The Reynolds and Reynolds Company announced that it has launched the Reynolds Certified Interface Program. Under the program, software vendors submit their products for rigorous testing to meet support, security, and compliancy with Reynolds’ dealer management systems, says the company.

As part of the launch, Reynolds introduced the Reynolds Certified Interface logo. The logo indicates to automotive retailers that a non-Reynolds software vendor has been stringently tested and officially certified to safely and effectively interface with their Reynolds dealer management system. To earn the Reynolds Certified Interface seal of approval, vendors must pass rigorous business and technical analysis, interface quality testing and validation, data security checks, and commit to periodic re-testing.

“With today’s rapidly changing technology, automotive retailers need to be cautious when selecting software applications and vendors. To protect their system against hostile interfaces, they should look for and demand the Reynolds Certified Interface logo when considering doing business with any software vendors. It’s the only way to protect their investment when choosing third party applications,” said Randy Harvey, senior vice president of Reynolds Software Solutions.

For software vendors, Reynolds Certified Interface program creates interface components that provide vital access to and from the ERA dealer management system, according to the company. The interfaces enable the bi-direction flow of integral data.

All vendors accepted into the Reynolds Certified Interface program are required to certify their software interface with Reynolds before the software is released for distribution with the certified logo. As vendors are certified, they are listed on Reynolds and Reynolds Web site and approved to distribute and market the interface.

According to Harvey, “This program is a win-win situation for everyone involved. Through the development of friendly interfaces, vendors’ products are tested rigorously to ensure that they work with Reynolds systems. Plus as a certified vendor, they get the backing of Reynolds and in return, our dealers get peace of mind knowing that software products with the certified logo are going to interface properly with their Reynolds system.”

Additionally, to ensure a vendor’s product works with consistent quality, vendors are required to undergo a re-certification every two years or earlier if they request new components, new applications, or upgrade certified products.

Reynolds and Reynolds (www.reyrey.com) is a provider of integrated solutions that help automotive retailers manage change and improve their profitability.