Product Information

Descartes Advanced Pick, Pack and Ship System

The Business Case

• Shipping continues to be a bottleneck in my supply chain – I need to automate this process
• I need a dynamic method to route and consolidate my shipments based on carrier and service level
• I need a cost-effective way to integrate all my carriers to our host system
• I lack visibility and information for all my shipments

Core Capabilities

The Descartes Advanced Pick, Pack and Ship solution automates and optimizes the rating, routing, consolidation, manifesting, tracking and post shipment analysis for all your carriers. The core capabilities of this module include:

Rating

• Industry leading multi-carrier compliance engine to route small package carrier
• TL, LTL, and fleet; incorporates a variety of different rating methodologies with uniform execution
• Compliant with all major North American carriers
• Service level selection based on transit time routing and/or arrival date
• Density and cube rating
• Order/multi-piece level routing and rating
• Rule-based shipment consolidation logic
• Buy/sell (alternate) shipment rating
• Multi-class rating (LTL/TL)
• Real-time order consolidation with shipper alerts
• Specific Point Location Code (SPLC) rating—key function specific to Descartes – ensures a match between the Ship-To address and Carrier’s city list of service points
• Dynamic rating capabilities ensure that shipments are rated progressively from parcel shipments through to LTL loads based on incremental parameters such as number of pieces, pieces and weight, cube, class and pallet levels
• Build independent shipping loads within one carrier
• Supports private insurance and self insurance
• Zone skip and drop ship rating
• Rule driven handling charge
• Fuel surcharge management
• Precise terminal rules are applied for all LTL carriers to ensure 100% audit caliber rating accuracy

Documents / Labels

• Compliant shipping labels and documents

1. host download
2. system default information, and
3. prompts for shipper to complete any missing information– generates all required documentation based on country and carrier

• HAZMAT/Dangerous Goods documentation

• VICS Bills of Lading

• One End-of-Day, Master Bill of Lading for all orders to a destination

• Automated bar code processing capability

• Customer segment support for extended label lengths (data and formula driven)

• Extensive reporting capabilities

Execution / Automation

• Email notification provides proactive, self-service package tracking functions

• ‘Piece at a time’ processing and labeling

• Processing speed (6x to 10x faster than traditional systems)

• Advanced pack and hold and release functionality

• Ad hoc shipping ‘on-the-fly’

• Future ship enables the user to prepare shipments in advance of the actual ship date

• Weight checking by line with tolerance level

• Routing / carrier changes with automatic void

• Automatic allocation of freight costs by GL code

• Flexible rules to apply freight charges to consolidated orders

• Maximum freight cost allowance per order

Note: The modular design of the Descartes Advanced Pick, Pack and Ship means that it can be configured to support supply chain order planning, RF picking, pack verification, returns management and warehouse management functions by combining it with the Descartes ‘work-flow’ module suite.

Operational Drivers

• Streamline the flow of distribution; ensure consistent shipping practices and processes are executed across the business; eliminate islands of automation and information; increase shipping throughput.
• Reduce redundant and costly manual labor; maximize consolidation opportunities and save on freight; optimize carrier and/or service level selection.

Financial Drivers

Strategic Drivers

Meeting business targets means automatically incorporating business rules that comply with all trading partners; ensure ‘speed-to-market’ with fast and accurate order turnaround; provide real-time visibility of customers’ orders throughout the order cycle.

Summary

Key Potential Benefits

• Industry leading compliance engine for ALL carrier routing, labeling, manifesting and EDI requirements
• Increase shipping throughput performance
• Reduce over-handling of product and data entry
• Maximize consolidation opportunities
• Optimize carrier selection every time
• Central management of routing, tracking, audit and billing for all your carriers
• Enhance Customer service