Logistics Lingo – a Glossary of Common Terms

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At Ottawa Logistics, we aim to provide all of our customers with the best service possible. To help with that process, we have produced a glossary of common terms or logistics lingo.

3PL: third-party logistics; provides outsourced logistics services

Bar Code: a code printed on a product for identification in the format of numbers and a pattern of parallel lines. Used to track product location and status.

Cross Dock: the process of unloading products from an incoming shipment and loading them directly to an outbound transport

EDI (electronic data interchange): a data transfer allowing information from one computer to another without human interaction; this process permits multiple companies, domestic or international, to exchange documents electronically

Handling Charge: Fee for labour to pick goods in order to ship.

Intermodal: involves two or more types of transportation for shipping products

Kitting: grouping, packaging, and shipping a set of products together for a specific purpose

Light Assembly: Manual assembly that requires little time and only utilizes basic tools

Logistics: commercial transport of products to customers

Less Than Truckload Shipping (LTL): a freight weighing between 100 and 20,000 lbs – a product too large to ship using the Post Office or local parcel company and smaller than a full truckload of products

Master Carton: Large package with multiple smaller packages of the same product within it.

Omni channel solution: a sales approach with the aim to provide a customer with a smooth buying experience despite the buying format of the customer (online, over the phone, or brick and mortar). Ottawa Logistics has the capacity to fulfill order coming from various channels/omni channels.

Pick and Pack: the practice of finding and pulling a product from the inventory and packing it to ship for a customer’s order

Order: a request for products by a customer

Order Fulfillment: the complete process, from sales to delivery, of a product to a customer

Order Tracking: software that allows a client to track in real time orders as they are processed by a fulfillment company.

Packing List: a documented list included with every order listing the contents of the package with detail.

Perpetual Inventory System: A system in which a constant inventory is maintained. System calculates orders shipped out and inbound orders allowing clients to know their exact inventory at all times.

Serial Number: the code indicating the number of an item in a series printed on the item for identification

Shopping Cart Integration: Shopping cart integration allows a fulfillment company to receive orders in real time allowing for immediate packing and shipping.

SKU (Stock-Keeping Unit): a string of numbers or alpha numeric characters to provide a product with a unique identification; often referred to as part numbers

WMS (warehouse management software): software to support the day-to-day operations in a warehouse including inventory tracking and stock locations

For further information about any of these terms, how it applies to your product, or any other questions, please contact us.