Varsity's i OS Shipping Software Certified by UPS

Published: July 8, 2008

by Alex Woodie

Companies that rely on the IBM i operating system and UPS shipping services to move their products have another reason to select Varsity Logistics as their shipping software provider: certification of Varsity as a UPS Select Provider.

Varsity Logistics, which was acquired by Constellation Software of Toronto, Ontario, last fall, develops a collection of shipping applications that run only on the IBM i OS. The company's ShipSoft and transportation management system (TMS) suites automate shipping tasks, such as picking the best carrier, finding the best rate, printing the required documents, and tracking the package to arrival. The software works with multimodal, parcel, and freight carriers.

As the dominant private shipper in the world, United Parcel Service has its fair share of i OS shops using distribution and warehouse management system (WMS) applications to manage the flow of goods. A good number of these companies also utilize Varsity's software to handle the shipping aspects of the business.

This is why Varsity participates in the UPS Ready program, which provides software and service providers with access to various UPS applications, including package tracking systems, address verification, EDI, electronic manifesting, shopping carts, and so forth.

There are two levels of UPS Ready providers: the entry-level Authorized Provider, and the Select Provider, which means the partner is taking advantage of the most advanced aspects of the UPS Ready program and the UPS interfaces.

The interfaces heighten collaboration, according to Andrew Karpie, senior director of marketing and business development at Varsity, which is based in South San Francisco, California.

"The IBM System i is the enterprise technology platform of choice among tens of thousands of manufacturing and distribution companies in North America," Karpie says. "For these companies, being able to natively integrate and operate a TMS solution with their System i WMS and ERP systems can bring many significant performance and efficiency advantages. In the supply chain area today, collaboration is the name of the game, and that is a model we share with our customers and with UPS."

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