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Some firms use EDI links to trade data, but turn to Web for real-time planning
FOR Heineken USA Inc., exchanging demand forecasts and other business data with beer distributors via the Internet freed it from setting up electronic data interchange (EDI) links.
But for users such as The Timberland Co. that already have invested in EDI technology, Webbased collaborative planning with customers and suppliers isn't expected to fully replace EDI connections.
Timberland's plan is to mix batch-oriented EDI transmissions with real-time data exchanges over the Internet to meet various needs and to avoid forcing too much change on the companies with which it does business.
Rapid supply-chain collaboration driven by the Internet "is really the new thing on the horizon. But [EDI] will still come into play in many areas of our business," said Yusef Akyuz, vice president of information services at Stratham, N.H.-based Timberland.
Timberland this summer plans to launch a small number of Web-based collaboration pilot projects using software from Manugistics Group Inc. in Rockville, Md.
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