CoLinear Systems, Inc. Manifest Shipping. General. v10

Transcription

1 CoLinear Systems, Inc. General v10

2 Table of Contents Overview... 2 Process Flow... 2 Manifest Interface... 4 Setup... 4 Default File Paths... 4 Numbers of Days to keep History... 5 Secondary Process... 5 Options... 5 Country Cross Reference... 6 Ship Method Cross Reference... 7 Creating a Cross Reference... 7 Export Shipments to Manifest... 8 Type Radio Buttons... 9 Display Grid... 9 Buttons Closing the Export View Import Manifest (Batch Users Only) Confirm Manifest Shipments Closing the Confirmation View Multiple Shipments Per ShipTo Manifest Software Packages ODBC Setup Guide CoLinear Systems, Inc. 1 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

3 Overview The Manifest Interface Module allows you integrate your manifest software with Response. This module allows your manifest software to read printed order information from Response and send back shipping information to Response. Most manifest packages (UPS and CPS/Harvey included) today allow you to automate this process using Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) to move data to, and from your Manifest system. ODBC is the preferred manifest setup today. Let s start with a brief discussion of "best practices" to explain how our manifest processes work in general. This discussion includes some detail on table and field names to help those who want to know. Print Picking Tickets & Export Shipments to Manifest Process the shipments in your manifest software Export the shipment data from your manifest Import Manifest: Import the shipments into Response Use Confirm from Manifest to confirm the orders as shipped in Response ^^ PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM ^^ Process Flow 1. Order is entered or imported in Response. 2. Order picking ticket is printed Printing the picking ticket creates PICBATCH, SHIPTO, LPICKTRN, and MEXPORT records when you say Yes everything printed correctly. The Manifest SQL view will be updated with information for the newly printed orders via MEXPORT table 3. The Picking ticket is then used to pick the items for the package. 4. The Bar-coded ShipTo ID label is peeled off the picking ticket and stuck on the package. CoLinear Systems, Inc. 2 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

4 5. The Package is then queued for the manifest shipping station (conveyer or container). 6. One-by-one, the packaged items are placed on the scale and a barcode reader scans the barcoded ShipTo ID from the label. 7. At this time, the manifest system reads the ShipTo address information, and requested shipping method from the Response database (starting with the MEXPORT record). It uses the weight from the scale, and prints the postage/shipping label to a label printer, and assigns a tracking number to that package. When the tracking number is assigned, the manifest system WRITES THE SHIPTO_ID, TRACKING NUMBER, SHIP DATE, WEIGHT, ACTUAL FREIGHT back to the Response database in the MIMPORT table (manifest shipped package detail). The shipping label is pulled off the label printed, applied to the package, and the package is queued for shipping. 8. At the end of the day, or several times a day, someone goes into Response, and performs "Confirm from Manifest". This takes the data that the manifest system has written to Response and confirms the relevant orders. This confirmation process stores the tracking numbers with the shipment detail. SOME CUSTOMERS HAVE SLIGHT VARIATIONS ON THE ABOVE, E.G. IF THE EXACT WEIGHTS ARE KNOWN, THAT DATA CAN BE PASSED FROM RESPONSE TO THE MANIFEST SYSTEM AND NO SCALE IS NEEDED. MULTIPLE MANIFEST STATIONS CAN BE USED TO WEIGH/SCAN/PRINT THE SHIPPING LABELS. CoLinear Systems, Inc. 3 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

5 Manifest Interface Before you begin setting up the Manifest Interface, you will need to have a good understanding of how your manifest software interfaces with other software packages. As described above, to use the BATCH process, your manifest system will need to be able to support importing and exporting ASCII files. If you choose to implement a completely automated process your software will have to be able to read and write to an ODBC database. How your manifest system handles these processes is outside the scope of this document. Setup The Manifest Setup view defines how the Manifest Interface will work. Menu Path: Add-ons / Manifest / File Based Or ODBC / Manifest Setup Default File Paths Export Enter in the path and file name that your manifest software expects to read from to get the order information. Leave this field blank if you are using ODBC to send info from Response to manifest. Pressing F4 or clicking on the prompt button will bring up the Windows Save As dialog. From this dialog you can select or specify the path and filename of the export file. Import Enter in the path and file name where your manifest software will place the processed shipments information. Pressing F4 or clicking on the prompt button will bring up the Windows Save As dialog. From this dialog you can select or specify the path and CoLinear Systems, Inc. 4 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

6 filename of the export file. Leave this field blank if you are using ODBC to write in the shipment data to Response. Numbers of Days to keep History Enter in the maximum number of days you want to keep exported records, confirmed import records and error records before they are purged. Export records (MEXPORT, table #41) will only be purged if they are marked as exported using MEXPORT.export_date. Import records (MIMPORT, table #42) - will only be purged if they are marked as confirmed (MIMPORT.import_date, but only when status is "X-canceled' or "C-confirmed".). If ODBC doesn t populate MIMPORT.import_date, records are purged anyway if status = C or X. Error records (MNOTCNF, MNOTEXP) - will only be purged if the corresponding export or import record has been purged. Secondary Process Export (*.SPE) - For Batch processing (Starship only), you will select a secondary process to define your export file. If there is not one already defined for your manifest software contact Support@Colinear.com. Pressing 4 or clicking on the prompt button will bring up the Secondary Process lookup. See the information specific to your manifest process to find the name of the SPE you might enter here. ODBC users DO NOT use this Import (*.SPE) This field allows you to define a process to run while you are importing from your manifest software s ASCII files. For example, you could have an sent to the customer to let them know that their shipment is on the way. Pressing 4 or clicking on the prompt button will bring up the Secondary Process lookup, where you can then select the SPE to run during import of the confirmation records. ODBC users DO NOT use this Options Use Ship Cross Reference File Your manifest software and Response my not have the same IDs for the shipping methods. If this is the case, then you will need to check this checkbox and setup the Manifest Ship Method Cross-Reference. This will allow Response to translate its shipping method IDs into your manifest s Ids when exporting and translate them back when importing. Find Ship Method by description during import - Starship users must check this. If your manifest sends back a different code for shipping method then the one you send to it, checking this box will help match the correct shipping method. Require Ship Type for Export Your manifest software may require you to identify the type of shipment. If this is the case, then check this checkbox and define a ship type for EACH RECORD created for Manifest Ship Method Cross-Reference. CoLinear Systems, Inc. 5 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

7 ** NOTE ** This will cause invalid ship type defined for shipping method X errors if you check this box but do NOT define ship types in shipping cross reference records. Use Country Cross Reference File check this checkbox and setup the Manifest Country Cross-Reference records (see view #2 below). This will allow Response to translate the Country ID into your manifest s Country when exporting and translate them back when importing. Create Export Records when printing PickTick - When checked an export record will be created in the MEXPORT data table for each order printed. (ODBC users take note, this is how the records get to the MEXPORT table) This does NOT create the ASCII file, that is in the next check box. The MEXPORT records can be viewed from the Export Shipments to Manifest view. If this is unchecked, you will have to Load/create the MEXPORT records from the Export Shipments to Manifest view. Export to Manifest after printing PickTick Checking this will cause the printed orders to be exported to an ASCII file as defined in the field Default File Paths Export above after Printing PickTicks has run. You need to check the Create Export Records when printing PickTick (listed above) as well, or your ASCII file will be empty. If this is unchecked, you will have to start the export from the Export Shipments to Manifest view. ODBC users DO NOT check this box Create Customer Service Comments during Confirm Checking this will cause a customer service comment to be created when the order is confirmed. This comment will contain shipper s comment, number of packages, etc. Country Cross Reference The Manifest Country Cross Reference view allows you to define the alternative ID or name that your manifest package uses. You only need to set this up if the predefined country names in Response are different than the ones in your manifest software. In the Manifest Country field type in the country exactly as it appears in your manifest package. Use the 4 to bring up the Manifest Country Cross Reference lookup. In the Response Country field select the corresponding country from the lookup. Use the 4 lookup to bring up the Countries lookup. CoLinear Systems, Inc. 6 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

8 Ship Method Cross Reference The Manifest Ship Method Cross Reference view allows you to define the alternative ID, or name that your manifest package uses. You only need to set this up if the shipping methods in Response are different than the ones in your manifest software. ** REQUIRED FOR STARSHIP ** Creating a Cross Reference 1. In the Manifest Ship Code field type in the shipping method ID exactly as it appears in your manifest package. Use the 4 lookup to bring up the Manifest Ship Cross Reference lookup. 2. Type in a description for the ID in the Description field. 3. In the Response Ship field select the corresponding shipping method from the lookup. Use the 4 lookup to bring up the Shipping Methods lookup. 4. If your manifest package has different shipping methods for different countries, then select the country from the lookup in the Manifest Country field. Otherwise leave this field blank. 5. If you wish to associate a type with this ship code, then type in the type exactly as it appears in the manifest software. 6. Check the COD checkbox [ ] to indicate that the COD Terms Key field should be exported to your manifest software. In the COD Terms Key field type in the code exactly as it appears in your manifest package. 7. Check the Call Tag checkbox [ ] to indicate that this ship code should be marked as a call tag when exported to your manifest software if applicable. CoLinear Systems, Inc. 7 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

9 Export Shipments to Manifest Export shipments to manifest displays records in the MEXPORT table. The Export Shipments to Manifest view allows you to review NEW shipments (ready for export status E), Shipments on Hold (status H) and Shipments already Exported (status X). From this view you can load the printed orders into this view, view the orders, export the shipments to the ascii file if your are not using ODBC, and purge old shipment records. ** Important ** If you are using ODBC you can review the data in the MEXPORT table using this window if needed, but this is typically used for batch processing. You must be able to see the records here before your manifest software will find them in their appropriate SQL VIEW. However viewing them here first for ODBC is NOT required. Menu Path: Add-ons / manifest / File Based / Export Shipments to Manifest CoLinear Systems, Inc. 8 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

10 Type Radio Buttons New shipments New Shipments Shipments on Hold Shipments on Hold status (H) Exported Shipments Display Shipments that have been sent to manifest All Shipments Display All Shipments Display Grid Order # This column displays the order number for the shipment. Ship To ID # This column displays the ship to ID for this order (a ship to id is different from the order number because is facilitates multiple ship to s per order#). Shipping Method This column displays the Response shipping method selected for the order. This is not necessarily the code that will be exported. If a ship method cross-reference has been setup for this code, then the manifest ship code will be exported instead of the one displayed in this column. Type If a ship method cross-reference has been setup for the shipping method, then this column will display the ship type. Print Batch No This column displays the Picking Ticket batch number for this shipment. Status In this column in the grid you can change the status of the shipments to E(Entered/Ready to Export), H(On Hold) or X(Exported). CoLinear Systems, Inc. 9 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

11 Buttons Load Batch Clicking on this button will allow you to select a print batch of orders to make available for export (loads records from the PICBATCH files to MEXPORT, only if the SHIPTO records related to the PICBATCH records are the appropriate status). Load All Selecting this button will load all status Q and W orders into this view. Error Log Clicking on this will display the Manifest Export Error List (see below). This view will show all orders that could not be loaded and the reason it could not be loaded. Order # This column displays the order number of the shipment with the error. Ship To Id # the ship to reference number Description This column displays the error description. Ship Method This column displays the shipping method. Date This column displays the date the error occurred. Time This column displays the time the error occurred. Buttons Search Selecting this allows you to search the list by order number. Customer Clicking on this displays the customer information on the Customer tab in the Customer Service Lookup view. Order Clicking on this displays the order information on the Orders tab in the Customer Service Lookup view. Order Select this to view the order information for the shipment. This will display order information on the Orders tab in the Customer Service Lookup view. CoLinear Systems, Inc. 10 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

12 Export Click on this to begin the export. This runs the Export SPE defined in manifest setup. This creates the batch ASCII file your manifest will read for shipment information (for example: batch.trn for Starship). You will NOT use this if you are sending information to manifest via ODBC Purge Old Selecting this will delete all exported shipments from the MEXPORT file that are older that the Number of Days to keep History for the Export records in the Manifest Setup view. This will also delete any error records past the Number of Days to keep History for the Export Errors. Closing the Export View Whenever the Export Shipments to Manifest view is closed, you will be prompted 'Do you want to Purge old exported manifest records now?' Answering yes will be the same as selecting the Purge Old button. Import Manifest (Batch Users Only) Menu Path: Add-Ons / Manifest / File Based / Import Shipments The Import Manifest view allows you to import shipped orders from your manifest via an ASCII file. The information is from the ASCII file is written to the MIMPORT table. Import File In this field enter in the path and file name of the ASCII file you wish to import. Then click on the Add button to add it to the file list below. If you have more than one file to import at a time then repeat for each file. Add Clicking on this will add the Import File to the list. Remove Selecting this will remove the selected file from the list. CoLinear Systems, Inc. 11 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

13 Remove All Selecting this will clear the list. Import File Definition Click on the prompt button and select the import file definition (usually a *.imm file) for your manifest system. If there is not a definition for your manifest system, please contact support. Import Clicking on this will begin the import process. Cancel Selecting this will close the view. Confirm Manifest Shipments Menu Path: Add-Ons / Manifest / File Based or ODBC / Confirm Manifest Shipments Confirm Manifest Shipments shows you records in the MIMPORT table. Also use this view to review new (recent) shipments, shipments on hold, confirmed shipments and shipments that failed to confirm. You can also view the orders, confirm order shipments, and purge old shipment records. Type New Shipments - New Shipments Shipments on Hold - Shipments on Hold status (H) Confirmed Shipments Orders that have been confirmed as Shipped. Confirm Errors Errors Preventing Orders from Confirming All Shipments - Display All Shipments Grid Displays the actual data for each record currently being viewed. This data comes right out of the MIMPORT table. Buttons CoLinear Systems, Inc. 12 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

14 Confirm Errors Clicking on this will display the Manifest Confirm Error List (see below). This view will show all orders that could not be confirmed and the reason it could not be confirmed. Order Select this to view the order information for the shipment.. This will display order information on the Orders tab in the Customer Service Lookup view. Confirm Click on this to confirm the current shipment. Confirm All Click on this to confirm all shipments with a status of E. Purge Old Selecting this will delete all imported shipments that are older that the Number of Days to keep History for the Import records in the Manifest Setup view. This will also delete any error records past the Number of Days to keep History for the Import Errors. Closing the Confirmation View Whenever the Export Shipments to Manifest view is closed, you will be prompted 'Do you want to Purge old exported manifest records now?' Answering yes will be the same as selecting the Purge Old button. Multiple Shipments Per ShipTo Response allows for multiple packages per shipment, but we will confirm the SHIPTO as shipped when the first package is confirmed in Response. If multiple packages are present at the time of confirmation (ie. multiple MIMPORT records exist), we'll add up the shipping on the multiple packages, and also store the separate tracking numbers inside Response in the SHIPMTS file (related to OSHIPTRN by transaction_id). If one box of a shipment is sent to Response earlier in the day, and that box is confirmed, and then a second box is sent to Response later in the day AFTER the package is confirmed, the ShipTo will not confirm again, the transaction will just error when trying to confirm by saying "invalid status". CoLinear Systems, Inc. 13 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

15 Manifest Software Packages The document files listed below contain information specific to the manifest software packages currently supported by Response. These instructions are to be used after you have reviewed the information above that applies to manifest setups. Follow the instructions in the document file for the manifest software you are using. These instructions will be included in the zip file too. UPS Worldship CPS/Harverysoft Starship ODBC Setup Guide If you are using an ODBC setup, review the documentation on that here. CoLinear Systems, Inc. 14 of 16 update: 04/19/2011

16 TECH: Document modification history 07/05/2011: document recreated (Replaced Manifest_general.doc) CoLinear Systems, Inc. 15 of 16 update: 04/19/2011