dot expressway user’s guide
TRANSCRIPT
Dot Expressway®
User’s GuideThe Dot Expressway® website helps you work faster and smarter.
2 | DOT EXPRESSWAY
Sign Up Go to www.dotfoods.com.
• On the orange Dot Expressway bar in the
center of the page, click on New User?
• Complete the New User Registration form.
• We will email your Expressway user name and password
within 2 business days.
• Return to www.dotfoods.com. On the orange Dot Expressway
bar, enter your user name and password,
then click Go.
Forgot Your Password? Go to www.dotfoods.com.
• On the orange Expressway bar in the center of the page,
click on Forgot Password?
• In the User Name box, enter your user name.
• Answer one of your security questions.
• Enter a new password.
Manage Your Expressway Account
• Once you have logged in to the Expressway, click on
Member Services/Your Dot Account to make
changes to your Expressway account, change your
password and update your email address.
Help and Instructions
Our Help Section is designed to assist you through every
part of your Expressway experience – including Searching,
Ordering and Running Purchase History Reports. Click on
any topic link to see a step-by-step guide with screen shots.
If you have additional questions not answered in the
Help Section, the Expressway Help Desk is ready to assist!
Contact the Help Desk by phone at 888.433.2320 or
send an email to [email protected].
The Dot Expressway® is one of the most popular websites in the food
industry. The Expressway averages 1.5 million hits from over 5,800 users
each month. Not only do buyers order on the Expressway, it’s also one of the
first places they go to get product information like pallet/ layer quantities,
nutritional information and shelf life.
Getting STARTED
• Search our online catalog.
• Get detailed product information.
• Download product and pricing information.
• Place your Dot orders online.
• Track your purchase history.
• See your Dot Price Order Guide.
DOT EXPRESSWAY | 3
The home page of the Dot Expressway is your gateway to a
wealth of information on the 100,000 products we offer.
Home Page HIGHLIGHTS
Product Search Distributors perform more
than 220,000 searches on
the Dot Expressway every
month! See pages 4-5 for
tips on how to search.
Promotions
For a list of supplier
promotions, specials and
sale items, click on the
orange Promotions button
at top of the Expressway
home page.
Orders Click to immediately start
creating a new Dot order
with either Dot # or GTIN #.
(See page 7 for detailed
instructions on ordering.)
BannersClick on any banner
to view the products
featured along with
your price.
Quick Links
Click on these links for
announcements on new
suppliers Dot is adding,
product recalls, and other
important news.
New Item Spotlight
Click on a logo to see
a current list of that
supplier’s new products.
Supplier Lineups
Download lists of all the
suppliers Dot carries,
by category, temperature
and more.
4 | DOT EXPRESSWAY
• If you are having trouble finding common items, try using different
keywords, such as:
o no sugar instead of sugar-free
o beef pat or beef patt instead of hamburger
o pre cook instead of ready to serve
• Pack sizes may also be expressed differently, such as:
o 4 1 gal can also be 4 128 ounce
o 6 10 can also be 6 96 ounce
o 3-1 for meats can also be 1 3 pound
The Expressway gives you many
ways to quickly find products – they
are all listed in the My Preferences
box at left on the New Search page.
Only the criteria you check in
My Preferences will appear as
search option boxes on the right
side of the page
Once you customize the way you
like to search in My Preferences,
click the green Save button in the
My Search box. You can change
your saved search options at
any time.
• When entering words or
phrases for a search, remember:
“less is more.”
• Do not use plurals or –ed at the
end of a word. (Ex: bean instead of
beans, bake instead of baked.)
• For speed and/or more results,
enter partial words. (Ex: chick
rather than chicken, fill rather
than filling.)
• Numbers for pack size can also be
added in the Words or Phrases box
to narrow your search. (Ex: green
bean 6 10 or sugar 12 2 pound.)
Start Your Search
To start your search, click on the orange Product Search button at top of the Expressway home page.
Search Tips & Tricks
Search MADE EASY
DOT EXPRESSWAY | 5
• Click on the blue underlined item description to get
more information about the product, such as case
dimensions and master case GTIN.
• Click on any icon in the Status column to get more
information on the product.
• To download search results to a spreadsheet, click the orange
Download button at right of the search results page.
• To find your broker for an item, click the blue item description
to go to the detail page.
• To visit the manufacturer’s website for the item, click the
blue www icon.
Many items on the Expressway also feature a Product Information
page, which gives detailed information on preparation, nutritional
data, and ingredient statements. To see that information, click the
Product Information icon.
Understanding Search Results
Specific Product Details
Product Information page
Manufacturer’s website
6 | DOT EXPRESSWAY
• Log on the Dot Expressway, and under Purchase History in top navigation bar, choose Submit Report.
• Choose the report type, date range and product line(s).
• Then click Submit Report. You’ll receive an email from Dot within a few hours to notify you that your report is ready.
• Then, under Purchase History, click on View/Download Report.
• Select the report, and click View. Then open up the file, which is an Excel document.
Purchase History REPORTS
Regardless of how you order from Dot (EDI, fax or Expressway), you can download reports on
the Dot Expressway. These customized Purchase History Reports show your purchases from
Dot within the date range you specify. Your reports will include dollar, case and pound totals.
You can even get detailed SKU information, which will help you track purchases of specific items.
DOT EXPRESSWAY | 7
QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK? Expressway Help Desk: 888.433.2320 or Email: [email protected]
• Use the Order Form link on the home page to begin a new order immediately.
Just enter either Dot item numbers or GTIN numbers.
• Add items to your Shopping Cart from either the Search Results page or from an individual product page
• Once your order is ready, you can choose delivery options, including Dot on Demand®. Dot on Demand allows
you to ship items with your regular Dot delivery OR via FedEx (see Delivery Route on View Cart page).
• Your sales reps can have access to the Expressway too! Contact your Dot Sales Representative at 800-366-5666
to learn more about the Dot on Demand program.
It’s easy to place your order directly on The Dot Expressway®
Placing YOUR ORDER
Our Brand Promise: What does it mean for you?
We’ll treat you the way we’d want to be treated. Dot is family owned and
operated, and our values reflect that. We act with integrity and respect for our
customers — not only as business partners, but as people.
If there’s a better way, we’ll find it. Dot was first in food redistribution because our
founder saw a need and filled it. We continue that pioneering spirit today, developing
creative solutions that help our partners work smarter, faster, better.
We’re here to support your growth. We know that if we can simplify your business,
increase your market share, or boost your profits, we’ve not only helped your business,
we’ve helped ours. So we keep our focus on service to keep you coming back for more!
Dot Foods, Inc.One Dot Way, P.O. Box 192 | Mt. Sterling, IL 62353
888.433.2320 | [email protected] | www.dotfoods.com
DE-0111 © 2010 Dot Foods, Inc. All rights reserved. ® Registered trademarks of Dot Foods, Inc. SM Service Mark of Dot Foods, Inc.
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