Every route-sales term worth knowing — from route settlement and catch-weight to DEX, bill-backs, and two-way sync. Bookmark it, share it with new reps, and never nod along to jargon again.
Carrying product or returns on the return leg of a route to avoid an empty truck and reduce cost per stop.
Pricing for products sold by variable weight (produce, meat, cheese) where the exact weight — and therefore price — is captured at delivery rather than assumed per unit.
Moving product from inbound to outbound with little or no storage in between — a way to speed DSD replenishment and reduce warehouse handling.
Counting a subset of inventory on a rotating schedule (rather than a full physical count) to keep on-hand quantities accurate, including truck stock.
The average number of days it takes to collect payment after a sale. Door-step invoicing and same-day posting are proven ways to cut DSO in DSD.
Direct Exchange (DEX) and Uniform Communication Standard (UCS) — electronic protocols that let a DSD device exchange invoice and receiving data directly with a retailer's back-office system at the door.
A distribution model where a supplier or distributor delivers product straight to a retailer's store or shelf — handling sales, merchandising, invoicing, and often payment at the point of delivery, bypassing the retailer's warehouse.
Electronic Data Interchange — the standardized exchange of business documents (orders, invoices, ASNs) between distributor and retailer systems, common with larger chains.
Reusable containers (kegs, crates, pallets) and returned product tracked on the route, often tied to deposits that must reconcile at settlement.
First-In, First-Out — rotating stock so the oldest product sells first, critical for perishable DSD categories to minimize stales.
The morning process of loading a rep's truck with the inventory needed for the day's route, reconciled against orders and par levels.
Two promotion mechanics: off-invoice discounts reduce the price at the time of sale, while bill-backs are claimed from the manufacturer after the sale based on volume moved.
The ability to take orders, price, and invoice with no network connection, queuing everything on the device and syncing automatically when signal returns. Essential for rural and warehouse dead zones.
The target on-hand quantity for an item at a specific stop. Reps replenish up to par, which drives suggested-order quantities.
Price lists that differ by customer or customer group, including contract prices, quantity breaks, and promotions — enforced automatically on every order a rep takes.
A visual layout specifying where and how much of each product sits on a retailer's shelf — used to guide merchandising during a DSD visit.
A route model where a rep takes orders ahead of delivery, so product is picked and loaded for specific stops. Contrasts with ride/van sales, where the rep sells from inventory on the truck.
The master set of items, base prices, and pricing rules a distributor maintains. In two-way sync, the accounting system stays the source of truth for the price book.
Captured evidence that a delivery was completed — typically a signature, photo, timestamp, and GPS location taken on the rep's device at the door.
Selling directly from product carried on the truck. The rep invoices and delivers in one visit — ideal for high-frequency, perishable, or impulse categories.
The end-to-end system for managing DSD routes: order capture, pricing, invoicing, settlement, and posting back to accounting. Modern route accounting runs on mobile devices and syncs to QuickBooks or NetSuite.
Automatically sequencing stops and mapping drive paths to fit more deliveries into a day with fewer miles and less fuel.
The end-of-day reconciliation where a rep's sales, payments collected, credits, and remaining inventory are balanced against what left the warehouse. Automating settlement is one of the biggest time savers in DSD.
The period a product stays sellable. Short shelf life drives delivery frequency, rotation, and stale-credit handling on DSD routes.
Collecting a customer's signature on a mobile device to confirm delivery and invoice acceptance at the point of sale.
Stock Keeping Unit — a unique identifier for a sellable item, including its pack size and variant.
A credit issued to a retailer for expired or unsellable product removed from the shelf — common in bakery, snacks, and dairy DSD.
A single scheduled visit to a customer location on a route. Route optimization sequences stops to minimize drive time and miles.
Vehicle and driver data (GPS, mileage, driving behavior) used alongside route data to manage fleets and improve route efficiency.
A defined set of customers assigned to a rep, organized into an efficient sequence of stops for a given day or cycle.
Reporting to the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, required of beverage-alcohol distributors — clean digital records make it far less painful.
Integration where data flows in both directions between the field app and the accounting system — invoices and payments post out, while customer and item lists stay authoritative in the accounting system.
See how OrderPulse turns every one of these terms into one mobile workflow — synced straight to your books.
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