Logistics Processes: General and Truckload Shipments Transaction Relationships (Part 1)
Logistics is the process of procuring, handling, and delivering products, and of integrating the physical product flows with supportive technologies.
The Logistics function can be aided by any documents that indicate or help plan the shipment, distribution and storage of trade items. The supplier sends the Ship Notice/Manifest (856) to the buyer to indicate the anticipated movement of a shipment. This includes physical details of freight, number of cartons, volume requirements, bill of lading number, and other pertinent information, as well as identifying the trade items in the shipment. The Receiving Advice/Acceptance Certificate (861) is used by the buyer to notify the supplier of receipt of merchandise shipped. The receipt can be reported by shipment number, carton ID, or Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN).
The Routing and Carrier Instruction (853) is sent by the buyer to the supplier to provide routing and carrier information. It provides the supplier with detailed shipping guidelines, replacing the buyer’s paper routing guide. Another method of providing shipping instructions, the Routing Instructions (754) is sent by the buyer to provide routing and carrier instructions to the supplier for a specific shipment. It can be used as a standalone document or in response to a Request for Routing Instructions (753) from the supplier.
For truckload shipments, the shipper (in most cases the supplier) sends the Motor Carrier Load Tender (204) to tender a shipment. It provides a truckload carrier with a load tender. The truckload carrier either accepts or declines the shipment with a Response to a Load Tender (990) transaction.
In some cases in the retail industry, the carrier assists in the management of the purchase order cycle. A Purchase Order Shipment Management Document (250) may be transmitted from the buyer (consignee) to the carrier. The carrier uses that data to maintain a database of valid purchase order numbers, shipment windows and sort segregate information.
A truckload carrier may send a Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message (214) to the consignee to indicate that the carrier has accepted a load tender with freight destined for that location. If appointments are required for delivery, the carrier uses the Transportation Appointment Schedule Information (163) to request a delivery appointment. All TL and LTL carriers may send a Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message (214) to either the shipper or the consignee after the shipment has been picked up. The Transportation.
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