Grantham Book Services (GBS) has its own dedicated specialist IT department, which understands the publishing and book distribution business. The IT section provides support to Customer Services, Credit Control and Warehouse Management, as well as supporting all aspects of publisher IT requirements, including royalties, bibliographic data, sales analysis, stock control, perpetual inventory and data interfacing.
The services also include bespoke development to individual publisher requirements.
Information Flow & Interfaces
The interfaces between GBS and the publishers’ computer systems are designed so that the information passed is not dependant on the data structures of either system.
The system enables publishers:
GBS trades with many major customers using EDI. The current standard is Tradacom format used by Teleorders and First Edition. Specific EDI interfaces are also used when necessary, for example for supermarkets that run their own proprietary systems.
GBS has the facility to transfer data between various gateways including - Tradanet / Tradlink / IBM/ BT EDI / BACS / Teleordering Gold / FTP. Whilst recognising there are many other market offerings we could connect through, based on customers existing systems.
System Security & Disaster Recovery
A stand-alone back-up of the system is held in fire safes, both on-site and off-site, providing the ability to recover lost or damaged data and, if necessary, to rebuild the system from scratch. All system access is controlled by password.
A full disaster recovery procedure is in place through a contract maintained with ICM Computer Services.
The services also include bespoke development to individual publisher requirements.
Information Flow & Interfaces
The interfaces between GBS and the publishers’ computer systems are designed so that the information passed is not dependant on the data structures of either system.
The system enables publishers:
- To upgrade without affecting the interface structure.
- To download information to an Excel spreadsheet at the touch of a button.
- Online access to the GBS system over leased line or virtual private network (VPN) technologies.
GBS trades with many major customers using EDI. The current standard is Tradacom format used by Teleorders and First Edition. Specific EDI interfaces are also used when necessary, for example for supermarkets that run their own proprietary systems.
GBS has the facility to transfer data between various gateways including - Tradanet / Tradlink / IBM/ BT EDI / BACS / Teleordering Gold / FTP. Whilst recognising there are many other market offerings we could connect through, based on customers existing systems.
System Security & Disaster Recovery
A stand-alone back-up of the system is held in fire safes, both on-site and off-site, providing the ability to recover lost or damaged data and, if necessary, to rebuild the system from scratch. All system access is controlled by password.
A full disaster recovery procedure is in place through a contract maintained with ICM Computer Services.