Glossary of Terms

for Third Party Logistics, Supply Chain Management & Fulfillment Operations

Many of the terms used in the world of third-party logistics do not appear in a standard dictionary, nor is there a dictionary of fulfillment or warehouse management definitions. We offer this glossary to help you better understand our business. If you have a term you would like defined, or have a definition that you would like to share with us, please send us an e-mail.

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Jump to terms:

- ID (indentification)
- indicia
- intermodal
- inventory accuracy
- item number
- invisible backroom

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I

ID (indentification, or identification number)
a third party fulfillment operation that communicates so well with its client that it is as if it were an invisible backroom operation. (See virtual vendor and virtual client). a unique name or code within a database to identify an order, customer, transaction, package, or logistical unit (LU). With a relational database, once the ID in entered into a search, other data pertaining to that ID can be retrieved from one or more files. An ID unique to just one product is a serial number.

indicia
an imprinted designation (such as a postal permit) on a piece of mail that indicates postage payment. It can be used in place of a stamp or meter mark

intermodal
a system or container designed for the seamless transfer of cargo from one transport modality to another. Modalities include ships, trains, trucks, and sometimes aircraft. The intermodal shipping container was invented by a trucker, Malcolm McLean. This revolutionized international cargo shipping, by reducing loading and unloading costs by over 90%, resulting in vastly lowered costs of imported goods for billions of people.

inventory accuracy
the degree to which inventory quantities in the computer database agree with the actual physical inventory in the supply chain.

item number
t he identification number assigned to an item. Also called the part number, product number SKU number, or SKU.

invisible backroom
a third party fulfillment operation that communicates so well with its client that it is as if it were an invisible backroom operation. (See virtual vendor and virtual client).