GDZ’s Integrated Shipping Industry System GDZ-ISIS is a complete system that utilizes the latest technology to meet the business needs of the shipping industry.
GDZ-ISIS automates the traffic and accounting processes from beginning to end—the natural flow of information is mirrored at every step. Able to run on multiple platforms, GDZ-ISIS offers an excellent combination of computing power, flexibility, and reliability.
The integration of GDZ-ISIS modules reduces errors, eliminates redundant data entry, and improves the flow and availability of information. The system is designed to capture information as it becomes available. Electronic packets of information are automatically transferred from module to module—streamlining your workflow and accelerating productivity.
Contact us today to schedule a GDZ-ISIS demonstration and discover how our in-depth knowledge of the maritime shipping industry can benefit your company.
“The many different aspects of traffic control – the tracking of goods and services – is a perfect example of the need for intelligently integrated software.”
A reduction of errors and increased productivity are the main benefits of an integrated system. The many different aspects of traffic control - the tracking of goods and services - is a perfect example of the need for intelligently designed integrated software.
All of the typical processing obstacles have been identified and addressed in this system. By utilizing such benefits as immediate availability of information and bi-directional communication between the various GDZ-ISIS modules, many common traffic procedures have been optimized for speed and accuracy.
The service contract is created for a specific period of time, specific customers and ports as well as tariffs. It can be done for $ amounts or TEUS.
The moment it is used in any application such as quotation or Bill of lading, the program verifies that all data complies with the specifications of the service contract
The Quotation Module is most often the initial entry point for the traffic information - Quotations are calculated automatically for Ocean Freight as well as any other accessorial charge that may be set up in the Tariff.
A quotation can be used as a source of information. Address information and equipment details are brought forward into the desired system and the original quotation information is preserved.
The Quotation Module is very closely related to the Booking Module. A great deal of the information needed to generate a Quotation is needed to create a Booking or a Bill of Lading.
Similarly, existing booking information can be funneled into the Quotation Module to generate a quotation quickly and effortlessly.
A side by side comparison against the original Quotation is possible when rating a Bill of Lading. The number of freight corrections is greatly reduced by checking for discrepancies and adjustments. Links are connected to the CMS for quick and easy reference of shipper, forwarder, consignee, and notify parties.
The Booking Module can be the initial point of entry for the traffic system or can be automatically created from an existing quotation. Similar to the Quotation Module, the Booking Module is fully integrated with the Contact Management System (CMS).
The Booking Module is directly integrated with the Equipment Control Module (ECM). The ECM checks for equipment availability as bookings are entered – making the user aware of possible equipment shortages.
Loose cargo can be entered through the booking system without affecting equipment availability, allowing the system to track LCL cargo before its arrival. As the booking information is entered, the dispatching system is updated – this shows all bookings pending dispatch.
To order dispatch, the user need only to select the booking, confirm the number of units required, confirm a trucker, and verify spotting instructions.
Upon completion of the booking, it can be previewed on the screen, sent to a printer or e-mailed directly to different parties, such as terminals, trucking companies, customers.
The Dock Receipt is a document in ISIS that is used to capture information for loose cargo, LCL . It defines what type of cargo is received in the warehouse or in the terminal. Cargo can be pieces, packages, pallets , boxes or it could be big pieces or units that would load as break bulk in the vessel.
As cargo is being received , the system can be defined to keep track of inventory. There are scanning processes that take place to help automate the reception of the cargo process and elaboration of the dock receipt itself. The warehouse can be configured to use units which facilitate the inventory and the eventual stuffing process
The TIR module is fully integrated with the Booking Module. Appropriate information that was entered at the Booking module - such as shipper, forwarder, and line - appears in the TIR. This greatly reduces entry time and errors.
TIRs can be accepted into GDZ-ISIS via the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). The TIR Module is fully integrated with the Equipment Control Module. The inventory information provided to the TIR updates a container's status in Equipment Control.
The Bill of Lading Module is fully integrated with the TIR Module - accessing weight, volume, and quantity information from the data entered into the TIR Module. Each TIR is automatically updated whenever a Bill of Lading is created for a portion or total of the cargo described.
This allows for on-line inventories of cargo. To handle inbound cargo, the TIR module features a multi-level "hold" system. This allows the user to hold/release a whole container, individual B/L, or a single B/L line item.
A variety of holds can be issued against an item.
For example, a Bill of Lading can be placed on hold by an agent, U.S. Customs AMS, or the accounting department. At the same time, it can be under a container level hold, such as those issued by CET and/or the Agricultural Department.
The Bill of Lading module accepts information from the Booking, D/R, EIR, and Contact Management System - greatly reducing the number of keystrokes required when entering a Bill of Lading.
The tight integration between the Bill of Lading Module and the cargo inventory modules help to drastically reduce the possibility of shipping undocumented cargo.
As the Bill of Lading is entered, the system checks and updates corresponding D/R's and EIR's to keep track of the remaining weight, measurements, and quantities - providing error checking when weight and measurement information is inconsistent between the D/R, EIR, and Bill of Landing.
The Bill of Lading Rating System is designed to quicken and simplify the rating process while allowing for complete overrides and a side by side comparison of the Quotation, if one exists.
The criteria available to set up automated tariffs include Line, Ports (origin, load, discharge, final destination), Commodity, Equipment Type, and Charge.
When defining a tariff item, each selection criteria can accept "All" as a parameter or a "specific value" as a parameter - such as a rate that applies to "All Ports" or "Long Beach, CA." By allowing this flexibility, the user has full control over the Tariff Tables while simultaneously reducing the time required maintaining them.
Each rating entry can be overridden and defined separately by such criteria as Prepaid or Collect, B/L or Local Charge, and rating types such as Lump Sum, Weight or Measure, Percentage of Freight... The B/L Rating Module also has the ability to automatically prorate B/L's if the same equipment is found on more than one B/L.
Receivable charges to the customer are created through the posting of the B/L rating as well as payable charges to vendors. This feature is used frequently by existing GDZ-ISIS clients for charges such as Drayage, Forwarder Advances, and Brokerage.
A rating worksheet is available for verifying B/L charges. The rating supervisor can use the screen to calculate appropriate charges in a way that is similar to a spreadsheet.
Stuffing is the process of stuffing the loose cargo into a container. It is integrated with the dock receipt and warehouse inventory modules. Once cargo is stuffed, it gets out of the inventory. It affects equipment control directly updating the movement of the container.
Stuffing shows lists of dock receipts entered for the port and voyage/job combination and the bill of lading number where the cargo is manifested. This stuffed container can be a Vessel Convenience container or an exclusive container.
For cargo coming Northbound there is also a stripping process that creates Inbound dock receipts and place them in the warehouse . Once a delivery receipt is created when cargo is picked up by customer, at that point it will be out of inventory.
The Equipment Control Module tracks the movement and status of all equipment in GDZ-ISIS. It is integrated with the other traffic modules, minimizing data entry requirements and keeping all information up to date. All GDZ-ISIS Modules update the Equipment Control Module.
Bookings can display available equipment and will reduce that amount upon booking. When equipment is sent out or received, the information can be viewed directly from the booking.
All TIR's automatically create equipment history records and update the current status as well as the status corresponding to the containers being stuffed with loose cargo.
Vessel loads and discharges also create "automatic" equipment history records and place equipment in proper locations (Container Yards) based on Ports of Load and Discharge. Built in "user-definable" logic lessens data entry errors by checking previous movements and locations of equipment.
Users can fast link to B/Ls through pop-up screens of equipment received by customers simply by entering TIR numbers. Equipment information can be found by using virtually any piece of data such as a booking number, TIR number, B/L number, or an invoice number.
The Equipment Control Module is also linked with the Accounting System, allowing for easy and accurate tracking of maintenance and repair expenses.
GDZ-ISIS has a great variety of reports, from specific voyage/job reports to management reports They can be exported in different formats: Excel, CSV and PDF.
Users also have the ability to print and email them. There are also grid reports throughout every module, which gives the flexibility to customize the report to the users’ needs
They can be run by voyages or by a range of dates allowing a wider analysis. These reports can be exported to excel Management reports include Volume Recap, Revenue analysis, container analysis, Trend analyzer, customer recaps.
GDZ-ISIS handles Electronic Data Interchange with different entities, such as trucking companies, container yards and terminals, amongst others One of the most important submodules is the communications with the United States Customs entity.
It communicates back and forth electronically until northbound cargo arriving in the US is released to the customer.
The U.S. Customs Automated Manifest System (AMS) is a "modular" cargo inventory and release system that provides an electronic interface between U.S. Customs and the carrier and/or port authority information systems.
GDZ Computer Services, Inc. is a certified U.S. Customs AMS software vendor. Carriers using the GDZ-ISIS system can quickly get certified to go on-line with U.S. Customs.
AMS speeds the flow of cargo through an electronic release notification system. Paperwork for both carriers and U.S. Customs is reduced through the elimination of the paper manifest and a reduction in the number of discrepancy reports and in-bond documents.
The Accounting System has been designed from the start to meet the demands of the Maritime Shipping Industry. It is completely integrated with the Traffic System - all traffic information needed in the Accounting System is instantly accessible.
All charges from Bills of Lading are routed through the Traffic/Accounting Interface. Entries into the Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and General Ledger are created automatically from a Bill of Lading Post - either individually, by port, or an entire vessel.
Accounts Payable invoices created from Bills of Lading can be automatically released for payment or can be held for approval. Manual invoices, Journal entries, and Cash Receipts are made directly from the Accounting System. The Vessel Management Module incorporates a unique disbursement method utilized by line and vessel agents for third party billing.
The General Ledger is designed to minimize data entry time and user errors. The journal entry screen allows for the ability to edit on a line by line basis.
The user can go back and check any entry at any time. The integration with the other modules reduces the entry time by automatically making summarized posting entries.
The user can look up an account while entering a journal - simply by pressing a key and browsing through the entire chart of accounts. All posting to the subsidiaries is controlled to ensure the G/L will be in balance with them.
The Accounts Receivable Module provides the ability to effectively manage customer accounts by allowing easy access to necessary information. Through integration with the Traffic System, the Accounts Receivable Module allows for cross checking a B/L to ensure that the customer is in good standing prior to releasing the current B/L.
The necessary customer information (credit limits, receivable terms, discount codes) is entered into the customer information screen. Since GDZ-ISIS is fully integrated, the Contact Management System can be accessed and a new customer can be entered while working in the Accounts Receivable screen.
Updates are received from the cash receipts module when cash or adjustments are posted against an invoice. This allows the user to view the full history of an invoice from a single screen. By combining the entry, edit, and status functions in one screen, it is possible to answer any customer inquiry with great ease and speed.
The Accounts Payable Module is specifically designed to provide control over every aspect of the accounts payable process. It is a completely automated system of payment holds and releases with a powerful cash requirements/disbursements procedure, placing the user in control of the payables with a minimum amount of work.
Before an invoice is released for payment, the module checks for payment holds and approval. A variety of Automatic Holds are configurable according to client specifications.
For example, brokerage charges can be configured to be automatically held until the freight is released or a user overrides it. There is also a Manual Hold or Release that can be issued by a supervisor on any invoice.
The user will find all items approved for payment displayed on the Accounts Payable screen. After the selection, a single check is generated for each vendor, and all related reports (such as distribution) are generated.
The Vessel Management Module (VMM) is the core of the shipping-specific accounting package. It is automatically supplied information by all of the other accounting modules as information becomes necessary and enables the tracking of income and expenses on a voyage by voyage basis.
Billing the line for a complete voyage (all vessel expenses, including the Brokerage and Agency Commissions) becomes a simple, one-step, automatic process. The VMM transactions may be posted as normal line entries through the A/P Invoice Entry screen, the G/L Journal Entry screen, or the Automatic Traffic/Accounting Post.
The VMM contains a special Vessel Disbursement Account (VDA) to allow for the automatic rebilling of payments made on behalf of Third Parties.
The Bank Reconciliation Module integrates with the Accounts Payable Module, the Cash Receipts Module, and the General Ledger so that all of the information affecting a Bank Account affects the Bank Reconciliation Module. No information needs to be manually inputted reducing time, as well as, the potential for errors.
Upon entering the bank's reported balance, the user can simply mark that a check has been returned. Once finished, the system will perform the reconciliation, and report any difference between the bank’s statement balance and the calculated balance. Past reconciliations are retained on line.
The Cash Receipts Module is uniquely designed to take advantage of the on-line and integrated nature of GDZ-ISIS. It allows one check to be applied to many customers and invoices. This is often the case when a forwarder pays the freight on behalf of several different shippers, each of whom may have several invoices.
Another feature is the single key access to the A/P. In the event that a forwarder discounts his broker commission from the freight that he owes, and sends a single check, the Cash Receipts Module allows the user to complete the transaction and affect both the A/R and the A/P sides.
When the A/R transaction is entered, the user need only press a single key and the system will look up, on the A/P side that invoice and find the broker commission to complete the transaction.
When entering a cash receipt that affects a VMS account, the Cash Receipts Module will automatically pop-up a window to ensure that the voyage information is entered to properly post the transaction.
It will also allow a user to make journal entries affecting the General Ledger directly from the Cash Receipt.
Because of the direct connection between the traffic and the accounting system, GDZ-ISIS has several reports/grids that reflect this connection.
The charges of a bill of lading are reflected in an accounts receivable (A/R) invoice or an accounts payable (A/P) invoice with their corresponding general ledger accounts.
The systems has a great variety of these reports under the accounting system. They can be printed, emailed or exported to excel for a more dynamic analysis thru pivot tables
The Contact Management System (CMS) is a contact database, which holds all referral information regarding customers, vendors, truckers, and any other company that the user will need to communicate with. It is accessible from all Traffic and Accounting module entry screens - the user need only type in the first few letters of a client's name in order to retrieve that client's information.
There is no need for complicated codes - greatly reducing the time required for training. All name and address information for ISIS Modules is stored in the CMS. If a CMS entry is used as a customer, a customer card is automatically opened to store pertinent information. Likewise, if a CMS entry is used as a vendor, forwarder, or shipper, a corresponding card is attached to store the associated information.
The addition of new contacts or locations within an existing CMS account is swift due to the structure of the CMS database. It is set up in pyramid fashion - multiple contacts are stored within a company location, and multiple company locations stored within the company name. There is a multitude of information available through the Contact Management System including direct access to Accounting and Traffic information for quick reference.
Our Web Isis module, allows customers to keep track of their cargo on-line. With a username, password and security provided by the shipping line, web users see the status of their cargo; they can print the documents, such as Bills of ladings, bookings, loose cargo receipts, even accounting invoices and A/R statements.
The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) provides an electronic interface with US Customs and Border Protection. ACE is the system through which the trade community with CBP for imports and exports. and the government determines admissibility. CBP Trade applies expertise, technology, and automation to create streamlined and efficient processes to facilitate the global exchange of safe and legitimate goods. Throughout this module the user is always up to date with tracking of cargo and the CBP Approval, Hold and Inspection.
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Allow communication between computer systems, improving data quality and information exchange speed. EDI allows automated B2B data exchange with your clients, customers, and government entities around the world. Each system will have specific protocols of communication and we have developed some of the standards like ANSI X12, XML, CSV, ASYCUDA, EXCEL, Positional Text, and more; for our customer’s needs. The list of standards keeps growing daily, please contact us for specific needs.