EDI for receiving & shipping

Concepts

EDI in dock work: what it is and why it matters

• EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is how Themis-Trace exchanges receiving and shipping information with customers.
• For floor operations, EDI matters because it can:
  • Reduce manual communication (calls, emails, spreadsheets).
  • Give customers near-real-time visibility when product is received or shipped.
  • Create clearer expectations when a customer asks “did you receive it?” or “did you ship it?”

Two message types you’ll hear about most on the dock

• During receiving/shipping, you will most commonly hear:
  • 856 (IN/OUT)
    • Often used as a shipping or receiving “notice” message, depending on direction and customer configuration.
  • 861 (OUT)
    • Used to confirm what was received (a receipt/receiving advice).
• You do not need the technical payload. You do need to know which message type is involved so you can communicate clearly.

Where EDI shows up in Themis-Trace receiving and shipping

• EDI generally touches two moments in your workflow:
  • Receiving: when orders/items arrive and are received into inventory.
  • Shipping: when shipments are completed and items are confirmed as shipped.
• Your job is not “to send EDI.” Your job is to perform the workflow correctly — EDI is a downstream effect that keeps customers in sync.

Receiving: when EDI matters

What you might see

• In some facilities/customers, receiving orders are created or updated based on inbound EDI from the customer.
• Regardless of how the order is created, the key “operator moment” is the same: Receive Into Inventory.

What typically happens after you receive

• When you successfully complete Receive Into Inventory (Save & Close), Themis-Trace can generate an EDI 861 (OUT) to notify the customer what was received (if EDI is enabled for that customer).
• Receiving can be partial (some items now, some later). Each completed receiving action can produce a separate confirmation.

Shipping: when EDI matters

What typically happens after you ship

• When you successfully complete Complete Shipment, Themis-Trace can generate an EDI 856 (OUT) for the shipment (if EDI is enabled for that customer).
• The purpose is to notify the customer what was shipped, so their system can reconcile shipments and inventory.

What this means operationally

• Treat shipping as a controlled “final” step. If the wrong items are shipped (or timestamps are wrong), the customer may receive incorrect confirmation.
• If something needs to be corrected after shipping, escalate — don’t improvise.

How to escalate an EDI-related issue (operator checklist)

When something doesn’t line up, capture:

1. The workflow you performed (Receiving vs Shipping) and the exact action (Receive Into Inventory vs Complete Shipment).
2. The customer and facility.
3. The order/shipment identifier (BOL / order number / schedule item ID, as applicable).
4. The item IDs involved.
5. The approximate time you completed the action.
6. What the customer claims they received (missing items, wrong status, no message, etc.).

Where to verify transmissions (when available)

• Access the EDI Transmissions tab on operational records.
• Use it to confirm whether a receiving/shipping action resulted in an EDI message being recorded.
• Confirm that EDI has been enabled for the current Customer context.
• If you need to escalate, include:
  • Customer(s)
  • Order/shipment identifier(s)
  • Item IDs