The following is a list of frequently asked questions. If the answer to you question is not on this list, please contact a Clearbridge representative who will help answer your question.

Who is Clearbridge?

What can the Clearbridge network do for my company?

What information can I exchange?

Is this an EDI system?

What else is different about the Clearbridge solution?

Our system can't accept detailed order acknowledgements. Can Clearbridge help?

How do I create the different formats my vendors require?

We are a manufacturer and have trouble convincing our distributors to use EDI. How can Clearbridge help?

We are a distributor required to file rebate claims on many of our sales. Can you help us with that?

We are a manufacturer who would like to implement an electronic rebate claim process. How does this fit in?

I am a small distributor. Can I afford the Clearbridge solution?

What happens when a manufacturer changes their requirements?

I thought everyone was using XML?

Question: Who is Clearbridge?

Answer: Clearbridge, Inc. is a company dedicated to providing simple, effective electronic information exchanges between distributors, manufacturers and others in the enterprise supply chain. Clearbridge was founded by individuals with over 18 years experience in wholesale distribution and commercial transaction processing.

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Question: What can the Clearbridge network do for my company?

Answer: Clearbridge can provide your company with a comprehensive solution for exchanging business documents with your trading partners.

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Question: What information can I exchange?

Answer: Virtually any information can be exchanged between companies using Clearbridge. Transactions such as purchase orders, invoices and price updates can be sent via the Clearbridge network.

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Question: Is this an EDI system?

Answer: Not quite. EDI can be part of the Clearbridge network. Any document sent by you or to you can be reformatted to partner specific EDI, to some common flat file or to the newer XML formats, including Web services. A company may use all three data formats with various vendors.

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Question: What else is different about the Clearbridge solution?

Answer: Clearbridge's solutions are deployed as a self-contained appliance that resides in the client's office that is a repository of all transactions sent over the network. A browser-based interface is also provided to let users actually inquire about the documents they have sent and their status. Any user authorized to access the Clearbridge server can see the status of his or her transactions in detail. Working with Clearbridge, customers are able to conduct electronic commerce with a large number of trade partners in a short amount of time while leveraging their existing computer technology investment. Clearbridge offers the expertise as well as the applications, network, and services necessary to support a wide range of business transactions. Our typical customers are small and medium sized enterprises that do not have significant IT expertise in-house. Clearbridge's solutions cost significantly less and deploy easier than traditional EDI or first generation e-commerce technology.

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Question: Our system can't accept detailed order acknowledgements. Can Clearbridge help?

Answer: Yes! The Clearbridge commerce server provides a platform to receive ALL the information your partners can provide you. If your computer system can process the data we send it along for full integration. If not, we still update the Clearbridge commerce server so you can inquire on every transaction, not just those supported by your existing computer systems.

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Question: How do I create the different formats my vendors require?

Answer: You don't need to. We take a single document format or API from your system and translated based on the requirements of your trading partners.

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Question: We are a manufacturer and have trouble convincing our distributors and trade partners to use EDI. How can Clearbridge help?

Answer: Clearbridge can work with you to develop a standard set of transactions for use by your distributors. We will then work with you to develop a joint marketing and implementation solution for your distribution channel. By providing your customers with a common platform and a standard set of transactions, you can realize rapid adoption by your channel partners. Please refer to our Trade Community Development Program.

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Question: We are a distributor required to file rebate claims on many of our sales. Can you help us with that?

Answer: Absolutely. Clearbridge is offering a complete rebate claims management module for distributors. We electronically submit your claim requests and process the electronic response. This makes it easy to reconcile your factory rebate claims. The Rebate Manager includes exception reporting and claims rejection reason codes.

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Question: We are a manufacturer who would like to implement an electronic rebate claim process. How does this fit in?

Answer: Our professional services group can work with you to design an electronic claims process that works within your existing business processes. We can help with document design and workflow as well as network integration.

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Question: I am a small distributor. Can I afford the Clearbridge solution?

Answer: Clearbridge is affordable to any distributor with even a modest EDI requirement. A basic system can be installed for less than $5,000. and you can be up and running in no time. We can even work with your software provider to outline necessary changes to implement a successful EDI solution.

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Question: What happens when a manufacturer changes their requirements?

Answer: On occasion a company will change their requirements. Currently most EDI changes are minor. We will work with the manufacturer to assist you in a successful upgrade to the latest documents.

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Question: I thought everyone was using XML or Web services?

Answer: Everyone is talking about using XML or Web services. Very few companies have actually implemented it. In time XML/Web service will become more and more common, but most companies have large investments in EDI and will be slow to change. Clearbridge provides you with both solutions from day one. The Clearbridge DxN creates both Web Services and EDI documents as part of the translation process. When XML is required, we simply turn off the EDI function and send XML. This is all transparent to your users and business systems.

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