Goods Receipt Preparation Using Inbound Delivery Lists
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inefficient goods receiving processes in supply chains, particularly when Advanced Shipping Notifications (ASNs) are missing, lead to resource contention and increased costs due to the complexity of correlating physical shipments with electronic data records, affecting operational efficiency and resource allocation.
Innovation Solution
The process is streamlined by breaking it into sub-processes, creating a substitute ASN-like document if needed, and using an inbound delivery item list to efficiently manage unloading, sorting, and resource allocation, with features like database updates and resource reservation to optimize the use of limited loading facilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional goods receiving processes are used without ASNs, then resource contention and processing complexity increase, but implementing ASN-based processes requires additional documentation and system integration complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the goods receiving process into distinct sub-processes: ASN receipt and processing, goods unloading, and goods receipt processing. This segmentation allows each sub-process to be optimized independently and executed in parallel where possible, reducing overall processing time and resource contention while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by requiring Advanced Shipping Notifications (ASNs) to be received and processed before goods arrival. This advance notification allows the system to pre-configure receiving procedures, allocate resources in advance, and prepare documentation templates, thereby reducing on-site processing complexity and improving receiving efficiency when goods actually arrive.
2Measurement precision
If detailed correlation checks are performed between physical shipments and electronic records, then accuracy improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary correlation checks by matching ASN data with purchase orders and creating expected goods lists before goods arrival. This preliminary action pre- validates data accuracy and identifies potential discrepancies in advance, allowing faster processing during actual goods receipt while maintaining high correlation accuracy through pre-established reference data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies and representations of goods information through ASNs and electronic records that mirror physical shipment data. This copying approach allows multiple parallel verification processes to occur simultaneously on digital replicas without delaying physical goods processing, maintaining measurement precision while reducing time loss through parallel processing.
3Ease of operation
If multiple sub-processes are implemented to streamline receiving, then resource allocation improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the receiving system into distinct functional modules: ASN management module, unloading coordination module, goods receipt processing module, and resource allocation module. Each module handles specific tasks independently, improving resource allocation efficiency through specialized processing while managing system complexity through clear module boundaries and defined interfaces between them.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary central system that coordinates between multiple sub-processes and resource modules. This intermediary manages data flow and resource allocation across sub-processes, improving ease of operation through centralized control while containing system complexity by providing a unified coordination layer that abstracts the complexity of individual module interactions.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for receiving shipping documents, correlating information in the shipping documents with purchase-order information in a database to produce expected delivery manifests, then directing a transport to a processing facility to unload items which are verified against the delivery manifest. Software to support these systems is also described and claimed.