FS 372267 6220 - TMS-EPOD Interface completion

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OBS Logistics Ltd

CTL - TMS-EPOD Interface Completion

Functional Specification

15th May 2020 - 1.1
Reference: FS 372267 6220















FUNCTIONAL OVERVIEW

Client Requirement

Standing data

  • job group configuration
  • trailers

Configuration:

  • Site = Carrier
  • Job Group set by Activity (StartUp/Load/Unload/Close)
  • consolidation by location (stop)

Interface back into CTLTMS must also support EPOD_LOAD message, to indicate that the load is started and set the trip to EN-ROUTE status.

Additional:

  • All modifications to trips already sent to EPOD must be re-triggered to EPOD immediately. So, changing quantities/adding orders to/removing orders from trips that have been sent to EPOD must immediately trigger the resend of that whole trip.


Solution Overview

The following functionality is already supported through existing parameters:

  • Organisation:
    • Epod Enabled
    • WS Address
    • Site Id Format
    • Job Group Format
    • Complete on RTD
  • Location Type:
    • Consol Job Load
    • Consol Job Unload
    • Job Group Load
    • Job Group Unload
    • Send Details Load
    • Send Details Unload
    • Send Job Load
    • Send Job Unload
  • Location:
    • Epod Consol Job Unload
    • Epod Epod Consol Job Load
    • Epod Job Group Load
    • Epod Send Details Load
    • Epod Send Details Unload
    • Epod Send Job Load
    • Epod Send Job Unload


It is assumed that all of this functionality is supported as per the CTMS interface.


Missing/Error:

  • Carrier Group: EPOD Site.
  • Carrier:
    • EPOD Enabled.
    • Send to EPOD Col.
    • Send to EPOD Del.
  • Location: Epod Job Group Unload.
  • Location: Epod Epod Consol Job Load - extra "Epod" in description.
  • Customer: EPOD-enabled.

For EBB, we can assume that at least the following of the missing list above is required:

  • Carrier:
    • EPOD Enabled.
  • Location: Epod Job Group Unload.
  • Location: Epod Epod Consol Job Load - extra "Epod" in description.


Scope

This change will be applied to system version 1.X on CTLDEV and once approved CTLTST and customer QA systems.


Impact

CONFIGURATION SET-UP

Pre-requisites

None


Menu Structure

N/A


Data

N/A


Implementation Advice

The existing debrief documentation within CALIDUS Assist must be updated to reflect the configuration of the process.


FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION

General Parameter Description

This section defines the parameters that control the EPOD interface.

This is based heavily on the existing interface within CTMS - see the documentation of that process for details.

http://172.198.45.54/calidus-assist/MTS/index.php/C-ePOD_Interface


  • Organisation:
    • Epod Enabled - if this is enabled, then EPOD is available to the system. May be overridden by flags at other lower levels. When a trip or order changes, and this flag is set, the trip should be automatically re-sent to EPOD.
    • WS Address - the EPOD import webservice address. Values Y/N.
    • Site Id Format - from which data to generate the site IDs for the data sent to EPOD. EPL_SITE_ID is on all EPOD tables (like EPOD_LOAD, EPOD_JOB, EPOD_PRODUCT, etc). Values are:
      • DB - the Database Name(DB)
      • CC - the organisation/Cost Centre
      • CI - Carrier ID
      • CA - Carrier Group - the process should use the trip carrier's EPOD_SITE_ID if set, or the trip carrier's carrier ID if not.
    • Job Group Format - Indicates whether the value passed in the EPL Job Group to EPOD is:
      • CC - the Cost Centre/organisation
      • CI - Carried ID
      • CG - Customer Group
      • CU - Customer - see the carrier-specific parameters.
    • Complete on RTD - a flag indicating for the process to complete the Trip when RTD job sent back from EPOD. Specifically, if this flag is set, then if EPOD sends back a job that begins RTD, automatically set the trip to COMPLETE status when this is received. When this is not enabled or not present (i.e. the default behaviour), the trip status is not set. The default behaviour is all that is required for EBB. Values Y/N.
  • Location Type:
    • Consol Job Load - if set, then all jobs from locations of this type generated to EPOD should be sent with the EPL_LINKED_ID set to the stop number. This indicates that the jobs are to be consolidated on EPOD. If unset, do not set the field. This only applies to loading/collection jobs. Values Y/N.
    • Consol Job Unload - if set, then all jobs to locations of this type generated to EPOD should be sent with the EPL_LINKED_ID set to the stop number. This indicates that the jobs are to be consolidated on EPOD. If unset, do not set the field. This only applies to unloading/delivery jobs. Values Y/N.
    • Job Group Load - if set, then this flag over-rides the standard organisation level job group format for jobs from locations of this type. Use the value in this field instead. Applies only to loading/collection jobs. The value is the job group to be used.
    • Job Group Unload - if set, then this flag over-rides the standard organisation level job group format for jobs to locations of this type. Use the value in this field instead. Applies only to unloading/delivery jobs. The value is the job group to be used.
    • Send Details Load - if set, then this flag controls whether EPOD_CONTAINER or EPOD_PRODUCT records are sent to EPOD. In this case, if not enabled, send only the EPOD_JOB record. This applies only to loading/collection jobs from locations of this type.
    • Send Details Unload - if set, then this flag controls whether EPOD_CONTAINER or EPOD_PRODUCT records are sent to EPOD. In this case, if not enabled, send only the EPOD_JOB record. This applies only to unloading/delivery jobs to locations of this type.
    • Send Job Load - this flag amended the organisation or carrier-level settings over whether jobs are sent to EPOD. If this is not enabled, then the job from locations of this type should not be sent. This applies only to loading/collection jobs from locations of this type.
    • Send Job Unload - this flag amended the organisation or carrier-level settings over whether jobs are sent to EPOD. If this is not enabled, then the job to locations of this type should not be sent. This applies only to unloading/delivery jobs to locations of this type.
  • Location - the location parameters mirror the location type parameters above. In all cases, if the parameter does not exist at location level it should default to location type level. Note Note: It is STRONGLY recommended that these parameters are named identically, and that a single query is used to retrieve the value of this flag, looking for either location type or location parameter values for the same parameter name, and sorting the results so that the location one is provided in preference to the location type value.
    • Epod Consol Job Load - if set, then all jobs from this location generated to EPOD should be sent with the EPL_LINKED_ID set to the stop number. This indicates that the jobs are to be consolidated on EPOD. If unset, do not set the field. This only applies to loading/collection jobs. Values Y/N.
    • Epod Consol Job Unload - if set, then all jobs to this location generated to EPOD should be sent with the EPL_LINKED_ID set to the stop number. This indicates that the jobs are to be consolidated on EPOD. If unset, do not set the field. This only applies to unloading/delivery jobs. Values Y/N.
    • Epod Job Group Load - if set, then this flag over-rides the standard organisation level job group format for jobs from this location. Use the value in this field instead. Applies only to loading/collection jobs. The value is the job group to be used.
    • Epod Job Group Unload - if set, then this flag over-rides the standard organisation level job group format for jobs to this location. Use the value in this field instead. Applies only to unloading/delivery jobs. The value is the job group to be used.
    • Epod Send Details Load - if set, then this flag controls whether EPOD_CONTAINER or EPOD_PRODUCT records are sent to EPOD. In this case, if not enabled, send only the EPOD_JOB record. This applies only to loading/collection jobs from this location.
    • Epod Send Details Unload - if set, then this flag controls whether EPOD_CONTAINER or EPOD_PRODUCT records are sent to EPOD. In this case, if not enabled, send only the EPOD_JOB record. This applies only to unloading/delivery jobs to this location.
    • Epod Send Job Load - this flag amended the organisation or carrier-level settings over whether jobs are sent to EPOD. If this is not enabled, then the job from this location should not be sent. This applies only to loading/collection jobs from this location.
    • Epod Send Job Unload - this flag amended the organisation or carrier-level settings over whether jobs are sent to EPOD. If this is not enabled, then the job to this location should not be sent. This applies only to unloading/delivery jobs to this location.
  • Carrier Group:
    • EPOD Site - this is required for the setting of site ID through method "CA", set against the organisation parameter. This is also used when sending all standing data to EPOD (through the Organisation setting of Site ID format).
  • Carrier:
    • EPOD Enabled - this over-rides the organisation-level parameter. If this is disabled, and the trip is set to this carrier, then the trip is not sent to EPOD at all.
    • Send to EPOD Col - this modifies other parameters at Location, Location Type or Organisation level. If set, then we MAY send the loading/collection jobs for trips assigned to this carrier. The process would then check the location type/location settings of the location in question to determine whether the process SHOULD send jobs for this location and carrier.
    • Send to EPOD Del - this modifies other parameters at Location, Location Type or Organisation level. If set, then we MAY send the unloading/delivery jobs for trips assigned to this carrier. The process would then check the location type/location settings of the location in question to determine whether the process SHOULD send jobs for this location and carrier.
  • Customer : EPOD-enabled - this over-rides the organisation and carrier-level flags. If the organisation is EPOD-enabled, and the carrier is EPOD-enabled, if the customer for the order is NOT EPOD-enabled, then do not send the jobs for this customer's orders to EPOD.


Settings

Setting of Site should be configurable on all messages to EPOD - this is as configured against the system.

Setting of Job Group should be configurable. This is as configured against the Location (if present), the location type (if present) or finally the default against the system.

Setting of what details to send to EPOD and at what level:

  • Are we sending order lines?
  • Are we sending order items?
  • Are we sending as Containers?
  • Are we sending as Products?
  • Are we sending as Products within Container?

This should be already configurable through the parameters against location, location type and system.

Setting for Consolidation of Jobs.

  • Through the Location Type of the location of the stop.

This should be already configurable through the parameters against location and location type.

Setting as to how to send EPOD UOMs standing data (i.e. DU Types = UOMs) - this is a new system-level configuration, required for EBB.


Standing Data

Send Standing data to EPOD when modified/created. This includes:

  • users
  • vehicles
  • reason codes
  • du types (subject to configuration whether to send these as type "DU_TYPE" or "UOM").

In all cases, the Site configuration should determine whether a user is sent to multiple sites.

So, if configured for Carrier ID, should send to the carrier for whom this resource is configured. If this is not a carrier resource (reason codes, du types), these should be sent to all carriers.

If the assignment of a resource to a carrier is removed, the resource should be deleted from the site, if site configured for the carrier.

If the assignment of a resource to a carrier is added, the resource should be deleted from the site, if site configured for the carrier. If for

If the resource is deleted, the resource should be removed from the site.


Trip Send from CTL-TMS to EPOD

If trailer IDs are assigned to the trip, then the trailer ID should be sent on both the Load and on the job.

All modifications to trips already sent to EPOD must be re-triggered to EPOD immediately. So, changing quantities/adding orders to/removing orders from trips that have been sent to EPOD must immediately trigger the resend of that whole trip to EPOD.

If a trip is manually debriefed within CTL-TMS, the trip status should be automatically marked as complete in EPOD.

This is not required if the trip is completed through EPOD updating a trip to completed.

This requires a sending of the EPOD_LOAD message with EPL_STATUS set to "X". It need not include the jobs. Care should be taken to ensure that the EPOD_LOAD message is sent with all other columns set as they were when the load was active - if any of the other fields are changed, the changes will be reflected in EPOD.


Job Update from EPOD to CTL-TMS

There should be no generic changes to the EPOD interface, although there are changes to this specifically for EBB Paper (detailed elsewhere).


Load Updated

The EPOD_LOAD message may be sent by EPOD when either:

  • the load is started.
  • the load is completed.

This message will be used to update:

  • Start load metrics (EPL_MILEAGE_START).
  • End load metrics (EPL_MILEAGE_END).
  • EN-ROUTE status (if trip not completed, EPL_STATUS should be "I").
  • Debrief arrival and departure times for the first stop (EPL_LOAD_START_ACTUAL_DATE/TIME).

The message also indicates if the load is cancelled (EPL_STATUS = "X") or fully completed (EPL_STATUS = "C").



APPENDIX A: DOCUMENT HISTORY

References

Ref NoDocument Title & IDVersionDate
1   


Glossary

Term Definition
Transport Terms
Audit Log A log of events that have happened in the C-TL system. It could include information, error, debug or audit messages. Users are able to search for messages of a certain type, on a certain day and from a certain area of the system.
Activity The activity at a stop. Usually loading or unloading.
Asset A traceable DU; the item that is tracked during delivery and collection. This Asset has a type (e.g. Cage, Tet, etc).
Backloads Orders that are placed on a pre-existing trip at the end of the trip before returning to the depot. They may be for customers other than the customer that is paying for the full trip and may result in a rebate to the customer, and a charge to the backload order’s customer.
Booking A quantity of a single Product Type on a single DU Type to be delivered from one location to another on particular date but not at a particular time. These records are usually created by the Auto Summary process. These records are displayed in the main view on the Bookings form.
BUE Base Unit Equivalent. Also RPE (Regular Pallet Equivalent). A means of comparing transport unit type size. For example, a Standard Pallet may equate to 1 BUE, a Large Board may equate to 2 BUEs, a carton may equate to 0.02 BUE. This is used to estimate volume and therefore capacity of vehicles within CTL-TMS. Typically this is based on a standard 1 cubic metre pallet.
C-ePOD CALIDUS EPOD, OBS Logistics' app-enabled trip execution system.
C-Portal CALIDUS Portal, OBS Logistics' web-enabled external access system. Also, any electronic internet-based system designed to access functionality for a particular purpose (for example, customer enquiries, supplier activity, track and trace, etc.).
Carrier The carrier completing the trip. Can comprise any carrier configured in the system, but normally Home Fleet (usually a carrier per depot), 3rd-party carriers, supplier-/customer-own transport, own collection, etc.
Case A Case of individual packets of a product e.g. a case of Cornflake packets.
Consolidating Centre A depot that takes delivery of goods from several origins and consolidates them for trunking to out-bases (q.v.) or final delivery to destinations. See also Consolidation.
Consolidation In execution terms, this is the act of taking several jobs and combining them into a single execution job. This can be by several criteria but is broadly defined as: Same Location consolidation, where the delivery/collection points are identical; Linked Location, where the deliver/collection points have been configured to be seen as the same point within CTL-TMS and; Manual (Ad Hoc) Consolidation, where the driver decides that two jobs should be delivered/collected at the same time.
Containerisation The action of taking items and placing them inside another item for tracking purposes. See also Asset.
Cost The cost to the operation of running the trip. The cost is generated from the carrier's rate card. Cost is generated from the trip.
Cross-Dock Also a specific location at which product is exchanged.
CTL-TMS CALIDUS Total Logistics TMS, OBS Logistics' Transport Management System.
CTM This refers to the Carrier Trip Management module within C-TL.
Customer In 3PL terms, the customer on behalf of which the transport is being operated.
Debrief Comprises multiple parts: Stop debrief, where actual arrival and departure times against a trip are entered; Order debrief, where actual product and item quantities are entered; Driver/Trip debrief, where additional information is captured from the driver relating to the trip.
Demurrage; Detention Any time spent loading, unloading or waiting that is outside contractual obligation in execution of a trip. This usually incurs additional charges.
Depot Any location that schedules and controls transport.
Despatch In transport terms, the process of loading and despatching items out of a depot. The process of loading and despatching may be controlled by C-MCS (q.v.). See also Loading.
DMS Document Management Systems: Systems than manage the storage and viewing of (predominantly) scanned documents. Usually these systems also include some automation and indexing routines.
DOT Delivery On Time - see OTIF.
Driver Comprising drivers and crew assigned to a trip.
DU Despatch Unit type e.g. Standard Roll Pallet.
Drivers Day A schedule of work that a driver would undertake in a day including any rest periods and breaks.
EDI Electronic Data Interchange - a mechanism by which 2 systems can communicate normally without user intervention.
ERP Enterprise Resource Planning.
Fixed Route Template A template in CTL-TMS that provides a series of timed slots into which orders will fit. This can be used to create fixed routes (q.v.) and also as a template for cross-docking and grouping similar orders together.
Fixed Route In transport terms, a fixed route is a trip comprised of a series of fixed stops that are typically always visited. A CTL-TMS fixed route template (q.v.) can be used to create these.
Fuel Surcharge An additional charge that may be applied to a Transport charge to reflect the increasing price of fuel.
Item A single (usually unique) item for delivery/collection. A general terms, distinct from the TU of the deliverable item e.g. Pallet, Package, etc.
Load CTL-TMS: A trip that encompasses just a vehicle-full of items, or one journey out and back to a depot.
Loading In transport terms, the process of loading and despatching items out of a depot. The process of loading and despatching may be controlled by C-MCS (q.v.). See also Despatch.
Location In CTL-TMS terms, a trip comprises visits or drops to many locations. A location can be of many different types.
Location Types Usually one of: Depot, Customer, Delivery/Collection Location, Store, etc.
Location Zone Also Zone; A grouping of included or excluded postal regions, zones or post codes. These are used in fixed route templates to determine whether orders from or to locations should be included in any trips created from them.
MCS Mobile Control System
MSMQ Microsoft Message Queue – a method of interfacing with another system using Microsoft based technology.
OBD On-Board Diagnostics - an automotive term referring to a vehicle's self-diagnostic and reporting capabilities. Also CANbus.
ODBC Open Database Connectivity – A method of communicating with an external database from a program outside of the database environment.
Optimisation Route Building and Optimisation.
Order An instruction to deliver specific quantities of one or more Product Types on particular DU types from one location to another at a particular time; a transport movement.
Order Item An individual, usually unique item for collection or deliver.
Order Line An order can be made up of different order lines (i.e. an order from one location to another can contain many lines such as 20 ambient pallets and 20 chilled pallets).
Order Status The lifecycle of an order. Typically: Unscheduled; Scheduled (or Sheduled for Collection for cross-docked orders); Completed; Cancelled.
Order Type This defines the category of the order, and is intrinsically linked to revenue and cost tariffs.
Organization A part of an organization to which costs may be charged for accounting purposes. For CTL-TMS, this is used for accounting purposes, and also to generally configure the system.
OTIF On Time In Full - Success metrics to measure successful completion of an order.
Out-base A regional depot for collection and delivery in this local area. See also: RDC; ROC.
Payment Monies paid by a cost centre to a third party such as a carrier.
Plan A term used to describe the result from scheduling Orders onto Trips. The first set of Trips may be referred to as 'Plan A', with a subsequent, more accurate plan later in the day being referred to as 'Plan B'.
Post Schedule The period after Orders have been scheduled in the Scheduling Program and then returned to C-TL. Any subsequent manipulation of these Orders would be Post Schedule manipulation.
Pre Schedule The period before Orders have been scheduled in the Scheduling Program and then returned to C-TL. Any manipulation of these Orders would be Pre Schedule manipulation.
Product Item Another term for a case or SKU.
Product Quantity A quantity of a single Product Item or SKU to be delivered from one location to another on particular date but not at a particular time. These records are created by the inbound Bookings interface process. These records are displayed in the View Detail screen on the Bookings form.
Product Summary Another term for Booking.
Product Type The category that a Product Item, Case or SKU falls in to, usually associated with temperature e.g. FROZEN, PERISHABLE, AMBIENT.
Rate Card See Tariffs.
Reason Codes Of many types, defining exceptions: Adjustment, Non-conformance, Order.
Recalculate Distance and Times A C-TL function that is applied to a trip. The function checks the properties of the trip to ensure that it meets the defined rules for a trip in respect of drive times and driver’s breaks.
RDC; ROC Regional Distributions Centre and Regional Operating Centre. For transport operations with multiple depots, these depots are used for the final delivery.
Region Geographical Region. Also, Postal Region.
Receipt In transport terms, the process of receiving and uploading items into a depot. The process of receipt and unloading may be controlled by C-MCS (q.v.). See also Unloading.
Resource General term grouping the executors of a trip. Carriers, Drivers, Crew, Tractors, Vehicles, Trailers.
Revenue Monies received by an organisation from a third party such as a customer. Revenue is generated from an order, based on the customer's rate card.
Route A route is a fixed route that is repeated. A Trip is a unique trip, which may be created from a route.
Schedule The period to which a set of Orders and Trips will be assigned and scheduled. Usually, but not necessarily, a single day of the week so referred to as a Schedule Date that runs from 22:00 – 22:00 e.g. Schedule Date 11th July 2002 runs from 22:00 10-July-16 to 22:00 11-July-16.
Scheduled Order An Order that has been scheduled onto a Trip by the scheduling process.
Service Levels; Service Types Typically used to determine additional services for an order, or a quicker transport service.
Shunt A trunk (q.v.) movement between depots using the trunk network, typically of a much shorter length than a trunk movement.
SKU Stock Keeping Unit – another term for a Case.
Stop See Trip Stop.
Stop Type Along with the activity (q.v.), defines the stop use. Usually: SU - Start-up; PK - Pick-up; DL - Delivery; CL - Close-down.
Supplier A supplier brings goods to your transport operation for delivery through the transport network. This is used when transport customers have relationships with suppliers for delivery, but the transport operation has a relationship with the customer.
Surcharges Any changes applied to an invoice at invoice stage, rather than generated from the order or trip itself. Examples are: Fuel Surcharge/Rebate, Demurrage.
Tariffs Rate Cards, forming the basis of generating trip/carrier costs and order revenue.
TI Transport Instruction – another term for an Order.
TLM Transport Logistics Manager.
TMS Ref A unique transport movement ID, referring to a single transport movement request.
Tractor The driver cab, pulling the trailer.
Trailer The trailer carrying the goods. Can be several types.
Trans-Ship The process of receiving, cross-docking and despatching items within a depot, usually within a single transaction. In this implementation, this is the process at the RDC (q.v.).
Transport Any portion of an operation that deals with the execution of trips; the transport management office.
Trip A routed Truck Load of goods. For example, a trip that begins at Depot 1 where an Order is loaded, then travels to Store 1 where the Order is unloaded. Typically the trip would then return to Depot 1 to terminate the trip.
Trip Manipulation The manipulation of Scheduled Trips, whether it be to add a Carrier or to completely recalculate times on the Trip.
Trip Status The lifecycle of a trip. Typically: Planned; Tendered; Accepted; En-Route; Completed.
Trip Stop Stops within a trip at which specific activities would take place such as the loading or unloading of goods.
Trunk A route between depots, transporting goods usually to be delivered from the destination depot, but any transfer of goods from the original receiving or originating depot in the network to the final delivery depot (the out-base).
TU Transport Unit - box, tray, cage, tet, etc.; Also Asset, Asset Type.
TTM CALIDUS Portal TTM; Track and Trace Module; OBS Logistics' application dedicated to tracking and tracing order events with inputs from several external systems.
Unloading The process of receiving and uploading items into a depot. The process of receipt and unloading may be controlled by C-MCS (q.v.). See also Receiving.
Unscheduled Order An Order that is yet to be scheduled onto a Trip by the scheduling process.
Vehicle A generic term for a tractor (q.v.). This term may also be used to specifically identify a fixed tractor/trailer combination, for example a van, luton, etc.
Warehouse This is a depot in CTL-TMS that is seen to be a warehouse, or origin and storage point for product for delivery.
Application Usage Terms
Check box A box that when checked indicates that the item to the left is enabled. If unchecked, this is disabled or not in use.
DDL; Drop-down List A series of pre-designated answers to a particular question on a device, rather than requiring the user to key the answer in in full.
Field A single point of data entry on a screen, for example, a text box, drop-down list, check box, etc.
Look-up A pop-up window specifically designed to allow searching for and selected pre-configured data.
Pop-up A window (q.v.) that appears over the top of the open window.
Screen The functional area, for example, "the Debrief screen". All functionality for this functional area is contained within this screen.
Window The area of the browser used to display the screen and all contained entities.


Authorised By


Neil Appadu
OBS Development Manager
_____________________________

Dave Meir
Product Manager
_____________________________
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