ERP Customer Changes

Corning will be transitioning to SAP as our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution beginning with our Bedford, MA site on May 1, 2023. Please see the below Frequently Asked Questions to better understand how this change will impact ordering, product descriptions, and documentation.

General Information

• 1. Why is Corning implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system?

  Corning is moving to SAP S4 Hana begining in the spring of 2023, to enhance our business operations, standardize our business processes and improve our data, allowing us to better serve our customers. We will be transitioning our facilities in phases over the next few years. Our biological products, those purchased from our Discovery Labware (DL) entity, like Matrigel, will be the first set of products to be transitioned in May 2023. A list of the products in scope for this first phase can be found here.

• 2. What products are impacted?

  A list of the products in scope for this first phase can be found here. They represent all the products you order from Discovery Labware. 

Account Information

• 3. Will I have to use a new customer number? How will I know what that is?

  You will have 2 customer numbers for Corning until all Corning sites are on the new ERP. Our Customer Service department will know which number to use based on the product, when you reach out to them.

• 4. Will my pricing change?

  No, pricing will not change as a result of Corning's new ERP system.

• 5. Do I need a new contract?

  No, a new contract is not needed.

• 6. Will my sales rep change?

  No, your sales rep will not change due to the new ERP.

Documentation, Reporting & Product Descriptions

• 7. The product description on my documents looks different. Did something change?

  Yes, product descriptions for our Discovery Labware products were changed on some documents (order confirmations, invoices, packing slips, etc.) to meet the formatting requirements of our new ERP system. However, product names and descriptions WILL NOT change on certificates of compliance or on labels or packaging.

• 8. Do you have a list of the products with updated descriptions?

  Yes, you will find the list of products here.

• 9. I am now getting two open/shipped order reports on Mondays. What is the difference between them?

  One report reflects your Discovery Labware orders and the other reflects all other orders.  We will be sending two reports each Monday for the foreseeable future.

Existing Orders

• 10. I have open orders with Corning Life Sciences. What will happen with those? Will I receive a new order number?

  All open order lines with CLS will move into our new ERP system in phases. Once the order is in the new ERP it will receive a new order number; however, you can continue to reference the original order number as it will be tied to the newly created number in the system.

• 11. Will this effect my place in line or ETA of my current and future orders?

  No there will be on impact to your current orders

New Orders

• 12. I did not receive an order confirmation. Why might that be?

  Please contact customer service for support. 

• 13. Is there a black out/shut down period?

  Online ordering for our Discovery Labware products will be temporarily disabled beginning at 5 pm Eastern on April 25 and will resume on May 1. Please plan accordingly.

• 14. The website isn't allowing me to place an order. When will I be able to order? Can I still send in my orders to the CLS customer service mailbox during the blackout?

  For US and Canadian customers, there will be a black-out period for online ordering from April 26 until May 1 while we transition to our new ERP. Customers can still send their orders and communication to Customer Service at CLSCustServ@corning.com for the black-out period.

• 15. Can I still order my non-Discovery Labware products during the cutover window?

  Yes, non-Discovery Labware products will still be available during the cutover period. Customers can send their orders and communication to Customer Service at CLSCustServ@corning.

• 16. I order both Discovery Labware and non-Discovery Labware products. Will I still be able to submit those orders via the website?

  For US and Canadian customers, there will be a black-out period for online ordering from April 26 until May 1 while we transition to our new ERP.

• 17. I currently send my orders to CLSCustServ@corning.com, will that change?

  No. The email address to send orders is not changing.