Overview
The Freight Forwarder module provides comprehensive logistics management for freight forwarding companies, covering the complete workflow from customer inquiry, quotation, booking, shipment operations, to tracking and profitability analysis.
Key Features
Shipment Management
- Create and manage shipments with automatic number sequencing
- Support multiple transport modes: Sea, Air, Land, and Multi-modal
- Handle House Bill of Lading (HBL) and Master Bill of Lading (MBL)
- Configure flexible shipment stages with customizable workflow
- Manage multiple leg routes (pickup, pre-carriage, main carriage, on-carriage, delivery)
- Track direction: Import, Export, or Domestic shipments
- Define service types: Door-to-Door, Port-to-Port, Door-to-Port, Port-to-Door
- Monitor delivery status: On Time, Early, Late, or In Transit
- Automatically generate shipments from confirmed sales orders
Booking Management
- Create bookings with automatic sequencing
- Link bookings to shipments and routes
- Support single-leg and multi-leg routing
- Track booking status: Draft, Confirmed, Done, or Cancelled
- Manage booking references from carriers
- Configure stakeholder notifications for booking issues
- Handle cutoff dates and vessel/flight schedules
Cargo & Package Management
- Define three cargo modes: Simple Note, Packaged Cargo, or Bulk Cargo
- Manage freight packages with container and seal numbers
- Track package types, dimensions, weight, and volume
- Record shipping marks and handling instructions
- Capture cargo commodities with detailed attributes
- Define HS Codes for customs classification
- Mark dangerous goods with UN Numbers and DG Classes
- Specify country of origin and import tax rates
- Use cargo templates for quick initialization
- Support multiple packages per shipment with flexible assignment
Route & Transport Planning
- Build multi-leg transport routes for complex shipments
- Define route types: Pickup, Domestic Carriage, Pre-carriage, Main Carriage, On-carriage, Delivery
- Track route status: Planned, In Transit, Done, or Cancelled
- Assign packages and cargo to specific route legs
- Manage carriers, vessels, flights, and trucks per route
- Record vessel/voyage numbers, flight numbers, and driver information
- Calculate ETD (Estimated Time of Departure) and ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) per route
Tracking & Real-time Updates
- Post shipment tracking updates with event time and location
- Set tracking status: On Track, At Risk, Off Track, or On Hold
- Use pre-defined status templates for consistent updates
- Publish tracking information to customer portal
- View tracking history in timeline format
- Automatically update last tracking status on shipments
- Monitor booking status: Not Booked, Booking in Progress, or Booked
Customer Portal Access
- Provide customers with self-service portal for shipment tracking
- Search and filter shipments by multiple criteria
- View shipment details, tracking history, and documents
- Support multiple search filters: transport mode, direction, status, date range
- Responsive portal interface for mobile and desktop access
Product & Service Configuration
- Define freight charges by route, transport mode, and shipping method
- Configure local charges for port/terminal operations
- Set up additional services (documentation, packing, insurance)
- Manage product attributes: Container Type, Container Size, Incoterms
- Link routes to geographic locations (ports, airports, terminals)
- Support flexible shipping methods: FCL, LCL, Bulk, Break Bulk, etc.
Master Data Management
- Maintain comprehensive port and airport database with geolocation
- Define cargo types (Container, Breakbulk, Roro, Bulk, Project Cargo, Vehicles)
- Configure dangerous goods (DG) classes and UN numbers
- Set up HS Code database for customs declarations
- Manage standardized Units of Measure (CBM, CFT, TEU, FEU, etc.)
- Define shipping methods for sea, air, and land transport
Financial Management & Profitability
- Link shipments to analytic accounts for cost tracking
- Track revenue, cost, and profit margin per shipment
- Generate profitability reports with detailed breakdowns
- Analyze performance by customer, route, transport mode
- Monitor invoiced and to-invoice amounts
- Calculate profit margins automatically
- Support multi-currency operations
Sales Integration
- Create quotations with freight and local charge products
- Convert confirmed quotations to shipments automatically
- Link sales order lines to shipments for traceability
- Support quotation templates for recurring services
- Calculate prices based on supplier pricelists
- Mark collection/disbursement on behalf items
- Prevent deletion of linked sales order lines (optional)
Automation & Notifications
- Automated ETD reminders (2 days before departure)
- Automated ETA reminders (2 days before arrival)
- Automated cutoff date reminders (2 days before cutoff)
- Create activities for responsible users automatically
- Notify stakeholders of booking issues
- Send booking confirmations via email
Reporting & Analytics
- Shipment profitability analysis report
- Shipment progress tracking reports
- Group by customer, route, transport mode, responsible user
- Filter by date range, delivery status, and custom criteria
- Export data for further analysis
Collaboration Features
- Assign responsible users to shipments and bookings
- Track shipper, consignee, notify party, and agent
- Integration with mail and activity management
- Support for internal notes and chatter discussions
- Activity scheduling and reminders
Benefits
- Standardization: Unified system for all forwarding operations with consistent data structure
- Automation: Reduce manual data entry with automatic shipment generation and smart reminders
- Visibility: Real-time tracking and status updates across all stakeholders
- Accuracy: Minimize errors with validation rules and data integrity constraints
- Scalability: Handle growing volumes without increasing operational complexity
- Customer Service: Enhance experience with self-service portal and proactive tracking updates
- Profitability: Track costs and margins to identify profitable routes and customers
- Compliance: Maintain proper documentation for customs, dangerous goods, and regulatory requirements
- Integration: Seamless connection with Sales, Accounting, and other modules in the system
Who Should Use This Module
Designed for freight forwarding companies of all sizes, from small specialized forwarders to medium and large logistics providers, handling:
- International sea freight (FCL/LCL)
- Air freight cargo
- Land transport and trucking
- Multi-modal combined transport
- Import/export operations
- Domestic logistics
Supported Editions
- Community Edition
- Enterprise Edition
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