Continental EDI Advanced Shipping Notification (Global ASN and Delivery and Transport Data)
Continental EDI Advanced Shipping Notification is a notification of pending deliveries, similar to a delivery note or packing slip. Supplier sends the ASN via EDI or other means at the time a delivery is shipped. At Continental the ASN is known as a ‘Global ASN’ and is based on EDIFACT standard – version DESADV 07A. However, alternatively VDA and ANSI standards or ASN input via SupplyOn are accepted as well.
The goal of the Continental EDI Advanced Shipping Notification is to provide Continental with information about the delivery well in advance of the actual receipt date. It helps to optimize production planning as well as goods receipt processes. The Continental Global ASN message electronically mirrors the delivery note and enables Supplier (the sender of an ASN) to describe in detail the contents of a shipment. This includes by way of example the contents of a shipment, order information, product description, physical characteristics of the goods, type of packaging.
The ‘Global ASN’ supports the following processes:
- Transparency and data visibility in the supply chain: Upon receipt of the ASN, the information is processed within Continental’s ERP-System and with this Continental is informed well in advance of a delivery and of any difference (date and quantity) between what was scheduled, and what has actually been shipped.
- Goods receipt process: various Continental locations use the ‘Global ASN’ for a simplified goods receipt process. Continental’s ERP-Systems process all ASN data sent by Supplier and create ‘inbound deliveries’. When the shipment arrives, the goods receipt posting can be processed quickly as all necessary information is available in Continental’s ERP-Systems: the delivery note is scanned, or manually entered into the ERP System, and booked against the ‘inbound delivery’.
- TOMS (Transport Order Management System): the goal of TOMS is to support the optimization of truckloads. Specific additional requirements (e.g. packaging data) for the ASN message are agreed during the implementation. Note that both, EDI ASNs as well as SupplyOn ASNs are possible for TOMS. However, the SupplyOn ASN profile 4.0 is TOMS standard and precondition. For TOMS the ASN is required.
- Supply Chain Monitor (SC Monitor): the SC Monitor is a web-based monitoring system of the current supply situation. An ASN is required in addition to a DELFORP message to provide transparency of the current supply situation. (For further information on the DELFORP message please refer to section ‘2.3.5 DELIVERY FORECAST PLANNED DELIVERY (DELFORP)’). Within the SC Monitor, all deliveries for which Continental receives an ASN are displayed as in-transitquantities, and are taken into account for the determination of the material coverage. Without the in-transit quantities, it is not feasible to predict how the supply situation will develop in the upcoming weeks and this will lead to unnecessary alerts.