KULTIS – kuljetustietojen sähköistäminen: Sähköisen rahtikirjan testauspalvelu

It has long been known that there is a need to digitise goods transport information that is relayed between actors within the transport chain. For instance, the Freight Transport Telematics Architecture (TARKKI) lists as one of its objectives the reduction of the number of documents that need to be moved around: ”The objective is to standardise the document templates used by different actors for the same purposes and, whenever possible, to digitise their processing and relaying procedures.” The creation of an electronic waybill is a significant step towards automated systems. The digital transmission of waybills is already an every-day occurrence for large transport companies, who transmit a great deal of their goods transport information digitally as EDIFACT messages. Goods transport information is also digitised in the data systems of charterers. The digitising of goods transport information allows for better transport chain planning, operating and management and thus improves the efficiency of transport operations. Trade, industry and the transport sector all benefit. The aim of this project was to set up a testing service for the electronic waybill, while simultaneously verifying the electronic waybill data content description drawn up during the earlier definition project (AINO Publications 7/2005) in practice and in a real operating environment. The interfaces of other data flows associated with the transport event were also examined in relation to the waybill. The electronic waybill testing service allows software houses and various processors of electronic waybills to test the correctness of the data content of the electronic waybill during the transmission and reception stages. The testing service also allows the checking of the correctness of conversions between different waybill file formats and the printing out of sample documents. The testing service will make testing easier and faster and will reduce the number of problems faced by end users. The service can also be used to verify waybill software implementation projects. The testing service allows companies that provide and utilise waybill software and information systems to ascertain that the essential waybill information is interoperable with their software and to facilitate the introduction of electronic waybills. The waybill testing service is to be developed into a permanent service, which can later on be expanded to allow the testing of other XML message contents. The number of data contents that can be tested can be increased after some of the jointly agreed-upon message definitions for the logistics sector have been carried out. The intent of this data content and testing guide is to provide information to implementers of the electronic waybill and to assist them in the selection and exploitation of technical solutions. The guide defines the necessary basic requirements for both the process and the technical solutions. It also provides more detailed information and advice on the testing of the electronic waybill and on those potential solutions that are known to function.