Glossary

Numerics

3PL: See third-party logistics.

A

ABC

ABC classification

See activity-based costing classification.

accessory

A type of merchandising association in which a suggested product is chosen as an addition to the currently displayed or selected product. See also cross-sell, upsell.

accounting bin location

A virtual location that temporarily holds the discrepant quantities that are discovered through the counting process. The accounting bin location holds the quantity until the discrepancy is resolved and the quantity is removed from the accounting bin location.

accumulation conveyor

A conveyor system that is designed to permit the accumulation of cartons on the conveyor without causing undue stress to the cartons.

accuracy audit

The process of inspecting a carton to verify the accuracy of the picking, packing, and documentation associated with that carton.

ACK

See acknowledgment.

acknowledgment (ACK)

The transmission of acknowledgment characters as a positive response to a data transmission.

action

A defined task that an application performs on an object as a result of an event.

active pick location

The primary pick location for single or loose items. For quantities less than a pallet or case load, the active pick locations are assigned if a SKU exists in the active locations.

active stock

The collection of items stored in the active pick location.

activity-based costings (ABC)

A costing model that identifies the activities that are part of a product or service and assigns the cost of each activity based on the use of resources.

activity-based costing classification (ABC classification)

The unit value of an item multiplied by annual usage.

activity-based reporting engine (ARE)

A component that records billing activities that are performed within the fulfillment process. This engine provides the external system with a list of all billing activities, along with the associated code, references, and units of work.

activity group

A group that performs physical activities to fulfill an order.

activity set

A grouping of physical activities that are performed to fulfill an order.

actual weight

The measured weight of an item, carton, or shipment.

adapter

A mechanism for connecting two unlike parts or machines, or for electrically or physically connecting a device to a computer or to another device.

ADC

See automatic data collection.

ad hoc move

An unplanned move of inventory in a warehouse.

advanced planning system (APS)

A system that plans ahead.

advanced transit time

The maximum number of days a carrier service allows for delivery.

advance shipment notice (ASN)

The notification to the receiving warehouse of a shipment in transit to the warehouse. It also details what the shipment contains and expected time of arrival.

agent

A process that performs an action on behalf of a user or other program without user intervention or on a regular schedule, and reports the results back to the user or program.

AGV

See automatic guided vehicle.

alias

An alternative name is used instead of a primary name.

allocatable

Pertaining to products that are available to be designated for orders.

allocate

To set aside some inventory for a specific order.

allow rule

A rule that allows a transaction to proceed without being approved by a member of an approval group and without evaluation of additional rules, provided the rule conditions are met.

alternative association

An association between items that is used to identify alternative items for purchase.

alternative item

An item suggested for purchase when inventory is not available for the original item.

alternative quote

A quote that is one of several quotes that are independent of each other, but are associated with a single opportunity.

anonymous user

A user who does not use a valid user ID and password to log in to a site.

API

See application programming interface.

application programming interface (API)

An interface that allows an application program that is written in a high-level language to use specific data or functions of the operating system or another program.

approval

A formal permission or sanction that is required to be granted by a user (called an approver) for a quote to be processed. For example, if the discount offered for a line item in a quote exceeds the maximum discount that can be offered for that item, the quote may require one or more approvals, depending on the approval rules.

approval delegate

A user who assumes the quote approval responsibilities of an approver when the approver is not available.

approval group

The set of users from specified teams and user groups who must review and approve any pending approval holds generated by an approval rule violation on a quote.
In Sterling Order Management System, a request can be directed to an approval group when a violation of a validation rule is detected.

approval plan

A plan that determines the approvers who are responsible for resolving the approval rule violations that are triggered by a quote.
In Sterling Order Management System, a hierarchy of users that can allow or reject an override during a sales transaction. The plan includes information such as user department and user role, and typically includes one or more user groups.

approval rule

In Sterling Order Management System, a rule that, when violated, can be considered by the users of an applicable approval plan, and then approved or rejected based on approver response.

approver

In Sterling Order Management System, the individual authorized to override validation rule violations.

APS

See advanced planning system.

ARE

See activity-based reporting engine.

ARS

See authorized repair service center.

ASN

See advance shipment notice.

ASRS

See automatic storage and retrieval system.

asset

An electronic media file that can be associated with a business object. Assets can be URLs, datasheets, image files, sound files, and text files. Assets can be assigned to items, catalogs, categories, attributes, and allowed attribute values.

asynchronous service

A service definition framework service that provides either output or response to the caller application. For its part, the caller application does not wait for a response from this service.

ATP

See available to promise.

ATP monitoring rule

See available to promise monitoring rule.

ATP rule

See available to promise rule.

attribute

A characteristic or trait of an entity that describes the entity; for example, the telephone number of an employee is one of the employee attributes.

attribute domain

A hierarchy of attribute groups that contain similar types of attributes.

attribute group

A set of related attributes that share a common purpose.

audit trail

A chronological record of events or transactions. An audit trail is used for examining or reconstructing a sequence of events or transactions, managing security, and recovering lost transactions.

authorized repair service center (ARS)

A center that undertakes repair and servicing of products for a manufacturer.

automatic data collection (ADC)

The process of capturing or collecting data without the usage of a keyboard. It encompasses methods such as bar codes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID,) or smart cards and storing the data in a computer.

automatic discharge lane

An accumulating conveyor lane from which packages are released, one at a time, under computer control. The lane uses a blade stop or gate mechanism.

automatic guided vehicle (AGV)

A transport system that is capable of functioning without driver operation.

automatic storage and retrieval system (ASRS)

Material handling system that automatically moves, stores, and retrieves material. With an ASRS, the operator is stationary. The handling mechanism receives material from the operator, moves and stores it into locations, and retrieves and delivers material back to the operator when picking.

availability monitor

A time-triggered transaction that monitors inventory availability and raises alerts when levels fall below configured thresholds.

available to deliver

Pertaining to the amount of on-hand inventory available for immediate delivery.

available to promise (ATP)

Pertaining to the amount of inventory that can be promised for delivery by a certain date.

available to promise monitoring rule (ATP monitoring rule)

A business rule that is used to set up a monitoring system for tracking inventory item availability and raising specific actions when the inventory falls below a specified minimum level. The availability of an item can be tracked on the current day, subsequent days within the ATP time frame, and subsequent days outside the ATP time frame.

available to promise rule (ATP rule)

A business rule that determines the availability of an item for current and future demand. This determination makes the most efficient use of inventory so that items are not set aside for future orders when they might be used to fulfill more immediate demands.

B

backorder

The status of an ordered product when inventory allocation is determined that the product is not available.

backroom pick

The act of pulling inventory from the backroom of a store to fill an order.

bar code

A pattern of bars of various widths containing data to be interpreted by a scanning device.

bar code aspect ratio

The ratio of bar code height to overall symbol length. The aspect ratio determines the maximum label SKUs allowed for fixed linear scanners and is important for omni-directional scanners.

bar code label

A label that has a special imprinted bar code, generally both human and machine readable, which is detected by an automatic scanning device. It is used to identify package, carton, or pallet contents.

bar code scanner

A device that reads bar-coded labels and communicates that data to a computer system.

base transactions

A predefined set of transaction types that contain information about transaction behavior and define the limits for the creation of new transactions.

base unit of measure

The standard way that a product is measured.

batch

A list of tasks that can be performed together. Only specific task types can be combined into a batch and each batch consists of only one type of task.
To group warehouse tasks into a batch of activities based on the resources and equipments that are used to complete the task.

batch picking

The method of grouping a set of tasks that a picker can complete in one pass of the warehouse. The tasks that can be put together in a batch are based on the batch rule setup for the task.

batch wave

Grouping of all tasks in a wave into meaningful batches where each batch can be run by one operator.

bay

In a warehouse, a stack of locations that represent the width of one shelf (or one pallet rack) and the height of the entire shelving or pallet rack.

best fit

A putaway location selection method that assigns a putaway location based on how well the volume of the receipt fills that location.

bill of lading (BOL)

A carrier's contract and receipt for goods that it agrees to transport from one place to another according to specified terms and conditions. It normally includes specific identification of the cargo contents and is often used as a receiving document at the point of destination.

bill of materials (BOM)

A list of the items, and quantities of each item, needed to manufacture an end product for sale to customers.

bin

A single storage location.

blind receiving

The receipt of inventory when a BOL or order number does not exist in the system for that specific inventory.

blind return

A return of items without obtaining a return authorization.

BOL

See bill of lading.

BOM

See bill of materials.

break bulk load

A consolidated shipment that is shipped to a break bulk node for a particular region to reduce transportation costs.

break bulk node

A node within a distribution network that is used during zone skipping. For example, a user might transport a full container load economically by a single carrier to a break bulk node, where the contents of the container are then split into a few small loads for local dispatch to individual customers, or to other subsidiary distribution depots. See also zone skipping.

break quantity high

The upper quantity range for a given price. For example, the break quantity high is 10 for an item that for quantities of 1 to 10 the price is $20 per units; the break quantity high is 50 when for quantities of 11 to 50 the price is $15.

break quantity low

The lower quantity range for a given price. For example, the break quantity low is 1 for an item that for quantities of 1 to 10 the price is $20 per unit; the break quantity low is 11 when for quantities of 11 to 50 the price is $15.

broken case

A quantity that is less than the standard case quantity for a SKU.

bulk area

The storage of high volumes of SKUs that represent a specific space on the floor of the warehouse. Typically SKUs stored in this area would be sturdy enough to stack multiple pallets high, permitting better utilization of warehouse space.

bulk rack storage

The storage of cartons or pallets on shelves or racks.

bundle

A kit item that can contain both products and services.

bundle fulfillment mode

A fulfillment option that determines whether bundle components should be shipped and delivered together or independently.

bundle item

An item that is part of a bundle.

business customer

An organization that purchases products or services from an enterprise in a B2B scenario.

business customer contact

The contact information for an individual at a B2B customer location.

business group

The highest level in the organization hierarchy, which has no accounting impact. It can consist of a single company or multiple companies.

business object

A software entity that represents a business entity, such as an invoice. A business object includes persistent and nonpersistent attributes, actions that can be performed on the business object, and rules that the business object is governed by.

business process model

A paradigm that controls the business workflow of transactions.

business rule

A configurable rule that specifies in detail how your application handles installation, inventory, pricing, promotions, services, and organizations.

buyer

An organization that purchases products from an enterprise or other seller organizations.

buyer administrator

A buyer user with administrative privileges. See also buyer user.

buyer organization

See purchasing organization.

buyer user

A user who belongs to a buyer organization, and purchases products from a storefront on behalf of that buyer organization. See also buyer administrator.

C

cached inventory

Products that have their information, such as item attributes, inventory balance, or availability, which is stored in a local data cache. The consuming application, such as a web store, can access the information from the cache, reducing synchronous queries to the application.

CAL

See customer acceptance laboratory.

callback mechanism

A method for authentication of a voice user who is requesting a system API. This mechanism places a callback request to VoiceLogistics Pro (VLP) to verify whether the user is logged in to VLP.

call center

A center that handles many calls to either take orders or provide customer service.

capable to promise (CTP)

Pertaining to the ability to fill and deliver an order in a specific time frame.

capacity organization

An organization definition for which all resource capacity information is consolidated.

capacity override

Override of typical capacity plans when additional capacity is required for specific date/time slot combinations to handle planned spikes in demand or shortfalls in resources.

capacity requirements planning (CRP)

The process of specifying the level of resources (facilities, equipment, and labor force size) that best supports the competitive strategy for production of the enterprise.

card verification value authorization code (CVV auth code)

A separate authorization code that might be returned in addition to a credit card authorization code when a financial institution approves a credit card transaction.

carousel

A revolving type of contained storage system that brings locations to the operator.

carrier

A transportation service provider that provides delivery and shipping services between buyers, sellers, and customers.

carrier service capacity

The unit of measure that is maintained for a carrier service item. For example, the unit of measure might be defined as truck space for delivery items.

cart bar code

A number or bar code that is stuck on a cart that is used to identify a specific cart.

carton

A standard container with specific dimensions that are used in both storage and shipping of loose items.

carton flow rack

Storage racks consisting of multiple lanes of gravity-fed carton flow conveyors. The lanes are replenished from the rear. The material flows through the rack and is picked from the front.

cartonization

The process by which loose items from a common order or common customer are placed in standard cartons in preparation for shipment.

carton manifest

The list of cartons in a parcel carrier shipment.

case

A container that holds a specified quantity of identical items (SKU) as packaged by a vendor. Cases are identified by license plate number and are generally put away to storage in their original condition until picked.

case code

See factory carton code.

case ID

A unique identifier for a case or carton that is stored in the warehouse.

case pick

The process of picking unbroken cases from bulk case storage for shipment.

cash-and-carry

A delivery method by which orders are fulfilled directly from a store and paid in full at the time of transaction. Cash-and-carry transactions require no additional processing.

cashback

A service that provides customers with the ability to receive cash in addition to the goods that they purchased in a store by using an alternative payment method. The total amount of the transaction, which includes the cost of the purchased goods and the amount of the cash received, is debited from the customer's account. For example, a customer might charge $37 to their credit card for a $17 item in order to get that item and $20 back from the store.

catalog

The highest level of the category hierarchy. All of the groupings that exist below the catalog are referred to as categories.

catalog index

A searchable index file that is built from the item data in your database. This index provides fast search capability on catalog items.

catalog organization

An organization definition for which a main item is defined.

catalog rule

A rule that pertains to catalog management.

category

A set of catalog items in various different hierarchical and searchable groupings.

cathode ray tube (CRT)

A vacuum tube in which a beam of electrons can be moved to draw lines or to form characters or symbols on its luminescent screen.

certificate

A digital document that binds a public key to the identity of the certificate owner, thereby enabling the certificate owner to be authenticated. A certificate is issued by a certificate authority and is digitally signed by that authority.

chained order

An order that must finish its fulfillment process before its parent order can be considered fulfilled. An order is chained when a parent order must communicate some portion of the order fulfillment execution to a third party.

channel application

An application that is used to place an order in a store or online call center of a retail business.

charge sequence

The sequence in which Sterling Order Management System creates authorization or charge requests. For example, the charge sequence might specify that gift certificates are to be used before a credit card is charged.

chart of accounts (COA)

A detailed listing of all the accounts used by a company.

check digit

A check key consisting of a single digit.

child item

An item that is a part of an item with variations and has the same set of attributes as the item with variations, with minor distinct differences.

chute dedication

In a warehouse, the exclusive assignment of a dock door or chute to a particular carrier.

classification purpose

The determination of how an item classification is used. For example, one classification may be used for receiving preference and another may be used for procurement purposes.

client

A software program or computer that requests services from a server.

CLP

See container load plan.

COA

See chart of accounts.

collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR)

A concept that allows working together across the supply chain that uses a set of process and technology models that are: open, yet allow secure communications; flexible across the industry; extensible to all supply chain processes; supportive of a broad set of requirements.

collation

The separation of storage types into general categories (that is pallet, case, and single unit) that require different means of handling.

colony

In Sterling Order Management System and Sterling Configure, Price, Quote, a set of database shards that are required to provide complete sharding functions.

colony prefix

See primary key prefix.

commercial address

The street address as defined by the freight carrier for commercial sites.

commercial invoice

A list of the pertinent information about a shipment, such as shipper, consignee, third party (if present), the goods being shipped, their cost, and value for customs (and for the transaction), and so on.

common code

A value that enables a user to choose from options rather than having to enter data manually.

communication group

A grouping of systems that are associated with a given transport mechanism.

competitive association

An association between similar items from different manufacturers. For example, if a store sells a basketball shoe that is made by Company X, the store might also offer buyers a similar basketball shoe that is made by Company Y.

competitor

A retailer who is identified when price matching an item, and who may be offering the item at a lower price than that offered by the corresponding enterprise.

complementary item

An item that a customer might want to buy with another item.

compliance service

A service that allows the buyer to customize products for their customers. For example, a compliance service might be configured for an item so that the item is shipped to the buyer with the buyer’s brand label.

condition

A situation that matches document attributes against decision points and routes the documents to different paths based on the specified attribute and value combinations.

condition set

A group of independent conditions where each condition describes all of the activities for an order to be performed in the warehouse.

configurable item

A product or item that offers different options from which a customer can select before purchasing that item. The choice of options or available combinations of options may be constrained so that customers can only choose certain combinations of options for their purchase.

configuration data

Data that contains the configuration details of an enterprise.

configuration shard

In a sharded deployment, a database shard that contains configuration data. It is shared by all the colonies that exist within an application version, and stores sourcing rules, routing guides, shipping preferences, and other business rules.

consigned inventory

An enterprise's inventory that is owned by vendors. Ownership is transferred to the buyer at the end of the transaction.

consolidation

The process of combining two or more duplicate records from a structural data source into a single record in the cube.

consumable inventory organization

A vendor's inventory organization that is participating in the consigned inventory program.

consumer

An individual who purchases products or services from an enterprise.

consumer packaged goods (CPG)

Consumable goods such as food and beverages, apparel and footwear, cleaning products, and tobacco-related products. Consumer goods are products that are used regularly and need to be replaced frequently.

consuming inventory organization

An enterprise's inventory organization that is participating in the consigning inventory program.

container

A worldwide dimensional standard for a reusable transportation vessel that can be hauled like a trailer, loaded onto a container ship, or loaded onto a freight train for transportation. The container can be loaded with cartons and sealed at the shipping dock for protection during transport.

containerization

Using standardized containers for the storage and transport of loose units from a warehouse.

container load plan (CLP)

A plan that specifies how items are placed in a container to maximize use of space.

continuous replenishment

A strategy of replenishment that monitors the physical inventory in the reserved location, and based on the minimum and maximum configuration, releases replenishment tasks for execution when inventory falls below the minimum (trigger) level.

conveyor

A mechanism used to transport products with a flat belt that moves over two end pulleys that are powered.

cost factor

A parameter used to calculate the cost of inventory. Cost factors represent value modifiers that are an additional function or component from a base cost to give a new unit cost. Examples of cost factors include insurance, freight, material handling, and packaging.

count

An inventory control activity is done to physically count and compare the physical quantity of an item in a warehouse location to the system quantity.

count request

A request for a count of inventory.

count sheet

A data entry form that is used in batched counting tasks. A count sheet is used to enter the counts and later reconciled on the system.

count zone

A specific area is set up to help manage cycle counting activities. Generally, cycle counters are assigned all of the counting responsibilities of a zone.

coupon

A ticket or document that can be exchanged for a financial discount on a product.

CPFR

See collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment.

CPG

See consumer packaged goods.

credit card

A method of payment for goods or services where the buyer pays a lender incremental payments until the debt is paid in full.

cross-docking

Eliminating the storage process by moving items directly from the receiving dock to the shipping dock or forward pick areas.

cross-reference organization

The organization responsible for defining or maintaining items in multiple catalogs that are supported (referenced) through a single mechanism, such as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN).

cross-sell

A product recommendation that is related or complementary to the currently displayed or selected product. See also accessory, upsell.

CRP

See capacity requirements planning.

CRT

See cathode ray tube.

CSR

See customer service representative.

CTP

See capable to promise.

cubic measurement

The volume calculation is used to determine the amount of space required to store or ship material as well as the amount of space that can be accommodated by storage units or shipping modes. Used in capacity planning.

currency conversion

A process is used to configure conversion rates between the currencies used by organizations in their respective locales.

currency definition

Mechanism used to define a monetary symbol and indicate Euro currency membership and expiration date, if applicable.

current inventory

Items are currently available for shipment from a node.

customer acceptance laboratory (CAL)

An environment set up to run with a perspective purchaser's sample data to ensure favorable performance.

customer account

Credit that is assigned to a customer by the corresponding enterprise.

customer appeasement

The process of satisfying customers when they are displeased with any service provided.

customer assignment

The assignment of pricing entities such as price lists, pricing rules, and coupons to customers so that the prices of items and pricing adjustments are applied to those customers.

customer compliance

The tasks that must be performed to comply with a specific customers need, such as placing special labels on cartons that are shipped to a particular customer.

customer entitlement

An entitlement, which is defined by an enterprise, that defines the items that a customer can buy.

customer grade

A grade that is assigned to a customer, based on the customer's rating within the organization. For example, a customer may be assigned a grade of A, indicating that the customer is an excellent customer, or B, indicating that the customer is an average customer. These grades determine how approval rules for quotes can be applied.

customer order

A list of items being purchased by a customer. The customer order contains customer data, ship-to information, bill-to information, delivery dates, and line items that list SKUs being purchased.

customer pick

The process is where a customer visits a store to pick up a product that has been previously ordered.

customer service representative (CSR)

A person who processes customer purchases, orders, returns, inquiries, and store registration.

custom Greex rule

An advanced XML condition that is configurable to meet specific validation scenarios.
An advanced XML condition that supplements the set of defined functions that are provided in the Greex library and are used to evaluate conditions on input data.

CVV auth code

See card verification value authorization code.

cycle count

The process of counting items in storage and reconciling the actual count (resolving count variances) to system inventory records.

D

dashlet: A user-configurable panel that is displayed on a dashboard page to provide access to project information and activities.
data capture: In Sterling Order Management System, the process of using attribute values that are input by the user as the basis for Greex rule processing for validation rules.
data mart: A subset of a data warehouse that contains data that is tailored and optimized for the specific reporting needs of a department or team. A data mart can be a subset of a warehouse for an entire organization, such as data that is contained in online analytical processing (OLAP) tools.
data object: An element of a data structure such as a file, an array, or an operand that is needed for the execution of an application.
data source: The source of data itself, such as a database or XML file, and the connection information necessary for accessing the data.
Days of supply: The estimated days that existing supply continue to be available before stock out. Days of supply are calculated by dividing the units available on hand by the estimated daily sales. Estimated daily sales are the average sales for the last 7 days, not including the current day.
DC: See distribution center.
deadlock: A condition under which a transaction cannot proceed because it depends on exclusive resources that are locked by another transaction, which in turn depends on exclusive resources in use by the original transaction.
debit card: A payment method where a cardholder purchases goods and services by using a card and PIN to electronically access funds in the cardholder's bank account.
dedicated location: An area in a warehouse that is reserved for specific items.
dekitting: The act of breaking kits into individual components. Dekitting is performed on kits in inventory that are no longer required. For example, inventory left over from a seasonal promotion may be dekitted and the components can be used in other kits or sold individually.
delayed reauthorization: Payment configuration options that control the number of authorizations that can occur within the order cycle.
delivery code: A unique identifier for the entity that pays for the transportation costs.
delivery item: A service item that is typically provided by selling organizations for products that are heavy, oversized, or fragile and cannot be transported by common carriers.
Delivery method: The method by which the customer obtains the product or service. For example, Ship, Pick up, Work order, Cash, and carry.
delivery node: The location where a product is being delivered by using last mile service.
delivery node determination: The process used to determine the location from which a delivery is made.
delivery plan: A complete sequence of movements needed to deliver one or more orders from one or multiple origins to one or multiple destinations.
delivery service: A service that is typically provided by selling organizations for products that are heavy, oversized, or fragile and cannot be transported by common carriers. These products may also require special handling, which requires special equipment or personnel.
delivery service calendar: A business calendar that specifically defines the working hours, called shifts, for any given day in which delivery services can be completed.
derived order: An order that is created as a result of a parent order's necessity to communicate some portion of the order fulfillment execution to a third party. Once created, the derived order no longer maintains a reference to the parent order. Its lifecycle is independent.
derived return order: A return order that is optionally derived from the corresponding sales order that is being returned fully or in part.
Development environment: The development environment is included in the IBM® Sterling Order Management System Standard Edition. It is not included in the IBM Sterling Order Management System Essentials Edition subscription. It is also available as an add-on for the cloud service, if additional development environments are needed. You can purchase the additional development environments either as a subscription for the term of the contract or on a pay-per-use basis for a designated time period.
disallow rule: A rule that prevents a transaction from proceeding when the rules conditions are met. Approval by a member of an approval group cannot override violations of a disallow rule, and no additional rules are evaluated.
distribution center (DC): A physical location where goods are stored for distribution to buyers.
distribution group: A set of nodes or organizations that are defined for distributing products or services.
distribution resource planning (DRP): A framework to plan and manage finished goods inventory in a distribution network comprising multiple stocking locations for hundreds of SKUs.
distribution rule: A business rule is established for the shipping or receiving node determination process. Distribution rules are used to associate inventory items with a specific shipping or receiving node.
diversion: The process of redirecting items from the normal workflow to perform special operations such as quality inspection or pre-packaging before putaway.
dock: A receiving location in the warehouse. Typically an elevated location where a trailer or truck backs up to unload inventory.
dock appointment: A scheduled appointment to receive inbound shipments or ship outbound shipments from the warehouse dock.
dock door: An overhead door with access to the exterior of the building and equipment for loading/unloading trucks, trailers, and containers. A dock door can be designated for receiving, shipping, or both.
dock to stock cycle time: The time between the receipt of a shipment at the dock door and the time at which the items in the shipment are placed in the storage location.
document: An entity that carries information through a configured workflow process, such as an order, a quote, or a return.
document type definition (DTD): The rules that specify the structure for a particular class of SGML or XML documents. The DTD defines the structure with elements, attributes, and notations, and it establishes constraints for how each element, attribute, and notation can be used within the particular class of documents.
download: To transfer data from a computer to a connected device, such as a workstation or personal computer.
draft order: An order that is still being created, and is not yet confirmed.
drive through pallet rack: A pallet rack typically one pallet wide by two pallets deep by four pallets high, designed to allow a forklift truck to drive into the rack to store and retrieve two pallets deep from the same side of the rack.
drop-ship order: A type of chained order is where instead of replenishing the inventory at the shipping location, the product is procured and shipped directly to the customer.
drop status: The state into which a document is moved when the events and conditions of a transaction have been completed.
DRP: See distribution resource planning.
DTD: See document type definition.
dynamic physical kit: A physical kit that is made to order. For example, customers can order a customized configuration for a computer.
dynamic slotting: A method of dedicating locations to SKUs where the system automatically determines an available active area location and slots the location to a SKU.

E

ECCN: See export commodity control number.
economic shipping parameter (ESP): A parameter that defines when a warehouse holds a shipment for a customer in anticipation of more shipments that can be shipped together in order to optimize shipping costs.
EDI: See electronic data interchange.
electronic data interchange (EDI): The exchange of structured electronic data between computer systems according to predefined message standards.
ELPN: See expected license plate number.
encrypter: An engine that encodes sensitive data so that it cannot be easily read by others.
encryption: In computer security, the process of transforming data into an unintelligible form in such a way that the original data either cannot be obtained or can be obtained only by using a decryption process.
enterprise: An organization that brokers business. Each enterprise can consist of multiple organizations that are assigned various roles.
enterprise resource planning (ERP): The planning and management of all the resources in an enterprise.
entity relationship diagram (ERD): Graphic representation of the data flow and relationships between data tables in a relational database.
ERD: See entity relationship diagram.
ERP: See enterprise resource planning.
ESP: See economic shipping parameter.
ETA: See expected time of arrival.
evaluation date: In Sterling Order Management System, a date, other than the current date, either in the past or the future, that is used for rule evaluation. For example, one might use the date of sale as the evaluation date to determine the amount that a purchaser should be refunded.
event: A specific occurrence in the business process, often a status change or generated exception. Releasing an order and cancelling an order are both examples of events. When an event occurs in a transaction, an action is triggered.
exception: A condition or event that cannot be handled by a normal process.
exchange: In a retail scenario, shipping a replacement item to a customer who has returned items.
exchange order: An order that is used to ship replacement items to a customer who has returned items.
exclusion code: A code that is assigned to an item to exclude it from being shipped to certain countries. For example, an exclusion code can be assigned to a hazardous item.
execution date: The date on which something such as a work order is run.
expected license plate number (ELPN): The license plate number sent by the supplier in the advance shipment notice (ASN).
expected time of arrival (ETA): The date and time a shipment is expected to arrive at a receiving dock from the supplier who shipped it.
expected weight: The anticipated weight of a shipment is calculated from standards.
expiration date: The date associated with a specific lot of material, which designates when the shelf life of the product is terminated. Used with products that can spoil, oxidize, or break down over time.
export commodity control number (ECCN): A classification number is given to all goods that are manufactured. The classification number is used by the customs authorities to control or monitor exports of some of these items.
Extensible Markup Language (XML): A standard metalanguage for defining markup languages that is based on Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML).
Extensible stylesheet language (XSL): A language for specifying stylesheets for XML documents. Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation (XSLT) is used with XSL to describe how an XML document is transformed into another document.
externally triggered transaction: A transaction that is external to the Sterling Order Management System. This transaction calls a corresponding API within the Sterling Order Management System for execution.
extraneous item: An item that has been wrongly shipped to a customer.

F

fact: An attribute in the input XML file of an API or in the agent criteria that determines the colony on which the API or agent is run.
factory carton code: A code that identifies the carton in which a SKU is received and stored in bulk storage.
FEFO: See first-expired first-out.
FIFO: See first-in first-out.
file I/O component: A service definition framework component that can be used to exchange messages between two systems, with the help of XML files. The files can be either created or processed by using this component.
Fill rate: The percentage of shipments or quantity of order line items that are fulfilled by the node as compared to the total shipments or quantities that are handled by the node.
financial rule: A business rule that pertains to payments and charges on the system. Financial rules are used to set up payment collection rules, charge definitions, payment terms, and tax names.
first-expired first-out (FEFO): A queuing technique in which the next item to be retrieved is the item that has the earliest expiration date.
first-in first-out (FIFO): A queuing technique in which the next item to be retrieved is the item that has been in the queue for the longest time. See also last-in first-out.
fixed bundle: A package comprising products, services, and/or other bundles. A fixed bundle comprises a bundle parent item and one or more component items.
flow: An executable service or API.
flow rack: A slanted storage rack in which cartons or pallets are loaded from the back and gravity that is fed to the front on rollers, from which single units may be picked from the front carton.
FLT: See fork lift truck.
follower store: A store that follows the operational processes of a designated model store.
follow-up date: The date on which the user needs to follow up on an alert that has been raised.
foreign trade zone (FTZ): A designated warehouse or area that is used for storing goods to be exported to other countries. Duty does not have to be paid on imports to an FTZ warehouse. If a company does sell any of the products within the US, duty must be paid.
fork lift truck (FLT): A type of material movement equipment that is used for moving pallets and capable of lifting pallets overhead.
freight terms: The terms and conditions of calculated transportation costs.
FTL: See full truckload.
FTZ: See foreign trade zone.
full case: An unbroken case that is received, stored, and shipped in the original carton from the supplier in the standard quantity, always received from that supplier.
full truckload (FTL): The quantity of freight required to fill a truck.
future inventory: Items that are expected to arrive on a specific date.

G

garment on hanger (GOH): A garment that is shipped to a warehouse on a hanger, and not folded and boxed.
global availability: The total number of items of a specific type that are available for shipment from all nodes.
Global Trade Item Number (GTIN): A mechanism to cross-reference product identifiers. The GTIN is the identification number for uniquely identifying trade items (products and services) that are sold, delivered, warehoused, and billed throughout the retail and commercial distribution channels.
GOH: See garment on hanger.
graphical user interface (GUI): A computer interface that presents a visual metaphor of a real-world scene, often of a desktop, by combining high-resolution graphics, pointing devices, menu bars and other menus, overlapping windows, icons, and the object-action relationship.
GTIN: See Global Trade Item Number.
GUI: See graphical user interface.

H

handling charge: An amount of funds that are charged to a buyer to cover the cost of shipping a product.
hazardous material: Material that has the potential to pose a safety hazard. This designation requires special handling and labeling as dictated through laws and regulations.
header: Information that is related to a document and common to all details in the document. For example, on a customer order, the ship-to address in the header is common to all of the individual line items of that order and therefore, not repeated for each individual line item.
high speed data entry (HSDE): A method of entering data in which the cursor automatically moves to the next field where the next bar code needs to be scanned, thus eliminating the need for a keystroke by the operator.
history load: A collection of line items from orders organized in a way to maximize shipping efficiency.
hold: An order status that prevents certain modification types and transactions from processing the order or order line until the hold is released.
hold type: In Sterling Order Management System overrides, the type of hold placed on an order when a violation is logged against it. The hold type is determined by the applicable validation domain.
HSDE: See high speed data entry.
hub: The primary organization that determines a business model. For example, a multi-divisional corporation, third-party logistics (3PL), or a marketplace can all be hubs.

I

in-motion scale: A scale that is part of a conveyor system allowing the weighing of items as they travel on the conveyor.
in-motion scanner: A permanently fixed bar code scanner that is part of a conveyor system allowing the reading of bar codes on cartons as they pass by the scanner on the conveyor.
input template: A reference template that is used to construct a custom Greex input for a validation.
inspection: A process where the quality of received products is checked.
insurance value: The recoverable monetary value of a shipment as is established by an insurance company.
intentional backorder: The dropping of an order into backordered status instead of created status at order creation time.
interface system: A grouping of one or more APIs.
internationalization rule: Business rules and common codes that are associated with the making of the Sterling Order Management System functions for international use.
inventory: Products that are stored and available for further action. May be reported as the quantity of a specific SKU in one location, the total quantity of a specific SKU in all locations containing that SKU, or a grand total of all material in storage (the latter generally reported as a dollar figure).
inventory availability safety factor: A quantity or percentage amount that is set to be excluded from inventory availability for various purposes. Can be defined at the item level or inventory type level, for onhand or future inventory availability.
inventory item: A single article or unit of goods and materials on hand; stock. An inventory item can be consisted of several attributes such as Inventory Org, Item ID, and Product Class.
inventory monitor: The process that monitors inventory levels.
inventory organization: An organization definition for which all inventory information is consolidated.
inventory-related rule: Business rules and common codes that are associated with inventory handling in the Sterling Order Management System.
inventory reservation: See reservation.
inventory segment: A certain amount of inventory is set aside to meet the demand from a group of privileged customers. These segments are classified by types.
inventory segmentation: The process of setting aside a specific quantity of an inventory item for a specific type or group of customers.
inventory tag key: See inventory tag number.
inventory tag number: A unique item identifier that represents one of the real-life manufacturing or customization numbers such as lot number, batch number, or revision number based on the product.
inventory unit of measure: The way inventory products are measured for stocking purposes.
invoice: The bill for services or products that are provided to a customer. The invoice includes all agreed to charges that are associated with the services or products provided.
invoice cycle time: The time between order creation and the time at which the order is invoiced.
item: A product that has at least one characteristic that is different from all other products and which requires a unique identifier such as a stock keeping unit (SKU) or part number. The basic product of the catalog that can be used in categorization and product associations. An item is the most basic part of the catalog hierarchy.
item association: An association between items for various purposes, such as cross-sell, up-sell, or for product substitution.
item classification: The quality category in which an item is placed. For example, first quality, second quality, or finished good.
item cross-referencing: The process of defining items in multiple catalogs that are supported (referenced) through a single mechanism, such as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN).
item entitlement: A validation that is performed to verify whether the items that are ordered are applicable to the customer.
item instructions: A special notation associated with an item. For example, a "handle with care" item instruction may be associated with fragile items.
item main: See master catalog.
item with variations: A grouping of items that have similar characteristics and are displayed as a single item in product search results.

J

jackpot lane: A sort lane on conveyor system to which all cartons that have problems are diverted.
Java Message Service queue (JMS queue): A queue that is used to send and receive messages.
JIT: See just-in-time.
JMS queue: See Java Message Service queue.
just-in-time (JIT): A production and inventory system in which parts are produced or delivered only as needed.

K

keyword: A word that a customer enters in a website when searching for an item.
kit: A collection of catalog entries that are ordered as a single SKU.
kit line: A line item that belongs to a higher-level kit; for example, a bed is one of the kit lines in an order for a bedroom set.
kitting: The process of picking components from a parts list or bill of materials (BOM) and assembling them into a new item or a higher-level assembly.

L

LAN: See local area network.
lane: A floor location used as a temporary staging area usually for outgoing pallets staged at or near a shipping dock door.
lane type: In Sterling Order Management System, an identifier for the type of retail lane that is applicable to the current transaction. For example, an express lane is a possible lane type.
last-in first-out (LIFO): A queuing technique in which the next item to be retrieved is the item that is most recently placed on the queue. See also first-in first-out.
lead time: The amount of time it takes a supplier, such as a distribution center, to acquire an item for shipping.
least traveled path: A putaway and picking strategy that selects putaway or pick locations by calculating the shortest distance to travel through the warehouse to putaway or pick all of the items that are required for that assignment.
legal entity: A name that represents an organizational unit that is identified by local governments as operating units that are typically instituted for every country or region that a business operates in.
less than a truckload (LTL): A shipment mode where pallets to be shipped do not completely fill a truck or container.
LH: See load and hold.
license plate number (LPN): A bar code identifier of a specific pallet, carton, or case and its contents.
license plate quantity (LPQ): The number of LPNs required to fulfill an order.
LIFO: See last-in first-out.
line item: An item, material, service, or tool that is named on a contract, purchase requisition, purchase order, or invoice.
line price: A price for a given line item.
listener: A program that detects incoming requests and starts the associated channel.
list price: The base price of an item without volume discounts, special pricing rules, or other factors that might affect the price.
load: A collection of line items from orders that are organized in a way to maximize shipping or picking efficiency.
load and hold (LH): See pack and hold.
load container: A container that is packed with a set of shipments that are going to the same destination in order to reduce shipping cost.
load state: The current state of a load and the holds applied on the load.
local area network (LAN): A network that connects several devices in a limited area (such as a single building or campus) and that can be connected to a larger network. See also wide area network.
locale: A setting that identifies language or geography and determines formatting conventions such as collation, case conversion, character classification, the language of messages, date and time representation, and numeric representation.
logistics rule: A business rule that is associated with shipping an order.
lookup window: A window that contains a list of valid data choices for a field.
lot number: An inventory attribute used to group items manufactured in the same lot.
LPN: See license plate number.
LPQ: See license plate quantity.
LTL: See less than truckload.

M

made-to-customer (MTC): Pertaining to an order that is created based on the requirements of the buyer. It assumes that the buyer places multiple orders for this particular item.
made-to-order (MTO): Pertaining to an order that has items that are produced uniquely for the order. The item is made from unfinished materials specifically for the order.
manifest: A list of packages, cartons, cases, or pallets on a transportation vehicle.
manifest station: An area in a warehouse where parcel shipment containers are processed so that each container is associated with the appropriate carrier's manifest.
manual discount percentage: The discount percentage that is calculated when a manual price adjustment is applied to the line items in an order or an order total.
manufacturing execution system (MES): A system that provides an intelligent process control through an electronic system that is designed to run instructions to control manufacturing operations.
marketplace: An online intermediary that connects buyers and sellers. Marketplaces eliminate inefficiencies by aggregating offerings from many sellers or by matching buyers and sellers in an exchange or auction.
Main carton: Standard shipping cartons of a size to hold smaller cartons being collected for shipment to a common customer or order. The main carton allows consolidation of a group of smaller cartons into one, reducing transportation cost.
Main catalog: A hierarchy of items that is organized into groups for easy maintenance of items. It is created by default for each catalog organization when that catalog organization is defined.
Main data shard: In a sharded deployment, the data that exists in one main data shard per colony.
Main distribution schedule (MDS): The primary plan that a company follows to distribute products to buyers.
Main license plate (MLP): A bar-coded identifier that identifies a specific pallet and the contents of that pallet. A license Plate Number (LPN) identifies a collection of SKUs on a pallet or case. A main license plate (MLP) identifies a collection of LPNs on a pallet.
Main order: A type of order that enables users to specify a series of orders and the time intervals at which these orders will be shipped and charged to customers.
Main production schedule (MPS): A plan for manufacturing that a company follows that takes various demands into account.
Main shipper: A group of shippers that have inventory that is allocated to them for picking.
material handling equipment (MHE): Automated equipment, usually a conveyor, which is used for moving material from one point to another. It can have the capability for moving, scanning, weighing, putaway, retrieving, and sorting.
material requirements planning (MRP): A method of ensuring that materials and products are available to customers while maintaining the lowest possible inventory to keep down costs.
MDS: See master distribution schedule.
merge node: A node is used for zone skipping in order to minimize shipping costs.
MES: See manufacturing execution system.
metadata: Data that describes the characteristics of data; descriptive data.
metadata shard: A shard for a database that contains information about colonies and their connection pools.
MHE: See material handling equipment.
minimum notification time: The minimum number of business hours it takes to ship an order once it has been scheduled to the node.
min-max: A strategy of replenishment that monitors the inventory level of a location and triggers a replenishment task when that level goes below the minimum quantity defined. The replenishment moves a quantity of the item to satisfy existing customer demand plus enough to bring the location's inventory level up to the maximum quantity defined. See also top-off replenishment.
mixed case: A case containing a mix of different SKUs.
mixed pallet: A pallet containing a mix of different SKUs.
MLP: See master license plate.
model: A representation of the product options of a configurable product.
model group: A collection of models, option class groups, option item groups, or even other model groups.
model store: A store that has a set of operational processes that are also followed by many other stores.
modification reason: A reason code that defines why a modification was made by a user.
monitor: A product feature that monitors a changing quantity and sends a notification when the quantity reaches a specific level. For example, the availability monitor raises a global alert when inventory falls below a configured level.
MPS: See master production schedule.
MRP: See material requirements planning.
MTC: See made-to-customer.
MTO: See made-to-order.
multi-divisional corporation: A corporation or business whose primary focus is managing purchasing and sales activities. It typically is a buyer, a seller, or both. However, it might also be a retailer, a manufacturer, or both.
multitenant deployment: A deployment that consists of multiple enterprises having unique business requirements, such as different process flows, enterprise-specific extensions, and rules.
mutual exclusivity: In Sterling Order Management System, a pricing rule strategy that prevents multiple pricing rules from being duplicated or contradictory.

N

narrow aisle reaches truck: A lift truck designed to operate in narrow aisles.
negotiation monitor: A time-triggered transaction that alerts the enterprise when a negotiation remains in a particular status for specified amount of time.
negotiation pipeline: An established process workflow that allows participants to negotiate details of a transaction. This pipeline can be configured to occur anywhere within an existing pipeline. The result from the negotiation is either in the form of acceptance with the potential to update some of the negotiated values or in rejection of the terms of the transaction by one or both of the participants.
negotiation rule: Business rules and common codes that pertain to the negotiation process.
net available quantity: The quantity of an SKU available for new orders after taking into account the stock reservations and allocation constraints. The net available quantity is calculated as: OnHand - Pending Out.
net inventory: The quantity of the SKU at a location. The net inventory is calculated as: OnHand + Pending In - Pending Out.
node: A fixed physical location where goods or services are dispatched for fulfillment; including stores, distribution centers, and warehouses.
node capacity: The resource potential for fulfilling inventory (goods)requests.
nonallocatable: Pertaining to products that are not available to be designated for orders.
non-pickable: Pertaining to SKUS that is not available for picking, packing, and shipping.
notification: The process of notifying the shipping node, vendor, or service provider when fulfilling an order request.

O

OEM: See original equipment manufacturer.
offboarding: Removing a node or enterprise from the participant model.
onboarding: Enabling a store to process transactions in an active or live Sterling Store system.
on freeze: Pertaining to a location that is on hold. If a location is on freeze, users cannot place items in the location, remove items from the location, or both.
open box item: A product that is obsolete, a display model, or has been returned by a customer after the box had been opened. Such products are inspected and sold as a high-quality product at a significant discount.
operational unit of measure: The way products are measured for operational uses at the warehouse.
option class: A configurable part of an item model. For example, an engine is a configurable part of a car. The option items in the engine option class are 4-cylinder, 6-cylinder, and 8-cylinder.
option class group: In Sterling Configurator Visual Modeler, a collection of option classes or nested option class groups that represent entities that can be reused without change in any number of item models and option classes.
option item: In Sterling Configurator Visual Modeler, an orderable part or service pertaining to an item model. Option items are members of either an option class or an option item group. Option items are usually associated with properties.
option item group: In Sterling Configurator Visual Modeler, a collection of option items that can be reused in any number of option classes or option class groups in any number of item models.
order: A stated intention, either verbal or in writing, to engage in a commercial transaction.
Order age: The number of days since the creation of the order. Order age is calculated for pending orders only.
order cycle time: The period between order creation and the time at which the order is shipped from the warehouse.
order fulfillment rule: Business rules and common codes that are associated with an order and its flow through the order fulfillment pipeline.
order history: Notes that are automatically logged on events, and help a customer service representative track past transactions.
ordering unit of measure: A method of measuring products for ordering purposes.
order-ship-bill system (OSB): A system that enables manufacturers to accept requests for products, ship the products to the customer, and send an invoice for the goods received.
order tag: An identifier that is attached to an order that provides a system with "version awareness" so that it can coordinate which order features are available across multiple versions of the system.
organization: A business entity with a specific role or roles that interact with other organizations in a supply chain to conduct business. An organization represents any unit of a business whether it is a company, legal entity, a business group, sales organization, purchasing organization, or warehouse.
original equipment manufacturer (OEM): A manufacturer of equipment that can be marketed by another manufacturer.
OSB: See order-ship-bill system.
outbound process: The total process of controlling and managing the outgoing materials from receipt of customer order, to consolidating picking tasks, to picking, packing, and finally shipment to the customer.
outbound sorting: Pertains to outbound shipment containers into a single location. Once a shipment container is sorted at a particular location, the system suggests the same location to sort other containers of the shipment until the user manually overrides the location.
override rule: A rule that is defined by a business user to determine action in response to a violation of a validation. Override rules can be configured to allow a transaction, disallow a transaction, or allow a transaction with approval.
Over capacity: The percentage of shipments or quantity of order line items being fulfilled by the node that exceeds the total capacity of the node for the day.

P

pack: To collect picked items into shipping cartons for transportation to the customer.
pack and hold (PH): A strategy that attempts to level load the picking/packing workload by picking/packing orders early. The items are prepared for shipment and held in a staging area up to the customer order ship dates, when they might be shipped.
packing list: A hardcopy that lists the contents of a shipment to a customer.
pack station: An area in a warehouse where packing occurs.
PA-DSS: See Payment Application Data Security Standard.
pagination: Retrieval of many records from the database, one page at a time.
pallet: An industry standard sized wooden, plastic, or metal platform to facilitate the movement of materials. Cartons are stacked on the pallet allowing movement via pallet jacks or forklift trucks.
pallet jack: A manually controlled MHE (material handling equipment) used to move pallets along the floor. Pallet jacks can lift a pallet only a few inches off the floor in contrast to a forklift that may lift a pallet overhead.
PAN: See primary account number.
parcel: A carton or package that can be tracked with a waybill number.
participant: An organization that is involved in a supply chain that facilitates commerce. Each participant is considered an organization with a defined role.
participant management: A mechanism used to establish hub or enterprise workflow processes and business rules.
parts distribution center (PDC): A location or warehouse from which items used in manufacturing of products are promoted, sold, and shipped or delivered to individual customers, usually in a specified region or area.
Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS): A program that helps software vendors and others develop secure payment applications that do not store prohibited data, ensuring that their payment applications support compliance with the PCI DSS.
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS): A worldwide information security standard assembled by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). The standard was created to help organizations that process card payments to prevent credit card fraud through increased controls around data and its exposure to compromise. The standard applies to all organizations, which hold, process, or pass cardholder information from any card branded with the logo of one of the card brands.
payment method: The means by which payments are made for an order. For example, payment methods may include various brands of credit cards, electronic checks, lines of credit, and gift certificates.
payment status: The current standing of the payment process. For example, the values might be "Awaiting Authorization", "Authorized", "Paid", and so forth.
payment term: The payment conditions of a sale, such as the time period that a buyer must pay the amount that is due, or the interest rate that is applied to outstanding balances.
payment type: The various types of payments that a customer uses to pay for an order. For example, check, credit card, store value card, and so forth.
PCI DSS: See Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.
PDC: See parts distribution center.
PDT: See portable data terminal.
pending pick: The quantity of the SKU is reserved for orders, but not yet picked.
pending ship: The quantity of the SKU is reserved and picked for orders, but not yet shipped.
perpetual inventory: Continuous updating of inventory quantity data on every item, real-time, as each transaction that reduces or increases the inventory level is run (as opposed to collecting all of the transactions at the end of a shift and updating the inventory data on all items once).
PH: See pack and hold.
physical count: The task of counting all items in storage at one time to verify the accuracy of system inventory records. Physical count is performed once or twice a year. All warehouse operations are shut down until the process is complete.
physical kit: A product that is a single item and that cannot be disintegrated into components. A physical kit is considered a finished product at the time of dispatch. For example, a cellular phone with its battery and handset is a preconfigured physical kit.
physical kit item: A single item that is not divided into components. It is considered a finished product at a node or at the time of dispatch.
pick: To retrieve an item from a location in a warehouse and set it aside to be packaged for shipping.
pickable: Pertaining to SKUs that are available for picking, packing, and shipping.
picked container: A container that is filled with products that are gathered in preparation for shipping.
Pick declined: The percentage of shipments or quantity of order line items for which picking was declined.
pick list: A listing of line items to be picked to satisfy a customer order. This printable list is used to locate and select the necessary items to fulfill an order.
pick location: The location from where inventory is gathered in preparation for shipping.
pick location assignment (PLA): The assignment of the warehouse location or locations to the demand placed. PLA is defined at a shipment group level and can be shared across multiple shipment groups.
pick/pack: A picking method that combines the picking and packing tasks through picking an item from a location and placing it directly into the shipping container for the customer of that order.
pick ticket: A sheet containing the list of items that need to be pulled from inventory to fill an order.
pick-to-clean: A picking strategy that assigns picking locations for an order in a way to empty as many locations as possible.
pick-to-light: A method of picking that is sequenced by a system of controlled lights that guide the warehouse operator through the pick sequence.
pipeline: A series of transactions and statuses that guide document types, such as Sales Order and Purchase Order, through a related process.
pipeline determination: A graphical configuration tool designed to set up conditions for which pipelines will be used in the business process workflow. For example, an organization uses pipeline determination to configure a condition that determines whether order lines contain hazardous materials, and then sends the order line down the correct pipeline.
PLA: See pick location assignment.
plant: A physical location where goods are manufactured.
PO: See purchase order.
pooled distribution: A shipment consolidation strategy where smaller shipments that are destined for the same geographic region are pooled together to form a single truckload (TL) or less than truckload (LTL) shipment to a pool point. From the pool point, individual shipments are made to their respective destinations. This strategy results in reduced overall transportation costs.
portable data terminal (PDT): A small system data terminal that can travel with the warehouse operator throughout the warehouse. The operator can access the system, update records, and so on, from anywhere in the warehouse without the need to continuously return to a terminal station.
postal code: A series of letters and/or digits that are appended to a postal address for sorting mail.
postponement: The strategy of waiting as long as feasible before running tasks that change standard product into a customer-specific product (that is, applying special tickets or labels). Postponing this product change reduces the risks that are associated from changes in customer demand or requirements.
pre-assigned order: An inbound order that has already been assigned to an order that was placed by a customer prior to having received the inventory.
preconfigured bundle: A bundle of configurable items that is based on a predefined configuration.
predefined dynamic kit: A preconfigured dynamic kit that shoppers can add directly to the shopping cart without additional configuration. For example, if a dynamic kit consists of multiple computers, monitors, and keyboards, the associated predefined dynamic kit is the configured computer system. Dynamic kits support multiple predefined dynamic kits.
predefined Greex rule: A predefined advanced XML condition used for the evaluation of validation rules that do not have any custom Greex input defined.
preferred substitution association: An association of items that provides the ability to recognize that an ordered item is to be substituted by a preferred item before fulfilling the order for the original item. The preferred substitute is almost identical to the original item.
price list: A list of prices defined for a set of items. Each price list is applicable to a particular customer, a group of customers, or products for a particular duration.
price match: The action that is taken by a Customer Service Representative when a customer claims that an ordered item is available at a lesser price from a different retailer.
price program: A price list or a collection of price lists that are used to offer different pricing to different customers at different times.
pricing organization: An organization that stores and maintains pricing data. The main price list and pricing rules are defined and maintained by a pricing organization.
pricing rule: A rule that is used to perform pricing adjustments to an order. Depending on how a pricing rule is configured, the result can be a discount or surcharge that is applied to the order price.
pricing unit of measure: The way products are measured for pricing purposes.
primary account number (PAN): The primary identifier for a payment method, according to the payment type group it belongs to. For example, the primary account number of a credit card is the credit card number.
primary key prefix: A two-digit prefix for a colony. It can be any number from 10û99 (except 19 and 20). The first two digits of the primary key are used to identify a colony through the Colony Prefix.
primary location: The storage location is designated as the dedicated location for an SKU, usually in the active pick area.
processing time: The time that it takes for an item to be received by a warehouse and made ready for shipment (inbound processing) as well as shipping it from the warehouse (outbound processing).
process modeling: The process of setting up the workflow of orders, inventory changes, returns, payment authorizations, or many other system events.
process type pipeline: A workflow process that consists of a series of transactions and statuses that guide documents, such as orders and purchase orders, through the fulfillment process.
procurement order: A type of chained order derived for inventory replenishment at the shipping location.
procurement purchase order: A type of procurement order for which a purchase order is derived for replenishing inventory by purchasing it from a node or supplier that is not owned by the seller organization.
procurement transfer order: A type of procurement order for which a transfer order is derived for replenishing inventory by moving it from another node that is owned by the seller organization to the shipping node location. See also transfer order.
product class: An item's classification, such as first quality, second quality, or finished good. Products in different product classes might require different methods of handling and storage
product item: A physical item defined in the main catalog that can be ordered and shipped or delivered to a customer.
product management: The process of tracking and controlling inventory of products or items across an organizational network.
product sourcing: See sourcing.
profile: In Sterling Order Management System, a set of data that lists significant features of items that are sold in stores.
profit margin: The ratio of profitability. It indicates how much a company gets to keep in terms of earnings from every dollar it earns through sales. Profit margin is displayed as a percentage, for example, a 20% profit margin means that the company has a net income of $0.20 for each dollar it earns through sales.
pro forma invoice: A draft invoice that is created upon shipment creation that charges and taxes can be persisted against.
promotion: Business logic that offers incentives to customers when certain conditions have been satisfied.
PRO number: A tracking number that is assigned by a carrier is used to track a shipment (usually for Less than Truckload (LTL) shipments) through the carrier's transportation process. See also tracking number.
property: A descriptive element that is used as the basic entity for rule creation. Properties are associated with models, option classes, and option items.
proposal: A document generated from a quote that is typically presented to a customer. A proposal contains the details of a quote such as the line items, quote total, adjustments.
protocol code: A code that identifies the different protocols that organizations use to communicate with one another.
provided service: A service offered in addition to the delivery of a purchased product, such as installation or disposal of old equipment.
provided service calendar: A business calendar that specifically defines the working hours, called shifts, for any given day in which provided services can be completed.
provided service delivery method: The manner in which a provided service is completed for a customer.
provider organization: An organization that is responsible for fulfilling provided services requests.
provider organization code: An identifier for an organization that is responsible for fulfilling provided services requests.
purchase order (PO): An authorized order to an external vendor or internal supplier.
purchasing cycle time: The period between order creation and the time at which the order is received in the warehouse.
purchasing organization: An organization that is responsible for placing purchase orders to vendors to replenish raw materials and products in a companies location .
purge: The process by which old data is removed from the system database. Purges minimize the number of unused database records to increase search efficiency and reduce the size of the required physical disk.
purge criteria rules: A set of qualifications pertaining to each type of purge.
pushback flow rack: A flow rack in which picking and replenishment are both done from the front of the rack.
putaway task: The task of putting an item (pallet, case, single) into storage. The putaway task may be system that is directed in which the system selects the putaway location, or random in which an operator finds space for the item and updates the system as to which location was chosen.

Q

QC: See quality control.
QS: See quality status.
quality control (QC): The process of inspecting incoming materials to verify correct SKUs, quantities, packaging requirements, and so on, as well as the quality of the material. Quality control is accomplished on a sampling basis in which a specified percentage of a receipt is inspected.
quality status (QS): A user-defined code that identifies the condition of a SKU or group of SKUs; for example, "new product", "factory defects", or "seconds."
quantity tier: A range that defines the price of an item for a quantity range. If the quantity ordered for that item falls within this range, the price that is defined by the quantity tier applies to the item in the order.
Quality Assurance environment: The Quality Assurance (QA) environment, also known as test environment is included in the IBM Sterling Order Management System Standard Edition. It is not included in the IBM Sterling Order Management System Essentials Edition subscription. It is available as an add-on for the cloud service, if additional Quality Assurance (QA) environments are needed.
queue: A line or list of items waiting to be processed, for example, work to be performed or messages to be displayed or transmitted.
queue management: The process of setting up user alert queues for specific users or types of exceptions and for determining the type of user notification.
quick access: The method to obtain information about an order, item, or customer that uses the shortest process.
quote: A legally binding agreement between a seller and a buyer for the purchase of a predetermined set of items and the quantities of these items at a predetermined price, with delivery on a specified date. A quote may either result in a single order, or it may expire on a specified date if an order is not placed.

R

RA

See return authorization.

radio data terminal (RDT)

A hand-held or truck-mounted radio unit or PDA that provides operators permanent contact with a host system through radio. Data is entered by a bar code scanner and keypad and sent to the host computer to process.

radio frequency terminal (RFT)

A portable device that an operator uses to communicate with the system while working throughout a warehouse.

RDT

See radio data terminal.

real-time authorization

The process of validating that a payment method is valid and can be used to pay for an amount of money when a payment method is added in the user interface.

real-time availability monitor

In Sterling Order Management System, an agent that raises an event when inventory quantities change between specified thresholds.

reason code

A value is used to indicate the specific reason for an event or condition.

received license plate number (RLPN)

A bar code identifier of a specific pallet, carton or case and its contents that have been received at its destination.

receiver number

The number assigned to track the receipt of goods through the warehouse. A receiver number can be assigned to all receipts in the warehouse.

receiving

The process of unloading and verifying a shipment from a vendor, including the notification that items that are shipped from the vendor have arrived.

receiving node

The warehouse or distribution center that is receiving the shipment of products.

receiving number

See receiver number.

receiving worksheet

A data entry form used to enter the items received in a store.

recommended line

A line item that is recommended to a customer in addition to the items that the customer has shown interest in buying.

reference implementation

A sample implementation that uses data such as sample organizations, users, teams, images, items, configuration models, item entitlements, and prices to demonstrate the functions of various applications and products.

refund

The credit amount in the currency used to place the order.

region

In Sterling Order Management System, a geographic or market-based zone in which a validation or override rule is applicable.
A defined geographic territory. A region might be a specific postal code area, a town, a city, a state, a group of states, or even a group of countries. Each region can itself be a set of other regions or a set of postal codes that form the region.

region level

A classification of regions into distinct categories to facilitate easier searches. Region levels such as country, state, city, or county are created based on the level at which an organization wants to aggregate its member regions.

region schema

A group of hierarchical regions that represents the complete set of regions that define a given geography.

rejection reason

A code that identifies the specific reason an offer in the negotiation process is not accepted.

related item

An item that is associated with another item as an accessory or required part, but is sold separately. For example, if a customer buys a camera, the store may offer the option to buy a carrying case or batteries. The carrying case and the batteries are related items for the camera.

relationship type

A type used to define a relationship and its direction between nodes.

release date

The date when notice is sent to the warehouse to start the shipping process for an order.

release wave

A transaction that opens picking tasks for a wave.

replenishment

The process of refilling an active pick location is based on deliberate, controlled calculation and task assignment.

repo

See repository.

repository (repo)

A persistent storage area for data and other application resources.

request for information (RFI)

A workflow activity that requests additional information from the specified participant.

request for proposal (RFP)

A formal invitation containing a scope of work, which seeks a formal response (proposal) describing both methodology and compensation to form the basis of a contract.

reservation

The act of reserving inventory items for a specific order.

reserve location

A storage location for material used to replenish picking locations. The material that is stored in these locations is not intended for picking, but as reserve stock.

reserve stock

Materials that are stored in the reserve area that is intended for replenishment of the active area.

reship

To send an item again to a customer who reported that an ordered item was not received.

residential address

Any home, apartment, or other dwelling where people reside. A business can also be operated from a residence. Usually, the freight carrier contacts the customer to make an appointment before delivery is attempted to a residential address.

resource

All of the functions and transactions that are both valid and available for an organization's role.

resource bundle

A structured collection of data that provides a key-value mapping for data (resources) used in localizing a program. The values are commonly strings, but might themselves be structured data.

resource pool

A logical collection of resources identified to complete delivery or provided services.

response action

The code that identifies specific actions that are taken when responses to negotiation are made between two organizations.

restocking

The process a company takes to take back an item that has been returned by a customer and place it back in their inventory.

return

A product that has been shipped to a customer and shipped back by the customer for various reasons (damaged goods, incorrect items).

return authorization (RA)

The return number applied to returned products.

return avoidance

The act of avoiding a return, by either price-matching an item or appeasing the customer.

return disposition

The disposition code that determines the product classification and inventory status of the returned items.

return material authorization (RMA)

The identifying control number that is assigned to a return order from a customer.

return method

The method that a customer uses to return items to the corresponding enterprise.

return on investment (ROI)

The amount of profit or cost saving that is realized for a given expenditure.

return policy

The policy defined by an enterprise to return items, for example, "Returns must take place within 30 days of purchase."

return reason

The code that identifies why items are returned.

return window

The number of days, as defined by the enterprise, to return an item to a store.

reverse logistics

The strategy of managing and controlling orders that are returned from customers to refurbish, if needed, and be placed back into the status of a saleable product.

reverse logistics pipeline

The flow of transactions required to manage and control orders returned from customers to refurbish, if needed, and be placed back into the status of a saleable product.

rework

To repair items that do not meet customer specifications due to damage or incorrect packing.

RFI

See request for information.

RFP

See request for proposal.

RFT

See radio frequency terminal.

RLPN

See received license plate number.

RMA

See return material authorization.

ROI

See return on investment.

role

The part played by an organization that is understood by all of the other organizations that are associated with that particular hub.

routing

The determination as to how to deliver a shipment. A result of the routing process is that a shipment is assigned to an existing load, or a new load is created for that shipment.

routing guide

A list of conditions that determine how a shipment should be routed, and what carrier and service should be used. A routing guide has a time period for which it is effective, and conditions for when it should be applied.

routing guide line

A set of conditions the user configures so that routing methods for carrier selection, service that is used, and shipment mode are optimal for a particular shipment.

rule

A configurable definition or limitation on how your system will behave when computing pricing and promotion charges, managing inventory, scheduling orders, and performing other related tasks.

S

safety factor: The time added to a shipping estimate to account for unforeseen circumstances. For example, one day might be added to a delivery date to account for the possibility of encountering bad weather.
sales organization: An organization that is responsible for sales and distribution of products and services.
sales receipt: A document that contains information about a sales order.
SAM: See standard allowable minutes.
same origin policy: A policy that ensures that HTML documents or scripts originating from one domain will not be allowed to change a document from another domain. This prevents malicious content from one domain or site from loading into another domain HTMLs in order to steal data or issue unwelcome transactions.
saved search: A set of search criteria that is saved for subsequent use.
SCAC: See Standard Carrier Alpha Code.
scheduling rule: Business rules that schedule shipping, inventory distribution, and node preferences.
SCM: See shipment container marking.
security management: The management discipline that addresses the organization's ability to control access to applications and data that are critical to its success.
SED: See shipper export declaration.
seller: An organization that supplies products to enterprises or other buyer organizations.
seller entitlement: An entitlement, which is defined by an enterprise, that grants and restricts access to categories in a catalog.
selling catalog: A hierarchy of item groups that are organized to facilitate item sales. Typically, a selling catalog is displayed to customers as an online catalog.
serial number (SN): A unique identifier of each single unit of a SKU attached to the item if serial number tracking is required.
service capacity: The resource is potential for fulfilling service requests such as installations and special deliveries.
service definition framework: A framework that defines how data is transported between systems, and that converts data into formats that are readable by each system. It defines boundary conditions for accessing services and logs exceptions.
service instruction: A notation that is associated with a service.
service item: A service that is defined as an item by a catalog organization.
service line: A line item on an order that lists a particular service or set of services.
service option: An option that is associated to a delivery service or provided service to add capacity requirements and cost to the corresponding service.
service provider determination: The process is used to find a service provider and check for resource capacity for scheduling the service delivery.
service skill: A skill that is required for a service. For example, electrical work is a skill that is required for an installation service.
service slot: The time range during which a delivery or provided service is to be completed. A service slot is identified by a start time and an end time.
service slot group: A collection of multiple service slots.
service slot spanning: The process of determining service resource availability by considering adjacent slots and shifts.
settled quantity: The quantity on an order for which the payment is received.
settlement: A payment process that involves collecting funds for the amount that is recorded for an order.
sharded deployment: A type of deployment in which multiple transaction database shards exist. Each colony has one transaction database shard.
sharding: The process of horizontally partitioning subsets of data across multiple servers. The servers can be logical or physical.
shift: A scheduled work period. For example, a 24-hour day is often divided into three 8-hour shifts.
ship advice: Notification that specifies when the order is sent to the ship node.
shipment: A group of items from one or more customer orders that use one shipment hub and has the same ship-to address.
shipment container marking (SCM): An identifier for a pallet, usually in bar code format.
shipment group: A grouping of shipments with similar attributes that is based on defined shipment selector parameters, such as shipment priority.
shipment line: The process of determining the location from which a product is shipped.
shipment mode (SM): The different means of shipping items, full truck load (TL), less than truck load (LTL), and parcel.
ship node: The warehouse, store, or distribution center that is shipping the shipment or products.
shipper export declaration (SED): A required customs document for export of goods from the United States.
shipper status code: A code that is used to define a shipper or ASN. The code descriptions can be set up according to customer requirements.
shipping calendar: A calendar set up by a ship node to schedule shipments and ensure that they are scheduled only within the working times of the node.
shopping cart: A container that holds items that a user intends to order.
shortage resolution: The act of either manually or automatically resolving inventory shortages that are detected. Inventory shortages can be resolved by placing an order for the additional quantity, or by canceling some of the orders that are placed later for the item that has the inventory shortage.
short picked: Pertaining to a container or shipment that contains less than the full number of items that were ordered because of insufficient inventory.
shrinkage: The reduction in inventory due to theft or loss.
shrink wrap: A method of wrapping and sealing materials by surrounding them with plastic and then shrinking the plastic by applying heat. This method is used for protection during transportation or storage, as well as a safety sealant.
single order picking: A picking strategy in which items are picked for one order at a time.
SKU: See stock keeping unit.
SKU cross referencing: The process of defining item SKU numbers in multiple catalogs that are supported (referenced) through a single mechanism, such as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN).
SKU main: The main system configuration screen for setting up SKU-related criteria.
SLA rate: The percentage of shipments or quantity of order line items that are fulfilled on time (based on the service level agreement) when compared to the total number of those respective quantities handled by the node.
slot spanning: See service slot spanning.
SM: See shipment mode.
SN: See serial number.
sortation: The act of classifying items by final destination. Sortation can be performed by a sortation system by using a sort line.
sortation system: The computerized system that controls the scanning and diversion of the sortation process and the sort line.
sort line: The section of an automated conveyor system that scans each carton, determines its final destination, and diverts the carton to the path on the conveyor, which takes it to its destination.
sort strategy: Warehouse plans to classify shipments based on carrier, buyer, and so forth. Sorting is done so that multiple containers for a shipment can be grouped and shipped together.
sort while pick: A process where the picker picks quantities for multiple shipments, and then sorts the picked quantities into multiple cartons or totes.
sourcing: The process of determining the location from which a product is shipped.
sourcing classification: A customizable attribute is used to determine which sourcing rule should be used for shipping, delivery services, provided services and procurement.
sourcing rule: A rule that controls which node, external organization, or group of nodes should be considered for sourcing a product or service request based on the product, product classification, ship-to region, and other parameters.
special handling: Material handling procedures required by law, customer requirements, or company policy. Items requiring special handling can include, for example, hazardous materials, breakable items, or items of high value.
special service: An additional service that is related to a purchased product. For example: gift wrapping, monogramming, and personalization (engraving).
specific resource capacity: The resources available for a specific day of the week/time slot combination for a given date range.
split line: An order line that is divided into multiple lines because only a partial inventory existed and the remaining quantity was substituted with a similar item.
stacked bar code: Horizontally stacked bar code with a row number identifier denoting how many rows (2-8) are stacked. Permits multiple bar code scanning in any order by sweeping top to bottom or bottom to top across the entire block.
standard allowable minutes (SAM): A value that is defined by a warehouse to determine how much time is allocated for each activity, including receiving, pallet moves, case replenishment, and special ticketing.
Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC): A unique two-to-four-letter code used to identify transportation companies.
standard resource capacity: The potential resource pool for each day of the week/time slot combination for a given date range.
standby node: A device that assumes the identity of a primary node if the primary node fails or is taken out of service. The standby node runs the primary node's workload until the primary node is back in service.
station: A location in a warehouse where an activity is performed.
statistics shard: In a sharded deployment, a shard that contains statistics about an application. It is shared by all colonies that exist for a particular version of the application.
stock keeping unit (SKU): An alphanumeric identifier for each item of merchandise, or catalog entry. The smallest unit available for keeping inventory control. It can include variables for department, class, vendor, style, color, size, and location.
stock replenishment order: An inbound order that is created for replenishing stock levels.
stop delivery request: A request through which an item can be stopped from being delivered or shipped to the customer even after it has reached a status that cannot be cancelled.
storage location: A specific space (floor space, shelf, rack) used to store material. Each storage location has a distinct identifier that is known by the warehouse management system and warehouse operator.
storage type: A user-defined code that is attached to a SKU that is used to differentiate types of SKUs. Storage type can be used to ensure specific types of SKUs are sent to specific warehouse areas for storage.
stored value card (SVC): A configurable payment type that represents a card on which funds are available for use. Some examples of SVCs are gift cards, employee cards, pre-paid cards, merchandise return cards, and electronic gift cards.
storefront: An organization that has the role of an enterprise and a seller, and has a theme that is associated with it.
stylized item: See child item.
subcatalog organization: An enterprise whose items are available in the catalog of a catalog organization. These items can be viewed and ordered through a business' website.
subscription: The process of exporting a subset of main data or a set of profiles to stores.
supersession: A process that recognizes if an ordered item can be superseded by a chain of items.
supersession association: An association between an item and a chain of items such that if the original item's effective date becomes obsolete, it can be superseded by the chain of items.
SVC: See stored value card.
synchronous service: A service definition framework service that provides either output or response to the caller application. The caller application waits for a response from this service.
system management: The Sterling Order Management System component used to define protocol codes, document codes, and locale rules that are used throughout the entire system.

T

tag control: A method of tracking inventory in the warehouse by the issuance of tag numbers.
tag number: An inventory attribute is used to identify items sharing lot attributes.
task: An action that is assigned to an operator by a supervisor or a system in a warehouse, such as a move, putaway, or pick task.
task queue: An area where a pending task is picked up by an agent that runs in the background and processes entries from the task queue.
task type: A grouping of warehouse activities that complete a set of related tasks.
team assignment: The act of assigning a team to a customer so that individual members of that team can access the details about the customer and the customers orders.
Template Organization: A Template Organization is a role that is associated with an organization that defines point-of-sale rules, business processes, and configurations for a store or a group of stores. When a config organization is defined only for managing business rules, the config organization must be designated as a Template Organization. Template Organizations are not logical organizations. Template organizations can be configured in the inheritance structure so that one Template inherits rules from another Template.
tender void: The ability to cancel charges on payments before payments are processed.
third-party logistics (3PL): A company that provides a range of out-sourced services such as warehousing, transportation, and contract manufacturing.
ticketing: Applying special customer tickets or labels to cartons before shipping to comply with customer requirements. See also value-added service.
tiered order: An order that is created from or is the result of another order's line.
time-triggered transaction: A transaction that is run at scheduled intervals.
tokenization: The process of replacing sensitive data, such as a credit card number, with a unique token. The sensitive data is stored securely in an external vault. The only way to return the token to its original value is to contact the external vault system.
top-off replenishment: A strategy of replenishment, which complements min-max replenishment. Top-off replenishment is also driven by inventory in reserved locations. However, instead of creating replenishment tasks if the inventory falls below a minimum (trigger) level, the system creates replenishment tasks if the inventory falls below the maximum (cap) level. See also min-max.
trace: A record of the processing of a computer program or transaction. The information that is collected from a trace can be used to assess problems and performance.
tracking number: An identifying number assigned by a common carrier that is used to track the transportation of a shipment (usually parcels) through the carrier's transportation process. See also PRO number.
transaction: A logical unit of work that performs an activity such as order creation, inventory changes, payment authorizations, and other system events.
transaction dependency: A defined rule on an order line that specifies how item classifications, such as item IDs and service types, should be handled until conditions on related order lines are met.
transaction rule: A business rule that governs the way transactions can occur.
transaction shard: In a sharded deployment, a shard that contains transaction data and is dedicated to a colony.
transfer order: A document that is used to move inventory between facilities in a multi-plant environment. See also procurement transfer order.
transfer order invoice: An itemized list of goods stating quantities, prices, shipping charges, and so forth, for a transfer order.
transit days: The calculated number of days between the pickup and delivery of a shipment.
transit time: The estimated time to deliver shipments from an origin to a destination.
trash conveyor: A separate conveyor was used to transport empty cartons and packing materials to a trash collection area. Used in operations, which break vendor cartons to repack items.
truckload: A full truck or trailer being transported to one ship-to location.
two-dimensional bar code: See stacked bar code.
two-step movement: See two step putaway.
two step putaway: A putaway, or movement, task that requires the use of two separate pieces of material handling equipment and therefore, two steps to complete the task. For example, a pallet jack may be used to transport a pallet to the end of a rack aisle, but a fork lift truck would be necessary to lift the pallet onto the rack. The system would be set to plan for two steps directing the pallet jack operator to deliver the pallet to a drop-off location, and the fork lift truck operator to pick up the pallet from the drop-off location.

U

unit of measure (UOM): A standardized unit that is used to measure a specified property of something.
universal product code (UPC): A standard bar code, commonly used to mark the price of items in stores, that can be read and interpreted by a computer.
unreceive: To adjust inventory receipt quantity to correct errors incurred during receiving.
UOM: See unit of measure.
UPC: See universal product code.
upload: To transmit data from a computer to a central computer or network, or to an attached device such as a printer.
upsell: The recommendation of a related yet pricier product in the same product line as the currently displayed or selected product. See also accessory, cross-sell.
user: Any individual, organization, process, device, program, protocol, or system that uses the services of a computing system.
user exit: A customized routine that takes control at a specific point in an application.
user group: A group consisting of one or more defined individual users, who are identified by a single group name.
user profile: A description of a user that includes such information as user ID, username, password, access authority, and other attributes that are obtained when the user logs on.
user team: A collection of users who have common data access requirements.
user-triggered transaction: A transaction that is run based on user actions.
Utilization rate: Utilization rate is calculated for both fulfillment methods (Pick up in store and Ship from store).; Ship from store utilization rate: The percentage of orders that are sent to the node for fulfillment as compared to the ship from store capacity set for the node. This KPI indicates how efficiently the node is using the set ship from store capacity.; Pick up in store utilization rate: The percentage of orders that are sent to the node for fulfillment as compared to the store pickup capacity set for the node. This KPI indicates how efficiently the node is using the set pick up in store capacity.

V

validation: In Sterling Order Management System, a business scenario. A business user defines and manages business detection and override rules against a validation.
validation domain: The logical grouping of validations based on the functions of the use case that the validation represents; for example, order and pricing.
validation reference: In Sterling Order Management System, a reference value that uniquely identifies an instance of a rule violation during a transaction.
validation rule: In Sterling Order Management System, a business detection rule or limiting condition that is established to address a common business scenario. For example, one might place a limit of 10 on a sale item, or limit the age of a purchaser to 18 years or older. As long as a transaction is within the limits of the validation rule, it proceeds without intervention.
Value-Added Reseller (VAR): An IBM Business Partner that purchases products and services through a distributor and resells a complete solution to clients.
value-added service (VAS): An activity that is performed in response to a customer demand. Value added services can be activities that are performed on a product before the product is delivered to the customer, or a provided service that is performed at the customer site. See also ticketing.
VAR: See Value-Added Reseller.
variance task: A second step count task that is created for a location item that had a mismatch in the first count.
variation product: A product that is available in different variations. For example, a shirt might be available in different size variations, such as small, large, and extra large, and color variations, such as black, white, and red.
VAS: See value-added service.
velocity: The turnover rate of an individual SKU. SKUs that sell quickly with quick turnover are high velocity items.
velocity code: A code that identifies the velocity of a SKU. This code is used in location selection in a warehouse to ensure that higher velocity items are stored closer to the shipping area than low velocity items.
vendor: A person or company that supplies materials or services to another person or company.
violation: In Sterling Order Management System, an instance of an override rule that has been violated in a transaction.
voice input: The response to the voice prompts given by a warehouse user.
voice instance: A server that hosts a third-party voice application. Multiple instances can be defined for a voice application.
voice picking: Picking an activity in a warehouse, where a warehouse user receives voice instructions through a head set, and confirms the action back vocally.
voice workflow: The flow of activities and voice-based dialogs that represent a specific warehouse operation.

W

WAN: See wide area network.
warehouse: A physical location where goods are stored.
wave: A unit of work with a clearly defined start and stop point. A wave may refer to picking, packing, shipping, or replenishment.
wave size constraint: The upper limit in terms of number of shipment, volume of shipments, and so forth, that can be set on a wave.
waybill: A document for a parcel carrier that contains details of a shipment.
web service: An application that performs specific tasks and is accessible through open protocols such as HTTP and SOAP.
weight tolerance: The acceptable amount of variance between the expected weight and the actual weight.
wide area network (WAN): A network that provides communication services among devices in a geographic area larger than that served by a local area network (LAN) or a metropolitan area network (MAN). See also local area network.
WIP: See work in process.
WO: See work order.
work in process (WIP): The status is used to indicate that the steps required to complete a task are progressing, but are not yet complete.
work order (WO): A record that contains information about work that must be performed.
workstation: A terminal or personal computer at which a user can run applications and that is connected to a mainframe or a network.
work type: See task type.

X

XML: See Extensible Markup Language.
XSL: See Extensible Stylesheet Language.

Y

yard management: The management and visibility of trucks, trailers, and inventory within a yard (normally associated with a warehouse or cross dock facility) to ensure timely shipping, loading, unloading, and receipt of material and orders. This may involve dock door management as well as gate check-in and check-out.

Z

zone: A group of locations in a warehouse is used to distinguish storage types or the item that is stored in those locations.
zone skipping: The process of consolidating parcel shipments into a single load and dropping them as an LTL shipment to a break bulk node. The consolidated shipments are later shipped to different destinations as parcels within the same region, thus saving transportation costs. See also break bulk node.