SLA Dashboard Template

What to Put on an SLA Dashboard for EDI and Barcoding

A useful SLA dashboard starts with a short list of metrics that trading partners actually enforce. For most EDI programmes, that means measuring how quickly documents move and how often they arrive clean. A table with one row per trading partner and one column per metric is usually easier to scan than a wall of charts. It also makes it obvious which relationship needs attention this week.

Core columns worth tracking

• Functional acknowledgement turnaround: the time between receiving a document such as an 850 purchase order and returning the 997 or 999 acknowledgement. Many retailer guides set a tight window for this.
• Advance ship notice timeliness: whether the 856 ASN was transmitted before the shipment arrived. Late or missing ASNs are a common source of chargebacks.
• ASN-to-label accuracy: whether the SSCC on each carton label matches the ASN hierarchy. A mismatch often shows up as a receiving exception at the distribution centre.
• Barcode scan rate: the share of labels that scan on the first attempt. Low rates usually point to print quality, symbol size or quiet-zone problems.
• Invoice match rate: how often 810 invoices reconcile with the purchase order and receipt without manual correction.
• Translation and mapping errors: rejected or failed documents, grouped by cause.

Setting thresholds and status colours

Give each metric a target and a warning band, then colour the cell by status. A simple three-state scheme works well: on target, at risk and breached. Base the targets on each partner's written requirements rather than a single house standard, because a window that is acceptable for one retailer can trigger penalties with another.

Review rhythm

Use daily views to catch failed transmissions while they can still be resent. Use weekly or monthly views for trends such as rising label rejections after a printer or template change. Keep a notes column so recurring issues have a documented cause and fix. That record is valuable when you dispute a chargeback or onboard a new partner.

To see how these metrics are summarised across partners, look at the Standings page. Further templates and reference material are collected under Resources.