We are pleased to inform you that we have successfully launched a new version of our Control Tower, 4.28
New features:
Calculate activity schedule time-window
Roundtrip orders and pricing
Rate zones: handling unit filter
Ocean: Support multiple currencies
Carrier allocation including surcharges
Feature improvements:
Rates and surcharges (percent rate variable)
Remove import/export as mandatory validation for ocean bookings
Rate and surcharges: configuration in minutes instead of hours
Masterdata excel upload
TransSmart integration
Integration updates
Add fields into our public API
New API endpoint to release carrier allocation
🚀 New features
Calculate activity schedule time-window
It aims to improve the ability to auto-complete the scheduled time window for material orders based on multiple factors (such as maximum delivery lead time, requested delivery time, and also apply filters such as minimum drive time and regions).
The feature implements below new conditions:
Maximum delivery lead time in customer service level.
Requested delivery date for material order.
Minimum drive time to the routing settings
Region, Country, Location filter to the routing settings
and then, you can set the logic on material order settings to properly auto-complete the scheduled time window:
We also add the possibility to notify the user if the material order scheduled delivery is set after its requested delivery.
How to set up? (expand)
How to set up? (expand)
User may defined maximum delivery lead time if relevant for its business
User may define the requested delivery date in each material order if relevant for its business
User may define material order settings with a schedule auto-complete if relevant for its business
User may define Region, Country, Location filter to the routing settings
User may define minimun drivetime to the routing settings
User may activate the notification in case the schedule is after the requested delivery of a material order trough Control Tower Roles > Events:
Roundtrip orders and pricing
This feature is designed to facilitate a seamless No Touch Order (NTO) process for roundtrip orders, streamlining various aspects of order creation, validation, and pricing within the system.
The Roundtrip Orders and Pricing feature aims to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of order processing, particularly for roundtrip orders. By automating the identification of roundtrip orders and offering the ability to configure specialized pricing and surcharges, this feature contributes to a more streamlined and precise order management process.
Feature objectives:
The primary objectives of this feature include:
Auto-Detection of Roundtrip Orders: The system aims to automatically identify and label sales and transport orders as roundtrip when certain conditions are met.
Configuration and Maintenance of Freight Rates: The feature allows for the configuration, maintenance, and allocation of specific freight rates tailored for roundtrip orders.
Configuration and Allocation of Surcharges: Users can configure and allocate surcharges specific to roundtrip orders, ensuring accurate pricing and billing.
More details (expand)
More details (expand)
Roundtrip orders:
When creating sales or transport orders, the system conducts an automatic assessment to determine if the order qualifies as a roundtrip order. This assessment is based on the comparison of the first and last locations on the delivery route. If both locations are identical, the order is flagged as a roundtrip order.
A new attribute has been introduced in both order forms to reflect the roundtrip functionality. Admin users can enable or disable this attribute in the CT Roles section under order form settings for transport orders and billing. The system will set this attribute automatically based on the order conditions, but users retain the flexibility to override it when necessary.
Freight rates: roundtrip flag
A new filter attribute has been incorporated into the Basics tab of the rate zones and surcharges master data table. This attribute enables administrative users to designate freight rate agreements, and surcharges as roundtrip agreements.
When the system allocates freight rates, surcharges, and selects a carrier, it prioritizes rate zones, and surcharges marked as roundtrip agreements if the corresponding order is also flagged as a roundtrip order. This prioritization ensures that roundtrip-specific pricing is applied accurately.
Surcharges: roundtrip cost type
The admin user is also able to configure surcharges that are automatically calculated based on the cost type “Round trip” to provide more granularity in the configuration capabilities.
Rate zones: handling units filter
This feature empowers the administrator to configure freight rate agreements based on the count of specific handling units specified in a transport order. It proves especially useful in the parcel business, where varying rates apply based on the number of parcels.
Feature objectives:
The primary objectives of this feature include:
Configuration of Freight Rate Agreements: Administrators can configure freight rate agreements to consider the count of specific handling units as a criterion for allocation. This facilitates more precise pricing for transport orders involving different quantities of parcels.
More details (expand)
More details (expand)
The Handling Units Filter feature is designed to accommodate scenarios in which the number of parcels within a transport order affects the pricing structure.
Admin users can access this feature to configure freight rate agreements. By specifying the count of handling units (parcels) as a criterion, they can ensure that the pricing aligns with the quantity of parcels being transported.
Example use case
Rate A: For orders with 1-10 parcels.
Rate B: For orders with 11-20 parcels.
Rate C: For orders with more than 20 parcels.
By utilizing the hanlding units filter, the system can accurately apply the appropriate rate agreement depending on the parcel count specified in the transport order.
Ocean: support multiple currencies
This enhancement caters to scenarios where ocean orders involve negotiations in various currencies. For instance, the freight rates per container may be in USD for the ocean leg, while road leg pricing may be based on kilometers in EUR. The system is equipped to match and allocate both freight rate agreements and surcharges in multiple currencies to a transport order that operates in a different default currency.
Feature objectives:
The primary objectives of this feature include:
Multi-Currency Support: The system allows for the negotiation, allocation, and management of freight rate agreements and surcharges in various currencies, accommodating diverse pricing structures for ocean and road legs of transport orders.
Currency Exchange Management: Admin users can configure currency exchange agreements at the carrier level to facilitate seamless currency conversions, ensuring accurate pricing and billing.
More details (expand)
More details (expand)
Multi-currency support
Ocean orders often involve negotiations with rates specified in different currencies. For example, the ocean leg may utilize USD for container-based pricing, while the road leg employs EUR for kilometer-based rates.
With this feature enabled, the system will diligently attempt to match and allocate rates and surcharges in all available currencies, provided there is a valid exchange rate between the rate/surcharge currency and the TO currency. Any rates incompatible with the TO currency and lacking a valid exchange rate will be disregarded.
Currency exchange table
The system now incorporates an additional filter within the currency exchange master data table. Admin users can utilize this filter to configure currency exchange agreements at the carrier level, facilitating the seamless operation of this multi-currency feature.
Carrier allocation including surcharges
This enhancement allows administrators to configure the system to consider surcharges when determining the cheapest carrier for a given transport order.
Feature objectives:
The primary objectives of this feature include:
Surcharges Inclusion: Admin users have the option to enable the "Include surcharges" setting, allowing the system to factor in all applicable surcharges when comparing the total cost of the freight rate and surcharges to determine the most economical carrier.
Automated Allocation: Once the most cost-effective carrier has been identified, the system assigns the matching carrier, freight rate, and all surcharges used during the comparison to the transport order.
More details (expand)
More details (expand)
Cheapest carrier allocation with surcharges inclusion:
This feature enhances the carrier allocation process by introducing the consideration of surcharges. When the "Include surcharges" setting is enabled by the admin user, the system performs the following actions:
Identifies all applicable surcharges for each unique freight rate match.
Compares the total cost of the freight rate plus all relevant surcharges to ascertain the cheapest carrier.
After determining the most cost-effective carrier, the system automatically assigns the matching carrier, the corresponding freight rate, and all surcharges that contributed to the comparison to the transport order.
🌈 Feature improvements
Rates and surcharges (percent rate variable)
This feature allows admin users to set up two types of % based surcharges, ensuring that the system can automatically calculate the final surcharge cost using selected cost types as the base value and apply the appropriate percentage rate.
Feature objectives:
The primary objectives of this feature include:
Percent Rate (Fixed): Admin users can configure surcharges that apply a fixed percentage rate to the calculated base value, allowing for consistent surcharge calculations.
Percent Rate (Variable): The system accommodates the setup of surcharges that utilize the calculated base value to determine the applicable bracket, subsequently applying the corresponding percentage rate.
More details (expand)
More details (expand)
Configuring percent-based surcharges
This feature empowers administrators to create two distinct types of % based surcharges:
Percent Rate (Fixed): This type enables the application of a fixed percentage to the calculated base value, ensuring that surcharges remain constant regardless of variations in the base value.
Percent Rate (Variable): These surcharges use the calculated base value to determine the relevant bracket and subsequently apply the corresponding percentage rate. This dynamic approach allows for more precise surcharge calculations based on variable base values.
Remove import/export as mandatory validation for ocean bookings
The goal of this minor improvement is to remove the restriction to select a value in the import/export attribute on the transport order form when creating an ocean booking
More details (expand)
More details (expand)
Rate and surcharges: configuration in minutes instead of hours
This enhancement simplifies the process, allowing users to input rate lines in minutes, enhancing precision compared to the previous hourly format.
Minutes-Based Configuration: Users can now configure rates and surcharges in minutes, providing a more granular approach to defining freight agreements based on drive time, thus improving precision and accuracy.
More details (expand)
More details (expand)
For rate class type, Calculated drive time and reported drive time.
Master data excel upload
We've made some great improvements to masterdata items in the previous versions, and now, we rolled out new enhancements that allow you to upload all options available on the Rate Zone, Rate Regions, Surcharges, and Parts user interface through Excel upload feature. This should make things much easier for you to setup your masterdata.
TransSmart integration - New standard mapping fields
New fields are being mapped while booking shipments via TransSmart integration: Package Identifier Description, Package Stackability, Collection and Delivery instructions on the Material order, Location type as home address, and loading meter.
TransSmart integration - Allow custom mapping
We've come up with a handy tool to make it easier for you to map fields between our platform and TransSmart. This tool is designed specifically for back-office users, so you can create logic formulas that will map fields directly from the CT user interface. No need for extensive development!
Just a heads up - this tool is only accessible to Transporeon project managers who are back-office users in CT TOPS. To access it, just head over to Menu > BackOffice > TransSmart Mapping. From there, you can set filters for Division, Carrier, and TransSmartField. You can then create a formula (if) and specify the desired result (then) by setting conditions.
