A transport management system (TMS) is used in intralogistics to ensure smooth supply chain management . Transport logistics generally comprises all processes in logistics that are necessary for transport.

Transport management systems manage four core transport management processes:

1. Planning and decision making

A TMS plans which measures should be taken to ensure efficient transport logistics. This includes, for example, measures to save transport costs, achieve shorter throughput times and achieve the desired quality.

2. Transport

A TMS takes care of the execution of the transport plan. This means that it sometimes calculates how many item units can be dispatched in what time.

3. Post-processing

The transport of goods can be tracked with a TMS. Ident information, sender information, destination information and control information are used for shipment tracking and tracing. Post-processing by the transport management system also includes the clearance of goods at customs, the settlement of bookings, the sending of delay information in the delivery and other processes.

4. Reporting

Transport management systems also fulfil a reporting function in transport logistics. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are used for this purpose.

Existing transport management systems on the market sometimes differ in terms of the available interfaces to other systems and their performance. TMS increasingly fulfil the functional trend towards telematics solutions. This includes GPS localisation, for example. The term telematics is a combination of telecommunications and IT.

You can find more information on tracking and tracing under Tracking and tracing.

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