As enterprise systems evolve into Global Trading Networks, the need for intelligent real-time collaborative business
decisions will increase. To facilitate these decisions, information systems must hold up to-the-minute data on the
current business situation across the GTN. Many systems today are configured to work with one organisation and may not
operate efficiently as part of a GTN community. Integrated ERP systems operate with batch processes moving data between
modules or company functions.
The synchronisation of these processes within the GTN will be critical to a business being
able to make last minute decisions. The frequency of batch processing will need to increase which will be a challenge
for database administrators and technical architecture teams. The analogy would be with the organs of the human
body - the pulse between business's needs to be synchronised.
By synchronising the GTN pulse, the optimal business process will be achieved which will allow real-time supply
chain decisions within the collaborative community. Real-time decisions could be:
Direct merging of in-transit orders from different sources of supply to give one customer delivery, on time and in-full (OTIF).
Real-time transportation schedules using global positioning system (GPS) mapping technology.
Real-time purchasing plans with available-to-promise dates (ATP).
Real-time manufacturing schedules.
Synchronising the GTN pulse will provide may benefits to a collaborative community and to their customers. As the
Global Trading Network becomes the industry standard way of doing B2B business, simple connectivity and pulse
synchronisation will become critical factors to the success of these collaborative business ventures.