Ross Systems Delivers Global Data Synchronization Solution to Enable Retailer-Driven Business Integration

Business Wire, Dec 7, 2004

ATLANTA -- Leading Enterprise Resource Planning Provider Teams with LANSA to Provide UCCnet Solution

Ross Systems, Inc. ("Ross"), a global provider of enterprise software solutions for manufacturers and a software unit of chinadotcom corporation (NASDAQ: CHINA), today announced it has teamed with LANSA, a provider of e-business solutions, to offer its customers global data synchronization services through LANSA Data Sync Direct, a Uniform Code Council ("UCC")-certified solution. The new offering furthers Ross' commitment to meeting the evolving business needs of its customers in the face of new retail compliance requirements.

Driven largely by the need for consolidation of global trading and standardization of business processes, global data synchronization has taken a stronghold in the hardlines, grocery and general retail sectors. Major retailers, such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot, have established mandates requiring trading partners to synchronize item data via the Global Data Synchronization Network ("GDSN"), a distributed system for suppliers and retailers to synchronize proprietary pricing and product information quickly and cost-effectively with a centralized repository, called the GS1 Global Registry. By publishing product information to this registry, companies can ensure their products comply with a common set of item attributes and can be synchronized with other trading partners subscribing to the GDSN.

To fulfill the demand for synchronization services, suppliers are looking for a flexible, easy-to-scale solution to comply with trading partner mandates. Addressing this need, Ross paired with LANSA to provide Data Sync Direct, as an extension of the company's iRenaissance enterprise business solution for data synchronization. The new offering enables customers to quickly implement a solution to streamline the order-fulfillment process and reduce costs associated with order errors.

"In partnership with Ross, we are able to expand the reach of LANSA's industry-proven data synchronization offering to Ross' outstanding manufacturing customer base," said Alan Christensen, LANSA's vice president of solution products. "With Data Sync Direct, Ross customers can now extend the iRenaissance ERP solution and synchronize product data through the Global Registry. This synergy gives customers a competitive advantage and allows them to quickly trade product information with key business partners."

A Turnkey Solution

Data Sync Direct provides seamless transition of product information stored in iRenaissance to the UCCnet Services interoperable data pool. Item data is then synchronized with the GS1 Global Registry enabling industry-standard transactions between supply and demand-side trading partners. This real-time process eliminates the need for third-party exchanges or encryption or transport software. As product and pricing information is published to the registry, all retail customers subscribing to UCCnet Services have access to the synchronized data, streamlining the business process and easily allowing the addition of new trading partners. Some of the key benefits include:

--Integrated Solution. Implementing Data Sync Direct provides customers with a fully scalable business solution tying directly into their iRenaissance enterprise business solution. In addition, the new model complements existing Electronic Data Interchange ("EDI") transactions, including purchase order, ship notice and invoice transactions already achieved with Ross' extended EDI engine.

--Reduction of Costs. This end-to-end solution allows Ross customers to significantly decrease costs associated with licensing, maintenance and per transaction fees related to third-party vendors. In addition, as the UCC reports that 3.5 percent of sales are lost due to inaccurate data and 40-60 percent of all invoices have errors, a data synchronization solution will help companies significantly prevent these inaccuracies, thereby reducing costs connected to invalid order errors and time lost due to inefficient processes.

--Competitive Advantage. The UCCnet data synchronization solution will help enable customers to more quickly comply with mandates from key customers, positioning themselves as a vendor of choice among the supplier community. The accuracy of product and location data will help ensure that the correct products are delivered, improving customer service and overall relations with trading partners.

"Looking beyond the scope of our enterprise business solutions and listening to the needs of our customers, we've been able to identify additional market requirements and subsequently extend our industry-focused and proven offering," said J. Patrick Tinley, CEO of Ross. "As global data synchronization becomes essential for retail compliance efforts, we've delivered an answer for our customers. This partnership with LANSA signifies collaboration among technology vendors, providing an immediate, integrated solution to support the changing needs of our customers."