Support for Third-Party Logistics Data in Nitro

Third-party logistics (3PL) describes an organization's use of third-party businesses to outsource elements of its distribution, warehousing, and fulfillment services. Third-Party Logistics data is provided regularly from 3PL data providers and data aggregators. These data files provide valuable information about inventory at distribution centers, transportation, specialty pharmacy sales transactions, and more.

3PL data is integral to how life sciences companies understand how a product is getting to patients. Some products require special handling such as temperature control and deliveries. Some dispensing sites are outside the traditional pharmacy such as Infusion Centers, Outpatient Clinics, and Specialty Pharmacies.

3PL Data Providers Supported in Nitro

3PL providers supply pharmaceutical companies with data output in EDI format. EDI data is loaded into Nitro using Industry data connectors and SFTP. The major 3PL data providers are Cardinal Health, McKesson, AmericsourceBergen, and ICS (Integrated Commercialization Solutions). ICS provides industry standard supply chain data. Nitro includes a predefined table structure for ICS for EDI 867 and Chargebacks.

3PL Data Aggregators Supported in Nitro

Each 3PL company provides their own files, for example EDI 852 (Inventory) or EDI 867 (Sales), and can use a different file format. Many pharmaceutical companies use a data aggregator to standardize and combine 3PL data feeds to a single file format, making reporting easier. Nitro currently supports data aggregated from 3PL data providers with these Industry data connectors: Integrichain, Prometrics, and ValueCentric. Nitro supports the following 3PL tables and summarizes the data in separate stars.

Only 3PL tables are listed below. For a complete list of tables supported in Nitro, see Analytics and Reporting.

Nitro uses a raw load pattern for 867 Sales and 852 Inventory STG tables to support larger files.

Integrichain

Integrichain is a Specialty Distribution and Pharmacy Data Connector. Nitro has two stars specifically for ingesting Integrichain data. These stars report the following:

  • EDI 852 - Product Activity Data
  • EDI 867 - Product Transfer and Resale Report

ProMetrics

Nitro supports the following data set from ProMetrics:

  • EDI 852 - Product Activity Data set

ValueCentric

Nitro supports the following data sets from ValueCentric for 3PL:

  • EDI 844 - Product Transfer Account Adjustment
  • EDI 849 - Response to Product Transfer Account Adjustment
  • EDI 852 - Product Activity Data
  • EDI 867 - Product Transfer and Resale Report

EDI Life Cycles for 3PL Life Sciences Data

There are three main types of EDI Life Sciences transactions. To understand the data coming into Nitro, users need to understand what data is collected and why.

  • EDI 852 Product Activity Data - A data set containing inventory, product stocking, and product movement records from trading partner facilities. The trading partner creates and stores 852 data and, under contract, may provide it to manufacturers.

  • EDI 867 Product Transfer and Resale Report File Format - A data set containing individual records of sales from trading partners to points of care. The trading partner creates and stores 867 data. Each 867 document includes the following information:
  • Organization identification information
  • Product transfer and resale detail, including quantity, purchase order, type codes and contract identifiers
  • Transaction totals in terms of line items, their weights and other units of measure

  • EDI 844 Product Transfer Account Adjustment Transactions - A data set where a distributor reports or requests a rebate for products shipped/sold at bid price below purchase price to the Manufacturer for reimbursement.
  • EDI 849 Response to Product Transfer Account Adjustment Specifications - A data set where a manufacturer reports acceptance or a reconciliation of the rebate request in 844.