Simplot Growers Solution EDI Standardization

AgGateway Standards

Simplot Growers Solution EDI Standardization

By Amanda Flemmer, CF Industries

Note: CF Industries and Simplot are trading partners and work together on eConnectivity projects.

The ability to seamlessly exchange data is crucial throughout the supply chain to increase efficiencies and productivity. AgGateway provides a forum within a safe, anti-trust compliant environment where essential dialogue and efforts to fuel this information revolution are taking place. Coming together as a group to create guidelines for enabling and implementing eConnectivity and eBusiness has been invaluable. At many companies, IT typically drives the initiative of eConnectivity, but support from the business is crucial for success. As we make strides to improve and enable eConnectivity as an industry, we also need to focus on improving the partnership between IT and the business. 

Simplot is making that effort to grow the partnership with the business by kicking off a project called Simplot Growers Solution (SGS) EDI Standardization. The intent of this project is to standardize the Agribusiness SGS EDI onboarding process by adopting AgGateway standards and establishing appropriate business processes. The main objectives of standardizing the Agribusiness SGS EDI onboarding process include:

  • Standardize EDI engagements based on AgGateway standards 
  •  Improve data management, traceability and cost reductions 
  •  Reduce EDI implementation resources 
  •  Improve business partner relationships 
  •  Reduce overall cost of doing business with partners

This project is being completed in phases; Phase 1 was launched in January 2017. Phase 1 consisted of bringing IT and business partners together to discuss the current onboarding process. The next step was to create swim lanes and finalize a RACI design to identify “who” should be responsible for each step in the integration onboarding process.

Phase 2 started in mid-June, and we will be partnering with Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc., to pilot the new process with the OrderCreate, OrderResponse and ESN. Our outcome is to measure its effectiveness and improve the procedures as needed for future use. 

In the past, IT was responsible for nearly 90% of the onboarding process. Joining with business partners strengthens relationships and ensures a streamlined and collaborative method of standardizing the onboarding process for Simplot.