Now, more than ever, automotive suppliers are looking to become better connected both with external trading partners and internal applications. The key pressures driving this in today's automotive industry are globalization, cost pressures and supply chain responsiveness.

QAD now offers the Sterling Commerce Gentran Integration Suite (GIS) as part of the QAD Total eCommerce solution to provide end-to-end EDI capability including communications, translation and business process transformation.

As a component of the QAD Total eCommerce Solution, Sterling Commerce GIS provides a platform for electronic messaging, including EDI and XML as well as enterprise application integration (EAI), all built on the foundation of service-oriented architecture. As part of the QAD Total eCommerce Solution, you can now achieve 100 percent connectivity with your trading partners, QAD systems and legacy systems.

As a stand alone application, or as part of the QAD Total eCommerce Solution, the GIS toolset includes the following major components:

• B2B Integration for Data Transformation & Mapping
• Communications including EDI standards and Messaging Protocols
• Back-End Connector Adapters for ERP, Messaging Platforms and Technology
• B2B Process Management
• B2B Visibility and Management
• B2B Security

When deployed as part of the QAD Total eCommerce Solution, you will have access to out-of-the-box integration with your trading partners and the flexibility to manage and maintain B2B requirements internally or though a variety of outsourcing options via QAD Application Management Service (AMS) EDI programs. Key features include:

• An EAI solution that supports global EDI standards and XML formatted messages
• Built on a service-oriented architecture (SOA) platform
• Part of the QAD Total eCommerce Solution including EDI ECommerce and prebuilt integration delivered by QAD's EDI Business Unit
• Supports cross-vertical trading partners, document types, communication standards
• Available on MFG/PRO 9.0 through eB2.1 (Domains) on Windows, UNIX and Linux
• Flexible and intuitive graphical user interface
• Extends EDI interoperability by adding Web-based integration capabilities
• Access to over 300 application adapters for extension inside and outside of the QAD enterprise and EDI
• Works in concert with QAD's current Interoperability products and framework