ELECTRONIC COMMERCE UPDATE

November/December € 1996

Sterling Strengthens EC Storefront Capabilities

Sterling Commerce (Dallas,Texas; www.stercomm.com) now offers an extension to the Microsoft (Redmond, Wash.; www.microsoft.com) Merchant Server that will provide Merchant Server storefronts with commercial-grade message management between the Web and existing order fulfillment applications.

The new extension allows Sterling's GENTRAN:Server for Windows NT to route and track messages between Microsoft Merchant Server and a retailer's internal order fulfillment applications, performing any message translation necessary to move data among dissimilar applications. It will also route, track and reformat business-to-business messages between the retailers and their suppliers, manufacturers, distribution centers, government agencies and banks, for automation of supply-chain information flow.

Microsoft Merchant Server allows retailers to build Web storefronts where consumers can browse through store departments, view product images and descriptions, place orders, pay for products securely and receive on-line receipts confirming their orders.

In a Sterling Commerce/Microsoft Merchant Server system, orders will also be sent to GENTRAN:Server. From there they will be evaluated and routed to the appropriate applications and trading partners. GENTRAN:Server's formatted message exchange and tracking components provide the information necessary for continuous replenishment and promotion-based merchandising systems. They also provide a single-window view into the flow of business documents as they move through the order fulfillment process.

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