Q2 2023
TMS RELEASE NOTES
GA: 7.10.23
Table of Contents
Release Summary
User Experience
- New Shipments Grid
- All Modes in One Place
- 'Track Me' available form Shipments
- Map UI to Visualize Shipments
- Insurance Booking Update
Industry Standards and Advancements
- VICs BOL for Truckload
- eBOL Connectivity and Deployment
Integrations
- ZPL Parcel Labeling
- API Connectivity
Release Summary
Greetings from Freightwise Product Management! This document serves as the official Release Notes for our Q2 2023 Release. Q223 focused on 4 key themes and included a multitude of different functional enhancements.
The themes were:
- User Experience
- This includes an enhanced, more dynamic shipments grid that allows for ad hoc reporting, advanced filtering and sorting. Shipments of all modes, in one place with the ability to execute TL, LTL, and Parcel from one menu item in FreightWise. Visualization of shipments through a new ‘map it’ function.
- Industry Standards and Advancements
- Freightwise will always strive to stay at the forefront of industry standards. This release includes implementing a TL-specific, VICs based BOL, and delivery of new eBOL functionality and compatibility that is going live this summer across the LTL industry.
- Integration
- ZPL Parcel label formats are available for clients integrated with Freightwise. Also, New API connections were established, including a new LTL carrier and enhanced Hazmat Pickup API capability.
- Infrastructure
- Although not described in this document, several changes were made that support performance, technology upgrades, and foundational work for enhancements to come.
Please continue reading below to learn more about our Q223 release.
If you have additional questions, please reach out to your account manager, customer success director, or product management team.
User Experience
New Shipments Grid
Overview:
In this release, we updated the Shipments Grid to a new, enhanced user interface (UI) that includes:
- Enhanced filtering options
- Ability to rearrange columns in custom order
- Ad hoc reporting through export to CSV
Implementation:
- Filter one or more columns through advanced filter options
- Rearrange Columns in user-defined sequence
- Download a CSV file with custom filtered data
All Modes in One Place
Overview:
LTL pickup requests are now connected to the Shipments tab in Freightwise. Previous to the Q2 release, FreightWise clients needed to use 3 separate areas of the system to execute Parcel, LTL, and TL shipments. Now all three modes can be fully executed from the Shipments tab in FreightWise. This change was made to streamline operations and allow users to execute all necessary shipment functions by starting with the Shipment object.
Implementation:
- Request a pickup from the Shipments tab for any LTL carrier enabled with API pickup requests
- Print a BOL PDF from the gear icon
‘Track Me’ available from Shipments
Overview:
The “Track on Carrier Site” button linked to a Pro # is now available on the Shipments tab.
Implementation:
When a shipment has a Pro # added, the ‘Track on Carrier Site’ button will appear. Selecting this button will open a new window tracking the shipment on the carrier’s website.
ePros available from Shipments Tab
Overview:
ePros capability has been added to the Shipments tab.
Implementation:
When adding a Pro number, a blue wand will appear. Selecting the blue wand will auto populate a Pro# if there are ePros loaded for the client/carrier combination.
Map UI to Visualize Shipments
Overview:
TMS users like to see a visualization of the network and the current shipments being executed. In this release, we have added the foundation for future enhancements with the addition of a map in TMS.
Implementation:
The key capability in this release is the ability to select one or more shipments and display them on 1 or more map tabs. This allows users to:
- Filter and view (slice and dice) grid data on the map
- Find shipments based on locations (origin or destination)
- Determine the proximity of routes across orders and shipments, to see potential consolidation and mode change opportunities.
Insurance Booking Update
Overview:
Users often update commodities or change the carrier after booking insurance, causing the insurance certificate to have different details than the actual shipment details. This causes issues with the insurance company and with processing claims.
When booking insurance through the BOL, the details of a BOL will now be locked for editing when the insurance has been booked.
A user must cancel the insurance if they need to change any details on the BOL. A warning popup and messaging will be provided to inform users of this workflow change.
Industry Standards and Advancements
VICs BOL for Truckload
Overview:
For TL shipments, we now generate a unique (versus LTL, parcel), industry standard formatted BOL. The template is based on the VICS BOL, created by the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Solutions Association. It is a bill of lading required by most major U.S. retailers and is a widely adopted format throughout the entire TL industry.
Implementation:
For TL shipments generated from the Shipments tab, the “Print BOL” option under the gear icon will generate the TL VICs standard BOL.
eBOL Connectivity and Deployment
Overview:
The LTL industry is moving to a new eBOL standard to make LTL shipping more efficient. The paper-based BOL that has been used since shipping began, results in many challenges and issues. The initiative was led by a committee of carriers, shippers, and technology providers with the goal of reducing paper flow and to create better efficiency across the industry.
Implementation:
eBOLs will be enabled for shipments that meet the following criteria. For shipments that meet the criteria, the eBOL will be automatically sent through the ‘Request Pickup’ button.
- Carrier has eBOL connectivity
- Client has API credentials set up with the carrier
- Shipment is from the Shipments tab in Freight
Integrations
ZPL Parcel Labeling
Overview:
Prior to this release, for clients using Zebra printers, we converted PNG labels to a format that was able to be printed, but this method was slow and resulted in sub-optimal resolution labels. Using ZPL Labels allows clients to print labels faster and with much clearer resolution.
Implementation:
Reach out to your CSD or Account Manager if you are interested in enabling ZPL labels.
API Connectivity
Overview:
Each quarter we strive to enhance Freightwise’s API connectivity. This quarter we added a few more connections to our extensive carrier network:
- Central Transport - Rate, Pickup, and Tracking APIs
- UPS Surepost - Rate, Labeling, and Tracking APIs
- Hazmat API Pickup Capability for:
- Pitt Ohio
- A. Duie Pyle
Implementation:
Reach out to your CSD or Account Manager if you are interested in utilizing any of the new API connections.
End
July 2023
0 Comments