Some of the most commonly invalid deductions are shipping-related. Since they can typically be disputed with only a proof of delivery or bill of lading, a shipping document integration can be a powerful tool.
SupplyPike shipping document integrations automate the process of pulling shipping documents and matching them to the appropriate deductions. When evaluating which integrations make the most sense for your business, the easiest way is to answer the question "how does your team pull documents today?"
If your team currently logs into a web-based portal (like a freight carrier or 3PL portal) to find documents, check out Carrier/3PL portal integrations.
If your team currently receives shipping documents directly from your internal warehouse via email or online document storage (like FTP sites, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.), then you will likely need an OCR integration.
If your team is having to manually request documents from a carrier when a dispute comes in, then you will likely need an Email Request integration.
Carrier and 3PL Portal Integrations
SupplyPike has integrations with over 150 different carrier and 3PL web portals, but in general, they all work in a similar fashion.
Query the carrier/3PL for shipments related to a PO number
If a shipment is located for a PO number, retrieve all available documents and tag them appropriately (BOL, POD, Pick List, etc)
Associate the documents with the PO number in Document Explorer
Carrier and 3PL integrations run on a daily basis, starting at 6 pm.
OCR Integrations
For teams receiving printed/scanned documents directly from a warehouse or another internal source, we're able to process those documents, extract the necessary data, and reorganize them by PO. You just need to make those documents available for SupplyPike in one of two ways:
Email - SupplyPike provides your team with a custom email address for your company. Any files sent to this email address will be handled by our custom OCR process.
File Storage OCR - SupplyPike integrates with your web-based file storage solution for shipping documents such as an FTP site, Google Drive, or SharePoint. We'll pick up files and run them through the OCR process.
OCR integrations run multiple times throughout the day, every day. More information on best practices for SupplyPike OCR integrations is available here
Email Request Integrations
If you work with a carrier that doesn't fit either of the options above, and instead requires you to manually request proof of deliveries, we have a solution for you.
With our new automated Proof of Delivery requests feature, SupplyPike can request shipping documents on your behalf directly from carriers when automated portal access of file repository isn't possible. This is especially helpful for smaller carriers, regional providers, or carriers that require email document requests.
Here's how it works:
SupplyPike identifies shipments missing required documents
We initiate email requests using the designated cadence and deduction count per email
Retrieved documents will be handled by our same custom OCR process
This option allows your team to recover documentation without manual follow-ups, reducing time spent chasing carriers and increasing your chances of successfully disputing shipping related deductions.