Transport invoicing data standards within bulk chemicals

Electronic data exchange across companies has become more and more important in order to improve productivity and implementation time through standardizing the data formats between supply chain actors. In various steps, ECTA published several digital best practice guideline since 2020, e.g. the ECTA
transport visibility guideline and the ECTA transport order data standards within bulk chemicals.

However, in the order-to-cash process within bulk logistics, additional data next to visibility and order data is exchanged between shippers and logistics service providers: Especially, after transport execution the exchange of invoice-related information takes place to trigger the completion of a service. Besides the
freight costs, also extra cost-related items, such as heating, truck waiting times or other auxiliary services are handled during the payment process. Furthermore, process scenarios vary case-by-case and can consist of proforma invoices/notifications, debit or credit notes.
The objective of this guideline on invoice data standards is to complement the existing guidelines and give the involved stakeholders additional guidance how to facilitate electronic data exchange in this area.
In addition, the recommendation is given to apply an order data standard based on OAGIS® Chem eStandard 5.42 plus some extended bulk-logistics specific attributes being identified by ECTA.

This new ECTA Best Practice Guideline is one in a row of ECTA digital Guidelines.Â