Electronic Order Management. AM Electronic. Information and notes for use

Transcription

1 Electronic Management AM Electronic Management Information and notes for use

2 Preface Contents From order management to posting through to invoicing: with Deutsche Post s new Management (AM) you benefit from an interactive system which facilitates your entire order processing. Sections 1 and 2 specify how you can easily control every single step in your dispatch process with AM. This is based on continuous data exchange and direct interaction with all partners involved in the process on the electronic platform. AM therefore enables you to efficiently process your orders, i.e., your postings which must be listed. As a rule, the contents of the electronically supplied data records comply with the contents of the already known paper-based posting lists. Section 3 states what technology the system is based on, how AM works and operates and how you can implement the technology in your company. Section 4 provides useful information on the structure and functions of the messages for your data exchange via AM. Section 5, finally, specifies how you can simply track and change your order on the internet, where necessary. Do you need more information? As this brochure is mainly meant for users of standard software, you can request a separate developer s manual at IT Customer Support MAIL (IT CSB - see contact details on page 50) for programming. IT CSB is also available to you for any further questions. 1 Basic principles The system AM.exchange data exchange AM.portal the user interface Deutsche Post software solutions 7 2 Your processes Process overview planning preparation Item production Commissioning induction tracking Invoicing orders 18 3 Implementation System structure Process Release and migration Clearing Transfer channels Data formats and authentication 24 4 Message structure The create message type Message header header number and customer order number Roles involved Item induction Items and services Bundle information Response file Other message types Changing orders change Cancelling orders cancel Notes on changing and cancelling orders Search orders seek Search orders the search patterns details get Reports on orders seekmessage 38 5 AM.portal Browser settings Searching orders Detailed information on posting Invoicing details Bundle status Detailed information on bundle status Mailbox configuration User management 49 6 Additional information 50 List of abbreviations 51

3 4 Basic principles 5 1 Basic principles 1.2 AM.exchange data exchange The technical basis of AM.exchange enables you to exchange data electronically without the use of paper between your company s IT system and Deutsche Post s Management. It is the further development of a tried and tested format for data exchange at top technical level. You can use the platform via six functions: 1.1 The system Deutsche Post has developed electronic order management (AM) to make data exchange easier between you as the sender, data centre, print shop, Lettershop, agency and Deutsche Post. Two interactive information channels on order management and transfer of your item details Your company/print service provider/ Lettershop/ agencies Fig. 1 AM.portal AM.exchange The basis of AM is a format for electronic data exchange which consists of two channels: AM.exchange - data exchange AM.portal - the user interface You can use AM via an interactive internet portal or data exchange via file transfer or web AM Central information hub for: all business customer transactions all products all franking types service. You can transfer your details for all orders to Deutsche Post via the platform. You can also communicate directly with all system partners (print services providers, Lettershop etc.). AM is the central platform via which all service providers are connected to one another and exchange data when required. 1. New creation of orders create Creation of different types of orders Co-ordination of job splittings, partial postings and additional orders 2. Changing orders change Expansion and deletion of selected data of an order Editing orders in various phases Gradual input of all order data Flexible control of an order s item characteristics Entry via the system-internal order number of AM and the customer order number which you can adopt from your systems 3. Cancelling orders cancel Only the order number is required 4. Searching orders seek Search of order via selected search criteria (order number, customer number, date, name etc.) The order numbers and the structure of the order are displayed There is access to the information which corresponds to the role and authorisation of the business partner who is calling up only. There are increased security requirements for the search (authentication, authorisation, encryption). 5. Loading orders get Complete or selective loading of an order on the basis of the order number or the customer order number Hiding of individual sections which are not required There are increased security requirements for loading (authentication, authorisation, encryption). 6. Messages for orders seekmessage Receipt of messages on special events of your order Targeted requests on search criteria which you select Logging in with username and password There are increased security requirements for messages (authentication, authorisation, encryption). You can find more information on the six functions of AM.exchange in Section 4.

4 Basic principles AM.portal the user interface 1.4 deutsche Post software solutions Via the AM.portal user interface you have direct access to all current details of your orders. The AM.portal interface is easy to use, concise and contains several interactive functions: Do you need a system to create data records? Deutsche Post has the ideal solution for you because in the future you will be able to process many Deutsche Post services via AM. AM links all software solutions you are currently using for the various products with your product planning and Deutsche Post s Management. You can find your orders quickly. You can see existing orders, changes, tracking details and bundle periods. You have an overview of the activities of all partners involved in the order. You have an overview of the status of the items at all times. You can manage your invoices. You are notified of news regarding your order in s in your mailbox. You can find more information on the AM.portal in Section 5. Benefit from the Deutsche Post s solutions which are tailored to your needs: Infopost-Manager MailOptimizer Lettershop Manager Prospektservice PostwurfSpezial Manager Manager PRESSE DISTRIBUTION For further requirements, our co-operation partners are available to you for secure and top-quality processing of your order: S.E.T. Software GmbH Schulung Entwicklung Technologie You can find in-depth information on the integration process in Section 3. More information and brochures at

5 8 9 2 Your processes 2.1 Process overview planning preparation Item production Commissioning induction tracking invoicing In the future you will be able to control the data exchange for all order processes via AM from order planning to invoicing the order. The create operation is used to plan and prepare your order. You can use it to state the details of your order. In item production you use the change operation to make changes to your order or cancel to cancel your order. During commissioning you summarise items of various order, if applicable, in order to use Deutsche Post products (partial services, joint collection) at better conditions. To this end, you create an additional order with these products using create. You will be able to induct items without receipt in the future if they are correctly announced and labelled accordingly on posting. You can track the order on the screen of the AM.portal or via the get/seek/ seekmessage operations. Electronic invoicing will in the future be possible. Please contact your sales executive for questions.

6 10 Your processes Your processes planning planning preparation Item production Commissioning Do you want to send new catalogues or an advertising mailing? Specify the order s approximate time frame and initial raw data available. For rough order planning, create a message with create. In return you immediately receive an order number which uniquely identifies your order. induction tracking invoicing The order number will in the future be the key to your order and is included in every data transfer. You have the option to additionally label an order with an own customer order number. planning in job splitting A job splitting group (JSG) occurs if you have several manufacturers produce the items of an action and post it at several locations. AM represent your order as an order tree with a superordinate JSG and subordinate posting orders or partial posting groups (for posting spread over several days). Example of a complex job splitting group If you subsequently split an order to a job splitting group, the procedure is the same as with the partial posting group: simply create a new posting order with regard to the old order. It is then automatically assigned to a JSG. If the posting orders of the individual manufacturers are additionally subdivided into partial posting groups with further posting orders, the procedure for partial posting groups specified in page 10 applies for this part. JSG planning for partial postings TEG 1 TEG 2 EA i Partial posting groups (TEG) occur when you place a posting over several days. AM then displays the order as an order tree with a superordinate partial posting group and subordinate posting orders (EA). Partial posting group with its posting orders EA 1 TEG EA 2 EA n Your order is gradually developed. First, create the partial posting group, then the individual posting orders. This method is, however, not only used to create planned partial postings. If an order should be subsequently split to a partial posting, simply create a new posting order with regard to the old order. A partial posting group is then automatically created from it. The structure of the partial posting group is reflected in the display logic of AM.portal the order tree. There you can select between an aggregated view of the entire group and a detailed view of the individual orders. Fig EA 1.1 EA 1.2 EA 1.n EA 2.1 EA 2.2 EA 2.m Omission of special approval The special approval previously required for job splitting in the Infopost area can be omitted for orders correctly announced via AM.exchange. Fig. 2

7 12 Your processes Your processes preparation 2.4 Item production planning preparation Item production Commissioning induction tracking invoicing planning preparation Item production Commissioning induction tracking invoicing In this step you and your service provider can specify all data required for the order in detail. You have all important information for the order; the format and weight of the item are finally set, the postal charges were optimised, the sorting was concluded. Now you create an order with create at the latest which is binding for Deutsche Post. If another process manager created the order during order planning and you are to further process it, you can use the seek/get operations to import the order to your system, before you update it with change. In this phase you produce your invoice or your catalogue. This can soon result in changes to weight, pre-sorting and posting time which could not be foreseen. With AM you can quickly transfer the changes to order contents to Deutsche Post. You add the edited data to your order via the change operation. Are the changes so major that you can no longer integrate them in the existing order? Then cancel it via cancel. You now have the option to recreate the order with a new customer order number. If you have already created an order within order planning, you can complete and change it via the change function.

8 14 Your processes Your processes Commissioning Additional orders and their assigned postings planning preparation Item production Commissioning induction tracking invoicing Do you want to achieve the minimum quantities for using partial service products MAIL or benefit from a free collection with INFOPOST? Then you can summarise several posting orders to one additional order (ZA) here. Important notes Additional orders may refer to partial postings which you have franked in different ways. If items, which you have franked by FRANKING SERVICE or franking machine, should be claimed within a partial service, posting orders must also be announced for these items, even if these posting orders did not have to be listed. You must correctly create all posting orders summarised by the additional order beforehand. If you would like to change or cancel a posting order summarised in an additional order, the additional order may initially become invalid. It becomes immediately valid again when you update it by changing the order. If the minimum amount of the additional order is not met in the total of items, the additional order is rejected. You can create an additional order with the create operation. It does not contain any own shipments but summarises items from various orders which you post at the same place or have jointly collected by Deutsche Post. You can find the item information in the details of the individual orders, not in the details of the additional order. Invoicing additional orders Up to now additional orders were invoiced separately as part of a collective monthly invoice (method 39). With AM.exchange you can choose between method 39 and so-called net invoicing (method 38) where all fees and refunds are distributed to the posting orders involved pro rata and directly balanced with the fee of the posting order. This provides you with a more detailed invoice and allows you to distribute refunds more easily to individual cost centres. The invoicing methods for additional orders are as follows: Stating a party liable to pay with method 39: the additional order is invoiced as previously. Stating a party liable to pay with method 38 (net invoicing): the fees and fee discounts are distributed to the posting orders pro rata. If you already have a contract with method 39, you will automatically receive the respective contract with method 38 via AM.exchange and can use net invoicing with it at any time as desired.

9 16 Your processes Your processes induction 2.7 tracking planning preparation Item production Commissioning induction tracking invoicing planning preparation Item production Commissioning induction tracking invoicing You do not need to carry out any additional activities in order management when inducting your items. You have clearly labelled the items so that they can be assigned to your order. Deutsche Post s employees then document the order acceptance in the order management system. Label. You can label your items with the data matrix code, routing labels etc. Due to the previous processes, Deutsche Post is already informed of all order details. This means that it is best prepared to quickly transport your items to their destinations. Nationwide posting. If correctly announced via AM.exchange, you can carry out nationwide posting even if the posting was agreed at a special place, e.g., as part of IT contracts. Collection without receipt. Thanks to electronic data transfer, you can induct your item on collection without a receipt. The fax advice note can be omitted in this case. Item induction without paper is far simpler for both parties. You also benefit from inducting the item without paper on posting. All details are already available to Deutsche Post electronically. Franking the posting. If Deutsche Post s employees identify a discrepancy between your electronic announcement and the actual posting, the order is updated after consulting you. You can immediately identify this update in the AM.portal (see page 44). You can view the current status of your orders any time. This way, you always know what phase they are in: You can search your orders any time with the seek operation. You can also load import orders into the current status, via get. Via the AM.portal you can quickly find the route to any information which you are currently interested in (see Section 5). Certain events of your orders can be reported via the seekmessage machine-machine interface operation in your software system. In order to protect your data from unauthorised access, you must use a username and a password for these three functions. Username and password are given to you during the going live process (see Section 3.2) of IT CSB.

10 19 3 Implementation 2.8 invoicing 3.1 System structure planning preparation Item production Commissioning induction tracking invoicing Technical architecture You as a user Your software solution You receive an invoice which already takes into account cost discounts, as all data is available for invoicing in Deutsche Post s Management. By using AM, invoicing becomes a lot easier for you. With the AM.portal you have insight into the invoicing details at any time. They are of course not created until after posting. Due to the plan/ target comparison (see page 44) you can quickly resolve any differences in the invoice. To this end, the paper invoice becomes more concise: attributes, which you send to Deutsche Post via AM.exchange, are listed on the invoice. The order is identified on the invoice by the order number. The fee calculation number ( sheet number ) of IT franking is affixed which results in greater transparency. In order for the electronic order process to close, you can receive Deutsche Post invoices via AM.exchange electronically. You can receive the electronic invoice with a digital signature via the Deutsche Post s Document service online platform on request. This renders the entire paperbased invoice flow superfluous. Did you know? Via the Document service online platform you can not only electronically receive invoices of Deutsche Post but also those of numerous other service providers. Just ask your sales executive responsible for more details on Document service online or find information at Fig. 4 File transfer AM-XML or AM-EDIFACT Technical infrastructure EDI-CC Logging and data archiving Syntactic checks Mapping data formats on AM-XML forwarding operation requests to the AM system via SBB Provision of AM response files Service operations Create order (create) Change order (change) Cancel order (cancel) AM system Logging and data archiving Authentication, authorisation Operation request processing Web service AM-XML Web service gateway Logging and data archiving Syntactic checks forwarding operation requests to the AM system Provision of AM response files Search order (seek) Load order details (get) Retrieve order messages (seekmessage) Process. The data format is changed in your company for future data exchange during implementation. Here you can choose either connection via file transfer via the EDI-CC or connection via Review of contents further processing of the order on acceptance, fee protection and the further production processes AM.portal mailbox confirmation Change confirmations Cancellation confirmations Error messages web service. You plan the going live of AM with your contact in the sales of Deutsche Post. A contact from IT Customer Support MAIL (IT CSB) then supports you directly during the process.

11 20 Implementation Implementation Process 3.3 Release and migration The employees of IT Customer Support MAIL (IT CSB) are your fixed contacts for all stages of incorporation into your system. Experience pays off. Deutsche Post s IT CSB employees have already supported the EDS and IT-EDIFACT formats and are always available to you with their expertise: Consulting meetings to commission going live for customers Verification of all data and completion of any missing details after receipt of order Provision and release of your remote data transfer connection Test phase for software and data format with regard to formal and technical correctness of your data records supplied Instruction into the AM.portal Transition phase. You process the first orders via an electronic data record and a posting list in parallel operation in any event. If the data exchange is successful as regards quality and security, Deutsche Post releases posting without receipt and complete usage of AM. It is checked during release whether the data exchange between Deutsche Post and your system works. The objective: secure data exchange on the basis of the new AM.exchange format. A release is granted if you use software systems which are offered by third parties on the market or change your individual software system. Deutsche Post software solutions are automatically changed and do not required additional releasing. If you would like to post your item without receipt, the IT CSB employees will support you accordingly and grant a release. Migration. The process of implementing AM in your system is simplified if you already use EDS or IT-EDIFACT. If you use software from Deutsche Post or from another software cooperation partner, the AM.exchange log is extended and changed during the next update. If you have a self-developed system, IT CSB creates the most suitable solution for the implementation in co-operation with your company.

12 22 Implementation Implementation Clearing 3.5 Transfer channels All messages which you send electronically are checked by AM for errors. If there is an error in the transfer, you are notified immediately: When using the web service When using the web service, you are synchronously given an answer whether your data transfer was erroneous and can immediately correct it. If there are error messages in your transfer, Deutsche Post provides you with a list which gives you immediate clarity of the status and the option to promptly correct your data. For bidirectional feedback channel Due to machine-machine communication, you receive qualified feedback on all your operations such as order creation, changes etc., within a very short period of time. For unidirectional data transfer You can select a variant without feedback option as previously. In the event of technical error they are examined by a clearing group of IT CSB. It will subsequently contact you. Depending on the error, your contact at IT CSB changes the data record in agreement with you or you resend it. You exchange data with Deutsche Post electronically via the transfer channels. The Deutsche Post system responds directly to all functions carried out by you from create to get. All previously used transfer routes such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP), SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), Connect:Direct, x.400, openft will continue to be available to you. The best solution for complete use of AM and guaranteed secure and really synchronous data exchange is, however, available to you in the AM.exchange web service. As a cutting-edge standard capable of development, web service offers a direct option for immediate data exchange. The AM.exchange web service channel AM.exchange web service as the state-of-the-art channel enables data exchange on the basis of SOAP via HTTPS: Usage of all functions create, change-, cancel, seek, get and seekmessage Encrypted and secure data transfer Synchronous data communication: receipt of a direct response without dialling in again or waiting for feedback Immediate examination of the fields and direct feedback Separate file transfer no longer necessary

13 24 Implementation 25 4 Message structure 3.6 data formats and authentication Data formats. In addition to the new transfer channels, Deutsche Post provides you with two new data formats for electronic data exchange: AM-XML is a contemporary format which you can read and is recommended by Deutsche Post. AM-EDIFACT is based on the IFTMIN, IFTSTA and APERAK templates, the fully developed, wide-spread EDIFACT standards. As of 2009 you will be able to use these two data formats only. Until then, you can post in the formats already used; IT-EDIFACT and IT-XML for IT-MAIL and EDS for Infopost and Pressepost. Authentication. For the create, change- and cancel functions, the authentication is performed as in the previous data formats. You can use the seek, get and seekmessage functions as well as all retrievals via the web service as a rule with the AM username and associated password only. With AM, a direct data flow from Deutsche Post to you is possible for the first time. This is why the data should be protected from unauthorised access. Deutsche Post therefore accepts the seek, get and seekmessage functions via technically secure channels only. Deutsche Post recommends that you also send all other messages this way in your interest. The six sections of the AM.exchange message Section 1 message header message Section 2 order header Section 3 roles involved Section 4 induction Section 5 items and services shipment item Section 5a items shipment Section 5b services item The structure of a message with AM.exchange All operations in AM.exchange are based on the same message structure. A message consists of six sections (see Fig. 5). Depending on what operations you run via AM.exchange, various sections are available to you to enter information. Two sections are only available in Deutsche Post s response files: The two sections of the response files Section 7 order tree Section 6 bundle structure packaging Section 8 return Fig. 5 Fig. 6

14 26 Message structure Message structure Message header Not only create but every message from AM.exchange contains the message header. It includes general information on the message. This information enables easier error identification and simplified clearing. Message header contents 4.1 The create message type Message Id Time Transmitter data record Origin Table 1 unique identification of the message (along with the customer number) Precise date of creating the message Identification of the transmitter via his customer number and address, if applicable, and his technical contacts Information on the customer system and on the message ID in this system Creating orders with create. Use the create message type to create an order. This is the most comprehensive message type and contains sections 1 to 6. These sections are presented below on the basis of the create example. The six sections of the AM.exchange Section 1 message header message Section 2 order header Section 3 roles involved header You can find all relevant data to your existing order in this order header. The order header contains in the order type the information on the order structure and on the super-ordinat order if it is an order of a job splitting group or a partial posting of a posting group (see Section 2.2). Section 4 induction header contents number unique identification of the order (see Section 4.1.3) Section 5 items and services shipment item Customer order number Own customer order number for every customer accessing order (see Section 4.1.3) Section 5a items shipment type Information on job splitting group, partial posting group, posting order, additional order Section 5b services item status Information e.g., on AP = action planning, AU = order Fig. 7 Section 6 bundle structure packaging name/ order description Labelling of the type of posting Numbering Identification features which you can assign freely G = overall delivery, T = partial posting, S = final posting subsequent for a partial posting Table 2

15 28 Message structure Message structure number and customer order number Meaning of the roles in Section 3 Every one of your orders is labelled with its order number. Your AM order number and your customer order number are sufficient to identify an order. The AM order number is automatically assigned by Deutsche Post s Management as a response to the creation of an order via create-. You assign the customer order number: It can be incorporated in your internal systems. You manage your orders via your customer order number. It appears on the order invoice. You have the option to enter additional identifying names in further free text fields. The customer order number consists of your Deutsche Post customer number (EKP) and the system ID, while the system IFD is assigned by you. You are free to assign the system ID as long as it is unique. With regard to a current or later usage of the data matrix code, Deutsche Post recommends you use the characters of the hexadecimal (0-9, A - F) system only. A sensible structure of the number would be as follows: Date in the YYMMDD format The software ID, if there are several versions of one software in the company, one-digit as a figure or capital letter A six-digit, consecutive number; it can restart every day at 1 and must be supplemented by leadings zeros. Numbering of unplanned partial postings, if production problems result in subsequent partial postings. AM-XML Mandatory/optional Meaning MsgHeader.transmitterDatarecord Mandatory sender of the electronic message for authorisation check with create, change, cancel and for queries in clearing events Role.Sender Mandatory originator of the items in the sense of GT&Cs full viewing rights in the AM.portal full access rights via AM.exchange Appears on the invoice Role.Manufacturer optional Manufacturer or producer of the items (in particular required in complex EL structures) limited viewing rights in the AM.portal Access rights via AM.exchange Role.Poster Mandatory Poster of the items in the sense of the GT&Cs Limited viewing rights in the AM.portal Access rights via AM.exchange Appears on the invoice Role.Payer Mandatory Payer/owner of the contract Role.Further role = optional storage for information in the event of clearing DP IT service provider Role.Further role = optional storage for information in the event of clearing CO consolidator Role.Further role = Optional limited viewing rights in the AM.portal Access rights BE authorised party via AM.exchange Roles involved For every order, the roles involved are listed in Section 3 (apart from transmitter data record in Section 1). Important roles involved You also have the option of adding additional roles, such as an agency. Role.Further role = optional recipient of the invoice (if in deviation from role.payer) RE invoice recipient Table Item induction This section lists details on location and time of item induction: Role.Sender sender and customer of Deutsche Post Item induction contents Role.Manufacturer Manufacturer of the items if the sender does not make it himself Collection (A) or posting (E) Labelling whether the items are collected from or posted at the collection point stated Role.Poster Poster of the item Role.Payer Table 3 Payer ID of Deutsche Post s Information of posting or delivery (transport label E) place of production You can find the respective codes in Deutsche Post s code list Collection address Information for a collection (transport label A) Time Indication of the earliest and (optionally) of the latest time when the item should be collected or posted Table 5

16 30 Message structure Message structure Items and services Section 5 contains information on items and associated services. As an item can include several services, this section can appear several times in a message. Items. Items with the same characteristics are summarised to item clusters so that relevant information is only stated once and the number of items is stated in the cluster. State the item structure data, i.e., the distribution of the items across destination areas, in the dispatch plan. Franking with numbering the items (e.g., IT franking or special services franking) and other franking types are distinguished here. For franking with numbering, state the destination area of the items for every item number. For every other franking type you only need to state a number of items per destination area. It is stated in the form of a routing region, a postcode or a delivery district, depending on the product selected. Services. These include all services, i.e., all Deutsche Post products used in the order, for the respective order. The services mostly refer to the items of the same order; amounts differing mainly result from additional orders. This is why service positions, which refer to the items of a different order, include order number and numbers of the respective item clusters Bundle information Please deliver the bundle section on palette posting. It states the number of palettes and contains further information. Bundle information contents ID of the palette Product group Format Type of bundle sorting Bundle type Unique label, e.g., NVE = number of shipment unit State the destination of the palette above its destination unit. This can be a country, a routing zone, a routing region or a postcode. For VarioPlus, please refer to the associated items. Information on affiliation, e.g., INFOPOST or INFOBRIEF format details for items on the palette, e.g. standard, large Bundle-orientated, container-orientated or mixed for example PAL = palette Weight details Stacking optionally gross or net weight of the palette details on ability to stack and number of palette frames Items and services contents Table 7 Identification unique ID of the item cluster within the order Physical features Attachments Postage Dispatch plan Service Table 6 Format, weight, dimensions, sender s instructions, machine readability, machine ability Information, in particular for Pressepost and Postwurf items franking type and fee attached details on shipment destinations order number of Deutsche Post s requested products Response file Bidirectional communication on the basis of AM.exchange provides you with immediate feedback on the entry of your order data. This enables you to know at all times whether your details were correct and the respective order was structured correctly. The result of an operation call-up, the feedback, consists of one of three response options: OK the operation was completed without an error and without a warning message. WARNING the operation was completed without an error but with comments or warning messages. ERROR errors occurred during operation. Additional information is supplied with warnings and error messages: Error number the unique number associated with the warning or error. You can request a list of all error numbers at IT CSB (see page 50). Text a detailed explanation of the warning or error message.

17 32 Message structure Message structure Other message types Changing orders change With the change operation you can change the data of your order. As an identifying feature, enter the AM order number or your customer order number in section 2 first. Response file. The response to the change function contains the operation result (section 8), the message header (section 1) and the order header (section 2). The structure Section 1: included automatically Section 2: to be transmitted in full Section 3: when changing a role involved, you must transmit all data on this role. You can delete a role by transmitting the role name without content. Section 4: transmit in full if changes are made within the section. Section 5a: transmit in full if changes are made within the section. The dispatch plan is an exception. Here you can specify via the Change parameter whether the old dispatch plan is overwritten, kept or supplemented. Section 5b: transmit in full if changes are made within the section. Section 6: via the Change parameter you can specify whether you resend the section or add the bundle data to your order. The six sections of the AM.exchange message Section 1 message header message Section 2 order header Section 3 roles involved Section 4 induction Section 5 items and services shipment item Section 5a items shipment Section 5b services item Cancelling orders cancel Via the cancel operation you can cancel your order. The operation contains sections 1 and 2. State the AM order number or your customer order numbers in section 2 in order to identify the order to be cancelled. An order must be cancelled by the originally planned time of posting to Deutsche Post (see Section 4.2.3). Structure Section 1: included automatically Section 2: the AM structure or your customer order number must be transmitted. Partial posting groups and job splitting groups cannot be cancelled; here you must delete all posting orders involved individually. Response file. The response to the cancel function contains the operation result (section 8), the message header (section 1) and the order header (section 2). The two sections of the AM.exchange message: Fig. 9 Section 1 message header message Section 2 order header Section 6 bundle structure packaging Fig. 8 You can find more details on changing orders in Section

18 34 Message structure Message structure Notes on changing and cancelling orders Searching orders seek The change and cancel operations are only possible until a certain time. If you carry out the operations too late, the order can no longer be changed or cancelled; the system responds with an error message. Deadlines For delivery until one hour before the posting date For collection until 12:00 on the day before the collection date Deutsche Post s General Terms and Conditions or other contractually agreed regulations with Deutsche Post will remain unaffected. Additional orders. If you change or cancel a posting order which belongs to an additional order, it may also be necessary to change the additional order. Sending bulk messages. If you would like to process several orders, the process- ManagementOperations function is useful. You can use it to send bulk messages which can include several order options such as create, change and cancel. You can bundle several operations in one file and simplify the management and dispatch of files. Once AM has processed all messages, you receive a processmanagementoperations response which displays the results of all operations performed individually and in summary. Restrictions. You cannot bundle the seek, get and seekmessage functions in such a bulk message. When using the web service gateways, bundling to a bulk message is not practical for technical reasons. You can only use operations of one type in a bulk message in the AM-EDIFACT data format. You can search your order via seek. You need sections 1 to 4 for the operation. In order to ensure that only you have access to the data, you should first state username and password. For the search itself, use the fixed criteria and search patterns. Search criteria AM order number Customer order number Status Description of the action ID (label, order label) of the action Customer number of the sender, manufacturer, poster or payer PeriodFrom (DeliveryOrCollectionDateFrom) PeriodTo (DeliveryOrCollectionDateTo) The four sections of the AM.exchange message Section 1 message header message Section 2 order header Section 3 roles involved Section 4 induction Fig. 10

19 36 Message structure Message structure Searching orders the search patterns details get You can combine the search criteria; however, one of the following search patterns should be fulfilled: Customer number of the sender and periodfrom and periodto Customer number of the poster and periodfrom and periodto Customer number of the payer and periodfrom and periodto Customer number of the manufacturer and periodfrom and periodto Customer order number (incl. full customer number) AM order number Customer number of the sender, sincechangedate and order status (optional) Customer number of the manufacturer, sincechangedate and order status (optional) Customer number of the poster, sincechangedate and order status (optional) Customer number of the payer, sincechangedate and order status (optional) Customer number of the authorised person, sincechangedate and order status (optional) Response file. The response to the search request with seek contains sections 1, 2, 7 and 8. This provides you with the AM order number, your customer number, the order tree and the result. The response contains only the information which you may access. Posting orders (EA) only are listed: For a single posting order. For job splitting groups or partial posting groups, all posting orders of the respective group appear. For additional orders the individual EA of the additional order as well as the order itself are displayed. With the get operation you can gain a precise overview of the current order data at any time. You need the AM order number or your customer number to access the data. This is why the operation only includes sections 1 and 2. Response file. The response to the get function includes sections 1 to 8. They provide you with all details on the current status of this order in a comprehensive overview. The two sections of the get message Section 1 message header message Section 2 order header Fig. 11

20 38 Message structure Messages for orders seekmessage Specialist implementation If you would like to be actively informed of the status of your order, you are at the right address with AM. AM can provide you with various messages electronically, such as order acceptance by Deutsche Post. You can individually decide what messages you would like to receive and can also specify the form of data transfer. You can choose from the following options: Messages as Messages as AM Mail (i.e., as message in the AM.portal) Messages via data transfer seekmessage as machine-machine communication You can specify the respective configuration in the AM.portal (see page 48). The seekmessage function enables real interaction between your software system and Deutsche Post s Management system. You can therefore automatically evaluate the messages supplied via seekmessage and control further order processing with the system. You can thus complete your order in your own system, for instance, as soon as you have received a message on order acceptance from Deutsche Post. Technical implementation To provide you with comprehensive information on your order, you can call up special messages on events you are interested in with seek- Message. In the AM.portal you can configure what messages you would like to receive (see Section 5.7). Logging in with username and password Collection of messages relevant to you Targeted requests on search criteria which you select Messages sent to you are deleted from the system after seven days. Messages not sent to you are automatically deleted after thirty days. The order data, however, remains visible in the AM.portal for at least one year. Response file The response to the seekmessage function is summarised in a message. It lists sections 1 and 2 as well as a list with AM messages. The AM-EDIFACT version of the seek- Message operation is not based on the IFTMIN template as the other operations but on the IFTSTA template. 5 AM.portal The AM.portal internet portal With the AM.portal you always have an overview of your item orders. You can obtain information on the current order status via the internet portal at any time. Here you can see - just like all other parties involved in the process - precisely the information relevant to you. By entering your order number, you reach your order. The AM.portal is designed concisely and easy to use so you quickly find the important information: You receive a list of all planned and current orders. You can reach your orders quickly. You can see existing orders, changes, tracking details and bundle periods. You have an overview of the activities of all partners involved in the order. You have an overview of the status of your items at all times. You can easily manage invoicing. You are immediately informed of news by . If you required further information while using AM, online help is available to you at all times. You can call it up via the left menu and directly access informative notes on the page currently open and their correct use. Fig. 12