The TMW.Suite transportation management solution (TMS) from TMW Systems now offers extensive new billing functionality that addresses the increasingly complex contracts developed and fulfilled by third-party logistics providers (3PL). The latest of several software enhancements designed to serve the needs of non-asset-based and multimodal transportation service providers, the new functionality supports the solution’s load planning/optimization engine – developed by 3GTMS – for billing third-party carriers.
“TMW.Suite is a powerful, comprehensive platform that enables transportation businesses to manage the unique complexities of the 3PL marketplace,” said Ray West, senior vice president and general manager of TMS solutions for TMW. “This new functionality will help improve our users’ business performance by facilitating sophisticated transportation plan invoicing that meets their needs and the needs of their customers.”
The new 3PL billing module allows for contracts based on cost-plus, management fees, standalone customer rates, pass-through costs and more. This enables users to provide accurate, transparent, timely invoices that include benchmark and gain-share calculations.
“It is critical for every 3PL to document the positive contribution of its network to the client’s overall profitability,” West said. “Businesses using TMW.Suite can impress their customers not only through this bottom-line value but also their ability to align their capabilities based on unique business models for each customer contract.”
In addition to the new advanced billing capabilities, the TMW.Suite 3PL-focused solution includes LTL rating, mode optimization and other features that help reduce freight expense and manage complex carrier and customer contracts. By leveraging 3GTMS rating, planning and 3PL billing, 3PLs also can fully automate the order-to-cash process, creating significant operational efficiencies.
According to the company, the Advanced Load Planning feature of TMW.Suite is built using the industry’s most comprehensive set of transportation planning and execution algorithms, from 3GTMS, designed to minimize transportation spend and dramatically enhance service levels to customers. Users can factor in all modes and carriers as well as pool distributions in building optimal, executable loads based on savings, real-time constraints and planning parameters.
