Article Number : 1984 |
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| Date | 5/15/2007 8:47:12 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=1984 |
| Abstract | By Louis Iannaco LAS VEGAS—A cooperative effort between computer programmers in the flooring industry has produced the Flooring Software Data Exchange (FSDE) Standard... |
| Article | By Louis Iannaco LAS VEGAS—A cooperative effort between computer programmers in the flooring industry has produced the Flooring Software Data Exchange (FSDE) Standard. The goal of the FSDE is to provide seamless connectivity between flooring professionals’ various software systems in a reliable and easy-to-use manner. The FSDE Standard will incorporate not only business management and accounting software, but also schedulers, estimators and cutting machines. For the first time, users of flooring-related applications will be able to easily exchange data between these software programs regardless of who created it. The implications of the FSDE are significant for both end users and programmers. “The FSDE Standard will be the flooring software version of the Industrial Revolution,” said Massoud Shirazian, one of the project’s key developers and president and CEO of Floor-Estimator software. “It will create a simple and effective information highway between flooring applications, while giving the freedom of choice to end users. The ‘customer centric’ approach is a first big step from the leading flooring software companies dedicating their efforts to make the flooring industry more efficient. The flooring professional can finally put together a solution that works for him.” For end users, the FSDE provides greater freedom in choosing software. Currently, most flooring businesses use software programs created by separate companies. Often this means if users are able to find a file format that is compatible with two programs, they must typically export the information to a file, and then find the saved file in the receiving application to import it. By using software compliant with the FSDE Standard, business owners can choose the best programs for their specific needs and know that information can be transferred easily between programs; they are not bound to a specific software vendor due to compatibility issues. “The future of software is compatible software modules,” said Mike Myhre, president of WinSched Software Corp. and one of the programmers who helped with FSDE. “Imagine a world where different e-mail clients or Web browsers each had their own proprietary format and could only communicate with users using the same programs. The power of the Internet and the way we interact with other businesses would not be the powerful tool we have today. Any software developers that don’t embrace the FSDE Standard will be left behind as users migrate to software with more flexibility.” The FSDE Standard is different than the B2B Standard that has recently been implemented. B2B refers to the transfer of product-related information between two separate companies, i.e., a manufacturer and a retailer exchanging pricing agreements, P.O.s and invoicing. FSDE refers to the exchange of internal customer and job information between different software programs, normally used within the same company. The FSDE data exchanged typically has to do with the processing of customer proposals and orders. “The business owner really wins big with this,” said Chad Ogden, CEO of QFloors and one of the primary programmers involved in FSDE’s development. “The FSDE Standard allows each company’s software to be compatible with a wider range of products. It cuts development time because programmers only have to write the software one time, and the program is automatically compatible with the other company’s software.” For instance, for a single transaction a flooring retailer may use four different software applications provided by different vendors—an estimator, a scheduler, business management and an automated cutting machine. Since these programs are not from the same vendor, they most likely are not capable of understanding or exchanging each other’s data. The user usually intervenes manually, taking information from each to complete the transaction. On the other hand, if these programs are compliant with the FSDE Standard, users can quickly and efficiently complete transactions without all of the manual effort, saving time and money. The FDSE Standard is inclusive to any flooring software company that would like to join. In order to achieve the FSDE Standard’s goal of simple and seamless interaction, participating vendors’ software must meet the following requirements: • Any set up and configuration must be automatic on the user’s end, without requiring complicated procedures. This is both to ensure ease-of-use and reliability. • The transactions themselves should be quick and easy, without substantial user intervention. • The end user will not be forced into purchasing new software. |