Glossary
A - C
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Address Type | The relationship of a particular address to a shipment (e.g. origin / destination / billing etc.) |
| Allocation | The act of specifying a service that is suitable for a shipment based on the client service requirements and the availability of the service |
| Allocation Rules | Rules applied to carrier services that determine when a carrier service will be eligible for a consignment |
| Booking | A term used to describe what happens behind the scene when customer on a retail webpage selects a delivery option based on price or features (e.g. delivery date/signature etc.) and allocates the consignment (an item or a group of items) to that service. Carrier Booking can also be described as the all communication related to allocating and manifesting a consignment |
| Calculated Event (Track) | An event that is generated by Track's internal processing, rather than as a result of an external tracking update. For example, a calculated event is generated when Track marks a shipment as late |
| Carrier | Individuals, partnerships or companies in the business of transporting goods for a fee |
| Carrier Connector (Track) | A UI feature that stores your carrier tracking credentials, enabling Track to get tracking information from your carriers |
| Carrier Service | A delivery offering from a carrier |
| Carrier Service Group | A custom group of carrier services that can be used for allocation |
| Collection Calendar | A schedule defining cut-off times and settings (such as Manifest, Allocation, and Operational cut-off times) for each carrier at each shipping location |
| Consignment | A collection of one or more packages that are shipped from the same origin address, to the same destination address, on behalf of the same Sorted customer, using the same carrier service, on the same day |
| CN22 or CN23 | Customs forms required when sending goods overseas from the UK. If the value is under and up to £270, a CN22 is used. For larger amounts, a CN23 is used. Both forms describe, among others, the contents, whether the items are gifts, their weight, and value |
| COD (Cash on Delivery) | Buyer pays carrier the price of goods before they are delivered; seller assumes risk of purchaser refusing to accept goods |
| Commercial Invoice | An official document created by the exporter detailing the commercial contents contained within the shipment, its value and its reason for shipping, along with any other information relevant for customs clearance. Ship contains a default version for the Client to use |
| Custom Reference (Track) | An identifier for a shipment, for example an internal order number or SKU. Each shipment can have multiple custom references |
| Cut-Off time | The cut-off time is the latest time that guarantees same day collection/processing by the carrier of a client's shipments |
D - E
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Dangerous Goods | A parcel containing solids, liquids, or gases that can harm people, other living organisms, property, or the environment. |
| DDP | Delivery Duty Paid. This is when the shipper pays for the customs duty rather than the recipient. This method does have a risk to the shipper if the customs agency apply the wrong duty - this can be difficult to resolve. |
| DDU | Delivery Duty Unpaid. The usual shipping code for goods from a retailer to a recipient, whereby the customs duty is paid by the recipient |
| Deallocation | The process of moving a consignment from an allocated state (allocated to a carrier and service) to a non-allocated state, whereby any appropriate carrier and service can be selected |
| Destination Country | The country in which the consignee and the final delivery endpoint is located |
| Delivery Options | The options of service requested and made available to the Client to display to their customer, usually of fixed attributes (such as Next Day, Signed For) and available to selection |
| Domestic (services) | Services that are only provided in-country and not overseas from the destination |
| DPI | Dots per inch - a measure of quality applied to labels. The Ship standard is for a GK420d printer at 203 DPI |
| Dimensional Weight | Also known as Volumetric Weight. Dimensional weight is a calculation of the shipment’s weight based on its volumetric standard instead of its actual weight. Dimensional weight is calculated by multiplying the length by width by height of each package in inches or centimetres and dividing by a dimensional weight divisor. The dimensional weight divisor varies by service offering and unit of measure |
| Dimension range | A range of dimensions (min & max of length, width & height) of a shipment item that can be shipped via a Carrier |
| Dimensions | The physical measurements of a package. The length is the longest dimension; the height is the vertical measurement when the package is down flat on its largest side, and the width is the remaining measurement. These values can be in mm, cm, m, or inches |
| Drop Off | The process by which a customer delivers a shipment for collection into an injection point (shop, locker, etc. ) of the carrier network |
| Duty | A tax imposed on imports by the customs authority of a country. Duties are generally based on the value of the goods (ad valorem duties), some other factor such as weight or quantity (specific duties), or a combination of value and other factors (compound duties) |
| Encoding | A process of changing a datastream into a different format, such as a label image as ZPL or a Base64 string |
| Endpoint | One end of a channel or journey. For example, data may be submitted to an API endpoint, or a Collection Endpoint is where a shipment is collected from by the Carrier |
| EoD | End of Day - used by both Retailers and Carriers to mark the final cut off point of a working day |
| EORI Number | An Economic Operators Registration and Identification number. Used as an identifier for businesses and people when exchanging information with customs officials, for example when lodging a customs declaration. |
| Event (Track) | An object containing details of a change in certain shipment properties. For example, if a tracking file received from a carrier caused a particular shipment's status to change, the details of that change would be recorded as an event |
F - N
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| FTP / sFTP | File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard Internet protocol for transmitting files between computers on the Internet over TCP/IP connections. sFTP is a more secure variant of this protocol, and is preferred |
| Girth | The maximum circumference of a parcel = (2 x width) + (2 x height) |
| Gross Weight | The full weight of a shipment, including goods and packaging |
| Hazardous Material | Usually classed under dangerous goods, hazardous materials are defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation in accordance with the Federal Hazardous Material Law. A substance or material may be designated as hazardous if the transportation of the material in a particular amount and form poses an unreasonable risk to health and safety or property. Hazardous material may include: an explosive, radioactive material, etiologic agent, flammable or combustible liquid or solid, poison, oxidizing or corrosive material, and compressed gas |
| Hub | A Hub is a sorting facility where shipments are sorted and distributed to other Hubs or depot locations |
| Import Duty | Import duty is applied by a country's customs. Import duty is calculated based upon the tariff code of each product contained within the shipment. Each country sets varying levels of import duty depending on the product. Exemptions do apply to certain products and types of shipments. For example, gifts and personal effects are often exempt from import duty if they are under a certain value threshold |
| Inbound | A shipment that is going back to the retailer rather than the purchaser. Usually indicates a 'Return' service |
| IOSS Number | An Import One-Stop Shop number. The Import One-Stop Shop is an electronic portal enabling suppliers selling imported goods to buyers in the EU to collect, declare and pay VAT to the relevant tax authorities, instead of making the buyer pay the VAT at the moment the goods are imported into the EU. The IOSS number is a user number for this system. |
| Item | A distinct piece collected by a Picker in a warehouse to fulfil and order. A number of items may be consolidated into one order, which may comprise of one or more packages. If a number of packages that are using the same service to the same recipient are consolidated together, they may be described as a consignment |
| Label | Printed information that is affixed to a package. The label must be visible, legible where required, and with barcodes that can be read according to the Carrier's requirements (and machinery). Ship can use ZPL and PDF formats, although ZPL is preferred to be received/sent due to its smaller data size. Labels tend to come in standard sizes, with the most common being 6" x 4" (152.4mm x 101.6mm). Labels may also be 8" x 4" (203.2mm x 101.6mm), or variants of standard paper sizes (A4/5/6, where each increment is half the size of the previous) |
| Manifest | A manifest is an electronic document containing shipment data that is exchanged between business partners. For example, a manifest file may be sent at the EoD from Ship to a Carrier, and this file may contain details on many shipments. For API files, shipments may also be manifested individually, usually when a label is created |
| Metadata | Not all the data that a Client needs to pass to a carrier may map directly to an existing Ship field. As a result, clients can add custom data (known as metadata) to a given shipment, which can then be passed on to Sorted. It is not normally processed by PRO |
| Net Weight | The weight of an item without packaging or container. Also applies to the contents of a shipping container, truck or van |
O - S
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Order | A collection of packages that is to be transported to the same destination and on behalf of the same customer |
| On Demand | Services that are offered to the recipient with significant customisation. These can apply to where the package is collected from and delivered to, or when the package is delivered |
| Package | An item or a collection of items, wrapped or contained together for shipment. Each package can contain one or more items |
| Paperless | The creation and submission of customs documents to the carrier (and customs agency) electronically, rather than by a form attached to the shipment |
| Pickup Option | A combination of a PUDO (pickup/drop-off) location that a consignment could potentially be delivered to, a delivery date and time window that it could be delivered to that location on, and a carrier service that could meet that delivery promise |
| POD | Proof of Delivery. A copy (usually electronic) of a signature confirming that the shipment has been delivered |
| Point of Origin | Used in customs forms, and usually the origin country of the shipment or package |
| PUDO | Pick Up Drop Off - services where a recipient can request delivery to a location other than their address, such as a locker or a shop (outbound Pick Up). The Drop Off refers to the inbound service - the reverse direction - when a customer returns a package via a shop or locker |
| Quota | The quantity of goods of a specific kind or cost that a country permits to be imported without restriction or imposition of additional duties |
| Track | An enhanced tracking product for clients offered by Sorted Group |
| Registering a Shipment (Track) | The process of recording a shipment's details, enabling Track to track it |
| Return | A shipment (all or in part) that is sent back to the consignor. This may be due to faulty goods, or the contract between the retailer and the customer (e.g. "return if not wanted") |
| Rate | The cost applied by a carrier to pick up and deliver a shipment or package. Typically, rates are either set by a file, which lists costs, destinations and any surcharges, or requested via an API endpoint |
| Shipment | A shipment is a user-defined unit containing goods (single or multiple units) that requires transportation from one location to another. A collection of goods becomes a shipment when it leaves the consignor's location. A shipment is complete when it arrives at the consignee's destination. |
| Shipment ID (Track) | A Track-generated unique identifier for a particular shipment that can be used throughout Track's APIs |
| Shipment State (Track) | A shipment's current status, updated as shipment events occur |
| Shipment Filter (Track) | A list of shipment states, calculated events, and tags that acts as a webhook trigger. When a shipment meets any of these criteria, any webhooks configured for that filter will deploy |
| Shipment Type (Track) | For example, delivery, return, pick up, drop off, combined drop off / pick up, or return drop off |
| Shipping Location | A pre-set address used by your organisation as an origin for outbound consignments and a destination for inbound consignments |
| State Label (Track) | A custom snippet of text that can be used in place of a standard shipment state name. Shipment state labels enable you to explain shipment states in your own brand tone of voice, using language that your customers will understand. For example, you might choose to rename "Out for Delivery" to "On Its Way!", or similar |
| Surcharge | A shipment surcharge is an additional charge that is applied to the base cost of a shipment. The most common surcharge applied in transportation is a fuel surcharge supplement, which varies in line with global fuel costs, and is usually specified as a percentage of the base cost. Fixed surcharges can also be applied if there are additional costs for the carrier, such as London Congestion Charges, or delivery to remote areas |
T - Z
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Tag (Track) | An identifier that enables you to associate related shipments (such as all shipments of a particular product, or all shipments of products on special offer) with each other. Tags can be used in conjunction with webhooks to fine-tune the information Track sends to you |
| Tracking | In the carrier world, tracking is the following of a given shipment from collection to delivery (or return), usually as a set of values (time, location and status). This may be presented as a file (the preferred approach), or via an API call |
| Tracking Event | A change in tracking status of a parcel, such as 'Delivered', or 'Returned to Sender' |
| Tracking Page (Track) | In Track, a customisable microsite, hosted by Sorted, that displays status and event information about an individual shipment. Your customers can track their order by visiting the link that corresponds to their shipment |
| Tracking Reference | A tracking number is the unique ID assigned to shipments sent by courier. Tracking numbers enable you to track shipments online and serve as a single reference number when communicating with the carrier about a shipment. They are usually printed on a shipping label, both in human readable and barcode formats |
| Transit Time | The time taken between collection and delivery of a given shipment, usually expressed in days. With international shipping, this may be expressed as a range, i.e. 3 to 5 days |
| Undeliverable | When a shipment cannot be delivered to a recipient or a location specified by a recipient. For example, the location may be closed or inaccessible |
| Undelivered | The tracking status of a shipment that cannot be delivered to a recipient, or location specified by a recipient |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a webpage |
| Webhook | An automated message sent whenever a particular event occurs. In Track, webhooks are triggered by changes in shipment state. When a shipment assumes a selected state, the webhook deploys. |
| ZPL (Zebra Programming Language) | Zebra Programming Language (ZPL) is a standard for printing labels that is used by organisations across the world |