Ray Van Eng (12/02/96)    

DynamicWeb Transaction Systems is said to have a unique end to end EDI software solution for merchants interested in setting up Internet storefronts.

One part of the software, the EDIbridgeNet is used to translate EDI documents directly into web pages for display at a merchant's cyberstore, and to turn web order forms into EDI documents as sales starts rolling in over the Internet. The other half of the software, NetCat Web provides gateway services between the Internet and a private value-added networks (VAN).

ICXpress, a web-only operation, is presently using DynamicWeb's technology to sell computer products and services to small businesses.

A single purchase from a customer will generate at least three EDI documents, one for the order, one for invoice confirmation and one more for shipping. DynamicWeb is stand to gain from 50 cents to a dollar per EDI document.

This type of hybrid solutions are becoming increasingly popular. The consensus among EDI vendors seems to be to add-value to EDI transactions for customers and not just using the Internet as a low cost data transport alternative to expensive VANs.

For example, General Electric's TradeWeb also takes care translating EDI documents into web forms, but unlike DynamicWeb's software, GE's offering is not designed for setting up Internet storefronts. However, the key selling point for TradeWeb is to simplify the EDI process for smaller companies, allowing anyone with a web browser and an Internet connection to conduct trade with bigger partners using the EDI system.

With the just announced Generation 2 of the TradeWeb software you can customize you own electronic form sets using HTML and Java, languages of the world wide web. Another new feature would allow customers to place electronic ads on the GE TradeWeb site.

Harbinger Corp.'s Internet-EDI offering include TrustedLink INP, a web site builder for Windows 95, and TrustedLink Guardian for sending secure messages (including EDI) over the Internet. Unisys Corp. will be involved in marketing Harbinger's VAN and Internet based products and services.

Similarly, Premenos Corp. is mostly pre-occupied with making an Internet based EDI transaction more secure. It's Templar EDI software supports such industrial encryption standards as Netscape's SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology and the Secure MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) for secure e-mail communication.

Towards the end of this year, Premenos Corp. will also introduce a low cost system to access EDI databases via an Internet browser interface.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) is partnering with Netscape and EDI solution provider GEIS in formulating a ground breaking technology that would integrate EDI, translation and mapping over an Internet connection. However, the product, Business Document Gateway (BDG) won't be available until March 1997.

HP also has plans to develop the International Cryptography Framework (ICF), a government approved secure passageway for the transport of sensitive data (financial, medical, legal, business communication, credit card numbers etc.) over the Internet that would prove to be extremely useful for a whole spectrum of business and consumer electronic commerce applications.

Though not utilizing the Internet for EDI traffic at the present time, Microgen in the UK has a bundling deal with Sterling Software, a Dallas, TX based EDI vendor to offer customers the ability to send invoices both via EDI and in paper based format. This would provide a cost-effective way for smaller companies to participate in electronic commerce.

Invoice data generated by Microgen's Chronos sales debtor management software will be printed and send normally via mail, but the information will use also go through Sterling's Gentran software for EDI conversion. the buyers will then be able to dial into Sterling's EDI network services to download their EDI invoice documents.