Herma and Belgian label printer Conti-Label have opened a new chapter in the automated dispatching of self-adhesive materials. By using the ERP software CERM, all steps that are part of an order are handled via EDI-processable messages for the first time. This includes order placement, order confirmation, delivery note, and invoice.

CERM, an enterprise resource planning system, was developed by the eponymous Belgian software company. Through a special interface, it allows Conti-Label to directly communicate with the Herma ordering system. “This means considerably more efficiency and ease of use for us," says Inge Pauwels, managing director at Conti-Label. “Our employees in the purchasing, incoming goods, production and accounting departments can handle all orders in the software environment that they are used to.”

Conti-Label has been using CERM and the EDI connection for several years with various suppliers. In the case of Herma, it is now also used to import invoices into the system for the first time. “Now it is even easier for our employees to order Herma products at the touch of a button.” During that process, orders are automatically dispatched and confirmed. Shipping details, including roll IDs and exact amounts, are sent directly to Conti-Label’s ERP system. The invoice is also received automatically: the Herma server sends it via a standardized EDI message. After receiving the invoice message, the import of purchase invoices is started automatically in the background. The very comprehensive integration function results in considerable time savings, which means that our employees can focus on their core competencies. This has further optimized our good cooperation with Herma," comments Pauwels.

Thanks to precise real-time information, Conti-Label registers increased efficiency throughout the company.

The connection is based on the ERP system from CERM. Since 1983, the company has cooperated closely with customers, improving business procedures and increasing its profitability through services and products. Peter Dhondt, director of business development and sales at CERM, says, “Getting from an online order to delivery at the click of a mouse – that is the goal of the label printing industry. Conti-Label and Herma are exemplary in showing what is possible today.”

The connection of Conti-Label’s ERP system to Herma's order system from SAP has proven to be a success: the complete ordering process, including invoicing, is now much faster and can be handled more easily. “Conti-Label employees can now see the status of all orders at one glance. We are working towards more label printers joining this electronic ordering option," comments Klaus Keller, responsible for the Self-adhesive Material Division’s convenient EDI connection.

Integration with other common IT systems is currently being planned. Thereby, the Herma Self-adhesive Materials Division will offer customers an even wider range of instruments for joint process management in the future. Keller explains, “Many different documents are created during daily business. This especially applies to frequently recurring processes such as orders and deliveries. Media disruptions are frequent here, which costs both time and money. Additionally, mistakes can happen during manual processing and input. The EDI connection speeds these processes up through automation and makes them more efficient.”