When a retailer has specific requirements for incoming stock to their distribution centers or stores, they provide detailed instructions known as a Routing Guide. At DCL, we create a Routing Guide Summary checklist to ensure that each shipment complies with the retailer's guidelines.
If you would like a Routing Guide Summary for a new retailer, please follow the steps below and provide the Routing Guide to your DCL account team.
How do I request a routing guide?
When you are ready to submit your routing guide, we will need to fill out the Routing Guide Request form, available using the following link: https://airtable.com/shrHPEpHlt2seubKK
What information do I need to request a new routing guide?
Routing guides require a lot of information, please read the following information before you start the request process.
You will need the following information to complete the Routing Guide Request Form:
Requestor's Name: This is your name. Please enter your name in the field.
Requestor's Email: This is the email address where our routing setup team can contact you.
Customer: This is your company name.
DCL Account Manager: This is your day-to-day contact at DCL.
Region: This is the primary region from which your B2B shipments will be shipped.
Region2: If you have a secondary region where your shipments ship from.
Retailer: This is the Retailer the routing guide is for.
NEW or UPDATE Routing Guide Request: Please select if the routing is a new routing guide or an update from an existing routing guide. You will add additional information depending on what you select on the form.
First Ship Date: This the date you want the first orders to ship on. Please entering in the date using MM/DD/YYYY format.
Routing Guide (aka Vendor Compliance Manual): Please post the PDF of the routing guide here.
Retailer Shipment Type: This is where we will be shipping the items. Such as the retailer's distribution centers or directly to their stores. Please select from the choices given.
Shipping Type Comments: Any additional information you may need us to know about where the product is to be shipped to
Domestic or International: Will the orders ship to domestic (US locations) or will we ship to international locations (outside the US). Please select domestic or international
Will orders be sent to DCL through EDI? Please select yes or no. If yes, please contact your account manager for EDI set-up prior to the first shipment. EDI set-up can take up to 12 weeks.
Order Type: When shipping, we offer three primary options based on the size and volume of the order: Please select all that would apply per the routing guide.
Small Parcel: Includes services such as UPS Ground, 3-Day, 2-Day, and other courier-based options. These shipments are typically smaller packages that don’t require pallets.
LTL (Less Than Truckload): Is suitable for shipments that are too large for small parcels but do not fill an entire truck. These orders are usually palletized and transported with other shipments.
TL (Truckload): This is for large orders requiring a full truck. The truck is dedicated to a single order, ensuring it is the only shipment on the vehicle. The shipment is typically palletized.
Small Parcel Freight Terms: Payment Type: This is who will pay for the freight charges on the shipments.
LTL/TL Freight Terms: Payment Type: This is who will pay the freight for LTL or TL
Preferred Carrier (If applicable): Does the routing guide have a preference if the shipments should go small parcel, LTL, or TL? If so please choose small parcel, LTL or LT.
Shipping full customer cartons only? Does the routing guide, or, according to your requirements, only ship in full master cartons? Please select yes or no.
Are there cartons that exceed 50lbs? Please select yes or no if your master cartons exceed 50 lbs or not.
Are there inner cartons? Does your product have inner cartons within the master cartons? Please select yes or no.
Are pallets ok to double stack? If we are to ship via pallets are the pallets ok to double stack. Select yes or no.
Do individual units have a scannable UPC's? Does your product have a printed scannable UPC on each unit? Please select yes or no.
Do individual units have a COO (Country of Origin)? Does your product have the country of origin printed on each unit? Some routing guides require the COO to be on each unit. Please select yes or no.
Is there product in poly bags? Are you products packed in individual poly bags? Depending on the product shipping a polybad may be required per the routing guide. Please select yes or no.
Is there liquid product? Is the product you are shipping to retailers liquid? There may be additional shipping requirements if there are any. Please select yes or no.
Is there expiration dates on product? Does your product have expiration dates for them? We may need additional set ups if we are to ship your products by experation date. Please select yes or no.
Is there Lot Number on product? Does your product have lot codes on them and do we need to ship using lot code requirements? If so, please select yes. Otherwise select no.
Additional Comment: Space you can type in anything else you want us to know.
Once you have completed all the initial information, hit the submit button.
What if I am updating an existing routing guide?
If you already have a routing summary set up and there have been changes since the last one was set up, please select update on NEW or UPDATE Routing Guide Request.
The following questions will appear for you to fill out:
What is the update? Choose if the retailer provided an updated routing guide, or if there is a change to the routing guide summary that was created or if there is something else you want updated. There will be a space for you to enter what you want updated.
Once you have entered your information, select submit.
How long will a routing guide summary take to complete?
Once all information is received from the customer, the turnaround time to complete a routing guide summary is approximately 14 days. This includes most of the back-and-forth needed to edit and approve a final routing guide summary.
Customers need to start the process of creating a routing guide summary at least three months in advance of first shipment.