VendorComplianceOnline

There are several key documents that must be reviewed and checked for changes frequently. The failure to notice and implement changes will almost certainly result in vendor compliance chargebacks.

Routing Guide: This document explains how to ship your merchandise to your trading partner. Information contained in here would probably include:

Carriers to use based on shipment characteristics (weight, volume, and/or number of pieces), as well as ship-from & ship-to points
Location of the ship-to points (distribution centers or stores)
Stores that are served by which distribution centers
Packing list, bill-of-lading, and manifest requirements
Web site for shipment scheduling

EDI Mapping Guidelines: There may be one document for each EDI transaction (i.e. 850, 810, 856, etc.) or the mapping guidelines may be contained in one document representing the current EDI version (i.e. 4010, 4030, etc.) used by your trading partner. Be careful to note the EDI version, especially if the transactions are separated into different documents. The EDI mapping guidelines direct how inbound and outbound EDI transactions (data) will be formatted.

Vendor Guidelines: This document covers all other aspects aside from routing and EDI mapping. The contents of this document may include:

General vendor performance and guidelines
Item, carton, and pallet barcode label specifications
Hanger, tag, poly bag specifications
Trading partner contact information
Setup, testing documentation, and procedures
Value Added Network & mailbox information

It is critically important to manage all of these documents, including past and upcoming versions by trading partner. Specific end-user information, found in the routing guide, must be reviewed by knowledgeable person(s) and re-documented in usable format for end user(s). New, upcoming guideline changes must be managed to ensure the transition is smooth and without error. For companies who define vendor compliance guidelines for their suppliers, the ability to manage version changes and implementations across timelines is just as important as it is for those companies complying with guidelines.