Abstract
Supply chain partners across many industries are often in disputes over the accuracy of invoices. Shippers are suspicious of unexpected charges that appear on invoices; carriers dislike fighting to get paid on time. Such disputes are largely caused by the lack of data transparency among supply chain partners. When each party maintains its own internal systems of record, the records often do not match, prompting expensive reconciliation processes on both sides.
Blockchains offer a different approach based on a shared-information system, with records distributed to authorized trading partners. Blockchains, however, do not require supply chain partners to abandon their existing technologies. When blockchain applications are connected to each partner’s internal systems of record, it can enable what is known as “triple-entry bookkeeping”. Supply chain partners get the benefits of transparency and agreement over events and charges, with minimal changes required to their internal systems of record.
In this BCoE case study, we explore how Walmart Canada and DLT Labs developed DL Freight, a blockchain-enabled solution for freight invoicing and payment processes that nearly eliminated disputes (from 70 percent to less than 2 percent). We discuss the development of the solution, present before-and-after pictures of the processes, document the business value delivered, offer lessons for other enterprises considering similar solutions, and compare blockchain technology to alternative technologies that can enhance supply chain capability.
Read the full whitepaper here.
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