American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)

Released for the first time in October 1994, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is an economic indicator and cross-industry measure of the satisfaction of U.S. household customers with the quality of the goods and services available to them. This includes both goods and services produced within the United States, as well as those provided as imports from foreign firms that have substantial market shares or dollar sales. The ACSI is co-sponsored by the University of Michigan Business School, ASQ, and the CFI Group.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

A non-profit organization chartered to develop, maintain, and promulgate voluntary U.S. national standards in a number of areas, especially with regard to setting EDI standards. ANSI is the U.S. representative to the International Standards Organization (ISO).

American Society for Quality (ASQ)

A professional organization with more than 100,000 members that advances learning, quality improvement, and knowledge exchange to improve business results and create better workplaces and communities worldwide.

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Not-for-profit organization that provides a forum for the development and publication of voluntary consensus standards for materials, products, systems, and services.

American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)

A membership organization providing materials, education, and support related to workplace learning and performance.

American Society of Transportation and Logistics

A professional organization in the field of logistics.

American Standard Code for Inf ormation Interchange (ASCII)

ASCII format is a simple text-based data with no formatting. It is the standard code for information exchange among data processing systems. It uses a coded character set consisting of 7-bit coded characters (8 bits including parity check).

American Trucking Association Inc

A motor carrier industry association that is made up of sub-conferences representing various sectors of the motor carrier industry.

American Waterway Operators

A domestic water carrier industry association represents barge operators on the inland waterways.

AMFC

Air Force Materiel Command conducts research, development, testing, and evaluation, and provides the acquisition management services and logistics support necessary to keep Air Force weapon systems ready for war. The command develops, acquires, and sustains the aerospace power needed to defend the United States and its interests for today and tomorrow.

AMS

A multi-modal cargo inventory control and release notification system through which carriers submit their electronic cargo declaration 24 hours before loading. See 24-hour Rule.

Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation is a federally created corporation that operates most of the United States' intercity passenger rail service.

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)

A statistical term that refers to a collection of statistical models that test the means of several groups to determine if the means are equal.

Andon

A manufacturing term referring to a signboard incorporating signal lights, audio alarms, and text or other displays installed at a workstation to notify management and other workers of a quality or process problem.

Animated GIF

A file containing a series of GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) images is displayed in rapid sequence by some web browsers, giving an animated effect. Also, see GIF.

ANSI

A non-profit organization chartered to develop, maintain, and promulgate voluntary U.S. national standards in a number of areas, especially with regard to setting EDI standards. ANSI is the U.S. representative to the International Standards Organization (ISO).

ANSI ASC X12

American National Standards Institute Accredited Standards Committee X12 is the committee of ANSI that is chartered with setting EDI standards.

ANSI Standard

A published transaction set approved by ANSI. The standards are reviewed every six months.

Anticipated Delay Report

A report, normally handwritten, is created by the procurement and production areas to advise management regarding orders that are not expected to be completed on time.

Anticipation Inventories

Extra stocks of inventory, which are being held above known requirements, are ordered to accommodate trends or promotions. They may also be used to hedge against the risk of supply problems.

Anticipation Order

An anticipation order is placed in advance of the availability of a product for delivery on a future date. Anticipation orders are frequently used in the retail environment, where suppliers preview new products at trade shows and seek a commitment from their retail customers prior to production of seasonal items.

Anti-Deficiency Act [Title 31, U.S. Code, Sec 1341 and 1517]

Prohibits making or authorizing an obligation in excess of the amount available. Forbids obligation to pay money from the US Treasury in advance of the appropriation. Requires agency to fix responsibility for violations of the Act.

Any-Quantity Rate (AQ)

The same rate applies to any size shipment tendered to a carrier; no discount rate is available for large shipments. Anti-Dumping Duty is an additional import duty imposed in instances where imported goods are priced at less than the normal price charged in the exporter's domestic market and cause material injury to the domestic industry in the importing country.

A/P

1) A financial term referring to the amount of transactions that have been accrued but not paid to a vendor. 2) An accounting function.

Applicability Statement 2 (AS2)

A specification for Electronic Data Interchange between businesses using the Internet's Web page protocol, the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), is an extension of the earlier version, Applicability Statement 1 (AS1). Both specifications were created by EDI over the Internet (EDIINT), a working group of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) that develops secure and reliable business communication standards.

Application program interface (API)

This technology facilitates how various software platforms communicate with one another. APIs are used to streamline data management and automate essentials, such as order management and shipment tracking.

Application Service Provider (ASP)

A company that offers access over the Internet to applications (examples of applications include word processors, database programs, web browsers, development tools, communication programs) and related services that would otherwise have to be located on their own computers. Sometimes referred to as 'apps-on-tap', ASP services are expected to become an important alternative, especially for smaller companies with low budgets for information technology. The purpose is to try to reduce a company's burden by installing, managing, and maintaining software.

Application-to-Application

The direct interchange of data between computers without re-keying.

Approved Vendor List (AVL)

List of suppliers approved for doing business. The AVL is usually created by procurement or sourcing and engineering personnel using a variety of criteria, such as technology, functional fit of the product, financial stability, and past performance of the supplier.

APS

Refers to a manufacturing management process by which raw materials and production capacity are optimally allocated to meet demand. APS is especially well-suited to environments where simpler planning methods cannot adequately address complex trade-offs between competing priorities.

AQL

In quality assessment, the acceptable quality level, also known as the assured quality level, describes the maximum number of defects acceptable during the random sampling of an inspection.

AQR

Any quantity rate.

A/R

On a company's balance sheet, accounts receivable are the amounts that customers owe to that company. Sometimes called trade receivables, they are classified as current assets, assuming that they are due within one year.

Army Corps of Engineers

A federal agency responsible for the construction and maintenance of waterways.

Arrival Notice

A notice from the delivering carrier to the Notify Party indicating the shipment's arrival date at a specific location (normally the destination).

Arrow Diagram

A planning tool is used to diagram a sequence of events or activities (nodes) and the interconnectivity of such nodes. It is used for scheduling, and especially for determining the critical path through nodes.

AS2

Applicability Statement 2 is a specification for Electronic Data Interchange between businesses using the Internet's Web page protocol.

ASC

A committee of the ANSI was chartered in 1979 to develop uniform standards for the electronic interchange of business documents. The committee develops and maintains U.S. generic standards (X12) for Electronic Data Interchange.

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange is a coded character set consisting of 7-bit coded characters used for information exchange among data processing systems.

ASC X12

Accredited Standards Committee X12 is a committee of ANSI, chartered in 1979, that is responsible for developing uniform standards for the electronic interchange of business documents.

ASN

Advanced Shipping Notice - detailed shipment information transmitted to a customer or consignee in advance of delivery.

ASP

Application Service Provider - a company that offers access over the internet to applications and related services.

ASQ

American Society for Quality is a professional organization with more than 100,000 members that advances learning, quality improvement, and knowledge exchange to improve business results.

AS/RS

Automated Storage and Retrieval System is a computer-controlled system that automates the placement and retrieval of loads.

Assemble-To-Order

A production strategy where subassemblies and components are assembled into a finished product just prior to customer shipment.

Assembly

A collection of components put together into a unit or the activity involved in putting components together to form a unit.

Assembly Line

A manufacturing process where products are completed from components as a result of a series of continuous activities.

Assignment

A distribution of costs using causal relationships.