Frequently Asked Questions

Transinnovate TMS is a versatile transport management system suitable for both SMEs and large multinationals. It is specifically designed for shippers - companies that primarily outsource their transport. Thanks to its accessible setup, businesses with as few as 100 shipments per year can already benefit. At the same time, Transinnovate TMS scales to companies with multiple factories or warehouses across Europe.

Transinnovate TMS gives shippers full control over their freight operations through one integrated platform. The core functionality lets you enter agreed transport rates, place and manage orders, and handle ad-hoc or project requests. The system also supports dock scheduling and packaging management. A clear dashboard provides insight into open actions, performance, transport costs, and saving potential - making it your own logistics control tower.

Transinnovate TMS works both with and without API/EDI connections. Without integration, you can go live within days - replacing spreadsheets, supplier portals, and email chains. Orders are entered manually, similar to how most shippers work with carriers today. With integration via our customer order module, orders are imported automatically, and the system can even suggest order combinations for additional cost savings and CO2 reduction.

Yes. You choose which carriers to work with on the platform. Carriers receive a free account to accept orders, propose changes, request additional costs such as waiting times, and upload documents. We also offer carriers a free API service for seamless TMS integration. There are no hidden costs - you stay in full control of your carrier selection.

The non-integrated version is often live within a few days. We help you set up freight rates, train your team, and notify carriers. If a carrier requires an API connection, this is typically arranged within days as well. A full ERP/WMS integration may take a few weeks to a few months, depending mainly on the readiness of your own IT team. We work closely with your team to ensure a smooth and fast go-live.

Transinnovate TMS gives you immediate insight into available transport options for every shipment. Managing all your transport from one environment lets you consistently match the right shipment to the right carrier. With existing partners alone, companies often achieve 10-20% cost savings simply by using them more strategically. Standardized TMS data also enables ongoing analysis and optimization. Additionally, a spot market lets you quickly request and book urgent shipments.

Transinnovate TMS is built for both SMEs and multinationals, with or without system integration. Without integration, you can start within days. The platform is built on modern technology without legacy limitations, which means we can adapt it quickly when needed. Pricing-wise, we are the most cost-effective TMS on the market - and we back that up with a price guarantee. If a competitor offers the same functionality at a lower price, we will match it.

Our transport management system lets you enable or disable specific modules and features based on your actual needs. This keeps the platform simple for users who don't need all functionality, and it means you only pay for the modules you use. You get full control over both the system's capabilities and your costs.

Yes. Transinnovate TMS supports multiple locations across Europe. Each user can set personal filters to see the rates and orders relevant to their location. The system works with invoice addresses, so the correct billing entity is always linked to each order - giving carriers clarity on invoicing and contacts, regardless of which site they are working with.

During the free trial, Transinnovate TMS is fully functional. Ideally, you run the trial on a limited part of your operation. After roughly 2-3 months, you have a clear picture of how the TMS works, its added value, the savings it delivers, and any customizations you may want. A license agreement is only signed after the trial if you wish to continue. The trial is completely free and non-binding.

Pricing is partly based on order volume, as this affects server capacity and email usage. Unlike many other providers, we do not charge per order - we use order volume ranges. If you exceed or fall below your range at the end of the annual license, you receive a debit or credit note accordingly. Our entry-level range starts at just €500 per year.

Transinnovate TMS connects with all major ERP systems via API or EDI, including SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Fusion Cloud, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and JD Edwards (JDE), among others. If your ERP is not on this list, we can still integrate with it. We work with your IT team to map the connection to your specific setup, and most integrations can be completed within a few weeks depending on the readiness of your internal team.

For every shipment processed in our TMS, we retrieve verified emission data from a specialist third-party provider. Emissions are calculated based on the actual transport parameters of that shipment (lane, modality, carrier, and volume) rather than generic averages or internal estimates. This gives you shipment-level CO₂ figures that are traceable, externally validated, and suitable for Scope 3 reporting under CSRD, without any manual data collection on your end.

Typically a freight tender takes 3 up to 4 months. This of course depends on the complexity and scope. During a transport tender you want to give the logistics service providers enough time to prepare and adjust their quotations.

Costs depend on two factors: the scope of service (full tender management vs. specific support) and the scale (number of locations, countries, and carriers involved). Our clients typically achieve transport cost savings of 10-30%, with peaks up to 40% - our record stands at nearly 50%. We can also work on a performance basis, reducing or eliminating fixed costs.

Data quality is critical for a successful freight tender. The better your shipment data, the more targeted and competitive the carrier offers you receive. We recommend sharing at least one full year of detailed data, including origin-destination pairs, dimensions, weights, and any special requirements such as desired surcharges. A well-matched shipment profile leads to sharper rates. Incomplete data forces carriers to build in price buffers.

The first step is usually to request complete shipment data directly from your carriers. However, carriers do not always have all the information needed either. For instance, if you have historically been charged based on loading meters but our analysis shows that CBM-based pricing would be more beneficial for your situation, the required data may simply not exist yet. In cases like these, we sometimes recommend running a free trial of our TMS for a few months. This allows you to build up a solid, accurate shipment data set, giving us everything we need to model the right pricing structure and deliver you optimal tender results.

This depends on your industry and supply chain. We generally advise building long-term carrier partnerships with a recommended collaboration period of 3 to 5 years. Ongoing cooperation with continuous improvement yields better results than frequent retendering. After this period, it is wise to evaluate market developments and whether your freight rates are still competitive. If there are significant changes to your shipment or carrier profile, it might be wise to anticipate your timing.

This depends on your shipment profile, industry, and scope. A company shipping single-pallet loads within one country may only need a handful of specialist carriers. A shipper moving groupage and full truckloads (FTL) across multiple European countries may need 50 to 100 carriers. Transinnovate can assess your shipment profile and desired service levels, then identify and approach the best-matching carriers from the market - balancing cost and quality.

In short: market knowledge, process expertise, and proprietary software. Many companies lack the structured logistics procurement experience needed to run effective transport tenders - including the data analytics and scenario modelling required. A transport tender is also time-intensive. Transinnovate provides the expertise, tools, and capacity to relieve your team throughout the entire process.

We provide detailed, euro-accurate cost analyses using your shipment data run against all received carrier quotes. This shows exactly what each shipment would cost with each carrier. We then work with you to analyse scenarios based on capacity, sustainability, service levels, and optimal carrier allocation per region, country, or overall package. The result is a clear, data-driven basis for well-founded carrier selection decisions.

Feedback is essential for carriers to understand where their offer fell short, leading to stronger bids in subsequent tender rounds. We typically provide shipment-level feedback reports - developed with our client - so carriers can see the exact strengths and weaknesses of their proposal. Even unsuccessful carriers benefit from clear, respectful feedback: it keeps doors open for future collaboration, which you may need.

Yes, full tender management is possible. We can handle everything from writing tender documentation to supporting the final decision-making process - including all carrier communications during the project. Contracts and agreements with awarded carriers are finalized by your team. We also offer targeted support for specific aspects, such as complex scenario analyses using our software. Our service is fully tailored to your needs.

Two common mistakes go hand in hand: delegating all carrier communication to tender software, and insisting on a rigid rate template. This approach often drives up freight costs by discouraging the best-matched carriers from participating - they receive only an automated invitation and are forced to use an inflexible format. Tendering is personal. Carriers want to understand who you are, what you need, and why they should invest their time. Using a personal approach and software that lets carriers submit rates in their own format is essential. Read more in our blog on procurement pitfalls.

It starts with a detailed service description in the RFQ (Request for Quotation) document - covering trailer types, company type, operating hours, lead times, and service level requirements. A compliance document then asks carriers to confirm how they address each requirement. Questions can be weighted to generate a score per carrier, and knock-out criteria can be set for non-negotiable requirements. Compliance scores are then compared alongside cost scenario analyses, enabling decisions based on both price and service quality.

Yes. Our tendering service incorporates CO₂ emissions calculated per lane using verified, shipment-specific data directly into the bid evaluation. Modality shifts, such as moving from road to rail or sea, are automatically reflected in the emission figures, so you can compare carriers on a like-for-like basis across both cost and carbon. This gives you a quantified, defensible foundation for awarding contracts that meet your sustainability targets.

A logistics control tower provides full control, insight, and visibility over all your transport activities through a single platform. By centralizing all processes, data is standardized and decisions become data-driven. With a control tower, you continuously improve performance across costs, service quality, and sustainability.

Pricing varies based on the scope and expectations. Simple tasks such as maintaining diesel surcharges in a TMS can be offered at relatively low cost. More comprehensive services - periodic tendering, rate management, reporting, carrier invoice auditing - vary significantly depending on your company's size and requirements. Contact us to discuss your needs and receive a tailored proposal.

With our Transport Management System (TMS), your organization effectively operates as its own control tower - with full supply chain visibility through standardized, real-time data. Optimizing a transport operation takes time and attention: rate management, diesel surcharges, data analysis, carrier invoice audits, reporting, carrier communication, and periodic freight tendering all require ongoing effort. If your team needs relief, we provide tailored control tower support. The result is continuous, data-driven improvement with clear insight into the impact on your operations.

The key distinction is independence and full transparency. We own no transport assets and operate completely independently. Our clients pay carrier invoices directly and a clear, separate fee for our services - so the true cost of their transport operation is always visible. With a 4PL that takes over invoicing, full transparency is lost: it becomes unclear whether actual costs are passed on or marked up. Additionally, 4PLs sometimes deploy their own trucks, which creates conflicting interests. Our model is built entirely on transparent transport costs, clear service fees, and measurable, continuous improvement.

We typically begin by addressing a common bottleneck: limited or unstructured transport data. Our process starts with implementing transport management software through Transinnovate TMS, which can go live within days and is the most cost-effective option on the market (with a price guarantee). Transinnovate TMS gives us complete visibility into all freight data, forming a solid foundation for optimization. A transport tender often follows to secure the best-fit carriers on both cost and quality. If new carrier partnerships aren't needed, we focus on optimizing existing ones. Through Transinnovate TMS, we maintain operational control and drive a continuous improvement cycle across your entire transport management setup.

Absolutely. We can support your logistics control tower regardless of which TMS you use. Our consultants will familiarize themselves with your system, set up the control tower structure, define KPIs, and document processes. Once operational, day-to-day management such as invoice auditing, data analysis, and reporting is handled by our back-office team. At key milestones - such as freight tenders - our senior consultants step back in. This model ensures an efficient control tower at the most cost-effective rates.

Transparency is fundamental - especially because shippers need to retain full control over transport costs. When a control tower provider also handles carrier invoicing, the shipper loses visibility into what is actually paid for transport. Hidden interests can also influence carrier selection, such as a provider receiving a commission for assigning shipments to specific carriers. Full transparency ensures that every decision is made in the shipper's best interest, with clear insight into costs and choices at all times.

Control tower KPIs typically focus on three dimensions: cost, service, and sustainability. The relative importance of each varies per company. When we implement a control tower, we define between 3 and 5 KPIs per category. These are measured throughout our engagement and reported on periodically. KPIs and targets can be adjusted over the course of the agreement in mutual consultation, ensuring performance goals stay aligned with your business priorities.

CO2 measurement in logistics is still developing. Some FTL carriers can already report accurate per-shipment emissions, but for LTL and groupage this remains challenging - shipments travel through multiple carriers, vehicles, and cross-docks, not in a straight line. Our approach uses TMS kilometre data combined with shipment weight to calculate an estimated emission value per shipment, segmented by modality and trailer type. We then report on trends: increases, decreases per modality, and smart consolidation gains. While 100% accuracy is not yet possible, this is the most reliable method available until a standardized industry reporting framework is in place.

Yes. With our TMS, your team is fully capable of operating as its own control tower. We can train your team to manage and continuously improve the control tower independently. For specific areas where in-house expertise or capacity is limited, we can step in with targeted support. All our services are modular and tailored to your specific needs and capabilities.

Our control tower service consolidates externally validated, shipment-level emission data across all your carriers and lanes into structured reports. Because the underlying data comes from a specialist third-party provider rather than internal estimates, the figures are audit-ready from the start. We support you in organising the data by period, business unit, or supplier, and in delivering the output format required for your CSRD Scope 3 reporting or internal sustainability dashboards.

Transinnovate serves a broad range of industries including industrial manufacturing, food & beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, automotive, and FMCG. Our TMS, freight tendering, and control tower solutions are designed to address the specific logistics challenges of each sector - from ADR compliance for chemical transport to temperature-controlled flows for pharma and just-in-time delivery for automotive.

Transinnovate TMS is modular, allowing each industry to enable only the features relevant to their operation. Food companies can filter carriers by temperature capability, chemical shippers can flag ADR requirements per shipment, and automotive companies can enforce strict delivery windows. All shipment data is standardized in one platform, giving you full control and visibility regardless of sector.

Yes. Transinnovate TMS lets you work with any carrier you choose. You can manage multiple carriers per trade lane, compare rates in real time, and allocate shipments based on cost, lead time, or service level - regardless of which industry you operate in. There are no restrictions on carrier selection, and carriers receive a free account to collaborate with you on the platform.

For food logistics, reliable carrier selection based on temperature capability and lead time is critical. Our TMS lets you define specific transport conditions per shipment and filter carriers accordingly. You maintain full shipment traceability and can enforce compliance with food safety requirements, reducing the risk of rejected deliveries and carrier disputes.

Chemical shippers using Transinnovate TMS can flag ADR requirements directly on each shipment, ensuring only certified carriers are considered for that load. Full traceability is maintained from booking through delivery, supporting your compliance documentation. Freight tendering for chemical companies also takes ADR certification into account when evaluating and selecting carriers.

Pharma supply chains require GDP-compliant transport and, in many cases, active or passive temperature control. Transinnovate helps pharma shippers select the right certified carriers, enforce transport conditions via TMS, and build a control tower that monitors performance and compliance continuously. Freight tendering can specifically target carriers with validated pharma lanes.

Absolutely. FMCG logistics is characterized by high frequency, multi-carrier operations, and retail delivery windows. Transinnovate TMS scales to high volumes and supports order import via API or EDI, removing the need for manual entry. Our spot market module helps cover urgent capacity needs, and control tower reporting provides insight into cost per delivery and carrier performance across your entire network.

Yes. Our freight tendering service is fully tailored to each industry's shipment profile. We analyze your historical data, identify the right carriers for your sector and geography, manage all tender communication, and provide euro-accurate cost scenarios so you can make informed decisions. Clients across industrial, food, pharma, and automotive sectors have achieved savings of 10-30% through our structured tendering approach.