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Paperless DIYs: OBI and its suppliers is implementing electronic data interchange (EDI)

16th December 2008 – 11 tonnes and 520 kilogrammes of paper, hundreds of working hours as well as significant expenses will be saved in total, by the OBI Czech Republic's choice to utilize paperless communication from now on. OBI runs 27 DIY shops in the Czech Republic. It will be possible due to a modern web solution for electronic data interchange (EDI) between OBI and 200 of its suppliers on the Czech market. The partner of OBI suppliers for the project of more economical logistics of document circulation is CCV Information systems.

The prominent retail chain, which offers goods for artisans, handymen and gardeners, has chosen its partner for the expansion of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) communication, to be CCV Information systems and its solution EDI Orion, which is one of the two most used solutions in the paperless communication domain. CCV's offer has won in the strong competition of other providers and softwarehouses, which had been approached by OBI. The project brings acceleration and higher quality of retail agenda, but also lowers the errorcount of the agenda and its secondary effects. We are expecting the circulation to reach 1.2 million messages in a year, most commonly invoices and orders, but also other standard business documentation, which will mean saving 11.52 tonnes of paper per year.

"OBI, which has been using the EDI communication even in the Czech Republic for several years already, has been increasing its effort to connect all of its suppliers electronically since 2005." stated the head of invoice check-up department Radka Havleová from OBI Czech Republic. In the first phase the suppliers were connected to the ordering system, through both classicla EDI (EDIFACT/EANCOM) and the web portal. OBI's priority in the EDI communication however was to implement the use of electronic invoicing. "Due to the fact that the original cooperation on this project with one of the domestic providers has not brought the required success, we have decided to approach other companies, supplying similar solutions,  in 2008" said Havleová. In the selecting procedure CCV Information systems was chosen as the most suitable partner to carry out this task. "One of the main reasons we chose CCV was our positive experience with connecting CCV's clients to the classical EDI communication with OBI. We have also considered the application of modern technologies applicatio, CCV's experience with the Czech EDI environment and similar projects. As well as, last but not least, the transparency and explicitness of the business contract conditions and provided guarantees. One must also not forget about the advantagous price offer from CCV to all OBI's partners,“ explained the result of the selecting procedure Havleová.

Part of the project is cooperation and approaching suppliers, which has not so far been communicating with OBI via EDI, or that simply recieve orders. Having agreed with them we would also connect those suppliers to the EDI communication via the web service ORION. CCV provides this service as one of the optional services to standard EDI implementation. The actual communication with OBI will then continue to run through standard EDI, using the EDIFACT/EANCOM norms and x.400 and AS2 communications.

"Through the services of the EDI Orion communication we ensure coverage of practivcally all retail chains on the Czech market, which accept the electronic data interchange. That enables our customers to send all their documentation without fail or error to a wide range of partners" says David Reichel, manager of e-Business division in CCV Information systems. "Partnership with OBI, however, is unique in the sense that with OBI's support we are connecting up to 200 of its partners to the system in such a short period of time,"Reichel firther explains the challenges of the solution. We have been able to connect 97 companies in the first monts, either through classical EDI or through the OBI portal for EDI communication. "The project is easily accessible also to smaller companies, regardless of the total amount of documents circulating, mainly due to the possibilities of use of modern web EDI communication services. We are gradually connecting also other OBI's suppliers, which are currently using other modules of EDI communication. Once it is fully implemented the client will experience a significantly improved the effectivness of communication in the suppliers' chain in the effort to react ever better to the needs of its own customers," adds Reichel.

Information about CCV Information systems:

CCV Information systems has been steadily regarded as one of the prominent companies in the domain of information systems and information technologies on the Czech market. It was established in 1992  with its headquarters in Brno and branch offices in  Brno (section eGovernment) and Poava (section e-Business).
CCV Information systems has three company sections devided by their main sphere of activity:

• Business Solutions – the most prominent products are CCV Building Materials Trader and CCV Warehouse management based on the company information system Microsoft Dynamics NAV,
• e-Business – comprehensive solution EDI ORION® – provision of electronic data interchange services and paperless communication
• e-Government – development and supply of specialized internet solutions for state administration on the Oracle platform.

CCV Informtion systems maintains the certificate according to the quality standard set by ISO 9001:2001, and is a partner of the Microsoft company with the title Microsoft Gold Certified Partner as well as the title Oracle Valued Member Partner.