Freight Forwarder Solutions
Quotation to Clients
The quotation functionality supports creation, modification and analysis of quotes. A portal may be configured and made available to the client to directly submit a request for quotation. The client profile determines the default location and the item information available. A customer may only see their information and load history. References may be entered or made mandatory where required.
Quotation Approval
Operations may model various scenarios by mode, carrier, routing, equipment and services based upon different tariffs. The user may also leverage historical data to analyze previous quotes. A complete list of carriers allows the user to send an email quote to some or all of the carriers. Carriers may respond to the quote directly from the email they received by clicking on the link and entering the quote amount.
Once all quotes have been received, the user may review the responses to determine which carrier is awarded the load. The awarding process does not have to be based upon cost but can be chosen by ranking performance or routing guide.
A pro-forma sales invoice can be made available in a specific format as determined by the user and delivered via fax, EDI, iDoc or email. An activity can be triggered to record the submission and required follow-up date. If the quotation is accepted, it may be automatically moved to a shipment or load at which point the cost file is tracked and the reference number is created.
The customer may stop at this point and save this information as a quote. The quote is assigned a quote number and can be brought up by the customer and shipped until the expiration date is reached. If the shipment cannot be quoted online, a message can be displayed to let the user know that you will contact them with a quote.
Once the customer selects a rate, a confirmation screen is displayed to the client which contains a configurable disclaimer indicating that the rates provided are only as good as the information they entered.
Carrier Bookings
Web requested bookings are available if the carrier subscribes to these services (regardless of mode). In some cases, these services may need to be configured or developed. The TMS can support EDI, XML or flat file formats. Once determination of service level / carrier is decided by the user, data will automatically be moved to the shipment level. BOL can then be printed / saved and is in compliance with industry standards.
Booking Confirmation
Upon the receipt of the booking confirmation, the shipper is also notified of the acceptance. If required, the shipper can send a PO with item details sufficient to build a load. Data can be loaded in any format and referenced back to the client's system. The PO may contain unlimited line items with specific areas to identify customer data (i.e. product codes, commodities, cross reference, export/import classifications, hazmat, etc.).
Shipment templates may also be created for repetitive moves. Templates may be scheduled to automatically create shipments based on different calendar specifications (i.e. a standard shipment moving every Tuesday from Location A to Location B - this can be scheduled to be created automatically and routed without approval/intervention.
Your client can enter their shipment information, tender the shipment to the carrier, book the shipment, and display a bill of lading to print. The document displayed is based on the user profile as well as the mode selected (for example, parcel shipments print labels with tracking numbers).
Document Dispatching
All documents can be emailed to a specific contact or accessible within the TMS as an attachment to the shipment to foster a paperless environment.
Cargo Pickup
An Agent may schedule an appointment with the cartage company for pickup and delivery of goods or equipment to the warehouse or final destination customer. Once the carrier confirms the rate, the load is ready to be dispatched and the activity of "dispatch" is available. There may be the need to schedule empty moves to get a container to the customer. The TMS will facilitate this and identify the pickup and drop locations, dates and times.
Warehouse Entry and Output
If routing to a warehouse is required for deconsolidation, cross-docking, assembly to transshipment, an integration point with the client's internal WMS may be recognized (the WMS can electronically update the TMS).
Once the shipment has departed the warehouse, the TMS can be updated electronically from the WMS. This milestone can be visible within the shipment data.
Generate HBL
Once the agent confirms the information is accurate, the TMS saves the shipment, tenders the shipment to the carrier, books the shipment and displays the BOL for the agent to print/save. Provided there is connectivity, shipment details for insurance purposes can be sent electronically to an external provider.
Customs Clearance
Supplemental screens support entry of additional data for export / import to be rendered on the documentation. International moves may require compliance with export/import formalities that must be satisfied with electronic filings to regulatory agencies. With local level external Customs system integration, the TMS can provide data flow out to Customs agencies to provide goods and shipment data.
The TMS can also receive data extracts from any external organization with configuration, connectivity and in some instances development. Compliance with national level procedures at the destination location are available (i.e. for shipments destined to the US, ISF data can be electronically sent to US Customs and Border Protection).
The Customs Broker at the destination can be granted access to data, documentation and does have the opportunity for restricted data entry capabilities as defined by the user.
Departure & Pickup Confirmations
Departure confirmation data can be transmitted electronically to the TMS by subscribing carriers or can be manually updated by the user. In the event that a sailing has been missed, airline connection has been missed, container has been rolled, and exceptions can be created via the reporting tool as defined by the user. The TMS also allows shippers, carriers and customers the ability to leverage the best method to communicate "live" tracking information, etc. For example, if the driver's phone number was entered in the delivery order / dispatch, the TMS can be prompted to SMS Text the driver directly. Smartphones and tablets can also be used via the Mobile App to track.
Arrival Management
Notification of arrival information and cargo availability can be populated in the TMS based on carrier information data feeds (direct manual entry, web portal updating or electronic feed). The user can customize the requirements as needed in the alert and the mode of which it is delivered (i.e. emails, SMS text or historically created report).
Prepare Delivery
A delivery order can be generated from the shipment data in the TMS. The TMS can optimize shipments to offer the best scenario for delivery based on customer expectations for requested delivery date, overall cost efficiencies and mode of transport (FTL, LTL and parcel). Once the carrier has been selected and has accepted the load based on the users requirements, the TMS is updated manually or electronically (from carrier) and shipment is prepared for delivery. Delivery orders can be printed and saved.
Visibility "Track and Trace"
Any reference number entered on the load /shipment is available for tracking and tracing purposes. Customized reporting can be set up according to the user's needs. Freight Forwarders may provide each customer with a view of the data and the data elements they feel the customer needs/wants. Each customer only sees what they should see based on their allowed access. Each client can have a unique look and feel as they log into the solution to see their information. Customizable screens and reports allow the logistics provider to present information with simple configuration and without the need for costly consulting and/or costly, time-intensive development.
POD Management
Once the load has been confirmed as delivered, the carrier has the ability to upload a POD or utilize the TMS Mobile App to advise a signature at the destination. Depending on the user setup, POD's can be received as images, scanned and attached as an image or carriers can provide a link to their system for POD image visibility. All of these options can be prompted via email.
Audit Freight Invoices
Upon receipt of carrier invoices, the TMS compares rated vs. invoiced amounts and shows you the differences. You can automatically send "matched" invoices to your Accounts Payable system for payment. The invoices that have discrepancies are put in a queue to be resolved. Invoices received within previously identified tolerances can be passed through to accounting for payment processing (without manual intervention) and any invoices that do not match the agreed upon rates are clearly visible in the invoice reconciliation screen.
Your audit process can include the receipt of proof-of-deliveries (POD). There are several ways to receive PODs and link them to completed shipments in the TMS. The invoice audit report will tell you if a POD has been received and give you the option of proceeding with payment or not.
Occasionally, an incoming invoice won't match with any known shipment in the system. The TMS will query your shipments to find possible matches with the details of the invoices and then let you manually link them for auditing purposes.
Create Billing and Financial Closure
All costs associated with the load can be tracked and invoiced within the TMS. If additional services are required, these are accrued to the shipment for invoicing. In addition to the vital data applied to the shipment, the cost file or price sheet is available to report detail for accrued costs, actual costs and profit margin. The TMS can handle invoicing in different currencies and maintains a current rate of exchange file.
Once changes are made, the system can automatically adjust receivables, commissions, etc. as outlined in the customer profile. The TMS can supply the appropriate GL codes to accessorials/charges to pass to the internal accounting system. Once approved, any variations to the original payable are then processed as designated in the customer profile, allowing the charges to be absorbed, passed through or uplifted as desired.
An overall summary of shipper costs at the master container level can be extracted from the TMS.
Pay Commissions
The TMS can also look at payables and receivables to determine what commissions will be paid. Commissions often are distributed among multiple parties based on their role in the process. The customer profile determines how commissions are calculated. Commissions are determined by the margin generated at whatever point in the process your company desires.