Transport Management System / TMS Order Query [TMS002]

The Transport Management System (TMS) is a DATASCOPE WMS module that automatically integrates directly into external Shipping or TMS solutions. This ensures that your warehouse floor's process is fully integrated and automated.

This User Guide will focus on routing and rerouting within the TMS module.

Routing is typically when the Carrier still needs to be identified, but the warehouse staff still wants to load and pick up the order. At the end of the process, the carrier can be selected.

NOTE: Orders with a ROUTE status cannot be released at all until they have either a Route Set or a Carrier is selected. Operators will have to go through a manual process first to do this. This guide focuses on the manual process to be completed.

If you don’t like reading, you can watch the video.

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Create a new Sales Order in SYSPRO

Follow the same process as before to create a new Sales Order in SYSPRO. However, the Route must be updated here.

Typically, you will have RouteT (Route Truck) or RouteP (Route Parcel) as one of the options under the Ship Via Code field.

Open SYSPRO
From the SYSPRO Programs list, browse to Sales Orders / Sales Order Processing / Sales Order Entry
The Sales Order Entry screen will open.
Start by selecting your Customer from the Customer drop-down menu.
Next, you can add the Customer’s Purchase Order, as visible on the Customer’s Purchase Order.
The Ship Via code field must be updated with the required shipping method. If a Carrier cannot be selected, a Route (or RouteT / RouteP) code can be entered, typically configured for Manual Routing.

Creating Ship via codes in SYSPRO.

Next, you must add a stock code to the new Sales Order you are busy creating.
Select Add Lines and select or add the stock code you want to add.
Update the Order Quantity for the Sales Order
Select Save
A pop-up will appear, asking you to add the Line. Select OK.
Select End Order
You might have to select End Order a second time.
SYSPRO will then provide you with a Sales Order Number.

The next step is to release that Sales Order to a Pick Slip, but as the TMS module is now activated, some validation steps must first happen.

Let us review the required validation process.

Initial Validation Process

Three validation checks make up the initial part of the TMS process. These apply to both Small Parcel and LTL orders.

Type validation applies specific rules to the order and decides if it’s best to ship as LTL, FTL, or a small parcel order. The rules can be modified easily within the system.
Address validation to check that the address is correct. This helps you avoid penalty fees for incorrect addresses, particularly on small parcel orders.
Rate shopping analyses every freight company to find the cheapest option. The choice then automates back into the software and sets the carrier for shipping.

As the Sales Order was now created with a Ship Via code of ROUTE and no Carrier was selected, the last step of the validation process (the Initial Rate Shop) did not happen, and the order will remain in an ADDRESS status.

Let us review an order that is in an ADDRESS status.

Overview of the TMS Order Query

From the DATASCOPE WMS Main menu, browse to Transport Management System / TMS Order Query
Enter the Sales Order number in the From Sales Order field.
Select the Refresh icon to load the data grid.

TMS Order Query screen loaded.

Right-click on the order to view the TMS Order History.

Notice that the first two Validation Steps was completed successfully, but the Initial Rate Shop process did not happen. This is due to the Sales Order being created with no specific Carrier selected in the Ship Via Code field in SYSPRO, but rather a ROUTE (or manual Route option) option.
The Rate Shop process cannot execute as a Carrier or type of shipment has not been selected.

The order will therefore stop with a status of ADDRESS, and therefore cannot be Dispatched until it has been updated to SET ROUTE or a Carrier has been selected.
Notice at the top of the TMS Order Query screen, filter options exist to easily see which orders are still in a ROUTE or SET ROUTE state.

Another method to quickly see orders in a ROUTE state is to scroll to the right and filter on the Sug Carrier column.

Operators must now manually set the Carrier before they can continue.

Operators must select the ROUTE link in the Sug Carrier column to select a Carrier or Carrier type.
A Carrier Selection screen will open.

Select one of the Carriers or Type of Carriers.
The Operator have the option to either confirm the carrier or set the carrier later in the process by selecting the Confirm or Set Carier Later buttons at the bottom of the screen.
A Customer Routing Number can also be added. This is a Reference number received with an order.
If you select Set Carrier Later a pop-up will appear, asking whether the Customer Routing Number must be updated.

Select Yes
Next the user must select whether this is a Small Parcel or LTL order. Select the appropriate one and select Confirm.

The Order has now been updated to a status of SET ROUTE and the Operator will be able to Release the Pick Slip and pick the order. It, however, still cannot be Checked out until a Carrier has been set and finalized.

Follow the same process to Release and Pick the Order.

Pick Slip Release

If the Order has a status of SET ROUTE, the normal Pick Slip Release process can follow. During this process there is no integration into the TMS Module.

The normal Sales Order Release process can be followed.

Next, the normal picking process can continue.

Picking

Once pick slips has been released successfully, the normal picking process (using the HTML5 Sales Pick to Pick Slip module) can take place. During this process there is no integration into the TMS Module.

The order in the TMS Order Query screen will be updated with an additional blue line that is linked to the original TMS Reference. The blue line is linked to the release.

Orders can be split up into different orders with different routes. All will be indicated with a blue line and linked to the original TMS Reference.

Checkout

As these orders have a status of SET ROUTE you will not be able to check them out via the MSN Grocery Pack module.

If users try to check out an order with a status of SET ROUTE a Conflicting Order pop up will appear, indicating the applicable conflict.

This Conflicting Order pop-up checks for various conflict:

Type – If two different types of orders (i.e., SP vs LTL) has been linked to the same MSN. This is not allowed as only one Type of order can be linked to an MSN. The user will be able to Unlink the incorrect Type order from the MSN.
Service – If multiple pick slips are linked to one MSN, but they are configured to use different Carriers it will be blocked. Service for a MSN must all be the same.
Delivery/Pickup – If multiple pick slips are linked to one MSN, but they are configured to with different Ship Via Codes (for example one is set for Pickup and the other for Delivery)
Set Route – The order is in a SET ROUTE status and the user must first select a Carrier.

If a conflict is picked up, it will be marked with a red cross with a message of what must be rectified first before continuing with the checkout.

Fixing Conflicting orders before checking them out

The user must open the TMS Order Query screen to rectify the conflicting error for SET ROUTE.

Use the filters at the top to easily find all the SET ROUTE orders.

All the orders that require a Set Route will be visible.
Select the Set Route link under the Sug Carrier column.
The Carrier Selection screen will open, and a Carrier or Carrier option can be selected.

Select Confirm
The Initial Rate Shop plugin will now run to select the most appropriate Carrier (this is dependent on how the plugin has been developed.) and the order will change to a status of RELEASED.

The order is now in a state to be checked out.

From here on the TMS module is integrated within all Checkout options.

Small Parcel Orders check out.

On a small parcel order, you integrate with the TMS every time a carton is generated.

For more information on the Small Parcel Orders check out, refer to the TMS Out of the Box User Guide.

LTL/FTL Order check out.

On the other hand, LTL orders typically goes a slightly different way through the warehouse and all the information will be sent all together at the end of the process.