The use of a transport management system (TMS) is crucial for the planning, execution and optimisation of the physical movement of goods in forwarding. The forwarding software provides a platform for users to manage and improve the daily use of their fleet. This applies to all modes of transport: road, air and sea.
What is a TMS?
A transport management software allows you to efficiently organise the incoming goods (procurement) and outgoing goods (dispatch). To that end, the TMS uses tools such as order management, route planning, freight checks and statistics. The users (mainly dispatchers) are given the possibility to plan, track and optimise the use of the means of transport available every day. What else does the use of a TMS guarantee? Complete control and transparency.
Why is a transport management system important?
As a module of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Supply Chain Management, the TMS plays an important role in reacting to increasing globalisation. The software serves as a platform for seamless global logistics management and simplifies the exchange of information in spite of geographical and language barriers, i.e. different languages and currencies as well as business units are considered. Additionally, the TMS is well suited for complex processes, but also for basic needs in logistics.
The transport management software integrates all comprehensive processes in one system and counteracts the skills shortage with automation and support in daily business.
What are the advantages of a TMS?
In general, the use of a TMS provides an advantage by simplifying the planning and execution of transport orders. This results in cost and time savings and helps avoid manual errors. Furthermore, an interface to the telematics system with tracking in real time and status messages enhances the planning quality.
The premium software CarLo even goes beyond this with additional benefits:
• Fully customisable thanks to modular combination of add-ons
• High flexibility for all transport sectors and their individual requirements
• Easy to use thanks to orientation towards the design of well-known Office solutions.
• No long adjustment period or expensive training required thanks to clear UI design
• Many helpful functions available in the standard version, such as drag & drop, live refresh of changes, conditional formatting and many more
• Licence model and costs based on your number of users; no standard contract
• Simple connection to existing systems
• Automated, quick creation of reports and statistics
• Use of artificial intelligence proactively supports planning, e.g. while determining ETAs or selecting carriers
Requirements for a TMS
In general, a transport management system should cover the individual business processes with its functions. It should have a modular structure that can be parametrised by the customer. Thus, the provision of core functions, additional functions and extension modules is necessary in order to ensure that the software can be customised.
The TMS CarLo has many additional functions and extension modules. You can find an overview here.
Which functions does a TMS have?
The functions of our transport management system CarLo simplify many forwarding areas:
• Central bundling of all master data for customers, vehicles and employees in one system
• Faster order entry thanks to digital order management
• Increased tour planning efficiency thanks to intelligent transport planning
• Calculation supported by powerful calculation functions
• Evaluations and analyses of all important key figures in extensive statistics and reports
• Optimisation of the work process with automated workflows
• Simple creation and management of freight documents and sales invoices (document management)
• Custom creation of a user and role concept (administration & rights management)
What can users expect in the future?
Due to the increase in customers’ expectations, transport management systems are expected to have more functions as well. The punctuality of the delivery is becoming ever more important. Thus, improvements in this area as well as updates in real time are expected.
Additionally, trends such as globalisation, machine learning and additional new technologies will influence the future of the TMS significantly.
Summary
A transport management system is a forwarding software that supports companies in planning, executing and optimising transport-related processes. It includes functions for management, calculation, execution and control. Due to the dynamic and global character of the current trade environment, it is crucial to use a system that facilitates an efficient handling of the complex processes.
The forwarding software CarLo supports users along the entire transport process and always provides new functions.