From Legacy to Agile : How SrinSoft Migrated a Client from Gentran to LANSA Composer
About the client!
A leading enterprise operating on IBM i (AS/400) infrastructure, the client manages complex supply chain and transactional data processes. The organization depends heavily on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to communicate with various trading partners across retail and manufacturing domains.
EDI serves as the backbone of their operations, ensuring timely purchase order processing, invoicing, shipment tracking, and inventory updates. With multiple high-volume transactions occurring daily, efficiency, accuracy, and adaptability are critical for sustaining operational excellence and customer satisfaction.
Limitations of the Legacy System
Before engaging SrinSoft, the client relied on a legacy Gentran EDI platform that was increasingly becoming a bottleneck to business efficiency.
Key challenges included:
* Frequent transaction errors leading to delays and rework.
* Lack of flexibility to handle modern XML-based messages alongside traditional EDI.
* Time-consuming onboarding process for new trading partners.
* Minimal visibility into process health, making troubleshooting difficult.
* Inability to quickly adapt EDI workflows to new compliance or partner requirements, resulting in missed opportunities and operational risk.
These issues not only increased operational costs but also slowed down business responsiveness in a competitive market.
How It Started
The client approached SrinSoft to modernize their EDI infrastructure and eliminate inefficiencies caused by the legacy Gentran system. The goal was to implement a scalable, user-friendly, and agile solution that could adapt to evolving business needs with minimal disruption.
After a thorough evaluation of available tools, SrinSoft recommended LANSA Composer for its ability to unify EDI, XML, and other integration formats in a single, GUI-driven platform. Its compatibility with IBM i ensured a low-risk migration, while the visual interface reduced the learning curve for both IT and business users.
Solutions Implemented
* Replaced Gentran with LANSA Composer, offering a drag-and-drop GUI for easy EDI mapping.
* Developed a graphical transformation system for handling XML and EDI message flows.
* Designed visual process sequences to streamline EDI workflows.
* Introduced a real-time monitoring console for tracking performance and troubleshooting.
* Enabled faster onboarding of trading partners and quick configuration of new EDI messages.
* Minimized XML message exchanges to streamline communication and reduce processing complexity.
Technologies Used
Platform : IBM i (iSeries)
Languages : RPGLE, SQLRPGLE, CLLE
Database : DB2/400
Tools : LANSA Composer
SDLC : Agile methodology
Business Benefits & Outcome
The transition from Gentran to LANSA Composer was executed using SrinSoft’s Agile delivery model, ensuring minimal downtime through iterative testing and parallel runs. Knowledge transfer sessions equipped the client’s internal team to handle configurations independently, reducing reliance on external support.
* Enhanced productivity through automation of EDI processes.
* Faster onboarding of new partners and message types.
* Greater adaptability to evolving business requirements.
* Reduced operational costs and support workload.
* Improved visibility into EDI workflows and process health.
Beyond immediate benefits, the modernized platform positions the client to quickly adapt to changing compliance requirements and leverage future digital transformation initiatives without extensive redevelopment.
Looking to modernize your EDI infrastructure?
