EDI Solution Must be ....  

EDI is valuable only when most companies can afford to implement. We believe a good and visible EDI solution must be :

²         Simple - user, not programmer, can do the necessary setting;

²         Easy - just install and run to work with existing MIS;

²         Flexible - tailored applications are easy to develop;

²         Disposable - CBMail can be ignored if well connected with MIS ;   

²         Free - every one can afford;

²         Direct - communicate peer to peer.

CBMail is aiming at the above goals.  EDI solution should attach to your existing MIS, comply and work with it. Your existing system needs no change at all. Most companies don't have bargain power to demand their partners to deal business only by electronic media. EDI is only one of the many ways to deal business. Any change of the existing MIS solely for EDI purpose is a strange approach.

Key Issues 

The key issues for Electronic Data Interchange are:

²         Heterogeneous Databases;

²         Different Schema;

²         Communication Mechanism.

Let's take translation as an example. Database likes language. Schema likes writing style. Communication likes media. Media is not a problem. The most difficult issue is different schema.                  

Basic Concepts 

CBMail adopts a concept of Virtual Schema in DSS to solve the issue. The following table briefly compare the difference.