How edi in transportation and logistics works
Table of Contents
Companies with a structured and sophisticated logistics strategy that includes EDI logistics software can do all kinds of incredible things – improve operational efficiency, increase visibility into their supply chain, and most of all, strengthen customer relationships throughout their ecosystem.
In order to accomplish that, however, companies need to first have the proper EDI software in place. EDI remains the standard for electronic transactions between businesses, and that is no exception in the logistics industry.
How Does EDI for Logistics Work?
Logistics organizations rely on EDI data to simply get things done. Whether that is onboarding a new trading partner, communicating with a customer, or receiving an EDI load tender, the bottom line is logistics companies have needed an efficient EDI logistics software strategy for decades and will continue to for years to come.
Connecting and integrating EDI transport data across a multi-enterprise supply chain is of the utmost importance. Modernized EDI logistics software can extend data flows to integrate into core applications to expand a company’s online presence through seamless eCommerce and marketplace integration.
Scaling quickly is what every logistics company across the globe wants to be able to do. Modernized EDI systems give organizations the control that they require to conduct business with customers and trading partners. Those critical data exchanges between businesses must be standardized, automated, integrated sufficiently, and simplified. Without those four key ingredients, logistics companies are going to struggle.
The Logistics of EDI
Along with the supply chain, EDI has often been referred to as the lifeblood of the logistics industry. From all of the EDI communication standards to the various EDI messages, the critical data communication standard that is EDI has been fundamental throughout the logistics industry for a long time.
As much as any other industry, if not more, logistics companies must be able to scale – and scale quickly. Companies need to handle the sending and receiving of electronic documents, such as X12, EDIFACT, Tradacoms, ODETTE, EANCOM, HIPAA, VDA, and much more. Throughout the logistics industry, becoming EDI capable means not just being able to accommodate and leverage all of these communication standards, but to do so efficiently and fast.
EDI’s primary goal is designed to make the workflow of a logistics company smooth and easier through the standardization, automation, integration, and simplification of those critical data exchanges. But that’s why it takes the right solution to make these things possible, and the right solution begins with modernizing your EDI.
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Common EDI Logistics Transactions
Every industry, from transportation and logistics to manufacturing or retail has its own recurring EDI transactions that they will need to not just familiarize themselves with, but learn to master and know the ins and outs of. Each EDI document transaction contains a certain amount of important data, and without it, the EDI document is practically useless.
EDI formatting must be adhered to based on strict formatting rules that define how and where each part of data on the document is found and utilized. Each EDI document is assigned one of several transaction numbers from the EDI public format. This allows logistics companies to streamline EDI transport transactions and improve EDI order processing using efficient EDI integration and the seamless automation of B2B workflows between both internal and e xternal systems, applications, and cloud ecosystems.
Some of the most common EDI transport transactions for logistics companies include:
– EDI 104: Air Shipment Information
– EDI 106: Motor Carrier Rate Proposal
– EDI 107: Request for Motor Carrier Rate Proposal
– EDI 108: Response to a Motor Carrier Rate Proposal
– EDI 109: Vessel Content Details
– EDI 110: Air Freight Details and Invoice
– EDI 120: Vehicle Shipping Order
– EDI 121: Vehicle Service
– EDI 125: Multilevel Railcar Load Details
– EDI 126: Vehicle Application Advice
– EDI 127: Vehicle Baying Order
– EDI 128: Dealer Information
– EDI 129: Vehicle Carrier Rate Update
– EDI 160: Transportation Automatic Equipment Identification
– EDI 161: Train Sheet
– EDI 163: Transportation Appointment Schedule Information
– EDI 204: Motor Carrier Load Tender
– EDI 210: Motor Carrier Freight Details and Invoice
– EDI 211: Motor Carrier Bill of Lading
– EDI 212: Motor Carrier Delivery Trailer Manifest
– EDI 213: Motor Carrier Shipment Status Inquiry
– EDI 214: Transportation Carrier Ship. Status Message
– EDI 215: Motor Carrier Pick-up Manifest
– EDI 216: Motor Carrier Shipment Pick-up Notification
– EDI 217: Motor Carrier Loading and Route Guide
– EDI 219: Logistics Service Request
– EDI 220: Logistics Service Response
– EDI 222: Cartage Work Assignment
– EDI 223: Consolidators Freight Bill and Invoice
– EDI 224: Motor Carrier Summary Freight Bill Manifest
– EDI 225: Response to a Cartage Work Assignment
– EDI 227: Trailer Usage Report
– EDI 228: Equipment Inspection Report
– EDI 240: Motor Carrier Package Status
– EDI 250: Purchase Order Shipment Management Document
– EDI 300: Reservation (Booking Request) (Ocean)
– EDI 301: Confirmation (Ocean)
– EDI 303: Booking Cancellation (Ocean)
– EDI 304: Shipping Instructions
– EDI 309: Customs Manifest
– EDI 310: Freight Receipt and Invoice (Ocean)
– EDI 311: Canada Customs Information
– EDI 312: Arrival Notice (Ocean)
– EDI 313: Shipment Status Inquiry (Ocean)
– EDI 315: Status Details (Ocean)
– EDI 317: Delivery/Pickup Order
– EDI 319: Terminal Information
– EDI 322: Terminal Operations and Intermodal Ramp Activity
– EDI 323: Vessel Schedule and Itinerary (Ocean)
– EDI 324: Vessel Stow Plan (Ocean)
– EDI 325: Consolidation of Goods in Container
– EDI 326: Consignment Summary List
– EDI 350: Customs Status Information
– EDI 352: U.S. Customs Carrier General Order Status
– EDI 353: Customs Events Advisory Details
– EDI 354: U.S. Customs Auto. Manifest Archive Status
– EDI 355: U.S. Customs Acceptance/Rejection
– EDI 356: U.S. Customs Permit to Transfer Request
– EDI 357: U.S. Customs In-Bond Information
– EDI 358: Customs Consist Information
– EDI 359: Customs Customer Profile Management
– EDI 361: Carrier Interchange Agreement (Ocean)
– EDI 404: Rail Carrier Shipment Information
– EDI 410: Rail Carrier Freight Details and Invoice
– EDI 412: Trailer or Container Repair Billing
– EDI 414: Rail Carhire Settlements
– EDI 417: Rail Carrier Waybill Interchange
– EDI 418: Rail Advance Interchange Consist
– EDI 419: Advance Car Disposition
– EDI 420: Car Handling Information
– EDI 421: Estimated Time of Arrival & Car Scheduling
– EDI 422: Equipment Order
– EDI 423: Rail Industrial Switch List
– EDI 424: Rail Carrier Services Settlement
– EDI 425: Rail Waybill Request
– EDI 426: Rail Revenue Waybill
– EDI 429: Railroad Retirement Activity
– EDI 431: Railroad Station Master File
– EDI 432: Rail Deprescription
– EDI 433: Railroad Reciprocal Switch File
– EDI 434: Railroad Mark Register Update Activity
– EDI 435: Standard Transportation Commodity Code Master
– EDI 436: Locomotive Information
– EDI 437: Railroad Junctions & Interchanges Activity
– EDI 440: Shipment Weights
– EDI 451: Railroad Event Report
– EDI 452: Railroad Problem Log Inquiry or Advice
– EDI 453: Railroad Service Commitment Advice
– EDI 455: Railroad Parameter Trace Registration
– EDI 456: Railroad Equipment Inquiry or Advice
– EDI 460: Railroad Price Distribution Request or Response
– EDI 463: Rail Rate Reply
– EDI 466: Rate Request
– EDI 468: Rate Docket Journal Log
– EDI 470: Railroad Clearance
– EDI 475: Rail Route File Maintenance
– EDI 485: Ratemaking Action
– EDI 486: Rate Docket Expiration
– EDI 490: Rate Group Definition
– EDI 492: Miscellaneous Rates
– EDI 494: Rail Scale Rates
– EDI 601: U.S. Customs Export Shipment Information
– EDI 603: Transportation Equipment Registration
– EDI 715: Intermodal Group Loading Plan
– EDI 854: Shipment Delivery Discrepancy Info.
– EDI 858: Shipment Information
– EDI 859: Freight Invoice
– EDI 920: Loss or Damage Claim: Gen. Commodities
– EDI 924: Loss or Damage Claim: Motor Vehicle
– EDI 925: Claim Tracer
– EDI 926: Claim Status Report and Tracer Reply
– EDI 928: Automotive Inspection Detail
– EDI 980: Functional Group Totals
– EDI 990: Response to a Load Tender
– EDI 998: Set Cancellation
Importance of EDI Compliance in Logistics
Logistics companies that aren’t EDI-compliant are going to soon realize how quickly fines can add up. Going one step further, besides costing your company money, non-compliance impacts the trust companies have built with trading partners, jeopardizing those relationships and lowering the competitive threshold.
Logistics companies that aren’t EDI-compliant are going to soon will readily realize how quickly fines can add up. In fact, recent survey data shows that poor integration overall led 14% of companies to lose $1 million or more in 2021, and nearly 1 in 4 lost $500,000 or more – not small sums for any business.
Going one step further, besides costing your company money, non-compliance impacts the trust companies have built with trading partners, jeopardizing those relationships and lowering the competitive threshold. Slow partner onboarding processes can often indicate trouble ahead unless integration technology is in place to get these revenue-driving relationships off on the right foot.
A modernized EDI interface means companies can stop worrying about missing their SLAs, eliminate the potential for inaccurate EDI, and ensure a fluid data process throughout a data lifecycle. Modern EDI tools can rapidly identify and address errors, pinpoint EDI compliance violations, and rapidly resolve any issues. Logistics companies can put an end to dropped, late, and inaccurate orders, and streamline end-to-end data transformation, orchestration, and integration with secure EDI.
Why Modern EDI Logistics Software is Critical for Business Success
The EDI-as-a-Service from EDI Here eliminates the frustration that comes from onboarding new trading partners because it leverages previously created project templates via its EDI platform to speed EDI mapping processes, and also removes custom-code and one-off integrations. Additionally, the EDI-as-a-Service from EDI Here bridges the gap from a traditional EDI model to one with full connectivity, visibility, and support. By automating the complete EDI logistics software process for automation of EDI document types to ERP/TMS/WMS and other backend systems of record, EDI Here delivers more timely information and greater clarity for rapid decision-making…
The right integration platform can seamlessly orchestrate your data to ensure you have complete visibility and can easily maintain compliance.
Here’s how a modern logistics data flow might look like with the right integration platform to orchestrate the entire cycle:
The EDI-as-a-Service from EDI Here elevates a logistics company’s EDI visibility over business processes and streamlines its B2B communications. The EDI-as-a-Service from EDI Here helps automate EDI processes in order to connect, transform, and route EDI and non-EDI transactions through its ecosystem without piling on the custom code.
