The open source approach offers the opportunity to establish an essential standard for digital consignment notes. In theory, there does not need to be a single solution for digital consignment notes, however, all solutions must be compatible with each other. Since this solution for eCMR is being developed and published as open source, it can be used by companies throughout the supply chain. This approach eliminates the necessity for substantial investments in developing suitable interfaces. In this context, standardization and digitalization are mutually dependent. Individual and isolated digital solutions demand considerable effort to achieve compatibility, especially in the logistics sector.
Whether for collaborative development or individual use, open-source software provides numerous advantages in this regard:
Interoperability:
Uniform interfaces and data models enable seamless integration into the existing IT systems of all participants.
Transparency:
Open source code creates trust and traceability in terms of function, security, and further development.
Collaboration:
Companies, associations, and research institutions develop a practical standard together rather than in isolation.
Cost reduction:
No license costs, reusability of components, and lower integration costs.
Innovation driver:
Open further development by the community and new functionalities based on real requirements from logistics.
Independence:
Avoidance of lock-in effects by proprietary providers – full control over your own processes and data.