ASTM F3803-26

1.1 The global supply chain involves five distinct phases; the first and last are not included in the goods movement process (as defined in Terminology F3682). See Fig. 1.

The goods movement process’ three phases are the planning phase, the execution phase, and the reconciliation phase. At the first intention to ship goods prepared as cargo, we define a default POSTED (200) status where the transport unit identifier (TUID) is first generated.

The pre-goods movement process phase is defined as the forecast phase, where product supplier selection is accomplished; and the last post-goods movement process phase being the analysis phase, where the information from what was planned to happen can be accurately compared to what actually occurred to reconcile and report on results of the transaction; these two phases “bookend” the three phases that make up the goods movement process.

1.2 The guide will describe how events occurring in the goods movement process will result in goods movement process codes (GMPC) indicating the status of (or even a milestone for) a transport unit. That link between a specific event and the associated GMPC enables a common unambiguous interpretation of the meaning of GMPC related to the transport management operations.

1.3 Purpose—This common understanding among stakeholders significantly facilitates the frictionless collaboration among them and the performance of the transportation operations they are involved in.

These GMPCs may be used in a variety of contexts such as the ISO 8000-119 TUID, electronic data interchanges (EDI) or within organizations’ IT systems (for example, transport management systems, enterprise resource planning, etc.).

This guide spans the three GMP phases mentioned above; the pre-goods movement process and post-goods movement process (the “bookend” phases) are out of scope of this guide.

The guide provides a high-level framework that helps organizations to design how they will structure their transportation and how transport unit identifiers and GMPCs will support those structures in daily operations.

The guide will not provide detailed instructions for any specific industry. Any example use cases included in the guide merely serve to illustrate the framework described in the guide; they should be reviewed (and adjusted as needed) before implementing in any particular industry context.

1.4 Units—The 3-character GMPC values associated with the status changes are to be regarded as the standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

5.1 This section elaborates how the GMPC may be used in the context of the two main approaches to managing the execution of transportation mentioned in 4.8. These elaborations do not go into every possible detail of these approaches. The purpose of the elaborations is to provide an outline of the overall approach and use of the GMPCs, within which much more detailed elaborations can be done. Before diving into these two approaches it is necessary to understand the main relationships among the terms used in the below sections.

5.2 In general, the Goods Movement Process is triggered by the need to transport goods (as cargo) that are involved in a commercial transaction between a seller and a buyer (aka “trade transaction”). The transaction is documented in an order between seller and buyer. The goods need to be transported from a sender’s location to a receiver’s location indicated by the seller and buyer respectively. That collection of goods is the shipment.

5.3 Once the goods have been prepared for transportation (as cargo) they may be transported under one or multiple transport contracts (transport instructions in the GS1 original) that are agreed between logistic service buyers and logistic service sellers. The transport contract specifies the location that the cargo must be collected from the consignor and where it is to be delivered to the consignee. The collection of physical units to be transported under that transport contract is the consignment.

5.4 The transport contract also lists the carrier who provides the transport means (and equipment with operator where needed) to execute the physical transportation from the consignor to consignee.

5.5 Fire and Forget versus Manage Through Fire:

• 5.5.1 In the supply chain and transportation industry, two primary approaches have emerged between logistic service providers and logistic service buyers to manage these transportation transactions. These approaches are very different in terms of the division of responsibilities between the contracting parties. We distinguish:
  • Hands-off – Fire and Forget.
  • Hands-on – Manage through Fire.
• 5.5.2 In the below sections, the document describes a high-level outline of the two approaches and how they relate to the main Goods Movement Process Codes (GMPC).

5.6 Fire and Forget:

• 5.6.1 Logistic service providers and logistic service buyers may follow a “hands-off” approach. In this document, we also refer to this approach as Fire and Forget.
• 5.6.2 In the Fire and Forget model, the transport service buyer contracts the service provider to make all necessary arrangements to transport the cargo from the source location (generally the seller) to the destination location (generally the buyer). In principle, the logistics service buyer will “trust” that the cargo will be transported as contracted. Because the service buyer basically “may forget” about the delivery of the goods once the logistics service buyer has handed the cargo over to the service provider, we call this the Fire and Forget model. Obviously, the logistics service buyer will expect a level of feedback on progress (for example, GMPCs).

Note 4: The role of transport service buyer can be performed by the seller or the buyer. Who will take the role, generally depends on the Incoterms agreed between the Seller and Buyer as part of the Goods Transaction contract (Buy/Sell contract).

• 5.6.3 However, the service buyer would prefer not to get involved in the execution of the transportation. As far as the relationship between the logistics service buyer and the service provider is concerned there is only a single transport contract involved (the one between the transport service buyer and transport service seller). That transport covers the entire journey of the shipment from seller to buyer. The transport service buyer is generally the owner of the cargo to be transported.
  • 5.6.3.1 Either the buyer or seller of transport services should generate the TUID at the first intention to ship goods from a known origin location to a known destination location. The TUID shall be generated initially with the status POSTED (200) in the Planning Phase.

    Note 5: Transport services, once agreed, will be executed under a transport contract. The transport contract will stipulate a consignor and a consignee indicating where the cargo should be collected and where it should be delivered. In the Fire and Forget scenario, the seller will generally be the consignor and the buyer will be the consignee.

  • 5.6.3.2 The logistic service buyer (LSB) may broadcast the requirements for the transportation transaction, seeking qualified carriers who offer their service of moving goods as cargo to logistic service buyers. The LSB may also share the requirements directly with one or more preferred carriers.
  • 5.6.3.3 When a qualified carrier has expressed interest in servicing the transport need, the status shall change to PRE-BOOKED (300), meaning that the transport service buyer has an option but has not yet committed to a specific carrier who will perform the service as quoted. This step is optional. In case the LSB sends the transport requirement directly to a preferred carrier, this step does not apply.
  • 5.6.3.4 When the logistic service buyer selects and confirms a carrier to move the goods that have been prepared as cargo, the transaction advances to status BOOKED (400). BOOKED is the last step of the planning process and can be done a significant period in advance of the actual cargo pick up or can be done the same day, for instance through a dynamic spot market. In case the LSB interacts with the preferred carrier, the status BOOKED is reached when that carrier confirms acceptance of the LSB transportation request.
  • 5.6.3.5 When the BOOKED (400) carrier is under a rate confirmation sheet (RATECON), there is an anticipation of services to be rendered by the carrier for the LSB. However, the transport transaction does not start until the bill of lading has been signed by the LSB and carrier to confirm the cargo has in fact been picked up and the LSB and the carrier enter into a legally binding service contract to move goods from the origin to the destination.

    Note 6: The bill of lading is used here as an example of any equivalent shipping or transport document used in any mode of transport or geography that confirms loading of the cargo.

  • 5.6.3.6 Often before the BOOKED (400) carrier dispatches a driver with a trailer to move the goods under contract, there is an appointment or confirmation of pick up communicated between the carrier and the LSB. This step can trigger an update to the precise pick up location and the precise time. Changes that specify more precise locations for pick up are welcomed, but they do not change the TUID number that was generated. The appointment scheduling generates a record of the more precise pick up location , and conveys the updated, more precise pick up location for the collection of the LSB’s cargo in the carrier’s asset (trailer, truck, railcar etc.) . In cases of dry or wet bulk items, the railcar, or barge may carry the goods directly.
  • 5.6.3.7 Regardless if there was a separate appointment and updated dock location, the Planning Phase ends and the Execution Phase begins when the cargo from the LSB is loaded inside the carrier asset and received by the driver, with the change of custody documented on the appropriate transport document (for example, bill of lading). When the carrier / driver has signed for the LSB’s cargo and has begun the service of moving the goods as cargo, the EN ROUTE (500) status occurs, which continues until DELIVERED (700) at the destination prescribed on the transportation contracts (for example, bill of lading).
  • 5.6.3.8 DELIVERED (700) occurs when the cargo has been unloaded from the carrier's transport asset and inspected for comparison to the relevant transport documents (for example, bill of lading) for accuracy and no damage. DELIVERED (700) ends the Execution Phase, but there are many tracking and tracing events that can be updated between the EN ROUTE (500) and DELIVERED (700) statuses. There is a natural delay that occurs when a paper transport document is signed before it gets to the carrier office for INVOICED (800) generation, the first step of the Reconciliation Phase.
  • 5.6.