Technology - A World-Class Trading Platform
Enterprise Sourcing Cockpit
The Enterprise Sourcing Cockpit is a comprehensive solution supporting your strategic sourcing needs. Throughout the solution’s modules, ranging from supplier management to price negotiations, you will find competent support. An extensive workflow model and a number of analysis functionalities allow all users to keep track of their data, tasks and appointments at all times. Due to its modular structure you may arrange the Enterprise Sourcing Cockpit according to your specific interests - Whether you use the cockpit as a simple bidding platform, a corporate market place or an ERP-integrated sourcing solution, it is up to you to decide which functions and services you will use.

 

Hosting

Category One's systems are housed in a high-security data center guarded day and night. The center has various access control mechanisms (e.g. iris scanners, CCTV, secure doors), redundant power supply, emergency power supply, redundant TIER-1 ISP Internet application, and several separate fire protection zones. Further details are available at our hosting partner’s Homepage (http://www.attenda.net).

 
Product Template Engine 
The Product Template Engine enables users to develop and maintain bid specification templates. Templates may be arranged according to their key functions or according to official classification schemes such as NAICS or SIC and you decide how to specify access to these.  
 
RFX Engine 
The Category One RFX Tool is a comprehensive suite of Internet-based tools that makes the Request for Information/Proposal/Quotation (RFX) process quick and efficient. The savings are achieved by streamlining the often time consuming tender operations and increasing transparency when analyzing quotations.

As an RFX initiator, you can issue your own individual tender specifications in a matter of minutes using the Category One RFX Tool. The user-friendly, intuitive interface also helps to facilitate control. The definition of quotation positions and the notification of participants are dealt with from your personal virtual trading desk, meaning convenience for both the purchaser and supplier.


Supplier Management Engine 
There is more to a supplier than just hard facts such as turnover, number of production sites, number of employees, storage capacity or even soft facts like quality or turnaround time. After all, you never know whether the information you have stored is up to date. The important information relating to a supplier is background information. This information can be product specific, or personal information on the supplier. In the absence of centrally administered data, standardized information regarding the supplier-customer relationship is unlikely to be available.  
 

 
Architecture
Our products are built on an n-tier applications structure derived from Microsoft DNA 2000. This architecture encompasses three main layers:
  1. Presentation Layer: this is the application GUI tier built from HTML 4.0 and JavaScript. Java applets are not used, nor is active content of any kind; limited use is made of JavaScript, averting potential issues with firewalls, proxy servers and suchlike. All applications require a recent version of Microsoft IE or Netscape as web browser (Portum recommends Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5SP2 or better).

    This layer is capable of supporting multiple languages and layouts within one logical environment, which is made possible by the use of XSL style sheets and XML Resource files.
  2. Business Layer: This tier provides the actual applications logic (e.g., placing a bid) and is built from COM+ components (transactions, Queuing) created using Visual Basic 6.0 or Visual C++.
  3. Data Access Layer: This layer provides the entire database functionality, encapsulating database queries in COM+ components. This layer is based on COM+, XML and ADO.

    The Data Access Layer used currently supports Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition only.
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