The Global Data Synchronization Network, or GDSN, is an internet-based network of connected data pools that are linked through the GS1 Global Registry, enabling companies to exchange standardized supply chain data with all of their trading partners throughout the world. The role of GDSN is to ensure that the data exchanged between trading partners is not only accurate, but also compliant with universal standards.

Many companies choose to send their product data through the GDSN because it increases data integrity and ensures that each company is meeting their partner company’s requirements. As technology continues to advance, more and more companies, such as Wal- Mart, are requiring that their partners become certified in the GDSN data pool.

By synchronizing data through the GDSN, organizations can:

• Reduce administrative costs as a result of improved order and invoicing accuracy.
• Improve replenishment and inventory management efficiencies due to increased data integrity
• Increase sales because of expedited listing processes

Ultimately, the goal would be to have every company using GDSN to ensure globally compliant data synchronization.

Electronic Product Code, or EPC, is a relatively new RFID-based standard that tracks inventory at the item level without any visible human interaction. Items are tracked through data that is stored in RFID labels attached to the items. To do this, EPC sets aside fields that act as a serial number for each item, and as items pass through RFID readers, there information is received. Ultimately, there will be an EPC network that will act as an open system, allowing computers to sense-man-made objects and read the information on the RFID EPC labels.

However, as with most standards, EPC standards will take several years before supply chains start to fully maximize the potential of the EPC network. While some big retailers will begin to require EPC labels within a few years, it may take quite some time before it is fully implemented throughout the supply chain due to integration issues.

With newly implemented EPC regulations, the ideal of fully adopted RFID technology will become a reality, allowing for real-time tracking of inventory throughout the entire supply chain.

Home Hardware Stores Limited, Canada’s largest independent hardware, lumber, building materials, and furniture retailer, needed to find a solution that would be accepted by all of their dealers in order to streamline operations and track POS operations. With the help of a value added retailer, Home Hardware Stores Limited discovered the Intermec CK3, which would be perfect to help manage their inventory across a wide variety of independent store dealers.

The Intermec CK3 was an obvious choice for Home Hardware Stores Limited because of its broad feature set, weight, ergonomics, adaptability, and image capture capabilities, all wrapped up in a durable package. Because of this, the Intermec CK3 is ideal for rugged environments, such as warehouses.

The Intermec CK3 helped Home Hardware Stores Limited streamline their workflow, making them more efficient and proving to be a great ROI. Learn more about Intermec and their product offerings here.

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Electronic Data Interchange, or EDI, refers to the structured transmission of data from organization to organization through electronic means. This could be to transfer electronic documents from one computer system to another and refers to a family of standards. EDI is primarily based upon ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange), and focuses on formatted single messages rather than the whole sequence of conditions and exchanges that make up inter-organizational processes. Because of this EDI also implies a sequence of messages between two parties, having formatted data that represents the document. With EDI, these messages are communicated by computer to computer, rather than having human intervention.

Since EDI is considered to be a technical representation of a business conversation between two computers, it often describes the rigorously standardized format of these electronic documents. Because of this, it is important to have strict standards. EDI standards were designed to be independent of software and communication technologies. In 2002, the IETF published RFC 3335, which offered a standardized, secure method of transferring EDI data via e-mail.
The four major sets of EDI standards are as follows:

• The UN recommended UN/EDIFACT is the only international standard and is predominant outside of North America.
• The US standard ANSI ASC X12 is primarily used in North America
• TRADACOMS standards are used in the UK retail industry
• ODETTE standards are used in the European automotive industry.

Typically, EDI documents contain the same information that would be found in a paper document of the same function. For example, an EDI 940 ship-from-warehouse order is used by a manufacturer to tell a warehouse to ship the product to a retailer. This contains a shipping address, billing addres, a list of product numbers in the form of a UPC barcode, and quantities. However, EDI is used across all industries, not just in warehousing applications.