DEX (data exchange) is a format for collecting
audit
An audit is an "independent examination of financial information of any entity, whether profit oriented or not, irrespective of its size or legal form when such an examination is conducted with a view to express an opinion thereon.” Auditing ...
and
event data from
vending machine
A vending machine is an automated machine that provides items such as snacks, beverages, cigarettes, and lottery tickets to consumers after cash, a credit card, or other forms of payment are inserted into the machine or otherwise made. The fir ...
s.
DEX was introduced in the late 1980s by bottlers who provided product to vending machines. It was intended to improve
auditing
An audit is an "independent examination of financial information of any entity, whether profit oriented or not, irrespective of its size or legal form when such an examination is conducted with a view to express an opinion thereon.” Auditing ...
of
vending machines
A vending machine is an automated machine that provides items such as snacks, beverages, cigarettes, and lottery tickets to consumers after cash, a credit card, or other forms of payment are inserted into the machine or otherwise made. The f ...
, simplify
inventory management
Field inventory management commonly known as inventory management is the function of understanding the stock mix of a company and the different demands on that stock. The demands are influenced by both external and internal factors and are bala ...
. DEX records cash in/out, product movement and other audit data. The format was adopted as a standard by the
National Automatic Merchandising Association The National Automatic Merchandising Association, or NAMA, is the American national trade association of the convenience services industry, including vending, micro markets, office coffee service, and foodservice management. Headquartered in Arlingt ...
Technology Committee after it was already in use by bottlers. It was included in NAMA VDI version 1.0, announced in 2009.
Introduction to NAMA VDI
at vending.org, seen 2011-09-11
DEX improves route accounting
DEX, Direct Exchange, is a form of electronic data interchange, EDI, used by direct store delivery, DSD, distributors to electronically send their delivery information, invoices and or credit memos, to the retailer at the time of delivery. DEX has been around for many years and is used by all major grocery retailers as well as numerous smaller chains and convenience stores.
A DEX client can now run on popular mobile operating systems like Windows Mobile, Android and iOS, and allows a supplier to send Invoice detail to a retailer. At the dock physical adjustments are captured electronically. This is all facilitated using the 894 Delivery/Return Base Record and 895 Delivery/Return Acknowledgment or Adjustment transaction sets as detailed in the UCS Standards Manual, available from GS1 US, Inc.
In supporting DSD, UCS has two parts: DEX/UCS (Direct EXchange) linking the computers of supplier and retailer at the store backdoor, and NEX/UCS (Network EXchange) linking their office computers.
See also
*DDCMP
Digital Data Communications Message Protocol (DDCMP) is a byte-oriented communications protocol devised by Digital Equipment Corporation in 1974 to allow communication over point-to-point network links for the company's DECnet Phase I network pr ...
References
Vending
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