Shipping and returns

An outbound shipment records the customer, ship-to address, warehouse, carrier, shipping method, tracking number, planned and actual ship and delivery dates, freight cost and the coordinator. It moves from Planned through Picked, Packed, Manifested and In Transit to Delivered, with Exception and Returned branches. Carriers are recorded with their mode (parcel, LTL, FTL, ocean, air, rail or courier) and account number; shipping methods name the service level and transit time for each carrier.

Tracking events from the carrier (manifested, picked up, in transit, out for delivery, delivered, exception or returned) are recorded against the shipment with time and location. Return authorizations cover customer and vendor returns with the quantity authorized and received, the reason, the disposition and the original shipment or receipt.

• Ship from allocated stock. Shipments are picked from stock already allocated to them.
• Service level per method. Each shipping method states its carrier, service level and transit time.
• Returns with a reason and disposition. Every return is authorized before it arrives and inspected on receipt.

Agree default shipping methods by customer. Agree how tracking events are received from each carrier. Agree what counts as an exception and who acts on it. Agree return reasons and dispositions, and who authorizes returns.

The customer’s 600 bags are picked, packed and manifested on an LTL carrier’s two-day service on March 4. Tracking shows picked up the same day and in transit on March 5. On March 6 the carrier reports an exception: the consignee’s dock is closed. The Logistics Coordinator calls the customer, agrees delivery on March 7, and the delivered event arrives that afternoon.

The customer later reports 20 bags damaged in transit. The coordinator issues a customer return authorization for 20 with reason Damaged, linked to the original shipment. The bags arrive, quality inspects them, the disposition is Scrap and the return is closed.

• Shipments in Transit — Manifested, in-transit and exception shipments with carrier, tracking and planned delivery.
• Open Return Authorizations — Returns in progress with reason, quantities and status.

• Allocation to delivered shipment: Allocate, ship and deliver.

Connect your carriers before the pilot.