Parcel Shipping for IBM i (AS/400) Power Systems

Parcel Shipping Technology

ShipSoft-Parcel Suite
Carrier Compliance

For over a decade, Varsity has been a leading provider of multi-carrier transportation management systems (TMS) for companies who need parcel shipping capabilities. Varsity’s parcel shipping suite, designed exclusively for IBM i (AS/400) Power systems, is an integrated suite of advanced supply chain execution modules for the most complex small package shipping and auditing requirements.

Varsity’s parcel shipping solution automates every step of the small package shipping process–from order entry all the way through to shipment track and trace and report creation.

It seamlessly integrates with legacy, ERP, and Order Entry systems running on IBM i (AS/400) Power systems through standard interfaces maintained by Varsity. Varsity’s parcel shipping solution also includes the industry’s first IBM i-based auditing package, for those companies who wish to reduce their freight expense even further.

&nbsp

ShipSoft-Parcel

ShipSoft-Parcel is a complete, integrated transportation management solution that automates the entire small package shipping process.
&nbsp

ShipSoft can:

• Manage the selection of carriers
• Optimize shipment pricing
• Ensure label and manifesting compliance for major parcel carriers, including DHL, FedEx, UPS, and the United States Postal Service.

&nbsp
ShipSoft also performs additional value-added services such as:

• Hundredweight consolidation
• Document generation
• Maintains detailed historical information on all shipments for future reference and reporting
• Acts as the controlling application for all other Varsity software modules

By providing an integrated, automated shipping solution, ShipSoft-Parcel enhances customer service, eliminates data entry, and drastically reduces overall shipping costs.

Learn more about ShipSoft-Parcel
&nbsp
Varsity’s Supply Chain Execution Modules for Parcel:

• Ship Select
• ShipPack™
• ShipOptimizer™
• ShipTalk™
• ShipAudit
• Speed Weigh™
• TransData

&nbsp
ShipSelect: ShipSelect automates the carrier selection process for any shipment, based on criteria such as:

• Transit time
• Carrier preference
• Cost
• Mode
• Performance
• and Carrier Service Types to select the optimal carrier.

This guarantees the user chooses the optimal carrier for every shipment while conforming to routing guide and business requirements. By performing the carrier selection process upstream, ShipSelect ensures that the customers’ shipping requirements are exactly met at the time the order is placed.

Learn more about ShipSelect

ShipTalk: ShipTalk is an electronic link to third-party carriers that provides real-time communications and access to delivery status and shipment tracking information. ShipTalk provides up-to-the-minute order status, minimizes late deliveries, and enables efficient supply chain management through pipeline visibility and email alerts messaging.

Learn more about ShipTalk
&nbsp
ShipPack: ShipPack, Varsity’s pick/pack module, captures item-level detail during the packing process and reconciles packed items against the pick ticket. ShipPack automatically generates ASN 856 (Advanced Shipment Notification), UCC 128 labels, and other package documents in the format that consignees require. By providing these compliance tools, ShipPack allows customers to easily conform to consignee requirements, quickly verify the accuracy of shipments, and avoid routing guide penalties for non-compliance.

Learn more about ShipPack
&nbsp
ShipOptimizer: Ship Optimizer identifies the ideal containerization process and the actual rates at the time of order entry or online. It accurately predicts shipping costs and the number of boxes or containers needed, prior to processing the order.

Learn more about ShipOptimizer
&nbsp
ShipAudit: ShipAudit, the industry’s first IBM i series-based freight auditing solution, reconciles actual carrier invoices against anticipated costs in order to prevent payment of over-charges, duplicate bills or invalid charges. ShipAudit eliminates costly third-party audit and administrative costs by automating the entire freight bill audit process.

Learn more about ShipAudit
&nbsp
SpeedWeigh: SpeedWeigh works with Varsity ShipSoft to allow shippers to automatically retrieve package weight from the shipping scale. Weight is pulled into ShipSoft at the time the order number is scanned, eliminating the need for an additional get-weight barcode scan or manual entry of package weight. ShipSoft combines package weight provided by SpeedWeigh with the destination, package dimensions, service type, and carrier rates to determine shipping costs. By using SpeedWeigh to eliminate the manual steps to scan or enter package weight, shippers improve accuracy, and streamline shipping applications.

Learn more about SpeedWeigh
&nbsp

Carrier Compliance

To make it as easy as possible for customers to work with their preferred carriers, Varsity offers a complete range of Carrier Compliance Kits (CCKs).

Each CCK contains carrier-specific:

• Rates
• Service types
• Labels
• Manifests
• and value-added services

&nbsp
Carriers supported with CCKs include BAX, DHL, FedEx, Purolator, UPS, the United States Postal Service, and Ontrac.

Ongoing compliance maintenance is part of every CCK. Varsity works directly with all of the major parcel carriers to maintain compliance. Behind every CCK release is a proven four-step philosophy that ensures the highest compliance standards:
&nbsp
Step 1: Pro-active Development
As a result of long-standing carrier relationships, Varsity receives advance notice of carrier plans for rate changes, new specifications, and services. Early notification provides the opportunity to plan for, and manage, the timely delivery of quality CCK upgrades.
&nbsp
Step 2: Deliver Quality
Varsity has over a decade of experience incorporating carrier changes into existing products. This expertise enables the rapid assessment and incorporation of each carrier’s unique specifications
without compromising software reliability.
&nbsp
Step 3: Certify and Test
By working closely and coordinating development with each carrier, Varsity is able to support each carrier’s electronic transmissions, documents, labels, rate changes, and service options.
&nbsp
Step 4: Software Distribution
Varsity customers receive CCK updates via FTP. To allow time for internal testing, Varsity works closely with carriers to make updates available in advance of carrier deadlines.

Varsity’s dedication to carrier certification allows our customers to ship with confidence knowing that their packages will be delivered on time, to the right place, at the least cost.

Contact Varsity today with questions or to schedule a demo.