WhiteBoard On-Line Delivery Tracking
WhiteBoard On-Line Delivery Tracking from ITG is a web-based service that displays the status of every order and every delivery currently in process. It is updated constantly by new information from the accounting server and from dispatch. Since it is a web-based service, it can be accessed by any authorized user with an Internet connection.
 
Overview
The process starts with the accounting application sending invoices to a printer. The accounting server is configured to send one copy to the regular printer and a duplicate copy of the same print job to a logical printer. The logical printer can be either the document imaging server or a local Windows print server if imaging is not being used. The logical printer (either the imaging server or the print server) re-formats the data as needed and sends it on to the WhiteBoard web server.

The key technical requirement is that the accounting server must be able to send print jobs to a logical printer. If the accounting server is running Windows 2003 Server, SCO UNIX, or RedHat Linux, this is simple to set up. In some cases, particularly if the accounting server is an IBM AS/400, a third party printing module may required.

WhiteBoard is a web-based service. The WhiteBoard web server is located in ITG’s secure data center in Irvine, CA. Like any other web-based service, it does not really matter where the web server is located. The important thing is that it is immediately accessible, 24x7, by any authorized user who can connect to the Internet.

To access the WhiteBoard service, a user must provide a valid user ID and a password. Once authenticated as an authorized user, they will see the data for their company or for their location, depending upon what they have been given permission to view.

For each delivery, a number of fields will be displayed. Some of these include the Invoice or Order Number, the Customer Number, the Customer Name, the Driver Number, and the Status of the delivery. There are also columns that display the date and time the order passed through the various delivery check points.
The delivery check points are:
Date and time the order was first printed
Date and time the driver left to deliver the order
Date and time the customer signed for the delivery (this field is only captured automatically if some type of handheld electronic signature device is being used)  
Date and time the driver returned from the delivery
   


   sample WhiteBoard screen display
 
Starting the Process
The process starts with the order being entered into the accounting system as usual. When the order is printed, one copy goes to the paper printer and one copy goes to the logical printer. The logical printer sends the appropriate data on to the WhiteBoard web server.

As soon as the WhiteBoard web server receives the data about the order, a new entry is created on the WhiteBoard display. All of the data on the WhiteBoard screen is taken directly from the electronic copy of the print job that was sent to the logical printer. There is no manual data entry required. WhiteBoard will display the information for the new order in RED. Each RED line is an order that has not yet left the store.
 
Completing the Process with Handheld Signature Capture Devices
When the driver is ready to take the order out for delivery, the bar code on the invoice is scanned with a handheld bar code scanner. This data is sent back to the Windows PC that is running the local WhiteBoard application. The local PC packages the data and sends it to the WhiteBoard web server. The WhiteBoard web server updates the information, enters the date and time in the “Left” column, and changes the line to YELLOW. Each YELLOW line represents an order that is currently out for delivery.

When the order is delivered, the customer signs on the electronic signature pad. This signature becomes the legal proof of delivery and, if the document imaging software is installed, the signature can be sent directly to the imaging system and automatically attached to the original electronic copy of the invoice.

As the customer signs on the handheld electronic signature pad, the date and time are recorded as part of the signature information. When the driver returns to the store and re-enters the wireless network, the data from the handheld device can be sent back to the Windows PC that is running the local WhiteBoard application. The local PC sends the data on to the WhiteBoard web server. The WhiteBoard web server updates the display, adds the date and time in the “Delivered” and “Returned” columns, and changes the line to WHITE. Every WHITE line represents an order that has been delivered.
 
Completing the Process with Fixed Mount Bar Code Scanners
Because of the cost of the handheld signature capture devices, many companies prefer to use a fixed mount bar code scanner to scan the invoices, much like would be done at POS station. The fixed mount bar code scanners are often in the dispatch area and are connected to the Windows PC that is running the local WhiteBoard application.

When the driver is ready to take the order out for delivery, the bar code on the invoice is scanned with a fixed mount bar code scanner. This data is sent to the Windows PC that is running the local WhiteBoard application. The local PC packages the data and sends it to the WhiteBoard web server. The WhiteBoard web server updates the information, enters the date and time in the “Left” column, and changes the line to YELLOW. Each YELLOW line represents an order that is currently out for delivery.

When the order is delivered, the customer signs the paper copy of the delivery document. This signature is the legal proof of delivery and, if the document imaging software is installed, the signed copy can be scanned into the imaging system and automatically attached to the original electronic copy of the invoice.

With paper copies, the only way to record the time the delivery was made is for the driver to write the time on the office copy of the invoice. When the driver returns to the store, the invoice is scanned again with a fixed mount bar code scanner. During the scanning process, there is an option to enter the time of the delivery, if desired. The data is sent to the Windows PC that is running the local WhiteBoard application. The local PC sends the data on to the WhiteBoard web server. The WhiteBoard web server updates the information, enters the date and time in the “Delivered” and “Returned” columns, and changes the line to WHITE. Each WHITE line represents an order that has been delivered.
 
Benefits of WhiteBoard
There are a many key benefits that come from WhiteBoard. Some of these are the ability to:
measure ordering, picking, dispatching, and delivering time
       That which isn’t being measured isn’t being managed. WhiteBoard provides accurate and timely information to evaluate performance.
identify bottlenecks in those processes
       How long does it take an order to be picked? Is a slow delivery due to problems with picking, or did the order sit in dispatch all day? With the information from WhiteBoard, management will be able to identify where the bottlenecks are in the delivery process.
respond instantly to a customer’s inquiry about the status of a delivery
       When a customer calls asking about a delivery, the information will be instantly available on the WhiteBoard display.
measure driver performance
       How long does it take the average driver to make a given number of deliveries? Why do some drivers take longer than others to make a delivery to the same customer? Who are the “A” drivers, the “B” drivers, and the “C” drivers? How can you make the “B” drivers into “A” drivers and the “C” drivers into “B” drivers? WhiteBoard provides information about delivery times on a driver-by-driver basis.
provide documentation showing the average delivery time per customer
       When a customer says deliveries are always late, do you have any data to prove the timeliness of your deliveries? WhiteBoard provides information about average delivery times on a customer-by-customer basis.
NEW! allow customers to see their own deliveries on the WhiteBoard
       This new WhiteBoard module allows your key customers to log on to the WhiteBoard web page. They are able to see only information for those deliveries associated with their own Customer Number. The goals of this new module are to reduce the number of telephone calls coming in asking about the status of deliveries, to provide a better, faster, and easier way for your customers to get information, and to help you differentiate your business from your competitors.
NEW! search by Part Number, SKU, or Part Description
       This new WhiteBoard feature allows you to search for deliveries within WhiteBoard by using the part number, SKU, or the part description rather than the Invoice Number or Order Number.