For businesses looking to implement their first supply chain integration systems, or those looking to improve that which they already have, the future of the methodology will remain of interest. The continued explosion of hosted systems (also known as Software as a Service – SaaS), has already begun to radically alter the supply chain integration landscape.

As discussed elsewhere throughout this short series of articles, supply chain integration is currently a job requiring extensive (expensive) expertise due to the complexities inherent in joining multiple computer systems. As with most technological advances, implementation of integrations should get inherently easier as on-site complexity is reduced. Suppliers will be faced with the choice of rolling out the exact same ERP system in each of their own businesses, or to outsource the EDI functions required to communicate between disparate systems to a third-party.

As cloud-based software and services continue to mature, the use of on-site systems becomes more expensive and effectively redundant. By outsourcing functions to the cloud such as invoicing and billing, businesses immediately benefit from a reduction in complexity and duplicated effort. An ideal Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) platform will take input from any ERP or accounting system, as Celtrino’s Smart Admin product does, and seamlessly convert and transfer the data to a receiving system. The onus for translation and EDI connectivity becomes the responsibility of the hosted service provider.

In such a scenario, the cloud service provider configures and maintains the EDI connectors for the systems of all of their service users, for the same subscription fee. The clients are then able to make savings on the costs of hiring EDI consultants every time a reconfiguration of the data interchange layout is required.

Business Process Outsourcing as part of a Supply Chain Integration is a hot topic and looks set to remain so for some time. As demand for BPO increases, service providers will be forced to further tune and improve their offerings. All this is great news for the customer and their customers in turn.

If you would like to know more about how Celtrino’s Smart Admin platform can be used to assist your business in Supply Chain Integration, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 
Supply Chain Integration Part 1

Supply Chain Integration Part 2

Supply Chain Integration Part 3

Supply Chain Integration Part 4

About Celtrino

Celtrino is a well-established provider of hosted supply chain management and electronic invoicing services to businesses across Europe and the rest of the world from its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. Building upon more than 200 years’ experience in supply chain automation, Celtrino staff develop and supply services designed to improve the workflow, efficiency and profitability of their 1200+
customers.
Celtrino uses industry standard cloud architecture to underpin its hosted e-business solutions, allowing worldwide clients to benefit and perform B2B transactions globally, irrespective of local limitations. Regardless of company size, Celtrino’s clients are able to access enterprise-level functionality, providing them with all the tools required to compete actively on the global stage.