Luxury Linen Manufacturer Makes Silky Smooth ERP Transition

Frette is an internationally renowned textile brand with a history that goes back to 1860. Headquartered in Monza, Italy, the company sells to luxury hotels, fine retailers, and directly to individuals through boutiques and online channels. Frette’s rich heritage includes creating fabrics for the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and providing linens for over 500 European royal families. Whether fulfilling an order for the Plaza in New York, replenishing stock for Bloomingdales, or working directly with customers at a boutique, Frette’s team provides a high level of attention and service with each customer.

In 2018, Frette decided to upgrade from their Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP system to keep providing the highest level of service to its customers, while simplifying its business system architecture. Frette went with Microsoft Dynamics 365 for finance, operations, and retail to complete the picture.

Switching from Microsoft Dynamics GP to Dynamics 365 meant a months-long transition—but one thing Frette didn’t have to fret about was their Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system. As a long-standing TrueCommerce EDI customer, the company benefitted from TrueCommerce’s powerful technology, and top-rated integrations for many leading ERPs. TrueCommerce EDI operates with a modular framework, so all Frette had to do was switch plugins in TrueCommerce to work with the new ERP. Ven Grimblatov, Frette’s IT Project Manager, estimates using TrueCommerce EDI saved the company two months of work.

Frette Stuck with TrueCommerce EDI for Three Reasons

Frette chose to stay with cloud-based EDI from TrueCommerce for three main reasons: its modular nature made the transition easy, the service included EDI maps for trading partners, and the workflow integrated intuitively with Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Plug-and-Play Technology

Switching ERPs is no easy task. That’s why one of the best things about the TrueCommerce EDI solution is that it uses a modular architecture to connect to all leading ERP systems. One plugin connects to Microsoft GP, and another plugin connects to Microsoft 365. That meant Frette simply needed to switch plugins in the TrueCommerce EDI platform to accommodate the new connection. This cut down on testing drastically, since the EDI connection between Frette and its trading partners was virtually unchanged. All the company needed to test was the new plugin and its connection with Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Done-for-You Managed Service

As a luxury brand, Frette understands how discerning customers rely on the company for extra support like customization, personalized installation, and specialized styling consultation. In a similar way, companies get a more supported experience with TrueCommerce EDI. The fully managed service includes up-to-date trading partner mappings for thousands of retailers, suppliers, carriers, and 3PLs. If a trading partner isn’t on the current list, TrueCommerce can build a new map in about two weeks.

For Frette, this means the company doesn’t have to keep an EDI specialist on staff to enjoy always-on connectivity and personalized service. Grimblatov told us, “When we researched a competitor’s EDI solution for Dynamics 365, we found that it would require heavy investment in an additional consultant to maintain the mappings. TrueCommerce does a great job with that maintenance and it’s something we do not need to worry about.”

Fluid Integration

Another key benefit for Frette’s team members that they don’t have to switch programs or deal with mismatched environments when working in Microsoft 365. TrueCommerce EDI provides full Microsoft Dynamics 365 integration, which means the EDI module lives inside the ERP environment. According to Grimblatov, “This allows business users to review EDI data inside Dynamics without switching systems, which improves their efficiency and reduces the need for training. This also makes it easier for IT to manage access to the EDI solution between business and IT users.”

Managed EDI for Simplified ERP Transition

While it takes time for Italian artisans to craft Frette’s product line, the business of managing those products and getting them to clients should be as simple and fast as possible. Frette chose TrueCommerce as its EDI partner through a transition between ERP platforms for a smoother changeover with better service and integration. From Harrods to The Ritz Carlton to a boutique in Costa Mesa, Frette can continue to do business in every direction with TrueCommerce EDI.

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About the Author: Lincoln Mousel is a Pre-Sale Engineer at TrueCommerce. His specialty is solution design for clients looking to streamline and automate the many complex functions involved with today’s modern supply chain. Lincoln’s industry knowledge comes from over 7 years of direct ERP integration experience, helping customers leverage sustainable, scalable solutions offered by the diverse TrueCommerce product lineup. In his free time, Lincoln can be found enjoying the seasonal weather of southern Minnesota, and spending time with family and friends.