Delivering speed and agility

EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations by delivery speed and agility to the marketplace. Today’s markets, whether grocery & food service, building material/DIY market, fashion & apparel, general merchandise, home fashions, logistics, or transportation are dependent on information. The current year is no exception, coming into focus after Q1 and from all appearances it looks like EDI logistics is likely to have a bigger impact this year than in previous years, particularly with activity regarding tariffs.

Making supply chain operations more interesting this year, freight rates also reached new lows this (spring) season as ocean carriers looking to finalize their annual service contracts with shippers are making concessions in order to keep fleets full. Freight rate negotiation is an annual event that is taking place this year when more ships are expected to hit the water. More ships means more capacity, more capacity means increased (downward) pressure on price. Year-over-year lower container volume, adding to the downward pressure, is expected in some western US ports driven by shipping volumes pulled forward as a result of threats of new tariffs. Ocean carriers and shippers are reacting to the downward pressure and seem to withdrawing capacity, by planning to increase cancellations, fewer crossings means less capacity, less capacity means an increased pressure on price. Where is this headed? What is next for a supply chain operation engaged in international traffic?

The ‘churn’ in pricing markets can be tied back directly to the close monitoring of global events by just about everyone. Maybe, take a break today at or near the watercooler and observe everyday conversations discussing global trade. Tariffs, ships, even canal eco-systems, all playing a part in increased volatility and wider repercussions. Highways, bridges, drivers, trucks, containers, shortages, and outright outages translates into increased friction for land based transportation, land based transport, being the transport mechanism which inevitably follows a berthing.

The takeaway for supply chain operations managers from the most recent gyrations is clear, “stick to the plan.” There is probably no need to cancel orders or stock up on canned goods, everything is going to be fine and never bet against the US economy. The U.S. economy represents 25–27% of the global GDP so in terms of your 401k, variations in stock prices have all been pretty much accounted for and take it from me, none of us are retiring tomorrow.

What we know from history, is that ‘market corrections,’ small or large, are always followed by growth. Bears will be bears, bulls will be bulls, and supply chain managers should continue with business plans, as envisioned, as planned, and as designed. Managers should resist the tendency to allow periodic uncertainty to drive change. Change to agendas, changed planned out long before this most recent hype cycle and rely instead on the growth projections that were built into the plan. Growth after all, is inevitable and it shows in the US economy and never bet against the US economy.

Logistics transforms supply chains, and EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations by delivering speed and agility to those business plans, to the orchestration of B2B transactions, to the complex dance that connects buyers and sellers, products and placement, consumers, and commodities to markets and growth. Planning makes for good decisions, and execution makes for good management, good managers, and good stewards. Plan your work and work your plan.

Integration

EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations by delivering integration speed and agility to disparate systems, important clients, and new partner relationships. EDI rejuvenates logistics in predictable ways by managing the previously unseen and unpredictable. Transactions and workloads today move through EDI through advanced cloud computing models designed to accommodate today’s business challenges, data, and data loads. 

EDI logistics combined with digital connectivity solutions can transform data exchanges adding scalability and automation that empowers supply chain operations and streamlines workflows. Such levels of connectivity and interoperability, accommodated by prebuilt integrations and backed by on demand computing resources increase and enhance visibility. Leveraging data models from canonical to semantic, securely stored on cloud based resources, makes a difference, and delivers speed and agility.

Order to Cash

EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations  by delivering speed and agility to the order to cash process by ensuring the buyer is advised of the delivery of the product. Order to cash EDI transactions contain data structures that allow buyer and sellers to exchange pertinent information related to logistics such as item references, carton, packing, or pallet configuration, and highly valued data in the logistics marketplace today. 

EDI logistics increases the effectiveness of broadly defined activities, impacting staffing level in warehouses and transportation facilities. The benefits for logistics parties range from handling and error reduction to on-time shipments and faster invoice processing and since consumers receive the desired goods on time when EDI technologies are engaged in logistics and Supply chain operations , Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) is often reduced, and cash flows improved.

Scheduling and Tendering

EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations by delivering speed and agility to load tenders thereby enhancing operations even when reductions in capacity may mean cancelling shipments, putting deliveries on hold, or waiting for the next trans-oceanic voyage. Tender messages serve as a formal offer from a shipper to a carrier, the request is the transportation of a load of goods from one point to another, thus the term ‘load tender’ and the phrase to ‘tender’ the shipment.

Tender messages contain the information necessary to complete a point to point shipment, navigate a shipment with multiple destinations or ‘stops,’ even cancel a shipment. Tender messages include information such as the shipping origin, the destination or multiple destinations, and other information critical to the business process. Load tenders even serve as a legal bill of lading between the shipper and a carrier. Tender messages perform virtually the same function as an order in that a formal offer from a shipper to a carrier is made and an acceptance message follows, completing the ‘order’ process between the shipper and a carrier.

The load tender business message serves as the ‘shipment order’ and once the shipment has been made, completed, or cancelled, there is an end of life process, in most cases an invoice. Between the ‘shipment order’ and the ‘invoice’ is where ‘shipment status’ messages are exchanged between the shipper and the carrier. EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations by delivering speed, agility, and visibility, enhancing the business operation.

Tender Responses

EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations by delivery speed and agility to the tender response process. Shippers and carriers depend on load tenders and responses to complete supply chain planning activities and under the right condition a Response to a Load Tender indicates whether or not a delivery will be completed within the specified time frame. 

  Straight forward and timely by necessity, a response to a load tender indicates to the shipper that the carrier will accept, conditionally accept, or decline a load tender. An accepted load means that the carrier will manage the freight. A rejected load means that the carrier has declined the load. Responses are a timed event response must be received by the "Must Respond Date" and "Must Respond Time" information indicated inside of the motor carrier load tender. If a response to a load tender is not received by the "Must Respond Date" and "Must Respond Time" it is typically reassigned by the shipper or consignee and tendered to another carrier. 

EDI logistics transforms Supply chain operations by delivery speed and agility to the tender response process. Exchanging response messages completes a process which allows for more complete supply chain planning. Speed and agility in the tender response process is enhanced through the use response messages, through the use of business rules and through advanced tools such as alerting when events contrary to the needs of the business are detected.

Where is my stuff?

EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations  by delivery speed and agility to shippers, consignees, and entities responsible for the transportation of the shipment. 

Historically shipment status messages were observed or processed only after the delivery of a shipment. Today, shipment status messages can be sent, received, and processed in near real time. Today, shipment status messages can be used to understand pickup, in-transit, and delivery status of shipments. Today, shipment status messages can be used to evaluate carrier performance in near real time for shippers and consignees leveraging shipment status and time to determine if transit times or schedules were met. Today, shipment status messages can be used for automated systemic consideration for estimated delivery dates. 

DSO - Days Sales Outstanding

EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations by delivery speed and agility to cash flows. Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) measures the average number of days it takes a company to collect from a revenue source (buyer) after a sale has been made, the sale being consummated ONLY after the shipment has been made. 

Accounting departments frequently measure and share their DSO with financial and accounting executives. DSO is an indicator of efficiency of the sellers’ accounts receivable process. When DSO is viewed in the context of 3 way match, DSO becomes an indicator of supply chain and logistics efficiency, similar to invoice processing or deductions management.

The shipment is made when responsibility for the shipment has been handed to another party in ‘tender and acceptance’ a messaging combination that signals a point in shipment processing that can also trigger a DSO calculation, thus ‘tender and acceptance’ is an indicator of logistics and supply chain efficiency. 

In a 3 way match system, the invoice is processed (paid) when the shipment is received and in most financial and accounting ‘IF and ONLY IF’ the shipment has been received. 3-way match processing at a high level ensures that an invoice is accurate and should be paid. A process that involves verification, a process that ensures the alignment of three key documents before a payment is processed, a method that work exceedingly well to prevent errors, fraud, and overpayment.

EDI logistics transforms supply chains by incorporating financial transactions into supply chain operations. Tenders, invoices, credit/debit adjustments, remittance and application advice transactions work together to complete the payment process in financial systems, completing the 3 way match process, signaling the end of the DSO calculation.

Conclusion

EDI logistics is a transformative framework that redefines speed, agility, and resilience of modern supply chain operations by integrating disparate systems, streamlining order-to-cash processes, and enhancing tendering, tracking, and financial workflows.

EDI logistics transforms supply chain operations  by delivering speed and agility through enhanced visibility into the performance of logistics and supply chain actors.

EDI empowers businesses everyday by turning complexity into opportunity.

Want to take the conversation further? Request a demo with PartnerLinQ today and see how EDI logistics can transform your supply chain operations.

What is Supply Chain EDI?

Supply chain EDI can be quickly and narrowly defined as those transactions which support the procurement process, in other words, supply chain activities. Supply chain activities related to procurement include (1) Pre-Purchase Activities, (2) Purchase Activities and (3) Post Purchase Activities. If we accept Supply chain activities that includes purchase, prepurchase and post purchase activities, we may also surmise supply chain activities may extend to control activities, specifically receipt transactions such as CONTRL documents or Functional Acknowledgement (FAs,997s), perhaps even MDNs (Message Delivery Notifications). 

Accepting receipt transactions into the realm of supply chain activities also means, to some extent and with some businesses, supporting documents or transactions may be brought into scope. Supporting documents in the context of supply chain activities might therefore include border crossing documents, credit reports, electronic tax exemption certificates, even freight transactions and of course to some extent with some businesses.

The Role of EDI in Supply Chain Operations

If we look at Supply chain activities together as a predefined category, “supply chain EDI” we get a rather good idea which activities are core activities (1) Pre-Purchase Activities, (2) Purchase Activities and (3) Post Purchase Activities and which activities extend Supply Chain activities (A) Supporting documents and (B)Receipt transactions. Interestingly, all supply chain activities extend visibility into the supply chain in both directions and at the same time.

Key Supply Chain Transactions Managed by EDI

Key supply chain transactions are indeed managed by EDI, in fact millions of businesses rely on supply chain EDI technologies to answer the most pressing question in supply chain operations, that question, ‘Where’s My Stuff? A question of such magnitude begins long before a shipment ever takes place.

Pre-Purchase Activities

Pre-Purchase activities, transactions, or messages if you prefer may include such novelties as the Price/Sales Catalog message (832). While items and pricing may take place in other ways between a sales agent and buying agent, the Price/Sales Catalog message (832) is designed for system-to-system conveyance of price information. The Price/Sales Catalog message may include precise Item Identification (LIN) data, even specific details such as Country of Origin, style, style color and size.

Purchase Activities

Purchase Activities or Purchase Orders as they are commonly referred to include precise Item Identification (PO1) typically includes Bill to and Ship to information and can include Carrier Details (TD5), precise communication within the Purchase Order (PO) that directs the seller to a specific carrier (SCAC). POs can go on to define shipping services or services levels and even has the capacity as a ‘data carrier’ to make specific statements to the seller to use the ‘Best way’ to ship the products or ensure the delivery meets the Delivery Requested or Requested Ship date as required in the purchase order.

Post Purchase Activities

Information relayed by EDI between the buyer and the seller does not end with procurement. The buyer may include information material to determining ‘Where’s My Stuff?’ during the procurement process. Information necessary to identify the buyer’s delivery location(s) as it pertains to the order and shipment. Information which may even include Destination Quantities (SDQ) during the order process. Information which advises which items are intended for which location on the Expected Delivery Date. Precise detail, information critical to the determination of ‘Where’s My Stuff?’ included during the procurement process by way of key and supporting documents makes a ‘Where’s My Stuff?’ determination entirely predictable. The advent of AI, also built into today’s modern systems, means that systemic resolution of ‘Where’s My Stuff?’ Today is more of an automated process than it once was, a new process complete with delivery mechanisms such as dashboards and email alerting.

How EDI in supply chain helps streamline communication between trading partners

Post Purchase Activities often discounted offer insight, post purchase activities deliver an orderly and integrated means of communicating change deepening the understanding between the buyer and the seller.

Purchase Order Change Requests, whether Buyer Initiated (860) or Seller Initiated (860) communicate purchase order changes. Implementing Purchase Order Change Requests (850) or leveraging a ‘change by refresh’1 process for clients who expect their outbound orders to change or can anticipate the use of change or replacement orders can improve automation when implemented by an expert.

Post Purchase activities also include the Purchase Order Acknowledgment (855 or POA), a transaction that offers the benefit of supplying an efficient and integrated means of confirming buyer purchase orders or providing information regarding changes to buyer purchase orders. The POA simplifies the business relationship between buyers and sellers. It can even be used to inform interested parties such as brokers or distribution centers and contains all of the information normally associated with a purchase order. That being said, the Purchase Order Acknowledgment (855) typically contains information concerning the receiving location, a shipping date, and the products and quantities to be shipped not to mention the pertinent detail previously mentioned that typically accompany the PO.

Optional information such as product pricing, allowances and charges, and payment terms may also be included in the Purchase Order Acknowledgment and may be required by trading partners. Changes in availability during the procurement process may result in multiple Purchase Order Acknowledgments (855s), setting downstream expectations for multiple shipments which in turn would be followed by multiple invoices. Likewise, a single orders for multiple items, expected to be fulfilled in a timely manner may result in multiple shipments due to physical availability of products and factors such as release dates, schedule dates, 'on-sale' or embargo dates and availability when the order was placed.

Setting expectations for accessible data and the use of AI or AI Agents to improve visibility should be an everyday consideration and should be expected to increase over time just as the number and value of customers and suppliers increase and the value of the business grows. Facilitating a universal understanding supply chain EDI within the organization goes a long way to streamline communication, within the 4 walls of the business and between and among trading partners.

Purchase orders, invoices, shipping notices, and inventory updates

Purchase Activities and workflows that undertake alignment prior to order, delivery and pay go a long way in promoting visibility with or without AI. Tried and true, order-to-cash workflows rely on succinct business understanding. Look at inventory updates, while inventory positions are often systemically undertaken when sales have ended, understanding items and their permutations is critical path in understanding inventories, in other words, it is far easier to count an item when an item in all of their permutations are known.

We have all been in a retail store during inventory periods whether we realize it or not; at the very least observed a sign, a sign with 3 letters -DNI-. A sign that very simply indicates an item that should not be counted among those items scheduled for inventory. This is possible because items in all of their permutations is known and a non-working floor model, also known, has been differentiated from the items scheduled for inventory. This non inventory item may be a non-working floor model and may even use a different product identifier than a working model or it may not have a product identifier at all, indicating that it should not be counted among the items engaged in a cycle count. In short, differentiating specific items from all others at the beginning of the cycle, ensures that inventories at the end of the cycle are clearly understood and can be counted accurately.

How EDI in supply chain helps streamline communication between trading partners

EDI in supply chains helps streamline communication between trading partners by encouraging the use of structured data. EDI uses structured data, in the above business case – catalog data is structured to enter the environment in a predictable way in order to create and or update an internal catalog such that all items currently in inventory are known. Catalog items, identified by way of a unique identifiers are exposed to systems and personnel within that organization in such a way such that way individuals and systems within the organization can take control of each item (each, case, pack or pallet) and differentiate it from all other items, and organize it for purposes of handling, display, storage, even pick-pack and ship. Considering today’s more modern retail operation, understanding and organizing items for purposes of handling, display, storage, even pick-pack comes is more critical than ever. Take BOPIS for example, a ‘Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store’ model that allows customers to shop online and pick up their items at the store, where getting the right product to the customer at the right price is critical, and location (inventory) is similarly critical.

Faster order processing and reduced manual errors

The understanding that the use of EDI in supply chains helps streamline communication between trading partners and results in faster order processing and reduced errors become clearer still once we get past alignment and into the ordering process.

Following alignment, (1) Pre-Purchase Activities, the Buyers Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system triggers an order which generates an EDI Purchase order to the appropriate supplier. The data for the order comes from the internal catalog discussed earlier and is completely aligned with the seller’s system. The Item, item description, height, weight, and volume, in agreement between the buyers and sellers’ systems eliminating hand keying, the process automated, lessening the human impact by reducing the impact of any human interpretation, intervention,  and errors. The item is ordered without issue and the seller’s system is able to process the order automatically without hesitation and often automatically.

Improved inventory management and real-time shipment tracking

While the seller’s system processes the order, it applies business rules validating product availability, pricing, ship date, & locations by way of the internal catalog, sending an EDI Purchase Order Acknowledgement back the buyer and a shipping order to the distribution center (DC). Incidentally, it makes little difference whether the Purchase Order Acknowledgement is X12 or an API, a flat file, any other data structure; the point is the information is relayed automatically by way of an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and the result is improved efficiency and reduced cost through the use of supply chain EDI.

Lower operational costs and better supplier collaboration

While the suppliers EDI and ERP system has been updating the buyer, the supplier is simultaneously updating its operations team by creating a Warehouse Shipping Orders to the Distribution Center (DC). The Warehouse Shipping Order is a transaction that instructs the warehouse to pick, pack and ship the order. The Distribution Center (DC) will respond to the Supplier with a Warehouse Shipping Advice notification at or about the same time as the order has ‘left the building.’ If you live in an Amazon powered world, this is about the same time you receive that email that tells you your order has shipped. The suppliers EDI and ERP system updated automatically generates a notification to the buyer. That notification, an Advanced Ship Notice sent to the buyer’s EDI system which updates the buyer’s system, and once again it makes no difference whether the structure or the (EDI) message is X12, API, or another format, the point being the information, relayed automatically between the seller and the buyer by way of an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) results in an accurate, efficient, error free manner, without human intervention, and at an affordable price improving efficiency and completely achievable using well defined supply chain EDI technologies.

How EDI Software Enhances Supply Chain Performance

Modern EDI solutions deliver software and platform solutions that accommodate and extend supply chain EDI beyond traditional (1) Pre-Purchase, (2) Purchase, and (3) Post Purchase supply chain activities, and they come in various configurations, too many for a single blog. The key takeaway is this. a complete EDI solution must include three key 3 components.

Transportation

A complete EDI solution must include Transportation or a Transportation Layer. A Transportation layer allows partners to exchange EDI trade messages and while VANs were once dominant in this space there are other methodologies including AS2 and APIs used to exchange EDI trade messages today and at a much lower cost, and depending on your business partner, you should be able to take advantage of more than one of these technologies and not be reliant, forced into or force your partners on one or another.

Transformation

A complete EDI solution must include transformation or a transformation layer where EDI trade messages are transformed into ‘something’ that your ERP system can consume, also known as mapping the process of transforming data from one format to another is critical path to ensure the smooth exchange of business documents between one system and another. Mapping ensures compatibility between trading partners without insisting on it with each party is responsible for their own transformations. Partners only need to agree on a format for exchange between them, and while standards may exist they exist only to support an exchange format and are by no means universal, resulting in universal frustration for many.

Integration

A complete EDI solution must include an integration layer, the integration layer is where the transformed EDI trade message is consumed and where the primary focus is the data path into the enterprise without manual intervention.

How cloud-based EDI software integrates with ERP and TMS systems

Integrations differ across the provider space, some including PartnerLinQ have built in tools like enterprise integration frameworks, common processing workflows, and semantic data products that make integration easy while other providers rely on custom integration. Among the tools to consider are cache & cross reference capabilities which serve to deliver item lookup, account and promotion look ups or capabilities. Integration methods which might include direct database integration, and transportation mechanisms such as AS2,, API calls, or web services with processing that might be limited or unlimited in terms scheduled execution or  timing.

Assessing business needs and partner requirements

Assessing business needs and partner requirements can be overwhelming even for the most talented business managers where the best, next step would be to talk to a professional in the space. A professional integration pre-sales professional will help you with articulation, will help you with communication, and will help you with assessment criteria. 

Articulation is the critical path for success, identifying to the point of precision being able to effectively articulate which is most important for your success and why it must be part of the discussion with your internal and external teams if for no other reason than comparing apples to apples. Quite frankly, there are multiple ways to get to the same place, articulation help with the question of which solution offers the better utility for the future, which are more efficient in achieving your current goals and which consider your future goals for example. 

Communication comes next. Developing specific selection criteria and determining which components are critical path, and which are not is where goals are clearly defined and then resolved during the assessment process to come, which leaves us with assessment. 

Assessment follows communication, evaluating and eliminating solutions based on experience and discoveries made in the articulation and communication phases.

Want to take the conversation further? Request a demo with PartnerLinQ today.

The holiday season is a time of opportunity and immense pressure, especially for businesses. With sales increasing by at least 30%, impatient consumers expect minimal wait time, partners look at filling immediate service requests, and burdened transportation and logistics cause delays. To top it all off, the employees need a vacation too!

The stakes are immense, with supply chains under stress due to surging demand, material shortages, and global disruptions. From warehouse operations to supply chain system management, skills gaps are affecting efficiency, causing delays, and ultimately impacting the bottom line. A recent survey by MHI revealed that 57% of supply chain executives cite hiring and retaining qualified workers as their biggest challenge—even surpassing material shortages and disruptions.

While technology can fill some of these gaps, it cannot do so alone. Combining innovative solutions and proactive workforce development is essential to alleviating holiday supply chain stress. That’s where PartnerLinQ comes in—a platform designed to transform your supply chain by integrating technology with your team’s capabilities.

Here are some serious facts:

What’s causing the holiday chaos?

1. Labor Shortages Across the Continuum

   • A U.S. Chamber of Commerce analysis found that even if every unemployed person with experience in durable goods manufacturing was employed, only 75% of vacant jobs could be filled.
   • Shortages in critical areas like logistics, warehouse management, and trucking exacerbate delays and inefficiencies.

2. Increased Pressure from Demand Spikes

   • The holiday season amplifies demand across industries, with retail, manufacturing, and distribution hit hardest.
   • Delays in port loading/unloading, stockouts, and shipping bottlenecks cascade downstream to retailers and customers.

3. Manual Processes

   • Despite increasing investment in automation, 70% of supply chain leaders still rely on manual processes, according to Capgemini. This reliance creates inefficiencies and hampers scalability.

Who helps clear the chaos?

PartnerLinQ streamlines supply chain operations, helping businesses like yours tackle holiday season challenges with ease. By simplifying the partner onboarding process through its Common Processing Workflow and exclusive "white glove" onboarding service, PartnerLinQ ensures rapid integration at the speed of business. With its intuitive Business Rule Manager, the platform facilitated the migration of over 1,000 partners and customers in just 12 weeks, demonstrating its swift and efficient integration capability.

Built on a scalable Azure-based hybrid cloud architecture, PartnerLinQ handles transaction volumes that ensure clients like a leading American transport and logistics company can process nearly 800,000 daily transactions—double their current requirements. This scalability empowers the company’s expanding carrier network without compromising performance. 

PartnerLinQ simplifies IT infrastructure by seamlessly integrating with legacy systems and new TMS platforms. It eliminates extra licensing and enables greater operational efficiency through real-time updates and actionable insights.

Enhanced visibility enables clients to deliver consistent customer value at every touchpoint. Armed with service-level improvements, accelerated onboarding, and a better customer experience, our clients confidently continue to meet their service-level commitments, ensuring a smooth and stress-free holiday supply chain operation.

This is what PartnerLinQ does:

• Mitigate Labor Shortages: Automate 60-80% of repetitive supply chain tasks to maximize workforce productivity.
• Improve Efficiency: Reduce operational delays by up to 30% with AI-driven optimization.
• Scalability: Handle surges in demand during the holiday season without compromising speed or quality.
• Resiliency: Proactively address disruptions, minimizing their impact on downstream operations.

Time to Enjoy: Include PartnerLinQ as Your Holiday Lifeline

The holiday season doesn’t have to be synonymous with supply chain headaches. PartnerLinQ offers a comprehensive solution to navigate labor shortages, demand spikes, and operational bottlenecks by combining advanced automation with workforce enablement.

As the MHI report highlights, 74% of supply chain executives are increasing technology investments, and PartnerLinQ ensures that every dollar spent delivers measurable ROI.

Have I got your attention yet? If not, see how we do it.

Visibility helps to transforms the supply chain from a series of isolated steps into connected, transparent processes that help organizations respond quickly to operational challenges and market opportunities.

At a time when supply chains are global and markets are volatile, being able to see and respond to change isn’t just a competitive advantage; it’s a must-have for survival and growth. Trend-spotters are winning the supply chain management game with next generation cloud-based supply chain solutions, while companies throttled by disconnected legacy systems and analytics applications are falling behind quickly.

Without real-time data on inventory levels and supplier capabilities, for example, identifying potential gaps, adjusting sourcing strategies, and tweaking production plans is nothing more than a guessing game. And as we all witnessed during the pandemic, that guessing game can turn into a liability quickly when outside forces take over the supply chain.

Rewind the clock a bit and its clear why supply chains fell prey to the pandemic-driven disruptions. Most business models relied on local production until globalization took hold and organizations started thinking and acting “leaner” when it came to inventory. Concurrently, the patchwork of legacy software systems that most companies relied on became increasingly disconnected and disparate.

Getting Global Supply Chains Back on Track

When the pandemic turned supply chains on end, companies scrambled to reshore and gain better control over these vital networks. It wasn’t enough to just be lean; organizations also had to be resilient. The pendulum swung in the opposite direction as inventories were fattened up and more attention was paid to being able to fulfill orders (versus just keeping inventory costs minimized).

And so, the race was on to improve end-to-end supply chain visibility. However, for most organizations that end goal was out of reach. One of the root problems? Legacy systems that were put in place to support lean supply chains but lacked the flexibility to offer insights for changing demands and requirements due to increased complexity and shifts in global supply chains. These solutions are now ripe for modernization in a world where customers not only expect their orders fast, but they also want to track those orders every step of the way.

PartnerLinQ not only helps companies solve these fundamental problems, but we also help them achieve the visibility goals that were previously out of reach. It starts with a unified data repository that is harmonized for the specific enterprise, and that connects all the systems the company has in place — including those aging, legacy systems that would otherwise create drag in a business environment that demands agile and flexible supply chains.

Companies also need to know that their data is secure, safe, and kept confidential. They don’t want their data residing in a “public” system that’s shared with others. With PartnerLinQ, companies know that their data resides on a private platform and that it’s never treated as public data. This is an important consideration in a world where new cybersecurity threats emerge daily.

An Elastic, Cloud-Native Solution

Because PartnerLinQ is elastic and cloud-native, the infrastructure behind it is both resilient and reliable. It can scale to any level in performance and manage all types of data. That data is both connected and harmonized in a way that ensures near-real-time visibility for business users who need analytics, reports, and dashboards that support good decision-making.

We recently worked with a large transportation company that has about 20,000 trucks along with data scattered across numerous data lakes and stores. Getting reports and analytics for efficient decision-making was nearly impossible — and by the time data was made available, it was too late to do anything meaningful with it. After implementing PartnerLinQ’s platform, the company was able to consolidate and harmonize these data sources with a robust canonical data model. As a result, PartnerLinQ improved the company’s access to critical information for making better decisions with improved reporting and dashboards to enhance its overall supply chain visibility.

This is just one example of how PartnerLinQ’s cloud-based platform helps organizations improve the visibility and efficiency of their supply chains. All these improvements translate into top-line cost savings, better asset utilization, and improved bottom lines. By acting as a conduit between different systems and partners in the supply chain, PartnerLinQ creates a seamless information flow and a clear, reliable snapshot of activity that fosters faster reaction times across these vital networks.

Jawad Khan, CEO & Founder, PartnerLinQ Inc.

Jawad Khan is the founder and CEO of PartnerLinQ. As the innovative force behind PartnerLinQ, Jawad guides the company in reshaping digital connectivity and collaborative intelligence within the extensive supply chain sector. His leadership philosophy is deeply rooted in ensuring that supply chains are not merely reactive but strategically positioned to respond to perpetual shifts in business demands swiftly and efficiently.

Highly configurable technology platforms help companies achieve their visibility goals, collaborate with business partners, and eliminate manual work.  

Most legacy supply chain management platforms currently in place were installed decades ago. These monolithic systems served their purpose, but they haven’t kept up with the demands of the modern supply chain. They’re not configurable, they can’t integrate with third-party applications, and they require a lot of manual intervention. 

The challenges of using legacy systems don’t end there. Updating these platforms with the latest “bells and whistles” is expensive and, in many cases, not even possible. These solutions were built to do everything, which unfortunately means they don’t do any one thing very well.  

As the name suggests, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems may be good financial and operational management tools across a compant, but they weren’t designed to manage the increased complexities of modern global supply chains. That didn’t stop ERP platform solution providers from adding a range of capabilities or otherwise acquiring other solution sets — from transportation management systems (TMS) to warehouse management systems (WMS) to order management systems (OMS) — to their software suites.  

Customers, wanting all-in-one systems, often adopted those functionalities as they were introduced, never evaluating, or considering other options by assuming simplicity with one platform. However, this approach too often results in rigid IT infrastructures for which changing one requirement requires adjusting everything else, too.  

Breaking Down Supply Chain Visibility Barriers 

While cloud ERP systems in the last couple of years have increased, on-premises solutions are still dominant within many organizations. On-premise legacy systems also weren’t designed for external collaboration — something every company needs but not all have. Where a TMS may have been built to connect with external carriers and transportation providers, on-premise WMS was designed to manage what was happening within the four walls of the warehouse.  

The notion of external business partners being able to “see” one another’s inventory positions, and then use the data to help get customer orders delivered within two or three days, wasn’t available when most ERPs were being developed. This is just one visibility gap companies today deal with daily.  

The good news is that organizations can close these gaps and future-proof their supply chains with a highly configurable technology platform. PartnerLinQ helps companies establish a common data foundation incorporating a semantic layer for every industry (including specific products, hierarchies, and transportation routes).  

Once that foundation is established, we build out the platform with the customer’s unique needs in mind, using the technology already in place and the outside applications needed to get everyone working from the same playbook. By providing that critical connectivity layer, PartnerLinQ helps companies break through the barriers of their monolithic business systems and leverage the power of modern, advanced technology.  

Connectivity barriers don’t exist only within your four walls. For that reason, PartnerLinQ creates strong connections with all third parties you need to communicate and share data with, including your business partners, customers, and software applications. The ability to integrate with these entities is a critical step to gaining full end-to-end supply chain visibility and collaboration.  

Adaptable, Flexible Architecture

PartnerLinQ offers the architecture, tools, and data companies need to connect with all internal and external stakeholders. We also offer a no-code/low-code environment that vastly speeds up implementation times and lets each person within the supply chain configure, maintain, and optimize the connections on their own.  

As a cloud-native application, PartnerLinQ’s platform is vertically and horizontally scalable right out of the gate. The same can’t be said for many other supply chain integration platforms on the market today. With PartnerLinQ, you can scale from hundreds to millions of transactions per month without having to make changes to your system.  

A Supply Chain that Stands the Test of Time 

In this rapidly evolving business landscape, the right digital strategy is no longer a luxury — it’s a must-have. Organizations that fall behind in this area risk losing customers, market share and revenue to competitors investing in their digital strategies.  

Being tied to a monolithic software platform can impede your supply chain visibility, partner collaboration, and long-term growth prospects. With PartnerLinQ in your corner, you can get all your data into one, accessible place. You can adjust on the fly as your company grows. And you can develop a future-proof supply chain that withstands the test of time. 

To learn more about how PartnerLinQ can help you future-proof your B2B enterprise, contact our team today.

Ahmed Samnan Raza, CTO & Co-founder

Ahmed Raza leads a dynamic team dedicated to shaping a robust, next-generation SaaS platform catering to customers across diverse industries. With his firm belief in driving continuous innovation, Ahmed’s team is on a mission team to ensure that PartnerLinQ platform remains at the forefront of business technology evolution. With a wealth of experience, Ahmed previously served as the Vice President of Product Engineering at Visionet Systems, Inc. His journey with the PartnerLinQ began at its inception, and over his 18-year career, Ahmed has played a pivotal role in a wide array of digital transformation projects spanning various segments of the supply chain industry. This includes impactful contributions to sectors such as retail, consumer goods, apparel/footwear, transportation, and food & beverage, among others.

Time is money in the fast-paced business-to-business (B2B) world. Each day a new B2B business partner isn’t onboarded and transacting with your company means one more day of lost sales and opportunities.  
Clunky, manual onboarding processes also keep new partners from tapping into the amazing new alliance they’ve formed. Instead, they watch from the sidelines as you jump through your onboarding hoops. 

“Fast partner connectivity is a predominant factor for growth in the B2B business landscape,” says Kerry Fogarty, SVP of Client Success at PartnerLinQ. “The faster you can get new partners up and running, the sooner you’ll be able to maximize the return on your partnership investment.” 

Why You Need a Frictionless Onboarding Process  

Complex, manual partner onboarding processes consume too many internal resources. They also delay time-to-market and force new B2B partners to “stand by” while you get your house in order. A smooth onboarding process, on the other hand, reduces administrative burden and lays the foundation for a strong, lasting partnership.  
By investing in tools that automate everything from data migration and training to user provisioning — all wrapped in a white glove service package — organizations can create a frictionless onboarding experience that benefits all parties.  
Consider these wins, achievable across the life of the partnership: 

• Improved efficiency.
• Faster time to market.
• Streamlined connectivity 
• Quicker communications
• Improved data exchange across partners.

Keeping the Data Flowing 

Because PartnerLinQ integrates directly with over 70 popular software applications like Microsoft, Dynamics, SAP, Salesforce, and Magento, all data can flow seamlessly across these platforms, giving companies a single, unified pool of data to work with.  
PartnerLinQ’s tailored service approach takes it one step further by managing communications across trading partners. “We provide a dedicated onboarding service agent who takes the burden off our customers’ in-house staff,” Fogarty explains. “By managing this on their behalf, we can target 100% of their training partners.” 

Throwing the Switches 

For a company that is replacing a legacy integration platform, PartnerLinQ manages the communication, scheduling, configuration, testing, and deployment for all existing and new trading partners.  

“We act on our customers’ behalf, letting their partners know about the platform switch and managing all of the related intricacies that go into it,” Fogarty says. “The day we go live, we throw switches and everything is up and running on our platform across the board. This significantly compresses the time-to-value.” 

Get Frictionless B2B Onboarding 

Streamlining integrations can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. Take this example: A transportation company spent about five years attempting to migrate 20% of its customer base to a new platform. What’s more, onboarding each new partner took more than 100 days apiece. 
By switching to PartnerLinQ, the company was able to speed up the integration considerably. It began onboarding anywhere from 50 to 100 trading partners twice a week in a multi-week cycle. The company can implement a new trading partner in five days or less. And it doubled the number of trading partners it works with because it’s no longer bogged down by manual, legacy processes. The company has gained significant market advantage and enjoys stronger business partnerships as a result. 

“As more companies take advantage of these types of seamless integrations, they can respond much more swiftly to market changes and shifting customer demands,” Fogarty says. “They can also keep up with and even get out in front of their competitors.” 

It’s Time To Build a Frictionless Journey 

A fast, seamless B2B partner onboarding experience helps organizations unlock the full potential of their partnerships right from the start. Isn’t it time you replaced your outdated onboarding methods with a frictionless journey that sets everyone up for success? 

To learn more about how PartnerLinQ can improve partner onboarding, reach out to our team today.

Kerry Fogarty, SVP, Client Success

Kerry Fogarty is a Senior IT executive with a proven track record in driving global IT initiatives and business value impact through technology adoption. With his extensive experience as a VP of Enterprise IT and the Office of the CIO in iconic brands like Liz Claiborne, Fifth and Pacific, Kate Spade, and Tapestry. Kerry brings a wealth of deep industry supply chain knowledge and expertise to the PartnerLinQ, Inc., leadership team. In his current role as SVP Client Success, he is dedicated to ensuring customer success through the deployment of PartnerLinQ, the industry’s premier supply-chain platform, complimenting it with toptier consulting and support services.