[ Home ]       [ <<< D/S Advantages ]       [ D/S Receiving Menu >>> ]

Distribution Service Shipping menu The D/S Shipping Menu programs are designed to optimize and expedite the process of product distribution by validating the items picked against a Sales Order or S/O Invoice, capturing the item numbers and quantities shipped as the product is being handled, and producing shipping labels, packing lists, content labels, bills of lading, COD tags, and/or invoices in real time.  The Shipping Data Entry program is highly optimized for use with bar code scanners.  The actual shipping and service charge costs are calculated correctly for single or multiple package shipments, and may be passed on or marked up to the customer according to your specific schedules. In a typical operation, the user starts a new shipment by scanning the order number from a picking sheet or sales order.  With all of the automatic entry options set, the system will open a new shipment record, open a new package record, and be ready for the user to scan item numbers.  With Package Contents Detail Entry enabled, the operator will scan item, lot or serial numbers as the product is being packed (pick and pack), or as pre packaged items are checked out.  The user is warned and prevented from proceeding if the item scanned is not on the order.  Optional overship protection warns and stops the operator if he or she attempts to overship any line item. The quantities ordered or back ordered, total shipped, back order balance, and quantity shipped in the current package are displayed for each order line.  The display shows "Complete" when an order line is completed.  When a Lot or Serial numbered item is scanned, the Lot/Serial Entry window opens automatically, so the user may scan the Lot/Serial number immediately after scanning the item number, while the item is still at hand.  Lot and Serial numbers are immediately validated against the I/M Lot / Serial detail file. The ESCAPE key or END command in Package Contents Detail Entry closes the current package and optionally generates the carrier specific tracking number.  With an electronic scale, one keystroke or scan command captures the package weight.  Accessorial charges may be automatically or manually selected and applied. The ESCAPE key or END command in the Shipment Detail (Package Header) screen closes the shipment, or the "N" command opens another package for multiple package shipments.  To recall a particular package for inquiry or maintenance, enter or scan its package ID number or the sequential box number. When the shipment is completed, the user may print any combination of the available shipping labels and documents, update the sales order, and generate and print an invoice.  Any number of workstations may share any number of printers, and you can specify the printer for each document at each workstation. One unique feature of the D/S module is the proprietary Thermal Label Format Maintenance program, which works in conjunction with all of the label printing program FORMS maintenance, to give you unlimited flexibility in the design of your shipping, content, and item labels.  Default label formats are provided for UPS compliant shipping labels for the Eltron thermal transfer label printer (the standard UPS label printer), which supports the Maxicode "bulls eye" required by UPS.  Label formats are designed using the printer's native command language, so you can produce labels on any industrial label printer.  Mnemonics are provided for common hex codes, any hexadecimal code, and for coordinates to be translated from inches or millimeters into the printers' native resolution.  "Windows only" label printers are not supported; they are far too slow for industrial applications. D/S Shipping Menu programs Shipping Data Entry         Ship from Sales Orders, S/O Invoices, A/R History Invoices, or Manual Shipping Entry. Capture the exact quantity of each item in each package, including lot and serial numbers. Make extensive use of bar codes for expedient and accurate shipping entry. Process multiple shipments on one order or invoice. Switch between Manual Entry (enter or scan order line number, then enter the quantity shipped) and Pick and Pack mode (enter or scan item number to increment the quantity shipped). Automatically calculate and apply accessorial charges, and allow maintenance of optional charges.  The list of accessorial charges available in Shipping Data Entry may be customized for each shipping code. Update the order or invoice from shipping data. Read an Electronic Scale using supplied interface protocols, or link to your own custom program to support any scale. Generate UPS tracking numbers using the supplied protocol, or link to your custom program to support any other carrier. Automatically update a Sales Order with the actual Ship Via, Ship Zone, total Ship Weight, and calculated freight charge. Automatically generate an Invoice for exactly the product shipped, including lot or serial numbers, with the actual Ship Via, Ship Zone, total Ship Weight, and calculated freight charge.  Optionally, you may add comment lines containing the package ID and tracking number of each box shipped. Packing List Printing produce a packing list which details the quantities shipped in each package. Shipping Label Printing supports impact, laser, and thermal transfer label printers, with completely customizable forms for all printer types; does not require any external software to drive commercial thermal label printers. Click here to see a sample UPS Shipping Label. Content Label Printing prints your custom or compliant content label on impact, laser, or thermal transfer label printers, with completely customizable forms for all printer types; does not require any external software to drive commercial thermal label printers. C O D Tag Printing print continuous COD tag forms for each COD package.  The total COD amount may be distributed evenly over multiple packages, or pro-rated according to the value of the contents of each package; or assigned only to the first package of a multi-package shipment.  Note that COD tags are no longer required for shippers using the Host Manifest Upload, which fully supports UPS electronic COD. Package Confirmation is used as an optional final confirmation step when packages are prepared and staged before being committed to a manifest. Bill of Lading Printing prints a Short Form Bill of Lading document when required for the carrier. Shipping Entry Audit Report prints a detailed report of your current shipping data entry. Manifest Printing/Update produces the detailed and summary manifest reports, and updates the manifest data to the shipping history files.  The Package Level Detail / Host Manifest Upload program prepares the file which can be uploaded directly to UPS over the Internet.