The local ordering process begins when a wholesale customer representative initiates a Local Service Request (LSR). To submit Local Service Requests electronically, CLECs may use one of three interfaces - LENS, TAG, and EDI.

Local Exchange Navigation System (LENS) is a web graphical user interface that is accessible to CLECs who have a LENS user name and password as well as Internet connectivity and browser. LENS is updated to remain consistent with the BellSouth Business Rules for Local Ordering. LENS provides the easiest and most economical interface, as CLECs are not required to program or customize software.

Telecommunications Access Gateway (TAG) is a computer-to-computer exchange of business documents in a standardized format over a communications path. TAG provides a bi-directional flow of information between a CLEC and BellSouth's Operational Support Systems (OSSs). Additionally, TAG offers both pre-ordering and ordering functionality through the CLEC's own application interface.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a computer-to-computer application and provides the exchange of business documents in a standardized format. Companies that exchange information, such as CLECs and BellSouth, using EDI are called trading partners. Trading partners define the business information necessary to transact daily business, and encode that information to fit a standard EDI transaction set for data transmission. Specific translation software converts data between an internal application and an industry standard format. Each trading partner is responsible for maintaining it's own "translator" software according to established standards. BellSouth's EDI specifications must be followed to avoid translator rejections. In addition, when creating data content, it is critical to adhere to BellSouth Business Rules for Local Ordering to avoid errors in BellSouth's Operations Support Systems such as LEO, LESOG, and SOCS.

Once the LSR has been received by BellSouth via any of the above interfaces, several systems are used to process the LSR.

Local Exchange Ordering (LEO) System stores information and is the interface for LSR processing. LEO is used directly by LENS, TAG, and LESOG. LEO provides first-level validation to ensure all appropriate fields are populated. LEO generates fatal rejects for LSRs that do not meet this first-level validation. LEO does not validate accuracy of information.

Local Exchange Service Order Generator (LESOG) is the system used to access legacy systems and gather information to process LSRs. LESOG validates LSRs based on the BellSouth business rules. If an LSR does not adhere to business rules, LESOG generates auto clarifications. If LESOG cannot determine the cause of a clarification, LESOG forwards the LSR to an LCSC service representative for manual review. If the LSR is error free, LESOG attempts to generate a service order in SOCS. When a service order is successfully issued, an FOC is returned to the CLEC.

Service Order Communication System (SOCS) is responsible for the collection, storage, and distribution of service orders to all applicable BellSouth departments as well as service order-driven systems. SOCS performs the final validations based on the business rules to ensure that the service order can be built correctly. This is the beginning of the provisioning process.