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| Dispatch Management |
All freight is managed at the lowest level of decision making by a dispatcher . the shipment or load. This is referred to as a "Dispatch Object" or "DO". Orders (freight) may be entered directly as "Dispatch Objects" or as "Orders" containing multiple DOs. DOs may be rated and a freight bill created, if required. Various approaches are available to assign DOs trips. At the truck load level, the DO is used to create the trip and resources are assigned to the trip accordingly. At the LTL level, DOs can be easily selected by user defined criteria for building into a trip, including the stop sequence and routing. This results in the DOs being automatically broken into legs and allows them to be assigned to multiple sequential trips. Drivers, trucks and trailers (or carriers) are assigned to trips and are tracked through driver messages (call-ins or on-board systems). Driver or carrier settlement amounts can be entered with the trip. Various reports are available to manage and analyze DOs, trips, drivers, trucks, and trailers. Containers can be tracked from pick-up to delivery and return, including demurrage and detention charges, if applicable.
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| Freight Billing |
Freight billing can be automatically generated by the dispatch process, if desired. Each bill can be for one or multiple Dispatch Objects with one or multiple charges based on a pre-defined rate schedule. Driver/truck/carrier pay information may be entered with the charges or separately, based on pre-defined rules and rates. Quotes may be generated and saved. Bills may be printed separately as freight bills or consolidated into invoices. Cash can be received and applied against a bill at any time.
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| Freight Rating |
Freight charges can be automatically rated by associating the charge with a rate tariff. Various types of rate tariffs are supported; weight-distance, weight-distance-zone, zone-weight, zone-weight-class, point-to-point by customer and freight type, and point-to-point by freight type for all customers. Zone tables may be defined by Zip Code (3 or 5 digits), State, or Location code in any combination, including being specific to a single shipper or consignee.
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| Settlements Processing |
Settlements to drivers, contractors, carriers, salespeople, and brokers can be generated as required. The payables created by the trip pay and freight revenue sharing are managed as open payables, along with advances, deductions, reimbursements, and miscellaneous payments. These can be settled based on an "accrual basis" using due dates or on a "cash basis" after the cash is received. Deductions may be automatically calculated as part of the settlement. A Settlement Statement giving all relevant details is printed, along with checks for contractors. For employees, the settlement information may be transferred to the Payroll.
Communications is an essential part of managing the flow of information between a trucking company and its customers. Increasingly, the electronic exchange of documents is used, whether as ASCII files, EDI X12 transaction sets or XML documents, for load orders/tenders, shipment status and freight bills. The ABECAS Insight Communications module automatically sends to and retrieves files from the customer or an intermediary, sends acknowledgements and processes the data. The sending of EDI documents and the printing, faxing and e-mailing of reports can be automatically triggered by the ABECAS Insight Event Scheduler.
Customer Web Access is available for entering or updating DOs (freight orders) . up to the point you first assign the order to a trip. Customers and others may inquire into the status of orders, along with their associated trip assignments and detail. This includes the ability to print reports. Each web user can customize their view of the data.
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