You can choose to have Sterling TMS automaticallygenerate shipment identifier (SID) numbers or order numbers in Execution.You define these options on the Shipment Attributes page in Step 1of Shipper Configuration.

Sterling TMS starts withSID or Order number 000000001 and generates up to number 999999999.

Entering Orders and Shipments Online

Sterling TMS automaticallygenerates the number when a user follows these steps:

1. Create a shipment or order in Execution.
2. Leave the SID or order number blank.
3. Save the shipment or order.

Submitting Orders and Shipments Through Data Exchange

Whenyou submit orders and shipments using data exchange Sterling TMS uses the followingrules to process order and SID numbers:

• Do not send in Shipment XML or an EDI 204 transaction and setthe SID number to AUTOGEN. Sterling TMS will not automaticallygenerate the SID number.
• You can submit Order XML or an EDI 940 transaction and set theorder number to AUTOGEN. Sterling TMS automaticallygenerates the order number based on the rules you define on the ShipmentAttributes page.
• You can send in Order XML or an EDI 940 transaction and set theSID number to AUTOGEN. Sterling TMS uses the followingprocess to generate the SID number:

  Status	Description
  New Order	If the order does not exist in Sterling TMS the systemautomatically generates the SID number for the order.
  Order Not Assigned to Shipment	The order has already been submitted to Sterling TMS but has notbeen assigned to a shipment. The system automatically generates theSID number for the order.
  Order Assigned to Shipment	The order has been submitted to Sterling TMS and is assignedto a shipment: The system applies any order updates from the EDI 940 or XML transaction. The SID number in the order record is not changed. The order continuesto specify the SID number of the existing shipment.

• If you submit an order without a mode assigned Sterling TMS uses yourMode Selection Thresholds to select a mode:

  Mode	Description
  Truckload	If Sterling TMS sets the modeto Truckload the system uses the following process to generate theSID number: If the order does not contain a shipment identifier Sterling TMS automaticallygenerates the SID number. The order contains the SID number but it does not contain theSID number prefix you configured. Sterling TMS automaticallygenerates the SID number and replaces the number submitted in theorder. The order contains the SID number and it contains the correctSID prefix. Sterling TMS appliesthat SID number to the order.
  Other Modes	If Sterling TMS sets the modeto LTL Rail or another mode the system does not automatically generatethe SID number. Sterling TMS onlyuses the SID number that was submitted in the order.
  Any	If Sterling TMS sets the modeto Any the system invokes the Multi-Modal Carrier Selection processto determine the mode. To assign the SID number Sterling TMS uses the sameprocess as the truckload mode.

Defining a Prefix for SID and Order Numbers

Asan option you can define a prefix for the automatically generatednumbers. The prefix can contain up to 21 characters and cannot containrestricted characters such as a pound sign (#) double quotes (")or a percent sign (%).

For example you turn on SID generationand specify ShipperA as the prefix. Sterling TMS generatesthe following SID numbers:

• ShipperA000000001
• ShipperA000000002
• ShipperA000000003
• ShipperA000000004 (and so on)

Generating SID Numbers for EDI 754 Shipments

Shipperscan have Sterling TMS generate a SID number for shipments that werecreated from an EDI 754 routing instructions transaction. For exampleyou can have Sterling TMS generate a VICS-compliant SID number forthese shipments.

To configure this feature select the VendorInbound Shipments setting on the Shipment Attributes page:

Vendor Provided SID

Sterling TMS usesthe load number from the EDI 754 transaction as the SID number. Thisis the default setting.

Auto-Generated SID

Sterling TMS automaticallygenerates a SID number for each shipment that is created from an EDI754 transaction. The system applies the other SID number generationsettings you defined on the Shipment Attributes page.

Additional Notes for SID and Order Number Generation

Thefollowing considerations apply to automatic generation of order andSID numbers:

• You can turn on automatic number generation for shipments ordersor both.
• You can specify that SID numbers start at a certain value. Touse this capability contact Sterling TMS Customer Supportand specify the starting value for the SID numbers.
• If you have automatic number generation turned on you can stillenter your own SID and order numbers. For example you might defineyour own number for a single order to help track a customer order.
• If you turn on automatic number generation you always have theoption to turn it off later. If you turn this feature off and thenback on again Sterling TMS startswith the next available number.
• Set the VICSSID option to Yes if you want Sterling TMS to generatethe SID numbers using the standard format from Voluntary InterindustryCommerce Solutions (VICS).