Always listening to its customers led Geodis to develop early on a complete line of tools for communicating with its partners (customers or peers).

Today, Geodis has all the technical possibilities that allow it to transfer information pertaining to its order makers in total security and provide notification in real time.

The direct integration of our customers' orders in or information systems allows us to:

• Better predict and plan our means of handling (transportation or warehouse space)
• Avoid any entry errors that could create problems for delivery or give rise to disputes
• Gain precious time to execute these orders.

The transfer of orders and our sub-contractors' response let us ensure total tracking of every shipment that is entrusted to us.

GEODIS has dedicated a high-capacity computer (IBM Z-Series, MVS) to its EDI exchanges. EDI exchanges are therefore handled in an "industrial" framework that is well-secured and effective given the volumes of information that are transferred and then directed to the sites of the appropriate agencies

Hosting, production monitoring and call centers are operated by IBM Global Services in the framework of a service agreement. A dedicated hotline oversees processes, handles anomalies and answers questions from our partners.

A competent team that has gained know-how from its 12 years of experience executes the technical and functional developments necessary to stay at the cutting edge of this constantly evolving technology.

Geodis is highly involved in organizations that promote EDI in the field of transportation and logistics.

Advice given to partners will center on the exchange format solutions recommended by the United Nations international standards: EDIFACT.


Transportation: GTF and EDITRANSPORT
Geodis Calberson, a founding member of GTF ("French Carriers Group") in the 1980s, stands as a pioneer in the development of this means of inter-company communication. Along with other businesses in the transportation sector, it was able to create messages adapted to the needs of its operations and the demands of its customers.

The various message formats:

• INOVERT :
  Part of our information system since 1990. Accounts for the vast majority of EDI transfers between our national shipping customers and the group's agencies
  DISPOR : message of shipping receipt between a shipping customer and his carrier
  SCONTR : message of consolidated shipping between two carriers
  REPORT : shipping monitoring information
  Thousands of this type of message are handled daily the group's EDI server.
  
• EDIFACT UNSM :
  Defined by international organizations and recommended by EDITRANSPORT, this format currently enjoys the same characteristic of effectiveness, thanks notably to the creation of new user guides developed jointly with GTF:
  IFCSUM : mmessage of multi-shipment shipping order
  IFTSTA : Monitoring information on shipments is especially adapted to European exchanges.
  
  GEODIS thus offers its transportation customers a wide array of EDI exchange formats based on these two types of recommendations, while remaining open to "other" solutions that the customer may wish to use.

Logistics: EAN messages
In the area of logistics, our references on the EDI formats to be used are based on the message user guides from EANCOM®.
(EAN France = GENCOD, a standardization organization in the field of mass distribution).
Geodis is a member of this organization and participates in its "Logistics Service Providers" working group, organized by GENCOD France.
The working group meets to study and define "user guides" for EANCOM® messages relating to logistics service provider flows. In 2002, several guides were studies in this way: Movement/Stock Movement Journal, Shipping Notice, Handling and Delivery Order.

Automobile: GALIA messages :
Geodis BM, our subsidiary specialized in the management of full load and batch flows, is a preferred partner for our supplier customers in the automobile world.
Through this subsidiary, GEODIS has acquired significant know-how on computerized exchanges in accordance with GALIA and ODETTE standards for "just in time" provisioning of automaker production chains, drawing on nearby stocks.