175,000, according to officials.
