We are pleased to inform you that we have successfully launched a new version of our Control Tower, 2025 v2
New Features
Feature Improvements
🌈 New Features
First Version Of Shipping Container Grid
To improve the usability of our shipping containers and enable detailed searching and tracking, we are excited to announce the launch of the first version of the Shipping Container Grid.
This initial release marks the beginning of a series of enhancements, with the functionality of the Shipping Container Grid set to expand with each subsequent update.
Please note that we reserve the right to make adjustments to the grid until it is finalized, ensuring that we deliver the best possible experience for our users. Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to enhance our services!
How to Use
How to Use
Enable the AOR for the Shipping Containers
Activate the for the roles the depending columns
Recommend POL and POD by Customer in Customer Portal
Goal
To streamline the creation of Material Orders (MOs) for ocean shipments initiated by suppliers in the CUP (Customer Portal), we’ve introduced functionality that enables selecting Port of Loading (POL) and Port of Discharge (POD)— which allows the users in CT to have an easier planning of different Material Orders into one Transport planned to use the same ports.
These data are recommendations and don´t have to be selected when creating an Ocean Booking for the Transport Order. Users have the flexibility to modify ports according to their specific requirements
How to Use
How to Use
Enable the option within the Customer Portal Settings that user can select within CUP the recommended POL and/or POD
The CUP user has now the option while creating the Material Order to add:
Recommended Port of Loading
Recommended Port of Discharge
Within CT two new columns will give the overview about the details
The CT user can now based on matching information plan different Material Orders to a Transport Order using the same port
🌈 Feature improvements
Surcharge Calculation for Service Material Lines
With the latest developments , we introduced a new feature that allows users to calculate surcharges based on Material Lines with the type ‘Service’. This enhancement enables more accurate carrier selection by considering whether carriers provide the necessary services associated with the material lines.
Goal
The primary goal of this feature is to ensure that when selecting the cheapest carrier, the system only considers those carriers that can fulfill all required services. This prevents situations where a carrier is selected based solely on the lowest freight rate, despite not offering all necessary services.
How to Use
How to Use
To configure the new surcharge calculation feature, follow these steps:
Access Carrier Allocation Settings:
Navigate to the Carrier Allocation section in your application.
Configure Settings:
Set allocation "Cheapest carrier".
Select "Match services"
Define Material Orders:
Create or edit your Transport Orders to include Material Orders with the required services.
For example, if you have:
Material Order 1: Service A and Service B
Material Order 2: Service B
Review Carrier Rates and Services:
Check the freight rates and services offered by each carrier. For instance:
Carrier Alpha: 200 EUR (Services A, B, C - 20 EUR surcharge)
Carrier Beta: 150 EUR (Service C - 5 EUR surcharge)
Carrier Delta: 150 EUR (Services A, C - 5 EUR surcharge)
Carrier Sandra: 180 EUR (Services A, B, C included)
Evaluate Carrier Selection:
With the new configuration, the system will evaluate carriers based on their ability to provide all required services. In the example above, Carrier Sandra would be selected as it provides all necessary services, despite having a higher freight rate.
Handle Zero-Cost Surcharges:
If a service is included in the freight rate, ensure that the surcharge cost is set to 0 EUR. This allows the system to recognize that the service can be fulfilled by the carrier without additional costs.
Example Scenario
Transport Order:
Material Order 1: Service A, Service B
Material Order 2: Service B
Carrier Rates:
Carrier Alpha: 200 EUR (20 EUR surcharge for Services A, B, C)
Carrier Beta: 150 EUR (5 EUR surcharge for Service C)
Carrier Delta: 150 EUR (5 EUR surcharge for Services A, C)
Carrier Sandra: 180 EUR (All services included)
Outcome:
Without the new feature, Carrier Delta might be selected as the cheapest option, despite not providing Service B. With the new configuration, Carrier Sandra will be chosen as it meets all service requirements.
Important Notes
The carrier allocation template applies to dedicated transports and filters the rules accordingly.
Users can define which carriers support specific services, allowing for a more tailored and cost-effective selection process.
Automatic Load Type Assignment for Transport Orders
We are pleased to announce a new feature that allows customers to automatically set the Load Type in Transport Orders (TO) based on their specific setup. This enhancement ensures that carriers are invoiced correctly according to the defined Load Type, streamlining the invoicing process.
Load type has been introduced beginning of the year, see details here.
How to Use
How to Use
Load Type Based on Transport Order Settings:
Default Values:
A new Load Type field has been added to the Transport Order form settings, allowing you to set default values for Load Types.
Filter Section:
If a Load Type is selected in the filter section, the corresponding field in "Default Values" will be disabled to prevent conflicts and ensure clarity.
Field Requirements:
Load Type has been added to the Transport Order field requirements, ensuring that it is properly filled out for all relevant orders.
Location Update Enhancements in Master Data
We have implemented enhancements to ensure that when an existing location is changed, all linked objects, such as Customers and Suppliers, are automatically updated to reflect these changes, while maintaining historical accuracy for existing orders.
Key Features
Automatic Updates: When a location in Master Data is modified, all linked entities (e.g., Customers and Suppliers) will be updated accordingly, ensuring consistency across the system. Note that existing orders will remain unchanged to preserve historical data integrity.
Enhanced Asset Management for Accurate Shipping Dimensions
Goal
To improve shipping accuracy and ensure carriers receive correct size and weight information for parts and equipment, we’ve enhanced how asset dimensions are handled across our platform. These changes allow users to account for the full dimensions of parts, including any associated frames—ensuring accurate truck space allocation and smoother logistics.
How to Use
How to Use
Users can now enter dimension sizes, gross weight, and net weight for assets
When an asset is linked to a part, its measurements will overwrite the part’s original dimension and weight data.
📋 Master Data: Asset Specifications
A new section has been added to Master Data Assets
Newly introduced fields:
Weight Unit
Gross Weight
Net Weight
Dimension Unit
Dimensions
🗃️ Asset Management Grid Enhancements
Grid now displays asset dimensions and gross weight instead of part measurements.
New column added for net weight.
📦 Shipping Unit Handling Logic
When adding a part linked to an asset:
An asset selection dialog will open.
One asset can be allocated to the material line:
The asset’s values will overwrite the material line data.
Multiple asset assignment is not possible
When an asset is linked to a part in shipping units, the weight and dimensions will be overwritten per part line accordingly.
Enhanced Performance and Layout for Shipping Containers in Transport Orders
Significant performance improvements and a layout change for managing Shipping Containers within Transport Orders have been implemented. This update aligns the Shipping Container interface with the layout of other objects in the Transport Order, now presenting the information in a user-friendly grid view for better handling of multiple containers.
Key Enhancements
Improved Performance: Experience faster loading times and smoother interactions when managing numerous shipping containers within a transport order.
Grid View Layout: The new grid view provides a clearer and more organized presentation of shipping container details, making it easier to navigate and manage.
How to Use
How to Use
Adding New Containers: When creating or adding a new container, the familiar dialog will open, ensuring a seamless experience.
Edit Existing Containers: Simply double-click on the line of the container you wish to edit to open the editing interface.
Clone or Delete Containers: Use the icons next to each container to quickly clone or delete as needed.
Improvements ETA/ETD Tracking for Ocean and Air Shipments
Goal
To provide a clearer distinction between scheduled and estimated arrival/departure times, we’ve introduced new ETA/ETD fields for Ocean and Air transports. These updates allow for more accurate tracking and visibility throughout the shipment journey.
How to Use
How to Use
🌊 Ocean Transport Updates
🆕 New Fields Introduced
Vessel Arrival (ETA) (local time)
Vessel Departure (ETD) (local time)
These fields are populated automatically via tracking integration with Visibility and cannot be edited manually. They reflect real-time estimations and are available on the Ocean Booking level.
📋 Renamed Columns for Clarity
To clearly separate scheduled times from estimated ones:
Vessel Arrival (ETA) → Vessel Arrival (Schedule) (local)
Vessel Departure (ETD) → Vessel Departure (Schedule) (local)
Don’t worry—existing filters and views will not be affected by this rename.
🧾 New TO Grid Columns
We’ve added new columns in the Transport Order (TO) grid:
Vessel Arrival (ETA) (local)
Vessel Departure (ETD) (local)
📅 Milestone View Adjustments
Removed “(ETA/ETD)” labels from scheduled milestone fields.
Milestone schedule dates remain unchanged, but the labeling has been harmonized for clarity.
🔔 New Tracking Events
We now emit two new data on the Ocean Booking level, if the estimated time stamps getting updated the Ocean Booking event will consider these information.
POL Vessel Departure ETD
POD Vessel Arrival ETA
✈️ Air Transport Updates
🆕 New Fields Introduced
Airport Arrival (ETA) (local time)
Airport Departure (ETD) (local time)
These fields are shown in Flight Information on the TO/SO level and reflect real-time tracking. They are read-only and complement existing Schedule and Actuals fields.
📋 Milestone Name Updates
Flight ETA → Flight Schedule Arrival
Flight ETD → Flight Schedule Departure
📊 Flight Info Grid Enhancements
New columns are now available via the column picker:
Airport Arrival (ETA)
Airport Departure (ETD)
🔔 New Tracking Events for Air
We now emit two new data on the Transport Order level:
Airport Arrival (ETA)
Airport Departure (ETD)
🔁 API & Integration Updates
Visibility (VH )mappings updated:
Estimated timestamps → Mapped to new ETA/ETD fields
Planned timestamps → Mapped to Scheduled Arrival/Departure
External API enhancements coming soon to support these values.
📥 Excel Exports
Downloads will reflect the new column labels automatically.
✅ What This Means for You
Better differentiation between planned and live-tracked times.
Improved data quality and tracking precision for ocean and air shipments.
Minimal disruption—existing filters and views stay intact.
Customer Portal Improvements
New setting option in Customer Portal settings to make "Order reference" mandatory
New setting to allow CUP users to set the Incoterm + Incoterm city while creating the Material Order, these fields have to be enabled to be displayed in CUP and will be optional within Customer Portal.
New settings for the Customer Portal to make the fields
Shipper Location or Notify Location or Consignee Location required, allowing users to select from Master Data specific to their division and rules.
Smaller Improvements
New column "Transport Assignment ID" in Transport Order grid available - Allows communication with carriers using Transport Assignment application
Improvement for the Context Menu to provide all options and make it visible - rearranged order
Count of Handling Guidelines fixed