How to automate your goods delivery and receiving process Understand how the process can be automated using harmonised GS1 standards A typical goods delivery and receiving process depends on suppliers and retailers sharing information. For the process to work efficiently, this information needs to be in a standard format, used by multiple retailers and all their suppliers. The chart below shows this typical process. The chart overleaf shows which GS1 standards are used at each stage of the process. SUPPLIER RETAILER Produce goods Pack goods into cases ORDER Generate and send an order Pick goods into pallets to create the delivery SHIPPING ORDERING Receive and process the ASN (and check against the order) RECEIVING PRODUCTION Receive and check the goods (and check against the ASN) Confirm the receipt of goods Advanced Shipping Notification (ASN) Generate and send an ASN GOODS Electronic Proof of Delivery (EPOD) Ship goods Receive and process receipt information Put the goods away or cross-dock INVOICING Receive and process invoice (match with order and delivery) Invoice Prepare and send invoice PAYMENT PAYMENT Send payment Receive and process payment SUPPLIER RETAILER Produce goods Send a GS1 standard order EDI message ORDERING Scan the GS1 128 bar code - and match the SSCC of each pallet against the despatch advice EDI message RECEIVING Send a GS1 standard receipt advice EDI message (EPOD) Once the goods have been received they can be stored or cross-docked for immediate onward delivery Receive and process the invoice EDI message - and match against the order and despatch/ receipt advice EDI PAYMENT messages ORDER Generate and send an order Receive and process the despatch advice message - and check against the order EDI message Receive and process the ASN (and check against the order) Receive and check the goods (and check against the ASN) Confirm the receipt of goods Advanced Shipping Notification (ASN) Identify goods with item-level GTIN and bar code Pack goods into cases Identify cases with case-level GTIN and PRODUCTION bar code Pick goods into pallets to create the delivery Identify pallets with GS1 Logistics Labels – encoding the SSCC in a GS1-128 bar code Send a GS1 standard despatch advice EDI message (ASN) - including the SSCCs of all the pallets SHIPPING Generate and send an ASN GOODS Electronic Proof of Delivery (EPOD) Ship goods Receive and process receipt information Once the ASN has been sent the actual goods are delivered Receive and process the receipt advice EDI message Put the goods away or cross-dock INVOICING Receive and process invoice (match with order and delivery) Invoice Prepare and send invoice Send a GS1 standard invoice EDI message Receive and process payment Payment is received PAYMENT Send payment Once the invoice has been matched then payment is sent GS1 standards define how identification is carried out and how supply chain information is captured and shared between trading partners. Familiarise yourself with the three fundamental GS1 areas below. GS1 Identification Keys are used to uniquely identify items and locations throughout the supply chain: • GTINs (Global Trade Item Number) are used to identify products • GLNs (Global Location Number) identify locations, such as a supplier’s factory or a retailer’s distribution centre • SSCCs (Serial Shipping Container Code) identify logistics units, such as a pallet of goods GS1 bar codes encode the Identification Keys so they can be quickly scanned and processed, with no slow or inaccurate re-keying of data: • EAN-8 or EAN-13 bar codes are commonly used on products to store the product GTIN • ITF-14 or GS1-128 bar codes are commonly used on cases to store the case GTIN • GS1-128 bar codes are used in logistics labels on pallets, encoding the pallet SSCC GS1 EDI messages define a standard format for common business documents that are shared between suppliers and retailers, for example: • Order • Despatch Advice, commonly known as an ASN (Advanced Shipping Notification) • Receipt Advice, commonly known as an EPOD (Electronic Proof of Delivery) • Invoice