Scancode Systems Inc.
Order Express
www.scancode.com
Category: Other-Parcel/Freight Shipping Solutions
Mike Simon
Scancode Systems, Inc.
220-5535 Eglinton Ave W
Toronto, ON M9C 5K5
(866)666-4240 Head Office
(713)589-3292 U.S. Sales
mike.simon@scancode.com
Current Customer Information:
Scancode designs and implements its dynamic logistics software solutions to meet a wide variety of industry needs. Leveraging the experience of hundreds of successful implementations world-wide, Scancode has helped companies reduce both operating and freight costs, improve distribution efficiency and maintain compliant shipping standards throughout their Carrier network. Scancode has earned the support of international corporations and transportation organizations as being leaders in the field of automated warehouse and transportation management systems.
Case Study:
Scancode Order Express Facilitates EDI Solution For eCommerce Compliance Mandate
THE COMPANY
The supplier was producing non-licensed styles of T-Shirts for a single customer – a mall retailer with several hundred stores -- resulting in shipments of various sizes in volumes ranging from 2,500- to 6,000 cartons per week. The nature of the company and its production processes implied manual operations from production floor to warehouse and shipping activities.
THE CHALLENGE
In an effort to contain costs and improve margins, the retailer established an EDI initiative and outsourced execution of the program to industry-leading EDI SaaS provider SPS Commerce, Inc. Meanwhile, it made clear to all of its vendors that to continue their business relationships, they would have to exchange business documents electronically.
Lacking any automation capabilities or IT resources, the T-shirt supplier delayed complying until it was given an ultimatum. Failure to comply essentially would mean going out of business.
THE SOLUTION
SPS Commerce recommended that the company contact Scancode Systems, Inc. Applying both consulting and systems experience, Scancode devised a process around its Order Express enterprise shipping platform to establish direct EDI document exchange with SPS Commerce.
Providing business logic with over 32 touch-points and a wealth of connectivity options and features, Order Express automated the receipt and SQL storage of inbound purchase orders, production of discrete picking slips, production of carton-specific packing slips, production of shipping labels with UCC 128 barcodes, tendering of shipments to the specified carrier (Federal Express), and dispatch of advance shipping notices to SPS Commerce.
THE RESULTS
The entire operation is fast and seamless: the retailer sends its purchase orders to SPS Commerce as ANSI X.12 documents that are standardized and coded for automatic machine-to-machine transactions. SPS Commerce forwards them to the supplier as XML documents, which are non-coded and thus flexible, human readable and easier to prepare and manage.
Scancode’s ability to receive and return documents in XML format not only meant that no translation was required on the supplier side, but also that implementation was straightforward and could be accomplished quickly without disrupting normal operations.
The EDI initiative has allowed the supplier to continue as a profitable business and employer and it established the company as probably the only electronic document exchange-enabled vendor in its market space. It almost immediately attracted another SPS Commerce customer, also with hundreds of stores, and it is now fully capable of further expansion.
- - - - - - -
“We were almost ready to give up when Scancode presented a solution that not only works with SPS Commerce but which also fit into our business without requiring major changes.”
—Production Manager, Novelty Apparel Customer
Current System Application Features and Functions:
Scancode Systems Inc., is a leading developer and integrator of advanced logistics software and the primary source for carrier-compliant LTL and parcel shipping solutions and warehouse functionality. Scancode provides complete and up-to-date standards for ALL the major domestic and international carriers in North America including carrier business logic, rating and routing algorithms, shipping documentation and electronic data exchange methods for these carriers, on one centralized platform. With a comprehensive suite of "feature rich" distribution modules, Scancode provides enterprise-wide connectivity between host systems, carriers and trading partners that maximize productivity, ensure compliant business practices and provide supply chain visibility.
