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      Customer Facing EDI Support

      Streamlined EDI Integration for Seamless Shipment Management and Tracking

      Tai TMS offers robust EDI functionality tailored to meet your end customers' needs for automating shipment creation, tracking, and invoicing processes. Our Integration Team ensures a seamless setup, which may include applicable setup fees.

      Tai TMS is built to process EDI files using the X12 - 4010 Standard as its foundation. However, we can customize our processing to support other X12 standards based on your specific requirements. File transmissions are supported via FTP, SFTP, FTPS, or AS2 protocols.

      To get started, please complete and return the following form:   Tai Software EDI Information Sheet along with any sample files or specifications provided by your customer.

      Table of Contents

      1. Supported EDI Documents

      2. EDI Workflow For Shipments

      3. EDI Project Discovery/Integration Workflow

      Supported EDI Documents:

       

      • 204 (Load Tender - Incoming): Customers send a load tender, and Tai creates a shipment.

        • Transaction Purposes:
          • 00 (Original): Creates shipments within the TMS, and will trigger a notification email.
          • 04 (Change): Notifies users of requested updates via email; changes require manual updates but are logged in the activity log for reference.
          • 01 (Cancellation): Sends email notifications; cancellations must be handled manually.

      • 997 (Functional Acknowledgment): Confirms receipt of the 204.

      • 990 (Load Tender Response):

          • Accepts/rejects shipments.
      • 214 (Status Updates - Outgoing): Provides shipment status updates (e.g., In Transit, Out for Delivery, Delivered).
      • 210 (Invoicing): Submits invoices (210) to customers when enabled.

       

      EDI Workflow For Shipments:


      Key Points to Keep in Mind

      • Dispatch Requests (204):
        Customers initiate the process by sending a dispatch request, which builds the shipment in Tai TMS.
        • Shipment Creation:
          The shipment is created in Quote status within the TMS.
      • Acknowledgment (997):
        Tai confirms receipt of the dispatch request by returning a functional acknowledgment.
      • Shipment Updates (990):
        • Moving the shipment from Quoted to Committed generates a 990 Acceptance.
        • Canceling the shipment triggers a 990 Rejection.
      • Status Updates (214):
        Tai offers two flexible processes for status updates, tailored to shipment needs:

        • Status-Based Updates:

          • Optimized for First Pick/Last Drop shipments.
            • Status changes trigger specific EDI codes for streamlined updates.

        • Stop-Based Updates:

          • Ideal for Multi-Stop shipments.
            • Each date and time entry generates a distinct 214 file, ensuring accurate tracking for every stop.

      Refer to your specific EDI project sheet to confirm which process is configured for your integration.

      • Invoicing (210):
        When an invoice is generated in the TMS, Tai submits it via EDI (210).
        • Customers set up for EDI 210s can regenerate invoices through the Generate Digital Invoice button. This feature is available when the preferred invoicing method is set to Digital.

       

      EDI Project Workflow:

       

      1. Project Initiation & Requirement Gathering

      1. Upon receiving a project request and specifications from the partner, the Integration Team reviews all provided details to initiate the process.
      2. New Customers: The Onboarding Team informs the Integration Team about new customer projects. The Integration Team then requests the required specifications to kick off the project.
      3. Existing Customers: The Integration Team directly requests specifications from the partner.
      4. If specifications are not received within 2 weeks of the initial request, the project will be placed on hold, and priority will shift to other active projects.

      2. Scope Definition

      1. A detailed scope document is created based on the received specifications, clearly outlining objectives, requirements, and deliverables.
      2. Tai commits to delivering the initial scope within 1 week of receiving the specifications.

      3. Scope Review & Confirmation

      1. The draft scope is shared with the broker for review and discussion. During this phase, all necessary adjustments (e.g., hardcoding, default settings) are addressed to ensure complete alignment.
      2. If confirmation is not received within 1 week, the project will be placed on hold, and priority will shift to other projects.
      3. The scope is maintained as a living document via Google Docs, allowing for real-time updates and serving as the central repository for project information.

      4. SOW Approval & Project Commencement

      1. Upon scope approval, a formal Statement of Work (SOW) is prepared, detailing project terms, deliverables, and timelines.
      2. Once the SOW is finalized and signed by all parties, the Integration Team proceeds with mapping activities as outlined in the scope and SOW.
      3. If the SOW is not signed within 1 week of being sent, the project will be placed on hold and reprioritized.
      4. Any changes requested by the broker after go-live, due to a failure to flag scope/SOW inconsistencies earlier, will incur additional charges. Refer to: Additional Services Policy.

      5. Mapping & Configuration

      1. The Integration Team completes system mapping and configuration in accordance with the approved scope and SOW.
      2. Tai commits to completing the mapping within 1 week after the SOW is signed and will notify the broker to prepare for testing.

      6. Testing & Feedback

      1. Testing begins in collaboration with the EDI partner/customer, during which any final adjustments or additional requirements are addressed. Whenever possible, testing is conducted in a production environment to ensure accuracy.
      2. If Tai does not receive the required test shipment information or additional files within 2 weeks, we will assume successful integration and proceed with the go-live process.

      7. Go-Live

      1. Upon successful testing and validation, Tai coordinates with the partner/customer to establish the go-live date, ensuring all stakeholders are aligned and prepared.
      2. If a green light is not received within 2 weeks following testing, Tai will assume no outstanding issues and move forward with the go-live.

      3. If issues are reported after go-live and the project was activated due to a lack of response during testing, we will deactivate the connection, if requested by the customer, and investigate the concerns within one week of notification.