Once the order is dispatched, the logistics applications monitor the shipment delivered flag in your dispatching system. When the flag is set, the application will send an alert to a CSR and the carrier if the delivery documents are not received in a specified time. As documents are received they are "checked in" by document type. If a needed document type is not received, the documents are placed in a suspend queue and a notification is sent to the carrier informing them that their settlement is suspended based on the document type that is missing. Once all the necessary documents are inventoried, they are sorted by your business rules and a freight bill is generated. If the 3PL requires billing to be performed prior to carrier settlements or if a carrier on a quick pay program billing packet enters workflow, it is moved in workflow to bill status to meet the quick pay policy.
As a freight bill is created, it is captured and placed in a freight bill audit queue. In this queue the freight bill can be viewed with the supporting delivery documents. If an error is found, it can be marked and sent back to the biller. Errors are placed on the biller's scorecard and alerts are sent to management if the biller exceeds standards or if additional training is needed.
Once the freight bill is completed, it may be printed, posted to the 3PL's website, emailed, or placed in an EDI 210 format. Immediate Document Exchange (IDE) will place an indexed TIFF file into the shipper's accounts payable system if they have an imaging system. If the shipper requires billing information to be entered into a web portal, the billing application can open the web portal and place the data into the site automatically. Additionally, the amount to be paid can be audited and exceptions will be placed in a review queue.
