Descartes Systems Group the global leader in logistics technology, unveiled significant extensions to its Logistics Flow Control solution. The new modules provide retailers with better coordination of supplier-managed shipments and synchronize commercial and logistics documentation required for accurate import duty filings.

Part of Descartes' Logistics Technology Platform, Logistics Flow Control is the next generation retail inbound logistics management solution designed for rapid return-on-investment. It is a multi-party

Microsoft-based cloud solution that breaks the paradigm of having to coordinate multiple parties with multiple systems that have historically made inbound retail supply chains inefficient and hard to manage. With Logistics Flow Control,retailers, suppliers, carriers and brokers can use the same solution to manage the "purchase order to warehouse receipt" process, helping retailers to:

  • Improve control of inventory in motion;
  • Reduce purchase order cycle time, transportation costs, inventory carrying costs, and custom filing fines; and;
  • Measure supplier and carrier performance. ;

    • "Working with leading drug store, home goods and apparel retailers, we've developed a comprehensive solution that gives retailers better end-to-end control of their inbound supply chain," said Chris Jones,

    Executive Vice President Marketing & Services at Descartes. "By leveraging data across all of the parties involved in the inbound supply chain, we're helping retailers simultaneously manage their commercial, logistics and customs filing processes."

    New modules include Descartes Load Flow Control and Descartes Import Compliance.

  • Descartes Load Flow Control manages supplier-controlled freight, by providing the retailer, and its suppliers and carriers, with purchase order visibility and consolidation that is synchronized with the retailer's available dock appointment times. The traditional coordination process from supplier to carrier to retailer is streamlined, as the dock appointment is confirmed at the time of purchase order consolidation, thereby reducing total delivery time. ;

    • Retailers have the ability to control what purchase orders get consolidated by the supplier and managing their movement in-transit.

    Changes to the schedule by any party are measured against a date validation guide, helping to ensure that deliveries comply with purchase order commitments.

  • Descartes Import Compliance is a collaborative supply chain document management solution that facilitates the consolidation of information required by importers into a concise and accurate electronic data set -- the shipment folder. With all the required information in a single location, the retailer can create an accurately rated commercial invoice ready for the broker or self-filing retailer to transmit to the customer. A properly rated commercial invoice ensures that the retailer pays the proper duties and taxes, eliminating filing-related fines. The solution includes: consolidation of purchase orders and shipment notifications into a customs ready shipment folder; Harmonized Tariff.

Schedule (HTS) classification code updates through third party HTS services; scanning and sending of imaged documents; imaged document storage; broker's package completeness validation; imaged document delivery management to the customs broker; and Canadian Release Notification System (RNS) release notification. All of this data can be shared directly through Descartes' Global Logistics Network or accessed through the specific user-right managed portals.