The Best Time to Submit an OTIF Dispute

Overview

Submitting an OTIF dispute at the right time can improve the likelihood of recovering incorrectly applied fines. SPS Commerce uses dispute data from HighRadius to identify the timing window that provides the highest average payback.

A connection to HighRadius is required to submit disputes directly through the SPS Commerce application.

Best Time to Submit an OTIF Dispute

Based on collected dispute performance data, the recommended time to submit an OTIF In Full fine dispute is between 60 and 150 days after the invoice date.

OTIF fines are generally posted and invoiced at the end of the month following the quarter in which they occurred. For example, Q1 fines may be posted around April 30, and the ideal dispute window would typically fall between June 30 and September 30.

Dispute Timeliness Categories

The SPS Commerce app provides dispute timing guidance through the Dispute Timeliness column on the Orders Page. These categories help suppliers determine when to submit disputes.

Wait to Dispute

A Wait to Dispute status means the dispute has not yet reached the recommended 60-150 day window. Suppliers may still submit the dispute early, but waiting may provide a better opportunity for recovery.

Ready to Dispute

A Ready to Dispute status indicates that the dispute is within the optimal 60-150 day window. These disputes are marked as Optimal and generally have the highest average payback potential.

Maturing Dispute

Maturing disputes are still eligible for submission and can still be successful. However, they have historically shown lower average paybacks compared to disputes submitted during the optimal window.

Expiring Soon Dispute

When a dispute is marked Expiring Soon, suppliers should submit it as quickly as possible. HighRadius reviews disputes only within a 13-month window from the invoiced month.

When a new quarter of fines is posted, the oldest month within the 13-month review period becomes unavailable. Expiring Soon disputes typically have about two months remaining for submission and review before they are removed.

Expired Dispute

An Expired dispute is outside the 13-month HighRadius review window. While suppliers may still submit the dispute, the chance of success is significantly reduced because the required supporting data may no longer be available.

Conclusion

Submitting OTIF disputes during the recommended 60-150 day window can improve recovery results. Monitoring dispute timeliness categories and acting before expiration helps suppliers maximize their chances of successfully recovering invalid OTIF fines.