LONDON — November 19, 2008 — GXS, a leading provider of business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce solutions, today announced the launch of GXS Trading Grid® for Excel, an innovative service that enables enterprises to seamlessly automate B2B transactions with global trading partners via the world’s ubiquitous desktop application, Microsoft Office Excel 2007. GXS Trading Grid for Excel takes advantage of the new Office Excel 2007 user interface, XML file format structures and the hallmark custom programmability of Office Excel 2007. The new service also combines the document management and translation capabilities inherent in GXS Trading Grid, to deliver a ‘direct to desktop’ automation solution for enterprises and their trading partners. A demo of the service can be found at http://www.gxs.com/flashdemo/tg4xl.htm.

Frequently, less than 20 percent of companies participating in trading partner networks are B2B e-commerce-enabled, while the remaining 80 percent use a variety of manual processes including phone, fax and e-mailed spreadsheets. GXS Trading Grid for Excel adds a new tool in the arsenal for enterprises seeking to e-enable additional trading partners. GXS Trading Grid for Excel is now the only service on the market that translates Office Excel 2007 spreadsheets directly into standardised e-commerce transactions for seamless and automated integration with an enterprise’s backend systems. Key features of the service include templates customised for the enterprise’s requirements, built-in data validation, quick and easy start-up, a web-based portal with real-time status updates and robust support options. With this service, users can gain needed visibility into document exchanges to quickly and easily assess the status of transactions via Trading Grid Online, GXS’ web-based portal. 

“First and foremost, GXS Trading Grid for Excel is about increasing the options for participating in B2B e-commerce and lowering the barrier to entry. Secondly, we want to reduce the volume of errors in the supply chain on behalf of our customers,” said Tom Varghese, senior product manager at GXS.  “Through greater automation, companies can do business more quickly, more accurately and more efficiently, thereby reducing costs and improving trading partner relationships. GXS Trading Grid for Excel is affordable, easy-to-use and effective.”

Via GXS Trading Grid for Excel, completed spreadsheets are transmitted to GXS, then translated to electronic data interchange (EDI) or enterprise-specific format and forwarded to the trading partner for straight-through processing. The web-based portal offers users up-to-the-minute message dashboards and comprehensive summary information about alerts, customer notices and document statistics. The dynamic interface also allows for personalisation, enabling users to easily configure the content, sequence and appearance of the items on the screen to their liking. GXS Trading Grid for Excel’s built-in intelligent search functionality lets users search for specific documents by document number, type, trading partner, date, status and more.

“Companies of all sizes today use Office Excel 2007 spreadsheets for creating, tracking and exchanging transactions with business partners,” said Mbwana Alliy, product manager, Microsoft Office. “GXS Trading Grid for Excel enables SMBs to continue using Office Excel 2007 to create, edit and modify transactions, and allows for easy integration of Office Excel 2007 documents with their ERP and accounting systems.”

The service includes robust support options to connect business communities around the globe, including multi-lingual help via live chat, phone, e-mail and context-sensitive, self-help—making it easy for users to obtain expert assistance how and when they need it. Support is available in multiple languages including Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Portuguese.

GXS Trading Grid is a global B2B e-commerce and integration platform that supports the creation and adoption of on-demand supply chain management solutions for companies of any size. As the world’s largest electronic business community, GXS Trading Grid is used by more than 30,000 customers to exchange goods and services, gain visibility into global logistics operations and to synchronise product data. Trading Grid helps customers automate global trading communities by shielding complexity from rapidly changing standards, eliminating manual and duplicative processes and enabling the highest levels of B2B integration and collaboration.

About GXS

GXS is a leading global provider of B2B e-commerce solutions that simplify and enhance business process integration and collaboration among trading partners.  Organisations worldwide, including 75 percent of the Fortune 500, leverage the on-demand services on GXS Trading Grid® to extend supply chain networks, optimise product launches, automate warehouse receiving, manage electronic payments and gain supply chain visibility.  GXS Managed Services, GXS’ B2B outsourcing solution, empowers customers with the expertise, technical infrastructure and program support to conduct B2B e-commerce with trading partners globally. 
Based in Gaithersburg, Md., GXS has an extensive global network and has local offices in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions.  GXS can be found on the Web at www.gxs.co.uk.

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For further information please contact:

Denise Oakley, Director, Marketing Programmes International GXS
Tel - +44 (0) 1932 776408 / +44 (0) 7768 537 481 Email: denise.oakley@gxs.com