Woodstream Discovers the Better Mouse Trap

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Functional Applications - Inventory Management Systems

Applicable Industries

Consumer Goods
Retail

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation
Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Inventory Management
Supply Chain Visibility

Services

Data Science Services
System Integration

The Challenge

Woodstream, a provider of wildlife and pest control systems, lawn and garden products, and pet supplies, was informed by their legacy EDI system provider that their product would no longer be supported. This meant that Woodstream would have to go through a complete conversion and platform change to use the vendor’s supported solution. As the team was establishing requirements for a new system, they uncovered needs beyond traditional EDI. They needed an automated way to accept and integrate formats such as spreadsheets, flat files, and XML. They also pinpointed a need for A2A integration to automate and synchronize sharing of data between disparate applications and platforms for better reporting and improved internal business processes.

About The Customer

Woodstream is a provider of wildlife and pest control systems, lawn and garden products, and pet supplies. Their brands include Victor Pest, Havahart, SaferBrand, Fi-Shock, and Perky-Pet, with product lines including traps, repellents, baits, bird feeders, and landscaping and houseplant solutions. They sell to customers of all sizes - from big box retailers and home improvement giants such as Wal Mart, K-Mart, Lowe’s, and Home Depot, to hardware chains such as Ace, True Value, and Do-It-Best, to downtown, mom and pop, and specialty stores. They have more than 1,000 customers, representing over 100,000 retail outlets.

The Solution

Woodstream decided to go with the EXTOL Business Integrator (EBI) because it offered much more functionality beyond EDI and it could be managed by their existing team. EBI has created a way to expedite the extensive amount of work required by IT during the company acquisitions. They’ve enhanced reporting throughout the enterprise with their ability to synchronize data and processes and expose data from disparate systems. They are increasing the availability of their web ordering system and automating the integration between website orders and their back-end applications and processes. They are also using EXTOL to manage both traditional EDI and the much more complex automation of integrating non-EDI formats such as spreadsheets, XML, and flat files.

Operational Impact

Woodstream was able to take their relationships with their largest trading partners to a higher level by linking to their partner’s Point of Sales (POS) systems.
Woodstream quickly and easily sets up maps between the Excel spreadsheets and Woodstream applications, and the data is completely integrated with Woodstream’s processes.
Woodstream has begun the process of automating the integration of non-EDI formats. They map the fields in a spreadsheet or flat file directly into their order entry system.

Quantitative Benefit