DPD (Germany): Migration to GeoRouting & GeoLabel in Carrier Connect for the AEB Cloud

In 2022, DPD started its “GeoRouting transformation” based on the following explanation:

“New requirements on the market are making it necessary to modernize our systems and thus also our IT connections. Therefore, at the turn of the year 2022 / 2023, the previous route database will no longer be valid and will be replaced by GeoRouting. This will result in changes to the routing, labels and notification data. From 2023 onwards, shippers with IT systems developed in-house and connected according to the current standard (DPD parcel label and MPSEXPDATA specification) will no longer be able to ship with these parcel labels.”

Learn more about the details on DPD's website.

The migration to “GeoRouting” must take place by January 1, 2023 at the latest. You will no longer be able to use your current connection after January 1, 2023.

• This guide is intended for companies using Carrier Connect in the AEB Cloud. If you use Carrier Connect
• If you use Carrier Connect on-premise or in the AEB Private Cloud, we will contact you directly.
• Since the DPD transport service provider connection is no longer maintained in ASSIST4 Shipping, no migration is possible.

AEB will complete all preparations with the November 2022 Carrier Connect release so that you can migrate your system in the course of December in time for the end of 2022.

You can easily do the configuration in Carrier Connect yourself:

• in first customer systems from November 21, 2022 (test2 , prod2)
• in standard systems from November 28, 2022 (prod1)

Before you start the migration

You may want to use your Carrier Connect test system to test the changes first. At a later time implement the changes in your production system.

Step 1: Creating a new “DPD Germany GeoRouting account”

• To make changes to carrier configurations, you need the I_CLIENTADMIN role in Carrier Connect. If you have questions, submit a request in the AEB Help Center.
• We recommend that you make the changes at a time of day when you are not printing labels or completing pickups.

1. Log in to Carrier Connect. Navigate to the accounts of the DPD Germany carrier configuration (Master data – Carrier configurations – open “DPD Germany” carrier configuration – Accounts sheet).
2. Open your current account (you can recognize it by the green check mark in “Active” column) and note down all entries and settings, as you will have to copy them for the new GeoRouting account. Close the account. If you are using multiple active accounts, repeat this step as you will need to create a new GeoRouting account for each active account.
   
   • If you have set up multiple active accounts, be sure to check the account conditions as well. Open the account condition via the arrow icon under Account selection – Condition – Custom.
3. Click New to create a “DPD Germany GeoRouting account”. Then enter the data from your old account. If you have multiple accounts, repeat this step.
   
   • The Customer ID corresponds to the DPD “DELIS-User ID” (10 digits). You can find this number in your legacy account under DPD data – DELIS-UserID. The Business unit is pre-filled by Carrier Connect.
4. Open the new “DPD Germany GeoRouting account” and switch to the EDI setups sheet. Then open the entry with the EDI format “DPD MPSEXPDATA 1.31”. Under Number ranges and Transfer – EDI connection, select the entry that you previously used in your legacy account. If you have multiple accounts, repeat this step.
5. Open your legacy account and change the account condition to Never (arrow icon under Account selection – Condition). If you have multiple accounts, repeat this step. Close the account.

• The EDI setup with the ID “DPDDE_STD” is still mandatory, “DPDDE_HAZARDOUSGOODS” only in case of shipping of dangerous goods and “DPDDE_CRDATA” in case of returns (on demand).

Step 2: Enabling the new “DPD Germany GeoLabel” label

1. Navigate to the Documents sheet of the DPD Germany carrier configuration (Master data – Carrier configurations – open “DPD Germany” carrier configuration – Documents sheet).
2. Click New to add the new “DPD Germany GeoLabel 203 dpi” or “DPD Germany GeoLabel 300 dpi” label and, if required, also the “DPD Germany GeoLabel Return 203 dpi” or “DPD Germany GeoLabel Return 300 dpi” label. Delete the old label.
   Alternatively, you can also use Generate suggestion to first add all available documents and then delete all labels you do not need.
   • If you use custom label templates, explicit certification by DPD is required. Currently, AEB only certifies the standard documents available in Carrier Connect.
3. Save and close the carrier configuration.

• Please note that the upper square 2D barcode (Aztec) is no longer printed on the new GeoLabels. In addition, the return labels now also receive a routing.

Step 3: Defining new mandatory fields

From now on, DPD expects the following information in the shipping order for shipments to third countries:

• DPD (invoice) recipient VAT if dutible
• Consignee contact person (phone or email) if dutiable
• VAT ID shipping point or consignor if dutiable
• Country of origin item if dutiable
• Shipping point contact details (phone or email) if dutiable
• Goods description of the item if dutiable
• Goods value of the item if dutiable
• Item customs tariff code if dutiable

How to configure these details as mandatory fields in the carrier configuration:

1. Log in to Carrier Connect and open the DPD Germany carrier configuration (Master data – Carrier configurations – open the "DPD Germany" carrier configuration).
2. On the Carrier configuration sheet, click New to add the above information one by one in the Additionally required shipping order data field group.
3. Save and close the carrier configuration.

• Add the mandatory field "DPD "(invoice) recipient VAT" by clicking New in the Carrier configuration – Extra fields.
• Enter the VAT ID in the company master under Master data – Companies – VAT ID.

• Note that in the future, this information must also be transmitted from the host system via your interface. Please inform your internal contact about this.

Step 4: Testing before going live

1. Log in to Carrier Connect and open the new GeoRouting account of the DPD Germany carrier configuration (Master data – Carrier configurations – open “DPD Germany” carrier configuration – Accounts sheet – open “DPD Germany GeoRouting account”).
2. Stop the EDI upload by going to Carrier data generation – EDI transmission and setting the entry to Do not send.
3. Enter representative shipping orders including new mandatory fields for third-country shipping, possibly directly via the Carrier Connect user interface.
   • Since DPD calculates the routing more strictly than before, extensively test typical countries of consignee and also country-specific special postal code formats.
4. Contact DPD and inform them that you have created test shipments to test the migration.
5. Print the labels of your test shipping orders.
   • Please note our tips for error handling.
6. Complete the pickup with the test shipping orders (Package processing – Pickups).
   
   • You need the I_CAI_MANIFESTPICKUPS role for this.
7. Download the EDI as a text file. Go to Package processing – Pickups to open the pickup overview, then open the pickup. Switch to the EDI messages sheet, select the appropriate EDI, then go to the EDI message menu and select Download EDI to file. Open the text file in any editor or save the file to a location of your choice.
8. Send the EDI file to DPD and wait for feedback and possibly the approval from DPD.
   Update from 29.12.2022: Successful certification, no more approval by DPD required.
   Carrier Connect is DPD certified as of today. Please continue with the migration to GeoRouting / GeoLabel. No separate approval is required. If the migration is delayed in your company, please inform your depot and write an e-mail to zertifizierung@dpd.de with the following information:
   1. Company and contact person with e-mail address
   2. all your DelisIDs with which you generate labels
   3. annual package quantity
   4. depot
   5. date of changeover to new technology.

• For a transition period of 1-2 weeks a relabeling can take place in the respective depots. However, this will lead to operational delays and possibly longer runtimes. A short-term changeover is therefore imperative.
  
  

Error handling

Step 5: To-do after successful go-live

Once you have ensured that shipping works error-free for all accounts, clean up outdated entries in the carrier configuration and delete your old, now outdated DPD accounts. This step can also be done at a later time.

Who to contact with questions

For queries, submit a request in the AEB Help Center with the subject “Migration GeoRouting & GeoLabel DPD (Germany) in Carrier Connect”.