Consistent product data crucial to optimising processes

Quick access to shipping information enables businesses to plan their processes more efficiently. What is of utmost importance is data quality, which can be achieved by integrating EDI with a product data management system.

Today, most modern retail businesses use Electronic Data Interchange, mostly for orders and e-invoices.

In 2015, 50,000 users in 40 countries shared more than 500 million digital documents through the Comarch EDI platform

To streamline processes within the supply chain, companies integrate Despatch Advice (DESADV) messages with logistics labels. Early delivery notification substantially reduces the time needed to accept a shipment and improves the quality of logistics labels. Not every business has warehousing systems capable of generating DESADV notifications, so it is crucial to deliver an easy-to-use tool to let them intuitively create logistic units. Such tools should facilitate the automatic generation of SSCC codes, quick and easy compilation of goods into logistic units and the printing of proper logistics labels. One such tool, Comarch EDI, offers a web app. that requires no infrastructural investments.

How about shipping companies?

Many manufacturers and distributors contract shipping companies to deliver goods to their business partners. Despatch orders are mostly generated by phone or e-mail, except for the big players, who offer their own solutions for order placement.

The best idea would be to use one EDI solution with all partners, such as Comarch EDI

The Comarch EDI platform offers functionalities enabling the safe exchange of commercial documents with business partners and also communication with shipping companies. These are some of the functionalities:

• Generating digital shipping orders and shipping documents with data from other digital documents (e.g. orders);
• Adjusting communication to the needs of Logistics Service Providers (order numbering, scope of data, formats);
• Printing logistics labels;
• Just one tool for digital communication with all partners;
• Tracking shipments from many companies from one place.

It is obvious that such a solution is an opportunity for shipping companies to open an extra sales channel and improve collaboration, even with some of the smallest businesses.

Ordered data crucial to project success

The digital exchange of data with trade partners and logistics companies helps businesses to substantially optimize their processes. However, this continues to be hindered by the low quality of data.

There is a solution to that, though: a central product directory, in other words, a master data management solution capable of comprising dozens of product attributes, some available to all, others just to selected partners, all divided into specific categories and available from one location.

The result is that all partners have access to up-to-date product details. The biggest advantage for shipping companies is that high-quality shipping orders are validated prior to sending against parameters of the central product directory. Logistics service providers can thus manage their fleets in a better way thanks to reliable information about pallet locations and product packaging.

This class of solution definitely helps shipping companies to improve their competitive edge in the market and reach new groups of potential customers, as well as improving their fleet management due to reliable information.