Proof of Delivery Export (EDI)

Proof of Delivery Export (EDI)

Proof of Delivery Export (EDI)

Summary / Purpose

Use this article to create and manage Proof of Delivery (POD) Export Rules in TransVirtual.

This guide explains how to automatically export POD images and signatures (via Email, FTP, etc.) once a delivery is completed, ensuring customers or internal teams receive PODs without manual intervention.

Overview

Proof of Delivery (POD) Export Rules allow TransVirtual to automatically send POD information such as images and signatures to an external destination when delivery milestones are met.

This article details how to set up a common example: sending POD images and signatures via email to a consignment customer when their delivery has been completed. To see the page, go to Import/Export > Data Export > Proof of Delivery.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Create/Add a New Rule

  1. To create a new rule, go to the Export PODs page, where a screen similar to the one below will display.
  1. On the Export PODs page, click the New Rule button as shown above. A pop-up titled Create a New Export Rule will display as shown below.
  1. Manually enter the Rule Name, which is what the rule will be called, select the Export Framework using the drop-down button, then click Create as shown above.

This example uses Sample Email Export as the rule name and Email as the Export Framework.

  1. Once the rule is created, it will display on the Export Rules list and will be highlighted in Orange as shown below.

The orange color shows that this rule is not yet active.

  1. Click on the new rule and the details for this rule will appear on the right side of the page as shown above. The rule detail can be added or updated here as applicable.
  2. Before updating the rule detail, set up the data filter first. Data filters determine when an EDI rule will and will not apply to a consignment.

Data Filter

  1. To see the data filter tab, on the rule detail screen, scroll to the bottom of the page, where the Data Filter section will display.
  2. On the data filter section, select the details for Select Field (Screen 01), Logic (Screen 02) and Select Value (Screen 03), then click Add Rule. The rule detail will display on the Data Filter screen (Screen 04) as shown below.

In this example, PODType was used in Select Field, Equal in Logic and Left as Instructed in Select Value field.

The above data filter will only apply to a consignment when a POD has been attached to it and it is a Left as Instructed type of POD. However, there are different types of PODs that can be uploaded to a consignment. More logic can be added to apply this rule to consignments with Signed on Paper PODs and Completed Type PODs, as shown below.

  • The Data Filter will now apply this rule to consignments where the attached POD type is either Complete, Signed on Paper, or Left as Instructed.
  • These three POD types cover the standard POD types for when a delivery has been fully completed, and are used for this example. Other POD types can be added if needed.
  • A customer name can be specified in the data filter (Customer Name = 'X') instead of specifying POD types as above. Doing this will send all POD types to the email (or other endpoint) listed. When using this approach, the receiver email addresses or other endpoints must be correct for any consignments with this customer. The customer listed against the rule (in the data filter) will be the customer that the PODs are sent to.
  • Use the data filter builder with this method, and test where possible to confirm whether any changes are required.

Once the data filter is configured, update the rule as described below.

Update/Edit the Rule

  1. Click on the newly added rule, and the rule details will display on the right side as shown below.
  1. Update the details as follows:
    • Rule Name: Name given to the rule. This can be changed at any point but should reflect what the rule will be used for. This example leaves the rule name as set on initial creation.
    • Trigger Period: This may be blank initially; however, when the rule is enabled, it will default to Every 2 Mins if no selection is made for this field. This section specifies how often this EDI rule will run. Click the Settings button next to this field to select when the rule should run.

Select a time period and click Update to save the changes.

For this example, the trigger period is set to Every 2 Mins, meaning any applicable POD data will be exported as soon as it becomes available.

  • Limit Exports: Specifies whether this EDI rule should be triggered more than once for the same event. The number of times the same export will occur can be limited if needed. In this example, it is set to Not Required.
  • Export Framework: Specifies how the information will be exported from TransVirtual. In this example, Email is selected. The export framework setting can be updated by clicking the Settings button, which opens a pop-up to edit the email setting.

The FTP, Email, Webservice, Printer, Account Package and SMS settings can all be customized using the Settings button.

Export Framework Settings

Once the export framework setting is clicked, a screen similar to the one below will display.

  1. On the Edit the Email Settings screen, the basic details related to email can be updated or added as below.
    1. Send to Consignment Sender Email: Enable the toggle to send the email to the sender's email address.
    2. Send to Consignment Receiver Email: Enable the toggle to send the email to a receiver's email address.
    3. Send to Consignment Creator: Enable the toggle to send an email to the consignment creator.
    4. Send to Customer Contact: To send an email to a customer contact, select the applicable option using the drop-down button. In this example, the email is sent to a Customer Contact.

    The Customer Contact emails are based on what has been set up in the relevant Customer Card under the Contact Details tab, as shown below.

    For example: if 'General' is selected as the Customer Contact field, when the export triggers against a consignment with AR1 as the customer, it will send to the email listed against the General contact, which is test02@gmail.com.

    1. Email To: Manually enter the email in the Email To field.

    The Email To field should typically be used for internal staff unless the Data Filter for this EDI rule is limited to a particular customer. Any emails listed in the Email To section will receive all emails generated by this EDI rule, so it is advisable that only internal staff emails be listed here. For this example, this field is left blank because emails are being sent to a Customer Contact.

    1. Email Subject: Enter the email subject in this field.

    In this example, the email subject used is Your consignment @Model.ConsignmentNumber has a new POD!

    The @Model.ConsignmentNumber is a coding function that automatically populates the consignment number into the email subject when the email is sent.

    1. Once the above steps are completed, the Email details page will look similar to the one below.
  2. Once the basic details have been completed, click the Body tab and add a message of choice. For this example, the message below is used.
    • When using @Model.ConsignmentNumber, it is advisable to use the Validate button. This button checks to ensure that any coding in use has not been entered incorrectly.
    • After using the Validate button, if @Model.ConsignmentNumber has been typed correctly, a preview screen will display showing an example of what the email will look like.
    • Click the Ok button on this window to return to the main email settings window.
  3. Export File Type: Select the export file type using the drop-down button. In this example, None is used.

    If Advanced Format is selected as the Export file type, go to the setting and enable the signature image using the toggle in the Yes position, then click Update at the bottom of the page to save the settings.

In this example, only the images and signatures for the relevant consignment PODs are sent. So, when the email is sent, it will only contain the images and signatures as attachments.

  1. Enable Export: To enable this new rule, click the toggle to the Yes position, then click Update to save the rule.
  1. Once the above steps are completed, the color of the rule will change to White, which means the rule is enabled.

The Link to Rule ID and Rule ID Errors fields are not mandatory, so in this example they are left blank.

Delete the Rule

  1. To delete the rule, click the delete icon. A confirmation dialog will display; click Yes and the rule will be deleted from the database, as shown below.