GS1 US administers and manages the UCS for the grocery industry and other retail sectors.
UCS is the Uniform Communication Standard which is used by thousands of companies – specifically, manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, and brokers. Initiated and still used by the grocery industry, UCS has also been adopted by companies in the alcohol beverage, broker, convenience store, foodservice, mass merchandising, wholesale drug, service merchandising, and public warehouse industries. It is a subset of the ANSI ASC X12 national standard.
The UCS implementation guidelines include transaction sets which support Data Administration, Ordering, Logistics, Financial, and Business Support.
Although UCS was originally developed for transmission between trading partners on an office-to-office level, it has now also been applied to Direct Store Delivery (DSD) transactions. UCS transaction sets allow for the exchange of delivery information and adjustments between DSD suppliers and buyers, using electronic devices (e.g., hand-held computers and PCs), at the time of delivery at the individual store location. This direct exchange of delivery data (DEX/UCS) effectively replaces the current paper invoice or delivery ticket. The UCS for DSD application includes a communication standard for the direct connection of supplier and buyer devices.
UCS/DSD has two parts: DEX/UCS (Direct EXchange) linking the computers of supplier and buyer to provide a means of exchanging delivery data at the store backdoor, and NEX/UCS (Network EXchange) linking their office computers over telephone lines. NEX/UCS is the natural extension of conventional UCS to DSD-related messages, such as delivery notifications and statements.
DEX/UCS is a low cost add-on to computerized delivery and receiving systems. The direct connect form requires only a software enhancement to existing automated delivery/receiving systems, plus an inexpensive connection device. Such systems are offered in packaged form by a number of system vendors , making them available to retailers and suppliers of all sizes.
The UCS Communication Standard is designed to provide a practical and standard approach to the electronic interchange of data between participants. The objectives of the standard are to provide for the communication of EDI data, identify alternative communication methods, specify the communication standard for industry use, and provide operational guidelines for using the standard.
The Ecommerce Transport Communication Guideline is designed to define the technical communication protocols used to transport over the internet using EDIINT-AS1 and EDIINT-AS2 standards.
For copies of the guidelines and standards, go the GS1 US BarCodes and eCom Member Center or the Product Catalog.