A transportation management system (TMS) is an end-to-end piece of software that helps businesses manage their logistics and streamline their shipping. By reducing complexity and connecting all the players in your logistics ecosystem, it simplifies the different stages of the supply chain processes, capturing them in one tool.
Traditionally, businesses have relied on manual processes – such as excel sheets, phone, and email – or several independent software solutions to manage their logistics. For example, some shippers used a warehouse management system that follows items until they leave a dock. They then had a tracking system, provided by a carrier for each mode and each stage of the journey. However, this piecemeal approach leads to a highly complex and disjointed view over the process, where a single miscalculation can result in significant loss of time and customer satisfaction. This simply doesn’t cut it in the 21st century.
Some of the most significant transportation management system benefits include greater visibility of the supply chain process, freight cost savings, and operational efficiencies.
Alpega TMS covers the end-to-end logistics process globally, across all modes – including transportation management features ranging from supplier sourcing and integration, network design, automatic scheduling, route planning, load building, document management, to analysis of your shipments and supply chain.
We know how challenging it can be to gain efficiency in transportation and logistics. There are many factors and variables, and without proper visibility, transportation managers and their teams struggle to make informed decisions. Besides, the time given to make these calls is getting shorter year on year. With a transport management system, you get a complete process timeline, from planning through to collection, to the final invoice, all in one place. A TMS means the end of guesswork.
From the arrival of goods into your warehouses, the movement of shipments in your network, to the smallest delays along the route, you get a holistic view of the entire supply chain. This keeps you informed in real-time, giving you time to respond and react as goods move across borders, skies, and oceans. Managing only for exceptions means that you don’t need to waste time managing your standard flows, and only need to step in when it really matters.
Cash flow is king, no matter what size organization you work for the size of your business. If the transportation documentation and invoicing process are incorporated, you can see, at the click of a button, what your overhead in and any incoming invoices you have. Since Alpega TMS is integrated transport management software, your ERP system can be fully integrated into your TMS software so you can manage freight costs, invoicing processes, rejections, and any additional costs, including freight accessorials. This enables you to actively manage your departmental finances and resources, not simply reacting to demands when they occur. This clarity improves your reporting process, saving you valuable time and resources.
Manual work is prone to error and, in an industry that has little room for error, a TMS can make a huge difference. With transportation management software, your documentation and communication processes are automated to deliver the best possible service, eliminating human errors and increasing client satisfaction.
HOW TO TMS GUIDE
If you are unsure if a TMS is the right answer to your challenges, have a look at our free eBook “Your How to TMS Guide”. It is an easy to read and simple to follow guide designed to help you understand what a TMS is, what it does and how it can improve your work, every day.
