Direct store delivery
From truck loading to route reconciliation, in one solution
PRISM Direct Store Delivery (DSD) Management connects order processing, truck inventory, route sales, delivery execution and end-of-day reconciliation in one mobile-capable solution. From the moment a truck is loaded until it returns, PRISM tracks the products, transactions and activities needed to manage each delivery route.
What is direct store delivery?
Direct store delivery (DSD) is a model in which a supplier delivers products directly to customers' stores, often on its own trucks, instead of shipping to a distribution center. Each delivery is recorded and invoiced at the store level, so the truck inventory, the delivery records and the paperwork must all agree for the supplier to be paid in full.
Outcomes
What you can expect
Less manual paperwork
Orders, signatures, scanned documents, delivery receipts and invoices are captured on the route instead of being keyed afterward.
Accountability for truck inventory
Starting inventory is reconciled against sales, deliveries, returns, adjustments and remaining stock, so shortages and overages are identified.
Work continues without a connection
Sales representatives and drivers keep working offline, and recorded activity synchronizes when connectivity returns.
Approach
How ECOM delivers it
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Truck loading and inventory control
Build truck loads against planned orders, routes and anticipated route sales, and track inventory by truck, product, quantity and unit of measure.
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Mobile order management and route sales
Access customers, stops, open orders, catalogs, pricing and delivery instructions, deliver prebooked orders or create new ones at the customer.
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Connected and offline operations
Keep capturing orders, deliveries, inventory movements and signatures without internet service, and synchronize when connectivity returns.
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Delivery confirmation and document capture
Record delivered quantities and refusals, capture signatures, scan signed purchase orders with the device camera, and print receipts and invoices on supported mobile printers.
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Returns, credits and collections
Capture returns, damaged and expired goods and refusals with reason codes, create credit requests, and record payments collected on the route.
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Route completion and truck reconciliation
Track completed, skipped and rescheduled stops, reconcile starting inventory against the route, and produce route summaries with unresolved exceptions.
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ERP integration and management visibility
Connect route orders with back-office processing through PRISM's connector supporting 38 ERP systems, and give managers visibility into route progress and results.
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Retailer DSD documents
Where a retailer requires DSD documents, such as UCS or X12 store-level deliveries, invoices and adjustments, ECOM reviews that retailer's requirements and configures them.
Loading and route sales
Know what is on the truck and sell from it
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Truck loading and inventory control
Build truck loads against planned orders, delivery routes and anticipated route sales. Record starting inventory by truck, product, quantity and unit of measure, verify loaded quantities, and capture shortages, substitutions and loading discrepancies.
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Inventory movements on the route
Track deliveries, additional sales, returns, damaged goods and transfers throughout the route, and keep available truck stock visible to support selling and delivery decisions.
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Mobile order management and route sales
Access customer information, assigned stops, open orders, product catalogs, pricing and delivery instructions. Deliver prebooked orders or create new orders at the customer's location, and support additional sales from available truck inventory.
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Pricing, promotions and changes
Apply customer-specific pricing, discounts, promotions and applicable taxes. Record order changes, substitutions, refused items and the reasons for incomplete deliveries.
Offline operation and proof of delivery
Keep working, and keep the paperwork
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Connected and offline operations
Continue capturing orders, deliveries, inventory movements, signatures and supporting documents when internet service is unavailable. Keep route records on the mobile device through the workday and synchronize when connectivity returns.
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Audit trail for the office
Preserve transaction status and an audit trail so office teams can follow route activity and resolve exceptions.
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Delivery confirmation
Record delivered quantities, shortages, refusals and delivery completion. Capture customer signatures as proof of delivery.
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Document capture and printing
Use mobile scanning and the device camera to capture a signed purchase order or other supporting paperwork, and associate signatures, photographs and documents with the customer, order or delivery. Print delivery receipts, invoices and route documents on supported mobile printers.
Returns, collections and reconciliation
Close the route with confidence
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Returns, credits and collections
Capture product returns, damaged goods, expired products and customer refusals with reason codes. Track returned inventory separately from stock available for sale, and create credit requests or adjustments linked to the original transaction.
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Payments on the route
Record payments collected during the route and associate them with customer invoices. Reconcile collections, credits and outstanding balances at route close.
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Route completion and truck reconciliation
Track completed, skipped, unsuccessful and rescheduled stops. Reconcile starting inventory against sales, deliveries, returns, adjustments and remaining truck stock, and verify products unloaded when the truck returns.
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Exceptions and route summaries
Identify inventory shortages, overages, missing documents and transaction discrepancies, and produce route summaries covering sales, deliveries, returns, collections and unresolved exceptions.
ERP integration and visibility
Connect the route to the back office
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ERP integration
Connect route orders with back-office processing through PRISM's connector supporting 38 ERP systems. Exchange customer, product, pricing, inventory, delivery and financial information according to the configured ERP integration.
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Management visibility and reporting
Give managers visibility into route progress, sales activity, delivery results and reconciliation status. Support reporting on route productivity, customer service, product movement, returns and inventory variance.
Scenarios
Common scenarios
Beverage, snack and bakery distributors
Route drivers deliver to many stores a day, and each delivery needs a signature, a receipt and an invoice.
Dairy and other perishable suppliers
Frequent deliveries need accurate truck inventory, return reason codes and quick credit handling.
Distributors with field sales
Sales representatives create orders at the customer and sell from available truck stock.
Frequently asked questions
Can drivers work without an internet connection?
Yes. Sales representatives and drivers can keep capturing orders, deliveries, inventory movements and signatures offline, and the recorded activity synchronizes when connectivity returns.
How are signed purchase orders and receipts handled?
Customer signatures are captured as proof of delivery, the device camera can scan a signed purchase order or other paperwork, and supported mobile printers print delivery receipts and invoices.
Does it connect to our ERP?
PRISM Direct Store Delivery connects route orders with back-office processing through a connector supporting 38 ERP systems, according to the configured ERP integration.
Which documents do retailers use for direct store delivery?
It depends on the retailer. Grocery retailers often use UCS or X12 documents for store-level deliveries, invoices and adjustments. ECOM reviews each retailer's requirements before building.
How does DSD differ from shipping to a distribution center?
In DSD each store delivery is recorded and invoiced separately, so store-level accuracy matters more than with consolidated distribution center shipments.
Talk to an EDI expert about direct store delivery
Tell us which retailers you deliver to, your routes and the ERP you run. We will outline how the route, the paperwork and the documents fit together.