OEM&Lieferant Ausgabe 1/2018

104 The wheels are turning faster and faster in the automotive industry. The market is developing dynamically – keyword digital transformation/ Industry 4.0. To meet the challenges associat- ed with that, digital concepts for logistics and Just-in-Sequence (JIS) production as well as automated, efficient, flexible, and transparent electronic data exchange are essential. This applies to the collaboration of automotive manufacturers (OEM) with their suppliers as well as to the collaboration between supplier and sub-supplier. EDI Data Exchange Needs Standards The use of standardized EDI formats and goods accompanying documents such as transport labels and shipment documents is a basic prerequisite for the smooth exchange of logistics data. This is the only way to ensure the greatest possible interoperability between all partners in the automotive value chain. At the same time, transaction costs are lowered, which mainly benefits the suppliers. The requirements on EDI-based data exchange increase due to continuous enhancements in logistics and productions. This requires a con- tinuous adjustment of the formats and accom- panying documents used. In addition, the EDI standards must be adjusted again and again for new processes and OEM processes. Mapping EDI Requirements in SAP This is the field of action of the Communica- tion and Information Technology (CIT) work group of the German Automobile Industry Association. The project groups of this work group, which is anchored in the VDA logis- tics department, develop recommendations for the standardization of the electronic ex- change of logistics data in the supply chain across companies. At the same time, they de- velop new message formats, which are going to replace the “classical” VDA formats little by little. The challenge, especially for medium-sized au- tomotive suppliers, is the correct mapping of the process requirements associated with a new VDA recommendation such as VDA 4987 as well as the required forms and labels in their IT and/or SAP system. WSW Software supports the working group as software industry partner in the clar- ification of questions in this context and is actively involved in simplifying the integra- tion of new VDA recommendations for the EDI data exchange in existing IT systems, and here mainly in SAP ERP. Among others, WSW Software was involved in VDA 4984 (Glob- al DELFOR) for forecast delivery schedules, in VDA 4987 (Global DELFOR) for shipping notifications, in VDA 4939 for transport and shipment documents, in VDA 4994 for global transport labels, and in VDA 4989 for certif- icates of arrival. Currently, WSW Software is involved in the development of new VDA WSW Software and VDA: Keeping Up with the Automotive Industry By Siegfried Kuri, Manager SAP Product Management, WSW Software GmbH With their involvement in the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), WSW Software is playing a large part in the development of recommendations used to standardize EDI-based data exchange in the automotive industry. WSW Software incorporates the knowledge gained directly into SPEEDI , so that it is promptly available in customers’ SAP processes – a real added value. IT and Automotive Image/Graphik: © WSW Software GmbH WSW Software supports VDA in the development of new recommendations, such as VDA 4939 for transport and shipping documents. At the same time, they are actively involved in simplifying the integration of new VDA recom- mendations for the EDI data exchange in existing IT systems, and here mainly in SAP ERP.